Data protection

SWITCH takes protecting your personal data very seriously. We process personal data that are collected when visiting our websites confidentially and in accordance with the applicable data protection provisions.

When you visit our websites, data are collected both when you yourself provide us with this information (e.g. in forms) and automatically when you visit the website. The data collected may comprise general information or personal data. The latter are all data and information relating to an identified or identifiable person.

Data are processed to the extent necessary to provide a functional website and our content and services. In the following, we explain the types of data we collect during your visit to our websites, how they are used and for how long.

If you use SWITCH services, please read the relevant service description and service regulations or general terms and conditions.

1 Data collection when visiting our website

1.1 Log files

When you visit our website, our servers store information in server log files without any action on your part. This information automatically transmitted by your browser is technically necessary in particular for the error-free display of the requested content, the identification of faults and for statistical evaluation and is automatically deleted after six months at the latest.

The following data are stored when you visit our website:

IP address
Date and time of access
URL of the previously visited website (referrer URL)
URL of the retrieved file
Server status code
Operating system used
Browser used
Transfer protocol used (e.g. HTTP)

The server log files are statistically evaluated using AWStats for optimisation purposes. This software does not use cookies for the evaluation, and the information is not passed on to third parties, as we host the software on our own servers in Switzerland, which means that we have overall control of this information.

1.2 Cookies and web analytics

The data transmitted by your browser are analysed using the open-source web analysis tool Matomo. This enables us to track the visitors’ movements on our website and to continuously optimise our website.

Data are transmitted to us via JavaScript for data collection, and cookies are generated. Cookies are files that your browser temporarily stores on your device when you visit our website. These cookies store additional information besides the data provided by the browser. The data collected will not be passed on to third parties, as we host Matomo on our own servers in Switzerland, which means that we have overall control of the information.

The following information is collected through cookies when you visit our website:

Unique user ID
Time of first visit
Time of last visit
Number of visits

The following information is sent to us via JavaScript when you visit our website:

IP address
Date and time of access
Title of the website visited (page title)
URL of the website visited (page URL)
URL of the website previously visited (referrer URL)
Screen resolution
Local time
Activated browser plug-ins, such as Flash, QuickTime, etc.
Content that has been clicked on and downloaded (Download)
Links to an external domain that have been clicked on (Outlink)
Website load time (Page speed)
Geodata, such as country of origin, continent, regions, city (Geolocation)
Browser language
Operating system

"Opt-in" / "opt-out" options

Important: The objection is filed in the form of an “opt-out cookie”, so that, for example, once all cookies have been deleted, the opt-out must be declared again. Thus, any objection lodged is not permanent. Technically, an opt-out only works for the browser and device currently in use. This means that, if you use another browser or device, you must opt-out again.

You may however configure your browser at any time such that no cookies are saved on your end device or that a message always appears when you receive a new cookie. Details on the necessary settings can be found in the product descriptions or instructions issued by the provider of the browser you are using.

2 Newsletter

2.1 General information

Through our electronic newsletter, SWITCH-News, you remain informed about current topics and events regarding SWITCH and our products. To subscribe to the newsletter, you can register on our website. The following information is collected from you via an input screen:

Form of address*
First name*
Last name*
Organisation
E-mail address*
Language*

The information marked with * is mandatory

By registering, you give us your consent to process the data provided for the purpose of regularly sending the newsletter to the e-mail address provided by you.

You may revoke your consent to the receipt of our newsletter at any time by e-mail (see Section 11) or via the link provided for this purpose at the end of each newsletter.

2.2 Newsletter tracking

Please note that we will evaluate your user behaviour when sending the newsletter. The newsletter contains a so-called web beacon, which is retrieved from an external server when the newsletter is opened. As part of this call-up, technical information, such as details about your browser and operating system, as well as your IP address and the time of the request are collected first of all and stored in the data centres of mailXpert GmbH in Switzerland.

