Privacy Policy

This policy (together with the Synthesis Terms and Conditions of use, including the definitions of terms and any other documents referred to on it) sets out the basis on which any personal data that Synthesis (The Company) collects from Users, or that Users provide to the Company, will be processed by the Company.

For the purpose of the Data Protection Act 1998 (the Act), the data controller is Synthesis Media Ltd (’Synthesis’)

Information Synthesis collects from users

The Company may collect and process the following data about a User:
- Information that a User provides by filling in forms on Laboratorytalk.com. or has already provided by filling in forms on a pro-talk website. This includes information provided at the time of registering to use Laboratorytalk.com(or a Pro-Talk site) subscribing to a service, posting Material or requesting further services. The Company may also ask Users for information when a User enters a competition or promotion sponsored by the Company or when a User reports a problem with Laboratorytalk.com.
- If a User contacts the Company, a record may be kept of that correspondence.
- The Company may also ask Users to complete surveys that are used for research purposes, although Users do not have to respond to them.
- Details of transactions carried out through Laboratorytalk.com and of the fulfilment of orders from Users.
- Details of User visits to Laboratorytalk.com including, but not limited to, traffic data, location data, weblogs and other communication data, whether this is required for the Company’s own billing purposes or otherwise and the resources that are accessed by Users.
- Where details may be collected or Users’ details processed other than included above this information will be notified to Users as appropriate.

IP addresses and cookies

The Company may collect information about a User’s computer, including where available the IP address, operating system and browser type, for system administration and to report aggregate information to the Company’s advertisers. This is statistical data about Users’ browsing actions and patterns, and does not identify any individual.
For the same reason, the Company may obtain information about User’s general internet usage by using a cookie file which is stored on the hard drive of User’s computers. Cookies contain information that is transferred to the computer’s hard drive. They help the Company to improve the Synthesis websites and to deliver a better and more personalised service. They enable the Company:
- To estimate audience size and usage pattern.
- To store information about Users’ preferences, and so allow the Company to customise the Synthesis websites according to Users’ individual interests.
- To speed up Users’ searches.
- To recognise Users when they return to Laboratorytalk.com.
A User may refuse to accept cookies by activating the setting on the browser which allows an individual to refuse the setting of cookies. However, if this setting is selected it may mean that the User is unable to access certain parts of Laboratorytalk.com, particularly where the User is required to register for a service or product. Unless the browser setting has been adjusted so that it will refuse cookies, the Company’s system will issue cookies when a User logs on to Laboratorytalk.com.
Please note that the Company’s advertisers may also use cookies, over which it has no control.

Storing users personal data

The data that the Company collects from Users may be transferred to, and stored at, a destination outside the European Economic Area (“EEA”). It may also be processed by staff operating outside the EEA who work for the Company or for one of its suppliers. Such staff may be engaged in, among other things, the fulfilment of Users’ orders, the processing of User’s payment details and the provision of support services. By submitting personal data, Users agree to this transfer, storing or processing. The Company will take all steps reasonably necessary to ensure that User’s data is treated securely and in accordance with this privacy policy.
All information Users provide to the Company is stored on the Company’s secure servers. Any payment transactions will be encrypted using SSL technology. No credit card information is retained beyond the time necessary to process the transaction.
Unfortunately, the transmission of information via the internet is not completely secure. Although the Company will do its best to protect Users’ personal data, it cannot guarantee the security of data transmitted to Laboratorytalk.com; any transmission is at User’s own risk. Once the Company has received User’s information, it will use strict procedures and security features to try to prevent unauthorised access.

Uses made of the information

The Company uses information held about Users in the following ways:
- To ensure that content from Laboratorytalk.com is presented in the most effective manner for Users and their computers.
- To provide Users with information, products or services that the User requests from the Company or which it feels may interest the User, where the User has consented to be contacted for such purposes.
- To carry out the Company’s obligations arising from any contracts entered into between it and a User.
- To allow Users to participate in interactive features of the Company’s service, when Users choose to do so.
- To notify Users about changes to the Company’s service.
The Company may also use a User’s data, or permit selected third parties to use a User’s data, to provide a User with information about goods and services which may be of interest to the User and the Company or the third party may contact the User about these by post or telephone.
If the User is an existing customer, the Company will only contact the User by electronic means (e-mail or SMS) with information about goods and services similar to those which were the subject of a previous sale to the User.
If the User is a new customer, and where the Company permits selected third parties to use User’s data, it the third party will contact the User by electronic means only if the User has consented to this.
If a User does not want the Company to use his/her data in this way, or to pass his/her details on to third parties for marketing purposes the User may inform the Company and details of how this may be undertaken are shown on the relevant Synthesis website.
Other than set out below the Company does not disclose information about identifiable individuals to its’ advertisers, but it provide them with aggregate information about Users (for example, it may inform them that 500 men aged under 30 have clicked on their advertisement on any given day).The Company may also use such aggregate information to help advertisers reach the kind of audience they want to target (for example, women in SW1). The Company may make use of the personal data it has collected from Users to enable it to comply with its’ advertisers’ wishes by displaying their advertisement to that target audience.
Laboratorytalk.com Users can click on suppliers’ links on Laboratorytalk.com or in a newsletter and request further information such as brochures, technical specs and case studies. The Company does then share the relevant User details with that specific supplier to enable them to send the requested information and to contact the User about their products and services.

Disclosure of user information

The Company may disclose User’s personal information to any member of the Synthesis group of companies, which means Synthesis’s subsidiaries, its ultimate holding company and its subsidiaries, as defined in section 1159 of the UK Companies Act 2006.
Synthesis may disclose User’s personal information to third parties:
- In the event that Synthesis sell or buy any business or assets, in which case it may disclose User’s personal data to the prospective seller or buyer of such business or assets.
- If Synthesis or substantially all of its assets are acquired by a third party, in which case personal data held by it about its customers will be one of the transferred assets.
- If Synthesis is under a duty to disclose or share User’s personal data in order to comply with any legal obligation, or in order to enforce or apply its Terms and Conditions and other agreements; or to protect the rights, property, or safety of Synthesis, its customers, or others. This includes exchanging information with other companies and organisations for the purposes of fraud protection and credit risk reduction.

Users’ rights

Users have the right to ask the Company not to process their personal data for marketing purposes. The Company will usually inform a User (before collecting their data) if it intends to use their data for such purposes or if it intends to disclose their information to any third party for such purposes. Users can exercise their rights to prevent such processing by checking certain boxes on the web pages used to collect their data. Users can also exercise the right at any time by contacting Synthesis in writing addressed to The Circulation Director at Synthesis Communications Ltd, St. Giles House, 50 Poland Street, London, W1F 7AX.
Synthesis websites may, from time to time, contain links to and from the websites of the Company’s partner networks, advertisers and affiliates. If Users follow a link to any of these websites, please note that these websites have their own privacy policies and that the Company does not accept any responsibility or liability for these policies. Please check these policies before submitting any personal data to these websites.

Access to information

The Act gives Users the right to access information held about them. Users’ right of access can be exercised in accordance with the Act by writing to The Circulation Director at Synthesis Media Ltd, 12a Castle Street, Berkhamsted, Herts, HP4 2BQ, UK. Any access request may be subject to a fee of £10 to meet the Company’s costs in providing Users with details of the information held about them.

Changes to Synthesis’s privacy policy

The Company reserves the right to vary or amend this Privacy Policy at any time without notice. Users should review this page regularly as Users will be deemed to have accepted a variation in continuing to use the site after it has been posted.

June 2011