CLOSE-UP’S PRIVACY POLICY
Close-Up Research is a UK-registered limited company specialising in ethnographic research and filmmaking. That means we research and document people’s lived experiences.
Close-Up adheres to the Market Research Society’s Code of Conduct 2023 (bit.ly/mrscodeofconduct), and complies with the Data Protection Act 2018 (gov.uk/data-protection) which is the UK’s implementation of the EU’s General Data Protection Act (GDPR).
This means that everyone participating in our research / filming has the right to be informed about the collection and use of their personal data. Below we explain how your personal data might be used if you choose to take part in our research / filming.
What is personal data?
Personal data means any information that relates to an identified or identifiable individual – for example, your name and contact details, and also your image, voice, and information about your lived experiences.
The collection and use of your personal data is known as ‘processing’, which means that Close-Up Research would be the ‘data processor’.
What if I do not wish to participate?
You can of course choose not to take part in the research project, or agree to participate at first and then revoke your consent at any time, for any reason. If so, no more of your personal data will be processed by by Close-Up Research, and we won’t use any of your existing personal data. We make an effort to check how people are feeling throughout our visits, to gauge ongoing consent and comfort around participation.
What happens with my data if I do participate?
– Close-Up Research and its employees promise to be sensitive with participant recordings, and only to use contributions for each specified project as outlined in the corresponding participant consent form. We won’t share participant surnames, addresses or contact information with the public or any third parties.
– Whilst most people are happy to appear on screen with their first name, we can use a pseudonym or hide a participant’s appearance if they prefer. Participants are also free to end participation at any time, without needing to give any reason.
– Confidential information will only be disclosed if the project director believes there to be either: a safeguarding or child protection issue; a whistleblowing/malpractice issue; the potential for harm to participants or others, or if they are required to for legal reasons.
– Video footage and any transcripts will be stored in secure electronic filing systems, and will only be accessible by Close-Up Research / end-client employees who are directly involved in the related specific project.
– Close-Up Research’s equipment is stored in a locked space, with CCTV in operation, password-protected computers with anti-malware protection, and password-protected WPA2 secure internet connection. Only Close-Up Research employees have a key to access the office, and the passwords to access the computers. All project data is backed on up secure additional hard drives, in separate project folders.
– All Close-Up employees agree: not to share project data with anyone else; to take proportionate steps to secure both project files and their computer (eg. by using up-to-date malware protection; having password-protection for computers, and password-protected WPA2 security for internet; and by keeping equipment/materials in a locked place when with them); to securely back up their work; and to keep the data in separate dedicated project folders.
– If data is transferred, it’s either transferred physically, from one hard drive directly to another, or remotely using a secure encrypted file-sharing service. Individual files may also be further password-protected where appropriate.
– All personal data, with the exception of published material, will be destroyed 2 years after the end of the project, unless a participant requests their personal information be destroyed before this point.
– Data processed by Close-Up Research, its employees, and the end-client will only ever be used for the purposes outlined, and obtained with informed and ongoing consent from those being filmed.
What rights do I have in respect of my personal data?
Under data protection law, you have the right to:
- request access to the information that Close-Up Research holds about you;
- request amendment or destruction of your information;
- request Close-Up Research to restrict the processing of your information;
- object to Close-Up Research’s processing of your information
- withdraw your consent to Close-Up Research’s processing of your information; or
- request Close-Up Research to transfer your information to another organisation.
In order to exercise any of these rights, or if you have any further questions, please contact: elliot[at]closseupresearch.com.
You also have the right to make a complaint at any time to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the UK supervisory authority for data protection issues (www.ico.org.uk).
Your rights in relation to your personal data are explained in more detail on the ‘Individual Rights’ section of the ICO website.