Privacy Policy — Foreign Service Network

Effective date: April 2026 · Version: 1.0
Questions? Contact us at privacy@foreignservice.network

Plain-language summary: We are a technology platform for diplomatic and consular posts. We collect the information you give us to operate your account and profile. We use a small number of third-party services (Google, Amazon) that may process data on servers in the United States. If you are in the EU or UK, you have specific rights over your data, which are described below. We do not sell your data.

1. Who we are

The Foreign Service Network ("FSN", "we", "us", "our") is a private technology platform that provides digital infrastructure to honorary consulates, consulates, and diplomatic posts. FSN is not a government agency or official diplomatic body.

This policy applies to all FSN platform services, including the member console, post websites powered by FSN, the global directory, and the marketplace.

2. Information we collect

2.1 Information you provide directly

Account information: Name, professional title, email address, sending country, host country, diplomatic post affiliation
Profile information: Photo, biography, languages spoken, areas of expertise, open-to preferences, telephone number
Post/website content: If you manage a post website, any content you publish — news, events, contact details, CMS pages, announcements
Communications: Messages sent through the Info Wall or marketplace, and any email correspondence with FSN
Newsletter subscriptions: Email address provided when subscribing to a post's newsletter

2.2 Information collected automatically

Log data: IP address, browser type, operating system, pages visited, time of visit, referring URL
Cookies and similar technologies: Session cookies for authentication, preference cookies for settings. See our Cookie Policy for full details.

2.3 Information from third parties

We do not currently purchase or receive personal data from data brokers or third-party sources.

3. How we use your information

Purpose	Legal basis (EU/UK)
Providing and operating the FSN platform and member services	Performance of contract
Authenticating your identity (magic link login)	Performance of contract
Displaying your public profile to other FSN members	Performance of contract / Legitimate interest
Sending service emails (login links, approval notifications, account updates)	Performance of contract
Sending newsletters you subscribed to	Consent
Operating the directory and post websites	Legitimate interest
Improving and maintaining the platform	Legitimate interest
Complying with legal obligations	Legal obligation

4. Third-party services and data transfers

FSN uses a number of third-party services to operate the platform. Some of these may process data on servers located outside your country, including in the United States. By using FSN services, you acknowledge this international data transfer.

Service	Purpose	Data processed	Location
Amazon Web Services (AWS)	Cloud hosting and infrastructure	All data stored on the platform	United States
Google Fonts	Web typography	IP address, browser info (when fonts load)	United States
jsDelivr CDN	Open-source library delivery (Bootstrap Icons, D3)	IP address (standard CDN log)	Global CDN
Amazon SES	Transactional email delivery	Email address, email content	United States

These transfers are made on the basis of the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and/or Standard Contractual Clauses where applicable. If you have questions about specific transfer mechanisms, please contact us at privacy@foreignservice.network.

5. Sharing your information

We do not sell your personal information. We may share information in the following limited circumstances:

Within the FSN platform: Your profile (name, title, post affiliation, professional details) is visible to other verified FSN members when you have activated your profile
Post website content: Content you publish as a post administrator is publicly accessible on the internet
Service providers: The third-party services listed above, under contract, solely to operate the platform
Legal requirements: If required by law, court order, or to protect the safety of users or the public

6. Data retention

Member accounts: Retained for as long as your account is active, plus up to 3 years after closure for legitimate interest (dispute resolution, legal compliance)
Post content: Retained while your post subscription is active; deleted or archived within 90 days of termination
Newsletter subscriptions: Until you unsubscribe
Log data: Up to 12 months
Cookies: Session cookies expire when you close your browser; preference cookies are retained for up to 12 months

7. Your rights (EU, UK, and other jurisdictions)

If you are located in the European Union, United Kingdom, or another jurisdiction with applicable privacy legislation, you have the following rights:

Right of access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
Right to rectification: Correct inaccurate or incomplete data
Right to erasure ("right to be forgotten"): Request deletion of your data, subject to legal retention requirements
Right to restriction: Ask us to limit how we use your data in certain circumstances
Right to data portability: Receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format
Right to object: Object to processing based on legitimate interest
Right to withdraw consent: Where processing is based on consent (e.g. newsletter), you may withdraw at any time

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at privacy@foreignservice.network. We will respond within 30 days. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with your national data protection authority.

8. Security

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your data against unauthorised access, loss, or disclosure. These include encrypted connections (HTTPS), access controls, and regular security reviews. No internet transmission is completely secure; we cannot guarantee absolute security.

9. Children

FSN is a professional platform for diplomatic and consular personnel. It is not directed at individuals under the age of 18 and we do not knowingly collect data from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal data, please contact us immediately.

10. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. We will notify active members of material changes by email or by prominent notice on the platform. Continued use of FSN after such notice constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

11. Contact

For any privacy-related questions, requests, or concerns:
Foreign Service Network
Email: privacy@foreignservice.network