Privacy Policy
Effective September 24, 2026 · Last updated October 21, 2026
Updated October 21, 2026: the site now uses Google Analytics cookies, but only if you accept them in the cookie banner. If you decline, none are set. See Cookies and tracking.
This policy explains what personal information Guardians of the Machine Age (guardiansofthemachineage.com, "the site") collects, why, who receives it, how long we keep it, and the choices and rights you have. The site is operated by IT-Harvest ("we", "us"). Questions and requests go to info@it-harvest.com.
Summary
- We collect what you type into our forms and comment boxes, plus the basic technical data any website needs to run securely.
- With your permission, we use Google Analytics cookies to measure how the site is used. If you decline, the site sets no cookies. You can change your choice at any time.
- We do not sell or rent personal information, and we do not use it for targeted advertising.
- You can ask to see, correct or delete your information at any time.
Information we collect
Vendor profile request form
When you use the vendor profile request form we collect your full name, work email, job title, company and what you are asking for (a new listing, a profile update or something else), and, if you give them, your phone number, company website, the market segments and categories you choose, and your notes.
Vendor segments and categories form
When a vendor uses the segments and categories form we collect the sender's name, email and company, the market segments and categories they choose, and any note they add.
Newsletter signup
When you subscribe from the newsletter bar on our home page we collect only your email address.
Book request form
When you request the book we collect your first name, last name and email address. This form is processed by a registration system operated for us at xpavilion.com.
Panel comments
When you comment on a panel page we collect the name, job title and company you enter and your comment. Your name, title, company and comment are published on the page (after review, where needed) for other visitors to see. Do not post anything you do not want to be public. To save you retyping, the comment box remembers your name, title and company in your own browser's local storage; you can clear it from your browser at any time.
Technical information
To protect the forms and comments from spam and abuse, we store a one-way, salted fingerprint (a "hash") of your IP address with each submission, never the address itself, and, with form submissions, your browser's type (its "user agent"). We delete both after 30 days. Like any website, the servers that host the site also record standard request logs (such as IP address, browser type and the page requested) for security and troubleshooting.
Visitor statistics
If you accept analytics cookies, we use Google Analytics to measure how the site is used: the pages you view, how you arrived (for example the referring site), your approximate location (country or city), and your device, browser and screen size. Google Analytics recognizes a returning browser through a random identifier stored in its cookies, not through your name or email. We use these reports only in aggregate, to see which pages are useful, and not for advertising. If you decline, Google Analytics does not load at all.
How we use it
- To handle your request: list or update a vendor profile, send you the book, and reply to you.
- To send our newsletter to people who subscribed to it.
- To publish your comment on the panel page you commented on.
- To keep a record of the vendors and people we work with, so we can follow up on your request.
- To protect the site against spam, abuse and security threats.
- To understand, in aggregate, which pages are useful so we can improve the site.
If you requested the book, we may email you about it; every such email includes a way to unsubscribe. If you subscribed to the newsletter, you can unsubscribe at any time by emailing us (see Contact below). We do not add people who use the vendor forms or leave comments to the newsletter or any other marketing list.
Legal bases (for visitors in the EU/EEA and the UK): we process form and comment data to take the steps you asked for and because we have a legitimate interest in running the site, working with vendors and keeping the service secure. Book emails and the newsletter rely on your request (consent) and can be stopped at any time. Analytics cookies rely on your consent, which you can withdraw at any time with Cookie Settings.
Who receives it
We share personal information only with service providers who help us run the site:
- the providers that host the website and, for the forms and comments, the servers operated for us by CyberSymposiums (cybersymposiums.com), which also runs the visit counter on two agenda pages if you accept analytics;
- the book registration system at xpavilion.com (book requests only);
- Google, which provides Google Analytics, only if you accept analytics cookies.
We may also disclose information if the law requires it, to protect our rights or the safety of others, or as part of a merger or sale of the site, in which case this policy continues to apply. We do not sell or share personal information for cross-context behavioural advertising.
