Privacy Policy

This privacy policy explains how the Norwegian Polar Institute registers and handlesyour personal data. The privacy policy will be updated when needed.

The Norwegian Polar Institute is the responsible handler for personal data.

When and how do we gather personal data?

If you order photographs, footage, maps or other products or in any other way have registered as a user of our services, the Norwegian Polar Institute will register, handle and store your personal data. Such data will be securely stored and only occasionally transferred to thirds parties (see below). Personal data that we are not required to keep by law, can be deleted upon request.

User data

User data. When you register as a user of the Photo Library or the Internet Shop or contact us with other requests about services, we register name, contact information and order history (if applicable). For contact lists for Polar Book Café, Friday Lectures and other events, we use the data to send information about or invitations to relevant events.

Case handling related to Antarctica and Bouvet Island

The Norwegian Polar Institute is the official authority under the Regulations on Environmental Protection and Safety in Antarctica and the Protection Regulations that apply to Bouvetøya Nature Reserve.

In connection with the case handling pursuant to these regulations, we process personal data about the person who reports activity or applies for permits or exemptions pursuant to these regulations. We also process personal data about other participants in expeditions to these areas. In addition, it may be necessary to process personal data about others who are associated with the cases we handle, e.g. contact persons in Norway while the activity is ongoing. Furthermore, in some cases, we process personal data about people who contact us with questions about these regulations. The legal basis for processing is Article 6(1)(e) of the Data Protection Directive, exercise of official authority.

The personal data are mainly received from the person responsible for the activity in Antarctica or on Bouvet Island. The information may include contact information as well as information about age, citizenship, employment and qualifications. For those responsible for activities in Antarctica, information about insurance companies and bank connections may also be processed. We do not ask for more personal data than necessary to process the case. In a few cases, we receive information from other authorities or private individuals who have questions about activity in Antarctica or on Bouvet Island.

The information is processed in the case and archive system «ePhorte» and by e-mail, as well as being stored on a server. The systems used are subject to access control. The Norwegian Polar Institute is certified according to ISO27002. The information is stored in accordance with the Archives Act and regulations and cannot be deleted unless it is in accordance with these regulations.

Aggregated data (not identifiable)

When you use our web sites (including the Photo Library without signing in), aggregated data are registered. Single users cannot be identified. Our websites use cookies. Cookies are small files that are stored on your device via your web browser. Each cookie contains a small amount of information. Use of the Norwegian Polar Institute’s web services, including this website, is considered consenting to storing cookies. Most browsers will automatically accept cookies. You may alter the settings in your browser yourself if you do not wish to accept the use of cookies. The cookies set by our websites are mainly for collection and analysis of visitor statistics, and insight into social media sharing. Here are some of our cookies:

Who do we share the data with?

  • The Norwegian Government Agency for Financial Management (DFØ) sends invoices on behalf of the NPI. It handles and stores payment details and personal data for those who buy goods or services from the NPI.
  • Google Analytics and Siteimprove.
  • Silverstep, which is used to register sales, orders and hire of equipment in Svalbard. The system is owned by Intershare which handles and stores the personal data. The company has legally committed itself to store the data in a secure manner.
  • Personal data we process in connection with case handling pursuant to the Antarctic Regulations and the protection regulations for Bouvetøya Nature Reserve may be shared with others when access is granted in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act. This does not apply to information that is subject to a duty of confidentiality pursuant to the Public Administration Act. For some matters relating to Antarctica, data may also be shared with government officials in other countries that have acceded to the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) or that have an adequacy decision from the European Commission. In this way, information may be shared with countries that have similar environmental regulations for Antarctica in connection with clarifications of where an activity linked to several countries is to be handled.
  • With the consent of the person concerned, the name and contact information for activity in Antarctica may be shared in the Electronic Information Exchange System (EIES) on the Antarctic Treaty System’s website. This is an information exchange system that the parties to the Antarctic Treaty, including Norway, have decided to establish. 

Your rights

You have the right to see personal information we hold about you, and to rectify, transmit, limit or erase your personal data handled by us. For more information about your rights, please visit  The Norwegian Data Protection Authority.

We usually erase personal data within two years after the agreement and all duties following the agreement have been fulfilled. These rights are legally given. Personal data that must be stored in accordance with the Archives Act with regulations cannot normally be deleted.

You can reach us through post@npolar.no or phone 77750500. We will answer as soon as possible and no later than 30 days after you have contacted us.

Should you feel that we have not handled your personal data in a correct manner, please contact our data protection officer Ivar Stokkeland.

You may also complain to The Norwegian Data Protection Authority.