Privacy Policy

DDW's Commitment to Privacy

DDW values your privacy and acknowledges the sensitivity of your personal information. We have created our privacy policy to address any concerns you may have and to assure you that we will handle your personal information appropriately. This privacy policy is effective as of Oct. 21, 2019.

Collection and Use of Information

DDW collects contact information to process registrations and send promotional emails to DDW attendees. Credit card information is handled by a third-party vendor to process online transactions. A member’s credit card data is gathered for the short period of time required to process an online transaction. With respect to security, when we transfer and receive certain types of sensitive information such as financial information, we redirect visitors to a secure server.

Cookie Statement

This Cookie Statement explains how Digestive Disease Week® (DDW) (collectively “DDW”, “we“, “us“, and “ours“) uses cookies and similar technologies to recognize you when you visit https://ddw.org or any website, mobile application or other online property owned, operated or controlled by us (“Sites“).  It explains what these technologies are and why we use them, as well as your rights to control our use of them. 

What are cookies?

Cookies are small data files that are placed on your computer or mobile device when you visit a website. Cookies are widely used by website owners in order to make their websites work, or to work more efficiently, as well as to provide reporting information.  

Cookies set by the website owner (in this case, DDW) are called “first party cookies.” Cookies set by parties other than the website owner are called “third party cookies.” Third party cookies enable third party features or functionality to be provided on or through the website (e.g., advertising, interactive content and analytics). The parties that set these third-party cookies can recognize your computer both when it visits the website in question and also when it visits certain other websites.  

Why do we use cookies?

We use first party and third-party cookies for several reasons. Some cookies are required for technical reasons in order for our Sites to operate, and we refer to these as “essential” or “strictly necessary” cookies. Other cookies also enable us to track and target the interests of our users to enhance the experience on our Sites. Third parties serve cookies through our Sites for advertising, analytics and other purposes. This is described in more detail below. 

The specific types of first- and third-party cookies served through our Sites and the purposes they perform are described in the table below: 

Types of cookieWho serves these cookiesHow to refuse
Essential website cookies: These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our Sites and to use some of its features, such as access to secure areas.
  • DDW
Because these cookies are strictly necessary to deliver the Sites to you, you cannot refuse them. You can block or delete them by changing your browser settings as described below under the heading "How can I control cookies?"
Performance and functionality cookies: These cookies are used to enhance the performance and functionality of our Sites but are non-essential to their use. However, without these cookies, certain functionality may become unavailable.
  • Wufoo
  • YouTube (Google)
To refuse these cookies, please follow the instructions below under the heading "How can I control cookies?"
Analytics and customization cookies: These cookies collect information that is used either in aggregate form to help us understand how our Sites are being used or how effective our marketing campaigns are, or to help us customize our Sites for you.
  • Google Analytics
  • Google Tag Manager
  • YouTube (Google)
To refuse these cookies, please follow the instructions below under the heading "How can I control cookies?"
Advertising cookies: These cookies are used to make advertising messages more relevant to you. They perform functions like preventing the same ad from continuously reappearing, ensuring that ads are properly displayed for advertisers, and in some cases selecting advertisements that are based on your interests.
  • Google Ads
To refuse these cookies, please follow the instructions below under the heading "How can I control cookies?" Alternatively, you can adjust your Google ad preferences online.

What about other tracking technologies, like web beacons?

Cookies are not the only way to recognize or track visitors to a website. We may use other, similar technologies from time to time, like web beacons (sometimes called “tracking pixels” or “clear gifs”). These are tiny graphics files that contain a unique identifier that enable us to recognize when someone has visited our Sites or opened an email that we have sent them. This allows us, for example, to monitor the traffic patterns of users from one page within our Sites to another, to deliver or communicate with cookies, to understand whether you have come to our Sites from an online advertisement displayed on a third-party website, to improve site performance, and to measure the success of email marketing campaigns. In many instances, these technologies are reliant on cookies to function properly, and so declining cookies will impair their functioning. 

Do you serve targeted advertising?

Third parties may serve cookies on your computer or mobile device to serve advertising through our website. These companies may use information about your visits to this and other websites in order to provide relevant advertisements about goods and services that you may be interested in. They may also employ technology that is used to measure the effectiveness of advertisements. This can be accomplished by them using cookies or web beacons to collect information about your visits to this and other sites in order to provide relevant advertisements about goods and services of potential interest to you. The information collected through this process does not enable us or them to identify your name, contact details or other personally identifying details unless you choose to provide these. 

How can I control cookies?

You have the right to decide whether to accept or reject cookies. You can exercise your Google cookie preferences by clicking on the opt-out link provided in the cookie table above. 

In addition, you can set or amend your web browser controls to accept or refuse cookies.  

In addition, most advertising networks offer you a way to opt out of targeted advertising. If you would like to find out more information, please visit http://www.aboutads.info/choices/ orhttp://www.youronlinechoices.com. 

How often will you update this Cookie Statement?

We may update this Cookie Statement from time to time in order to reflect, for example, changes to the cookies we use or for other operational, legal or regulatory reasons. Please therefore re-visit this Cookie Statement regularly to stay informed about our use of cookies and related technologies.  

The date at the bottom of this Cookie Statement indicates when it was last updated.  

