1. Introduction
The Edmonton Togolese Association (ETA) (www.etogo.org) values your trust and support. We are a Canada-based community organization dedicated to connecting, celebrating, and empowering the Togolese community and our broader network. Please read this Privacy Policy carefully — by using our services or accessing our website, you provide consent to the terms outlined in this document and agree to our policies.
2. Data Collected
Data Storage Location
The Edmonton Togolese Association (ETA) operates our website servers in Canada. We ensure that your data is securely stored and handled in compliance with applicable privacy regulations. Our hosting provider follows industry-standard data protection practices to keep your personal information safe.
Registration Data
If you register on our website, we collect your chosen username, email address, and any additional personal information you provide in your profile. You can view, edit, or delete this information at any time (except for your username). Website administrators may also access and manage this data to ensure proper membership and community support.
Membership & Donation Data
To provide membership services, process donations, and manage community participation, we store your membership type, donation records, and any related information you submit. This data is necessary to deliver member benefits, issue receipts, and maintain transparency for our community activities.
Support Data
If you contact us for support, questions, or assistance, the information you submit is stored securely and only used to respond to your inquiries. Third-party support platforms may be used, and we ensure they follow strict privacy standards.
Comments
When you leave comments on our website, we collect the information you provide in the comment form, along with your IP address and browser user agent string, to help manage spam and ensure a safe community environment.
Contact Form
Information submitted through our website contact form is sent to our secure association email account. This information is only used to respond to your inquiries and is never used for marketing or shared with third parties.
Google Analytics
We use Google Analytics to understand anonymous site usage and improve our services. No personally identifiable information is stored. If you wish to opt out, you can use the Google Analytics opt-out tools available here.
Cases for Using Personal Data
We use your personal information in the following ways:
Verifying your identity and membership status on the website
Providing technical assistance or support
Sending important updates about events, programs, or changes
Monitoring account activity to prevent fraud and ensure security
Customizing your website experience for better engagement
Ensuring the smooth operation and administrative management of our services
3. Embedded Content
Pages on the Edmonton Togolese Association (ETA) website may include embedded content, such as YouTube videos, Facebook posts, or Twitter feeds. Embedded content from other websites behaves exactly as it would if you visited that website directly.
These third-party websites may collect data about you, use cookies, embed additional tracking, and monitor your interaction with the embedded content, including tracking if you are logged in to their platform.
Below is a list of the services we currently use:
Facebook
We use the Facebook page plugin to display our Facebook timeline on our site. Facebook has its own cookie and privacy policies, which we do not control. No cookies are installed by Facebook, and your IP address is not sent to Facebook until you provide consent. You can review their privacy policy here: Facebook Privacy Policy.
Twitter
We use the Twitter API to display our tweets on the site. Twitter has its own cookie and privacy policies, which we do not control. Your IP address is not sent to Twitter until you provide consent. You can review their privacy policy here: Twitter Privacy Policy.
YouTube
We embed YouTube videos on our website to share multimedia content with our community. YouTube has its own cookie and privacy policies, which we do not control. No cookies are installed, and your IP address is not sent to YouTube until you provide consent. You can review their privacy policy here: YouTube Privacy Policy.
4. Cookies
The Edmonton Togolese Association (ETA) website uses cookies — small text files placed on your device to help improve your browsing experience. Cookies allow us to retain user preferences, store information for things like membership or donation forms, and provide anonymized tracking data to third-party tools such as Google Analytics. Overall, cookies are used to make your experience on our site smoother and more personalized.
If you prefer, you can disable cookies in your browser. Please consult your browser’s help section for instructions on managing or disabling cookies.
Necessary Cookies (all site visitors)
cfduid: Used by our CDN (Cloudflare) to identify individual clients behind a shared IP address and apply security settings on a per-client basis. More info: Cloudflare Privacy Policy.
PHPSESSID: Identifies your unique session on the website.
Necessary Cookies (additional for logged-in members)
wp-auth: Used by WordPress to authenticate logged-in visitors and verify passwords.
wordpress_logged_in_{hash}: Authenticates logged-in visitors for password verification.
wordpress_test_cookie: Ensures WordPress cookies are working correctly.
wp-settings-[UID]: Customizes your view of the admin interface and the main site interface.
wp-settings-{time}-[UID]: Further customizes your view of the admin and main site interface based on your individual user ID.