In addition, based on your e-mail address, we can track whether and when you opened a newsletter and which links you clicked on in the newsletter. The analysis of this information helps us to identify the reading habits of our users and to adapt our content to you or to send out different content based on the interests of our users.

3 E-mail contact

On our website we have provided various e-mail addresses so that you can contact us. If you contact us through the available contact options, your information will be stored so that it can be used to process and answer your request. The data will be used exclusively for the purpose of processing the contact and any subsequent communication. In this context, data will not be passed on to third parties without your consent.

4 Events

You have the option to register for various SWITCH events on our website. For this purpose, you must provide us with your first and last name, the organisation for which you work and your e-mail address. Furthermore, additional information specific to the event may be necessary or may be provided voluntarily (e.g. travel and departure dates, any preferences and, where applicable, payment information for booking overnight stays or information on intolerances and/or allergies and choice of meals, in case catering is available). Your first and last name, as well as the organisation for which you work, may be used for lists of participants, which are distributed exclusively to the participants of the respective event.

Your data may be disclosed to third parties, such as hotels, presenters or caterers, as necessary for the organisation of the event.

Our events are regularly attended by photographers or film teams who take pictures or videos of the event. By participating in an event, you grant SWITCH permission to use these recordings for reporting and advertising purposes for SWITCH and its events. If you do not agree with this, please inform us in writing by post or e-mail (see Section 11).

5 Applying for a position

On our website, you can find out about vacancies and apply directly from there. For this purpose, we use the portal of our external provider, Haufe Service Center GmbH (Umantis), and automatically forward you to their website. Information on data protection in relation to your application is governed separately and can be accessed through the website of the application portal.

6 Links to social media platforms

On our website you can find icons of social media platforms. These are simple links that forward you to the respective platform when you click on them. We do not use any specific code from these platforms (except for Twitter on https://www.switch.ch/about/media/) so no data are automatically transferred when you browse our website. If you click on one of these links, you leave our website, and the respective provider of the platform directly controls which data are collected. Using the referrer URL, the platform can see that you have previously been on our website. If you are logged in with your account at the relevant platform, the content of our site can be linked to your profile on the platform, which means that the platform can directly link your visit to our website with your user account.

Additional information on the purpose and scope of data collection and further processing by the relevant social media platforms, as well as on your rights, can be found in the privacy statements of the respective social media providers.

7 Duration of storage

Except where more precise information has been provided, we will process and store your personal data for as long this is necessary to fulfil our contractual and legal obligations or the purposes pursued through the processing.

8 Security

We use appropriate technical and organisational security measures in order to protect your personal data stored with us against manipulation, full or partial loss and unauthorised third-party access. We continuously enhance our security measures in line with technological progress.

9 Your rights as a data subject

You have the right to receive information at any time in writing and free of charge concerning your personal data processed by us. You may send us your request for information in writing, accompanied by a copy of your identity card or passport, to our contact address (see Section 11).

You also have the right to obtain the rectification and restriction of the data processing, as well as the disclosure of certain personal data for the purpose of transfer to another entity. Furthermore, you have the right to the erasure of your personal data unless we are required or entitled to retain some of your personal data based on applicable laws and regulations.

If processing is based on your consent, you have the right to revoke it with effect for the future.

In addition, every data subject has the right to enforce his/her rights in court or to lodge a complaint with the competent data protection authority. The competent data protection authority of Switzerland is the Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner (http://www.edoeb.admin.ch/edoeb/en/home.html).

10 Changes to the Privacy Statement

The further development of our website or the implementation of new technologies may make it necessary to amend this Privacy Statement. We therefore reserve the right to amend the Privacy Statement at any time with future effect. The version available at the time of your visit to the website is always applicable.

11 Contact details of the Controller

If you have any questions about data protection on our websites, please contact:

SWITCH
P.O. Box
Werdstrasse 2
8021 Zurich

E-mail: privacy@switch.ch