Privacy

Privacy Policy Updated: 06.06.2026

At Etki, we believe that meaningful networks are built on trust.

This Privacy Policy explains how personal data may be collected, used, stored, protected and shared when you visit etki.net, communicate with us, participate in our projects or events, submit information through our forms, or otherwise interact with the Etki ecosystem.

Etki is an independent impact network and a foundation in formation. Our privacy practices are designed in accordance with the principles of Türkiye’s Personal Data Protection Law No. 6698 (KVKK) and other applicable data-protection requirements.

1. Who Is Responsible for Your Data?

For the purposes of applicable data-protection law, the identity of the legal data controller responsible for a particular processing activity will be communicated through the relevant privacy notice, form or service.

Because the Etki Foundation is currently in formation, Etki should not yet be described as an incorporated foundation acting as data controller unless and until the foundation is legally established.

Where a current legal entity operates a particular Etki activity, that entity will be identified as the data controller for that activity.

Data Controller:
[Legal entity / individual currently operating etki.net]

Contact:
[privacy@etki.net]

2. Our Privacy Principles

We aim to process personal data according to the following principles:

  • Lawfulness and fairness: Personal data is processed on an appropriate legal basis and in a transparent manner.
  • Purpose limitation: We collect information for specified, explicit and legitimate purposes.
  • Data minimization: We seek to collect only the information reasonably necessary for the relevant purpose.
  • Accuracy: We take reasonable steps to keep personal data accurate and up to date.
  • Storage limitation: Information is retained only for as long as required by its purpose or applicable legal obligations.
  • Security and confidentiality: We use appropriate organizational and technical safeguards to protect personal data against unauthorized access, loss, alteration or misuse.

3. What Personal Data May We Collect?

The information we process depends on how you interact with Etki.

Identity and Profile Information

This may include:

  • name and surname;
  • profile photograph;
  • date of birth, where genuinely necessary;
  • city or country;
  • educational or professional background;
  • university, institution or organization;
  • field of study or work;
  • biography, interests and skills;
  • social or professional links voluntarily provided by you.

Contact Information

This may include:

  • email address;
  • telephone number;
  • social-media accounts;
  • other contact information you choose to provide.

Network and Participation Information

As Etki develops into a network platform, we may process information concerning your participation in:

  • organizations;
  • projects;
  • events;
  • programs;
  • publications;
  • volunteer activities;
  • professional or community roles;
  • collaborations and contributions.

Some of this information may eventually form part of a public Etki profile where you have chosen or otherwise validly agreed for it to be displayed.

Application and Submission Information

When you apply for a project, event, program, partnership or other opportunity, we may process the information contained in your application and any supporting materials you provide.

Communications

We may retain messages and related information when you contact us through:

  • website forms;
  • email;
  • social platforms;
  • partnership requests;
  • support channels.

Technical and Usage Information

When you use etki.net, limited technical information may be generated automatically, including:

  • IP address;
  • browser and device information;
  • operating system;
  • timestamps;
  • referring pages;
  • security logs;
  • cookie or session identifiers.

The former policy contemplated similar categories, including identity, contact, participation, technical and audiovisual information.

4. Identification and Verification Data

Certain future Etki services may require identity or eligibility verification.

Where genuinely necessary, we may request information such as:

  • identification number;
  • student or institutional identification;
  • graduation information;
  • proof of affiliation.

We will not collect such information merely because it may be useful later.

A Turkish Republic identification number is personal data, but it is not by itself classified as special-category personal data under Article 6 of the KVKK. The official list of special categories includes matters such as racial or ethnic origin, political opinion, philosophical or religious beliefs, appearance, association/foundation/trade-union membership, health and sexual-life information, criminal convictions and security measures, and biometric or genetic data. KVKK

Where identity-verification data is required, access should be restricted to authorized persons and the data should be retained only for the period justified by the verification or legal purpose.

5. Special Categories of Personal Data

Etki does not seek to routinely collect special-category personal data.

Depending on a future service or activity, however, such information could arise—for example through information concerning:

  • association, foundation or trade-union membership;
  • political opinions;
  • philosophical or religious beliefs;
  • health;
  • criminal convictions or security measures;
  • biometric or genetic data.

