Proportionate data
We collect only the information needed to provide accounts, votes, proposals, requested newsletters, security, and website operation.
Privacy Notice
Clear data.
This notice explains which personal data we process, why we use it, how long it is kept, and how to exercise your rights when using the website and participation tools.
Last updated: 20 July 2026
Responses stay private
Individual choices, comments, and Community-profile information are not published. Any visible results are aggregate only.
Control and rights
You can permanently delete your account from the account settings. You may also request access, correction, erasure, or restriction of data and withdraw newsletter consent at any time.
Account deletion
What happens to votes.
Deletion removes personal data linked to the account without allowing the same action to alter or manipulate Community-vote results.
Personal data removed
The account, Community profile, background answers, optional comments, proposals, acceptance records, and any newsletter subscription linked to the email are removed.
Votes already counted
Selections from Community votes that have already been counted may remain only in aggregate totals. Those totals are not linked to the deleted account, the profile, or the person’s comments.
Duplicate-vote prevention
A protected identifier created from the confirmed email, which does not contain the email and is kept separately from selections, may be retained for up to 24 months after participation solely to prevent another vote in the same consultation.
Controller and contact
Who manages the data.
The controller determines the purposes and means of processing and responds to requests about personal data.
Data controller
Future Food Institute is identified as the controller for this website and its participation tools.
Contact address: Piazza Giuseppe Verdi, 2, 40126 Bologna BO, Italy.
Privacy contact: hello@piazzaverdiurbancolab.com. Phone: +39 3313228600.
When to contact us
- to exercise your data-protection rights;
- to correct an account or request help with deletion;
- to ask about a proposal or newsletter;
- to report privacy or security concerns.
Data processed
What we collect.
We do not ask for special-category personal data. Avoid entering health, political, religious, or other sensitive information in free-text fields.
Browsing and security
- essential technical information about requests, browser, or device;
- technical records and signals needed for security, diagnostics, and abuse prevention;
- browser data used for the session, cookie notice, and newsletter-popup status.
Account
- email, display name, and account-confirmation status;
- information needed for sign-in, password recovery, and account protection;
- the date and time when you read the Privacy Notice and accepted the Terms.
General votes
- selected option or options and an optional comment;
- limited technical information used to protect consultation integrity;
- no account is required and only aggregate results are published.
Community votes
- confirmed account, vote selection, and an optional comment;
- profession or field, experience, connection to Bologna, age range, visit frequency, and primary interest;
- your latest answers may be prefilled in later Community votes and remain editable;
- one response per account for each vote and aggregate results only when made public.
Proposals
- verified email, name or project, proposal type, title, description, and availability;
- information needed to assess the proposal and, where appropriate, contact the submitter;
- do not provide third-party data without authorisation or unnecessary confidential information.
Newsletter and contact
- email voluntarily entered to receive updates;
- message content and contact details provided when you contact us;
- information needed to manage subscription, withdrawal, and support requests.
Purposes and legal bases
Why we use it.
Requested services
We use data to provide requested functions, manage accounts, votes and proposals, and communicate about those requests.
Legal basis: performance of the requested service or steps taken at the user’s request.
Security and reliable operation
We process information needed to protect the website, prevent abuse, preserve the reliability of votes, and resolve technical problems.
Legal basis: legitimate interests in security, service continuity, and protection of the project and its users.
Newsletter
We send updates only to people who request them. Consent may be withdrawn at any time without affecting other functions.
Legal basis: consent.
Obligations and protection
We may process data to answer lawful requests, meet applicable obligations, manage disputes, or protect rights.
Legal basis: legal obligation or legitimate interest, depending on the circumstances.
Required and optional data
What you can choose.
Required data
- email, name, and password to create an account;
- the background profile to take part in Community votes;
- essential fields to submit a proposal;
- without this data the relevant function cannot be provided, but you may continue browsing and use General votes.
Optional data
- comments attached to votes;
- newsletter subscription;
- additional information not requested in free-text fields.
Recipients and transfers
Who may process it.
Data is shared only to the extent needed for service operation, security, or applicable obligations.
Categories of recipients
- website hosting, delivery, and technical-service providers;
- services used to securely manage accounts, content, and email communications;
- authorised collaborators who manage votes or review proposals;
- authorities or entitled parties where required by law.
Processing outside the EEA
Where a provider processes data outside the European Economic Area, safeguards required by applicable law are used, such as adequacy decisions or standard contractual clauses where necessary.
Retention and security
How long.
Retention criteria
- accounts: while active; when you choose permanent deletion, the account and directly linked data are removed, except information that must be retained for legal obligations, security, or the protection of rights;
- votes and Community profiles: for the consultation, aggregate analysis, and relevant follow-up, then reviewed, erased, or anonymised when no longer needed;
- proposals: for assessment, possible organisation, and documentation of relevant follow-up;
- newsletter: until withdrawal through the link included in messages or by contacting us, or until closure of the service;
- security records: for limited periods consistent with diagnostics, abuse prevention, and service protection.
Protection measures
- restricted access and separation between public and protected data;
- authentication, validation, and abuse-prevention controls;
- protection of communications and technical information;
- no publication of individual choices or Community-profile answers.
Rights
Your requests.
We may request the minimum information needed to verify that a request comes from the person concerned.
You may request
- access, correction, erasure, and restriction;
- portability, where applicable;
- objection to processing based on legitimate interests;
- withdrawal of newsletter consent;
- permanent account deletion from the account settings or through a request to the privacy contact;
- information about applicable recipients or transfers.
Complaint and automated decisions
We do not make solely automated decisions producing legal or similarly significant effects and do not conduct commercial profiling.
You may lodge a complaint with the Italian Data Protection Authority if you believe processing does not comply with applicable law.
Privacy contact
Describe the request clearly and identify the relevant account or proposal. To delete your account directly, open the Account menu and choose “Delete account”. Do not send identity documents unless reasonably requested.
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