Where can I get further information?

If you have any questions about our use of cookies or other technologies, please email us at [email protected]. 

This Cookie Statement was last updated on Oct. 25, 2019. 

GDPR Online Privacy Statement

Under the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) personal data is defined as:

“any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person (‘data subject’); an identifiable natural person is one who can be identified, directly or indirectly, in particular by reference to an identifier such as a name, an identification number, location data, an online identifier or to one or more factors specific to the physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural or social identity of that natural person.”

How we use your information

This privacy notice tells you how we, DDW, will collect and use your personal data for:

  • Improving the website user experience
  • Providing benefits
  • Communicating about the conference
  • Sale of direct mail lists (email addresses are not sold)
  • Providing to sponsors of ePosters
  • Marketing
    • Tailored communication
    • Promotional emails for related events or services
  • Basic Science Travel Awards
  • Ensuring diversity on committees, awards, workgroups
  • Networking and tailoring DDW experience
  • Session popularity and trends
  • Future viewing of sessions through session capture
  • Improving the conference for the attendee base
  • ADA compliance
  • Financial transactions

Why does DDW need to collect and store personal data?
In order for us to provide you with service at DDW and improve your conference experience we need to collect personal data for correspondence purposes and detailed service provision. In any event, we are committed to ensuring that the information we collect and use is appropriate for this purpose, and does not constitute an invasion of your privacy.

Will DDW share my personal data with anyone else?
We may pass your personal data on to third-party service providers contracted to DDW in the course of dealing with you. Any third parties that we may share your data with are obliged to keep your details securely, and to use them only to fulfill the service they provide on our behalf. When they no longer need your data to fulfill this service, they will dispose of the details in line with DDW’s procedures. If we wish to pass your sensitive personal data onto a third party we will only do so once we have obtained your consent, unless we are legally required to do otherwise.

How will DDW use the personal data it collects about me?
DDW will process (collect, store and use) the information you provide in a manner compatible with the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). We will endeavor to keep your information accurate and up to date, and not keep it for longer than is necessary. DDW is required to retain information in accordance with the law, such as information needed for income tax and audit purposes. How long certain kinds of personal data should be kept may also be governed by specific business-sector requirements and agreed practices. Personal data may be held in addition to these periods depending on individual business needs.

Under what circumstances will DDW contact me?
Our aim is not to be intrusive, and we undertake not to ask irrelevant or unnecessary questions. Moreover, the information you provide will be subject to rigorous measures and procedures to minimize the risk of unauthorized access or disclosure.

Can I find out the personal data that the Organization holds about me?
DDW at your request, can confirm what information we hold about you and how it is processed. If DDW does hold personal data about you, you can request the following information:

  • Identity and the contact details of the person or Organization that has determined how and why to process your data. In some cases, this will be a representative in the EU.
  • Contact details of the data protection officer, where applicable.
  • The purpose of the processing as well as the legal basis for processing.• If the processing is based on the legitimate interests of DDW or a third party, information about those interests.
  • The categories of personal data collected, stored and processed.
  • Recipient(s) or categories of recipients that the data is/will be disclosed to.
  • If we intend to transfer the personal data to a third country or international Organization, information about how we ensure this is done securely. The EU has approved sending personal data to some countries because they meet a minimum standard of data protection. In other cases, we will ensure there are specific measures in place to secure your information.
  • How long the data will be stored.
  • Details of your rights to correct, erase, restrict or object to such processing.
  • Information about your right to withdraw consent at any time.
  • How to lodge a complaint with the supervisory authority.
  • Whether the provision of personal data is a statutory or contractual requirement, or a requirement necessary to enter into a contract, as well as whether you are obliged to provide the personal data and the possible consequences of failing to provide such data.
  • The source of personal data if it wasn’t collected directly from you.
  • Any details and information of automated decision making, such as profiling, and any meaningful information about the logic involved, as well as the significance and expected consequences of such processing.

What forms of ID will I need to provide in order to access this?
DDW accepts any of the following forms of ID when information on your personal data is requested:

  • Passport
  • Driving License
  • Birth Certificate

When You Leave DDW.org

The DDW website may provide you with links to the websites of other organizations. If you choose to access these websites, DDW is not responsible for any actions or policies of such organizations. We recommend that you review the applicable privacy policy of such organizations before providing them with personal information, as their privacy policy may be different from the DDW website’s policy.

How to Find Out What Kind of Information We Maintain

Upon request, we provide DDW registrants with access to all information (including proprietary information) that we maintain about them. Access this information by sending an email to [email protected].

How to Opt Out of Email

If you do not want to receive emails from DDW in the future, you can unsubscribe directly using a link at the bottom of the DDW email.

Please note: This action does not remove you from third party vendor communications. Please contact the vendor directly for their opt-out procedures.

Changes in Our Privacy Policy

Any changes to our privacy policy will be posted on this page. The policy has been updated to be in line with the requirements of the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Read the full privacy notice.

How to Contact Us

We welcome your comments and questions about the DDW website, your experience with our services and our privacy policy.

DDW Administration
4930 Del Ray Avenue
Bethesda, MD 20814

Phone: 301-272-0022
Fax: 301-654-3978