Where processing of special-category personal data is necessary, Etki will apply the conditions required by Article 6 of the KVKK and appropriate additional safeguards. KVKK

We encourage users not to submit sensitive information that is unnecessary for the service they are using.

6. Why We Process Personal Data

Depending on the relevant service, personal data may be processed to:

Operate etki.net

To provide, secure, maintain and improve the website and future digital services.

Create and Maintain Profiles

To enable people and organizations to build a presence within the Etki network and represent their projects, roles, contributions and affiliations.

Facilitate Connections

To help people discover relevant people, organizations, projects, events and opportunities within the network.

Manage Projects and Events

To receive applications, organize participation, communicate logistical information and administer projects, meetings, workshops, conferences and other activities.

Support Collaboration

To facilitate introductions, partnerships and collaboration between individuals and organizations where appropriate.

Publish Knowledge and Contributions

To manage articles, research, publications, project materials and other contributions submitted for publication or distribution through Etki.

Communicate with You

To answer inquiries and send relevant administrative information concerning your interactions with Etki.

Where separately permitted, we may also send newsletters or updates that you have chosen to receive.

Protect the Network

To prevent misuse, maintain system security, investigate incidents and protect Etki, its participants and third parties.

Comply with Legal Obligations

To satisfy applicable legal, regulatory, administrative or judicial requirements.

Improve Etki

To understand, preferably through aggregated or appropriately minimized information, how our services are used and where they can be improved.

The earlier policy similarly identified participation management, communications, event coordination, digital services, security and internal improvement as processing purposes.

7. Legal Bases for Processing

We do not rely on consent for every processing activity.

Depending on the circumstances, processing may be based on one or more legal grounds recognized under the KVKK, including:

  • your explicit consent, where legally required;
  • processing expressly provided for by law;
  • necessity for the establishment or performance of a contract;
  • compliance with a legal obligation;
  • establishment, exercise or protection of a right;
  • information made public by the data subject, within the limits of the purpose for which it was made public;
  • our legitimate interests, where permitted and where those interests do not override your fundamental rights and freedoms.

Where explicit consent is required, it will be requested separately and specifically. Merely reading this Privacy Policy or visiting Etki does not constitute blanket consent to every form of personal-data processing.

8. Public Profiles and Network Information

Etki’s long-term model includes public and semi-public representations of people, organizations, projects and activities.

Where profile functionality is introduced, we will make clear:

  • which information is public;
  • which information is restricted;
  • what information is optional;
  • where available, how visibility can be controlled.

Information that you deliberately choose to publish may be visible to other users and, depending on the relevant setting, may also be indexed by search engines.

Public availability does not mean that Etki may use personal data without limitation. Processing will remain connected to legitimate purposes and applicable legal requirements.

9. Cookies and Similar Technologies

Etki.net may use cookies and similar technologies to operate securely and understand how the website performs.

Essential Cookies

These may be necessary for functions such as:

  • security;
  • session management;
  • form submission;
  • language settings;
  • user authentication.

Essential technologies may operate where necessary for the requested service or another applicable legal basis.

Analytics and Performance Technologies

Where enabled, analytics tools may help us understand aggregate website traffic and improve performance.

Where applicable law requires consent for a non-essential technology, it will not be activated until the necessary preference has been provided.

Preference Management

Where available, you can change your cookie choices through Etki’s cookie settings. You may also control cookies through your browser.

Simply continuing to browse the website should not be described as consent to all cookies.

The former policy contemplated essential, analytics, functional and membership-related cookies.

10. Analytics and Third-Party Services

Etki may use trusted service providers for functions such as:

  • website hosting;
  • content delivery;
  • security;
  • email delivery;
  • form processing;
  • analytics;
  • cloud infrastructure;
  • database services.

Such providers receive only the information reasonably necessary to provide their services and are expected to process that information subject to appropriate contractual and security requirements.

The precise providers used by etki.net may change as the platform develops.

Where a provider introduces an international transfer of personal data, the transfer will be assessed under the applicable cross-border data-transfer rules.

