Privacy Policy (Datenschutzerklärung)

Last Updated: February 2026

Effective Date: 1st January 2021 (Updated for 2026 Compliance)

1. General Information & Data Controller

This policy informs you about how we handle your personal data at Syrian Youth Assembly (SYA). We operate in strict accordance with the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the German Federal Data Protection Act (BDSG), and the Telecommunications Digital Services Data Protection Act (TDDDG).

1.1 Data Controller

The responsible party (Controller) for processing data on this website is:

Young Global Citizens Assembly e.V.

MACHWERK c/o Young Global Citizens Assembly e.V.

Am Krögel 2, 10179 Berlin, Germany

Email: info@syrian-youth.org

2. Data Collection on Our Website

2.1 Comments and Interaction

When visitors leave comments, we collect:

  • Data shown in the comments form.

  • IP address and browser user agent string (for spam detection via Akismet or similar tools).

  • Gravatar: An anonymized hash of your email may be sent to Gravatar to check for a profile picture. Gravatar Privacy Policy.

2.2 Media & Uploads

If you upload images to the website, you must ensure they do not contain embedded location data (EXIF GPS). Visitors can download and extract this data, which poses a privacy risk.

2.3 Contact Forms & Email

Data provided via contact forms (Name, Email, Message content) is processed based on Art. 6 (1)(f) GDPR (Legitimate Interest) to respond to your inquiries.

3. Cookies & Tracking Technologies

3.1 Technical & Functional Cookies

  • Comment Cookies: Save your name/email for 1 year for convenience.

  • Login Cookies: Temporary session cookies (discarded on close) or persistent login cookies (2 days to 2 weeks if “Remember Me” is selected).

3.2 Analytical Tracking (Google Analytics)

We use Google Analytics (Google Ireland Ltd.) to analyze user behavior.

  • Legal Basis: Consent (Art. 6 (1)(a) GDPR).

  • IP Anonymization: We use anonymizeIp() to ensure your IP is truncated within the EU before being sent to the US.

  • Opt-out: You can use the Google Opt-out Add-on.

4. Third-Party Services & Integrations

We integrate external services to enhance our platform. These providers may process your IP address:

Service Provider Purpose
GoDaddy GoDaddy Inc. (USA) Web hosting & Server infrastructure.
Betterplace gut.org gAG (Germany) Secure donation processing.
Google Maps/Fonts Google Ireland Ltd. Visual representation & Location services.
YouTube Google Ireland Ltd. Video content (used in “Extended Privacy Mode”).
Mailjet Mailjet SAS (France) Newsletter distribution (EU-based servers).

5. Volunteer & Job Applications

If you apply for a position (Volunteer/Intern):

  1. Purpose: Selection process and establishment of a volunteer relationship (Art. 88 GDPR / § 26 BDSG).

  2. Retention: If unsuccessful, your data is deleted after 6 months unless you consent to longer storage in our “Talent Pool.”

  3. Cross-Border: For roles in our Jordan office, data is transferred under Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) to ensure EU-level protection.

6. Communication Tools (WhatsApp, Zoom, etc.)

For coordination, we may use third-party messengers.

  • WhatsApp/Telegram: Used only with your explicit consent.

  • Zoom/Google Meet: Used for real-time meetings. We do not record sessions without prior notification and legal basis.

7. Your Legal Rights

Under the GDPR, you have the following rights:

  • Art. 15: Right to Access (Request a copy of your data).

  • Art. 16: Right to Rectification (Correct inaccurate data).

  • Art. 17: Right to Erasure (“Right to be forgotten”).

  • Art. 18: Right to Restriction of processing.

  • Art. 20: Right to Data Portability.

  • Art. 21: Right to Object to processing based on legitimate interests.

  • Art. 7(3): Right to Withdraw Consent at any time.

To exercise these rights, please contact: info@syrian-youth.org. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Berlin Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information.