Embedded content from other sites
Some pages show videos, demo rooms, logos and contact forms served by our partners' sites, including demosondemand.com, cybersymposiums.com, thedemoforum.com, cyber150.com and aicybersecurityforum.com, and some older agenda pages load fonts, code libraries and profile images from Adobe Fonts, Google Fonts, jsDelivr, cdnjs and LinkedIn. The AI SOC News page loads its headlines directly from aisocnews.com, and the Technology Map page loads its map from technologymap.vercel.app. When your browser loads that content, those sites receive your IP address and standard browser information, and any information you type into their forms is handled under their own privacy policies. They may use their own cookies or similar technology; we do not control them.
Cookies and tracking
On your first visit, a banner asks whether you accept analytics cookies. Nothing that measures your visit runs until you choose. If you click Accept, these are set:
| Cookie | Set by | Purpose | Expires |
|---|---|---|---|
_ga | Google Analytics | Tells one visitor's browser apart from another's | 13 months |
_ga_<ID> | Google Analytics | Keeps track of the current visit | 13 months |
ASP.NET_SessionId | CyberSymposiums visit counter (cybersymposiums.com), on the AI Security and SOC Automation agenda pages only | Counts page visits for CyberSymposiums | When you close your browser |
If you click Decline, Google Analytics and the visit counter do not run, and we set no cookies. Whatever you choose, we remember your answer in your browser's local storage for 12 months so we do not ask on every page. You can change it at any time with (also in the footer of every page). Declining after you accepted deletes the Google Analytics cookies from your browser; the visit counter's cookie belongs to cybersymposiums.com, so clear it in your browser if you want it gone.
Besides that, the only thing we store in your browser is the comment-box convenience described above (local storage, which you control). We use no advertising or cross-site tracking. Embedded partner content (see above) may set its own cookies; you can block third-party cookies in your browser settings.
Global Privacy Control: if your browser sends a Global Privacy Control signal, we treat it as a request to opt out of the sale or sharing of your personal information, and the cookie banner confirms it. Google's advertising features are switched off for this site either way. Do Not Track: we do not respond to Do Not Track signals separately. Analytics runs only if you accept it in the banner, and you can decline there instead. We cannot guarantee how embedded third-party content responds to these signals.
How long we keep it
| Information | Kept for |
|---|---|
| Vendor form submissions (profile requests and segment/category selections) | Until handled, then deleted 24 months after being marked done or archived |
| Vendor contact records (including details copied from a form submission) | While we work with the vendor, or until you ask us to delete them |
| Panel comments | While the panel page is online, or until you ask us to remove them |
| IP address fingerprints and browser type | 30 days |
| Newsletter subscriptions | Until you unsubscribe or ask us to delete them |
| Book requests | Until you unsubscribe or ask us to delete them |
| Google Analytics data (only if you accepted analytics cookies) | Up to 14 months in Google Analytics; the reports we keep from it are aggregated and contain no personal information |
Your rights and choices
You can ask us, at any time and free of charge, to:
- see the personal information we hold about you and get a copy of it;
- correct information that is wrong or out of date;
- delete your information, including a comment you posted (tell us which one, since comments are not linked to an email address);
- object to or restrict how we use it, and stop any emails.
Email info@it-harvest.com from the address you used with us (so we can confirm the request is yours). We reply within 30 days. We will not treat you differently for exercising these rights. If you are in the EU/EEA or the UK you may also complain to your local data protection authority. California residents may review and request changes to the personal information we collect as described here.
Security
Forms and staff tools are served only over encrypted connections (HTTPS). Staff access to submitted information requires an individual account, is limited by role, and every change is logged. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security.
International visitors
The site is operated from the United States and our providers may process information in the United States and other countries, which may have different data protection rules than where you live. We use providers that protect the information as described in this policy.
Children
The site is for security professionals and is not directed to children under 16. We do not knowingly collect their personal information; if you believe we have, contact us and we will delete it.
Changes to this policy
When we change this policy we update the dates at the top of this page. If a change is significant, we also show a notice at the top of this page for at least 30 days, and where we have your email for an open request, we tell you directly.
Contact
IT-Harvest, operator of Guardians of the Machine Age
info@it-harvest.com