11. When We Share Personal Data

Etki does not sell personal data.

Information may nevertheless be disclosed where reasonably necessary to:

  • technology and infrastructure providers;
  • authorized personnel or project teams;
  • partners involved in a specific joint program or event;
  • professional advisers;
  • regulatory, administrative or judicial authorities where legally required;
  • another party where you specifically request or authorize the disclosure.

Where a project is organized together with another organization and that organization will independently process participant information, this will be explained in the relevant notice.

The former policy similarly contemplated limited sharing with coordinators, technology providers, authorities and project partners.

12. International Data Transfers

Some digital services may involve infrastructure or service providers located outside Türkiye.

Any transfer of personal data abroad will be carried out in accordance with Article 9 of the KVKK and applicable secondary legislation, including the transfer mechanisms and safeguards available under the current legal framework.

Article 9 was materially amended in 2024 and now provides mechanisms involving adequacy decisions and, where applicable, appropriate safeguards such as standard contractual arrangements and other legally recognized mechanisms.

13. How Long We Keep Personal Data

We retain personal data only for as long as reasonably necessary for:

  • the purpose for which it was collected;
  • the continued operation of the relevant relationship or service;
  • applicable statutory retention requirements;
  • dispute resolution;
  • security and fraud prevention;
  • establishment, exercise or protection of legal rights;
  • legitimate archival or institutional-memory purposes where legally permissible.

Different categories may therefore have different retention periods.

When personal data is no longer required, it may be securely deleted, destroyed or anonymized in accordance with applicable requirements.

14. Data Security

We take reasonable technical and organizational measures designed to protect personal information.

Depending on the system, these may include:

  • access controls;
  • role-based permissions;
  • encrypted communications;
  • secure hosting;
  • authentication controls;
  • logging and monitoring;
  • backups;
  • data minimization;
  • restrictions on internal access.

No internet-based system can guarantee absolute security, but we aim to design Etki’s infrastructure with privacy and security as fundamental requirements rather than afterthoughts.

15. Your Rights

Under Article 11 of the KVKK, depending on the circumstances, you may have the right to:

  • learn whether your personal data is being processed;
  • request information regarding processing;
  • learn the purpose of processing and whether the data is used consistently with that purpose;
  • know the third parties to whom personal data has been transferred domestically or abroad;
  • request correction of incomplete or inaccurate personal data;
  • request deletion or destruction where the relevant legal conditions are met;
  • request notification of correction, deletion or destruction to relevant third parties;
  • object to a result arising against you through analysis exclusively by automated systems;
  • claim compensation where you suffer damage because personal data has been unlawfully processed.

16. Automated Decision-Making

At present, Etki does not intend to make decisions producing legal or similarly significant effects about individuals solely through automated processing.

If this changes as the platform develops, the relevant processing and safeguards will be disclosed transparently.

Recommendation systems used merely to help users discover people, projects, content or opportunities may be addressed separately as those features are introduced.

17. Children’s Privacy

Etki may operate projects involving students or young people, but the general etki.net platform is not intended to collect personal information from children without an appropriate legal basis and the safeguards required by applicable law.

Where an activity is specifically designed for minors, a separate notice and appropriate consent or authorization process may be used where required.

18. External Websites

Etki.net may link to websites or services operated by other organizations.

Their privacy practices are governed by their own policies, and Etki is not responsible for how independent third parties process information once you leave our services.

19. Changes to This Policy

Etki is evolving, and its digital infrastructure will evolve with it.

We may update this Privacy Policy to reflect:

  • new services and platform functionality;
  • changes to our organizational structure;
  • new service providers;
  • legal or regulatory developments;
  • improvements to our privacy practices.

The current version will always be published at: etki.net/privacy/

Where an update materially affects how personal information is processed, we will take reasonable steps to provide additional notice where appropriate.

20. Contact Us

Questions about this Privacy Policy, personal data processed through Etki or the exercise of your data-protection rights can be directed to:

Etki
Impact Network

Privacy: privacy@etki.net
General: info@etki.net
Website: etki.net