5. Who Has Access to Your Data
If you are not a registered member of the Edmonton Togolese Association (ETA) website, we do not retain or have access to any of your personal information.
If you are a registered member, your personal information may be accessed by:
ETA system administrators – to manage the website, membership accounts, and community services.
Authorized ETA staff or supporters – only when necessary to provide support, respond to inquiries, or assist with membership and donation-related activities.
Your data is never shared with third parties for marketing purposes without your explicit consent.
6. Third-Party Access to Your Data
The Edmonton Togolese Association (ETA) does not share your personal information (such as name, email, or membership details) with third parties, except in limited cases where it is necessary to provide the services you expect from us.
Currently, the only third-party services we may interact with are:
Payment or Membership Processing Platforms
If you make donations or purchase memberships through a secure payment platform, limited information (such as your name, email, and transaction details) is shared only for processing payments and issuing receipts.
Support Platforms (if applicable)
If you contact ETA for support, we may use a ticketing platform to manage your request. Only the data you explicitly provide and consent to is shared. These platforms adhere to strict privacy standards.
Your information is never used for marketing or shared beyond what is necessary to provide services.
7. How Long We Retain Your Data
At the Edmonton Togolese Association (ETA), we retain your data only for as long as necessary to provide our services and support our community.
Support Requests & Comments: Any support ticket you submit or comment you leave on our website will be kept until you request its removal. This allows us to recognize you, respond promptly, and approve your comments automatically rather than holding them for moderation.
Registered Members: If you register on our website, we store the personal information you provide in your member profile. You have full control over this data — you can view, edit, or delete it at any time (except for your username). ETA administrators may access and manage this information to ensure proper membership services and community support.
Membership Account Cancellation: Online account access for members is not yet available. To cancel your membership, please submit a request via our contact form. Once submitted, it may take up to 7 days to process and delete your account.
8. Security Measures
The Edmonton Togolese Association (ETA) uses SSL/HTTPS throughout our website to encrypt communications between users and our servers. This ensures that personally identifiable information is protected and cannot be intercepted by unauthorized third parties.
In the unlikely event of a data breach, ETA system administrators will take immediate action to maintain system integrity, notify affected members, and, if necessary, assist in resetting passwords or securing accounts.
9. Your Data Rights
General Rights
If you are a registered member on the Edmonton Togolese Association (ETA) website or have left comments, you may request an exported copy of the personal data we retain, including any additional information you have provided to us.
You may also request that we erase any personal data we have stored. Please note that this does not include data we are legally or administratively required to retain, or information necessary to maintain your membership account (e.g., basic account details such as your email address). If you request full data deletion, we will no longer be able to provide support, membership services, or access to member benefits.
GDPR Rights
ETA is committed to respecting privacy and aims to follow GDPR standards where applicable. While our primary operations are in Canada, we acknowledge the importance of protecting personal data for all members and visitors, including residents of the European Union. For more information on GDPR, you can refer to the EU GDPR Information Portal.
10. Third-Party Websites
The Edmonton Togolese Association (ETA) website may include links to third-party websites. These websites are not monitored or controlled by ETA for privacy or security compliance, and ETA is not responsible for the actions or practices of these third-party sites.
Any social media sharing links, whether displayed as text links or icons, will not connect you to the associated third parties unless you explicitly click on them.
Please note that this Privacy Policy, along with any other policies in place, does not create enforceable rights for third parties and does not require ETA to disclose any personal information about our members to outside parties. We encourage you to review the privacy policies and terms of service of any third-party websites you visit through links on our site.
11. Release of Your Data for Legal Purposes
In certain circumstances, the Edmonton Togolese Association (ETA) may need or be legally required to release your personal information in response to a request from a government agency, law enforcement, or private party. You agree that ETA may disclose your information when we believe, in good faith, that it is necessary for legal reasons, including civil actions, criminal investigations, or other lawful matters.
If ETA receives a legal request affecting your privacy, we may, but are not obligated to, notify you to allow you an opportunity to respond or challenge the request. We may also proactively release information to third parties when we believe it is prudent for legal compliance, such as suspected fraudulent activity. You release ETA from any liability arising from the disclosure of your information in these circumstances.
Any disclosure of personal data for legal purposes will always comply with the applicable laws of the country in which you reside.