Privacy policy

This policy tells you what personal data British Antarctic Survey collects about you, and to explain how we use it and your rights. 

Personal data means any information that can be used to identify you. By signing up to ‘Ticket to Antarctica’, you will tell us:

  • Your name
  • Your email address
  • You might also give a group name.

Remember that it might also be possible to guess more information about your identity or location if you use a workplace or school email address. We will also know if you have signed up from the United Kingdom, or somewhere else.

Teachers and group leaders may choose to identify themselves.

Why are we collecting your data?

We have asked you for your name so that it can be added to a time capsule. The time capsule will be transported and stored at Rothera Research Station in Antarctica.

We have asked for your email address so that we can send you a souvenir digital ticket, and to keep you up to date with the Ticket to Antarctica project.

We have offered the option of a group name so that groups of people, such as families and school classes, can take part together without giving individual names.

We have asked people to tell us if they are signing up as a teacher or a group leader so that we can send them slightly different emails. Those emails will have extra links to activities for schools and young people. 

Who can register?

In the UK, people of any age can register for ‘Ticket to Antarctica’. 

Outside the UK, those who register must declare that they are an adult in their country. This is because there are lots of differences between the laws around the world about collecting data that belongs to children and young people.

The legal justification

Your information is being collected under a lawful basis called “public task”. This means that the data is helping us carry out the publicly funded mission of the British Antarctic Survey, which is part of the Natural Environment Research Council in the United Kingdom.

Why we created ‘Ticket to Antarctica’

Ticket to Antarctica is a public engagement project run by British Antarctic Survey. We designed this project with our responsibility to the UK public of all ages in mind, because UK taxpayers contribute to our scientific and operational work in Antarctica. 

We hope that by taking part, you:

  • Learn more about Antarctica and the work British Antarctic Survey does there.
  • Understand why the UK does science in Antarctica and why that research is important.
  • See the range of ordinary people and skills it takes to make this happen.
  • Feel proud of British Antarctic Survey and the UK’s role in climate and environmental science!

Withdrawing your data

When you sign up to ‘Ticket to Antarctica’, we are using your data for two main purposes, and these have different rules for withdrawing it:

a) Time capsule

By signing up, you allow us to add your name or group name to a time capsule that will be transported to Rothera Research Station in Antarctica. This place is under legal jurisdiction of British Antarctic Territory. 

The names in the time capsule will be based on the registration list shortly before the ship leaves the UK in October 2024. It will not include any other personal data. As an archival record, is it not possible to withdraw names after this date.

b) Email subscription

You gave us your name and email address, which allows us to update you via email and send you a souvenir ticket. 

You can unsubscribe from these updates at any time by clicking the link at the bottom of our emails. However, please note that if you unsubscribe, we will no longer have any information that allows us to contact you about ‘Ticket to Antarctica’.

How long will we keep your data?

British Antarctic Survey will keep your data for 3 years. We can’t keep it for longer without getting your agreement. 

After the initial journey campaign, we might email you if there is a significant update for ‘Ticket to Antarctica’ participants, or if we run a project like ‘Ticket to Antarctica’ again.

Who looks after your personal data?

The British Antarctic Survey is the “data controller” of your personal data for ‘Ticket to Antarctica’. This means that British Antarctic Survey decides what it is used for and how it is processed, in accordance with the purposes set out in this privacy notice. As data controller, British Antarctic Survey is responsible for complying with data protection law.

Will your personal data be shared?

The British Antarctic Survey will share your data with MailChimp, a third-party company who provide our email services for Ticket to Antarctica. This is where your information will be stored. You can remove your information at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails.

We will never share your data with a third party for any other purpose.

Contact

For any questions about use of your data, or to request a copy or deletion of your data in line with this privacy policy, contact the British Antarctic Survey Communications team: press@bas.ac.uk

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