Privacy Policy

Last updated: September 10, 2026

This Privacy Policy explains how the KFUPM GSR mobile application (the "App") collects, uses, and protects information about you. The App is the official companion app for the Global Students Research 2026 conference. By creating an account or using the App, you agree to the practices described here.

1. Who we are

The App is operated by the Global Students Research 2026 organizing committee at King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) ("we", "us", or "our"). We are the data controller for the personal information processed through the App. You can reach us at gsr@kfupm.edu.sa.

2. Information we collect

We only collect the information needed to run the conference and provide the App's features.

Information you provide

Account details: your email address, password, full name, and gender, collected when you sign up. Your password is never stored in readable form.
VIP or access codes: if you redeem a code to unlock a role such as VIP access.
Feedback: ratings and optional written comments you submit about sessions or the conference as a whole.

Information generated by your use of the App

Schedule and registrations: the sessions and workshops you register for, join the waitlist for, or cancel.
Check-in records: when a staff member scans your personal QR code at a session, we record the session, the time, and your account identifier.
Role: the role assigned to your account (attendee, VIP, speaker, organizer, or admin), which controls what you can see and do in the App.
Push notification token: a device identifier issued by Apple or Google that lets us deliver notifications to your device.
Local preferences: settings such as your selected agenda day and notification preferences, stored on your device only.

Information we do not collect

We do not collect your precise location. The venue map is a static image.
We do not access your contacts, photos, or files.
We do not use advertising identifiers or serve ads.
We do not sell personal information.

3. How we use your information

To create and secure your account and sign you in, including one-time verification codes and password resets.
To show you the conference agenda, speakers, announcements, and your personal schedule.
To manage session capacity, registrations, and waitlists, and to notify you when a seat opens.
To check you in to sessions and generate attendance records for the organizers.
To send reminders before sessions you registered for and important announcements.
To collect and analyze feedback so we can improve future editions of the conference.
To generate aggregate, non-identifying statistics such as attendance counts and gender distribution for reporting.
To protect the App and its users, including preventing misuse and enforcing our Terms of Use.

We share personal information only in the following circumstances:

Conference organizers and staff: authorized organizers and admins can view attendee names, emails, registrations, check-ins, and feedback in order to run the event.
Speakers: speakers may see aggregate feedback about their own sessions. Written comments are shared without your name.
Service providers: we rely on trusted providers that process data on our behalf under contractual safeguards:
- Supabase hosts our database, authentication, and file storage.
- Firebase Cloud Messaging (Google) delivers push notifications.
- Apple Push Notification service delivers notifications on iOS devices.
Legal requirements: if required by law, regulation, or a valid legal request, or to protect the rights, safety, or property of the conference, its attendees, or the public.

Your data may be stored on servers located outside your country. Where this happens, we take steps to ensure it remains protected in line with this policy.

5. Notifications

With your permission, the App sends push notifications for organizer announcements, waitlist updates, and schedule changes. It also schedules local reminders on your device shortly before sessions you have registered for. You can turn notifications off at any time in your device settings. Doing so does not affect the rest of the App.

6. Device permissions

Notifications: requested so we can deliver reminders and announcements.
Camera: requested only for organizer and admin accounts, and only when they open the scanner to check attendees in by scanning QR codes. Attendee accounts never use the camera. No images are stored.

7. Data retention

We keep your account and activity data for the duration of the conference and for a reasonable period afterwards to complete reporting, resolve disputes, and prepare future editions. Feedback may be retained in anonymized form indefinitely. Push notification tokens are deleted when you sign out or uninstall the App. You may request deletion of your account at any time (see Section 9).

8. Security

All data is transmitted over encrypted connections (HTTPS/TLS). Access to the backend is protected by authentication and role-based access rules, so attendees can only read and modify their own records. Passwords are stored using industry-standard hashing. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, but we work to protect your information appropriately.

9. Your rights and choices

Depending on where you live, you may have the right to:

Access the personal information we hold about you.
Correct inaccurate information. You can update your name in the App's profile settings.
Request deletion of your account and associated data.
Object to or restrict certain processing.
Withdraw consent for notifications through your device settings.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at gsr@kfupm.edu.sa from the email address linked to your account. We will respond within a reasonable time and may need to verify your identity first.

10. Children's privacy

The App is intended for university students, researchers, and conference participants. It is not directed at children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from them. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will delete it.

11. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. The "Last updated" date at the top shows when it was last revised. Significant changes will be announced in the App. Continued use of the App after a change means you accept the updated policy.

12. Contact us

Questions about this policy or your data can be sent to gsr@kfupm.edu.sa.

Global Students Research 2026
King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM)
KFUPM, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia