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This privacy statement includes information about how we process both your personal data and data not directly related do an individual in connection with the MeteoSwiss app.
This privacy statement includes information about how we process both your personal data and data not directly related do an individual in connection with the MeteoSwiss app.
The MeteoSwiss app is one of the main distribution channels of the Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology MeteoSwiss. It includes weather forecasts, current measurement readings, natural disaster warnings in Switzerland and the MeteoSwiss weather and climate blog. Therefore, it is designed for people located in Switzerland.
This privacy statement includes information about how we process both your personal data and data not directly related do an individual in connection with the MeteoSwiss app (hereafter only “app”).
“Personal data” (also “person-related data”) are defined as data which refer to an identified or identifiable person, in other words, that conclusions can be drawn on their identity from the data themselves or with relevant additional data.
Other data that arise through use of the app are data not directly related to an individual, but contain a unique identifier such as a number which we are unable to assign to an individual by name. This privacy statement details how we handle such data and with “data” we then mean both, unless specified otherwise.“Processing” (also “handling”) means any handling of data (personal data and data not directly related to an individual), e.g. their acquisition, storage, usage, disclosure and deletion.
The Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology MeteoSwiss (“MeteoSwiss” or “we”) is responsible for data processing in accordance with this privacy statement.
Every time data are processed there are one or several entities which assume primary responsibility for ensuring that the data processing complies with the requirements of data protection law. This entity is called the “Controller”. For example, it is responsible for answering disclosure requests and for ensuring that personal data are secured and only used in the way in which we have notified you or which is permissible by law.
If you want to contact us, please use the following address:
Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology MeteoSwiss
Operation Center 1
P.O. Box 257
8058 Zürich Airport
Phone: +41 58 460 91 11
You can use the app without disclosing personal data to us such as your name or email address. In this case we are able to unambiguously assign the data collected from your use of the app (see point 3.2) to different devices. However, we are not able to do this in regard to an individual. , To this effect, usage data are in principle data not directly related to an individual. However, if you use the contact form in the app or contact us in any other way and disclose your name, email address or other personal data, we process these data as personal data (see point 3.3).
By installing the app, the operator of the respective app store (e.g. Apple or Google) processes specific data under its own responsibility and according to its own privacy provisions.
Furthermore, we assign an ID-number to each app installation, which is linked to the post code or mountain favourites specified by you. This enables us to display push messages with weather warnings to your device.
When using the app we also process the following data and device information:
The “Weather on-site” function uses location data with your consent (via the relevant settings on your mobile device). Your position is only transmitted to our server with an accuracy of 1 km. If you want to receive “Weather on-site” push messages, location access must always be enabled. If you only enable location access when using the app you can continue to use the “Weather on-site” function, but without push messages. Push messages with weather warnings in the locations saved as favourites and all other functions operate without access authorisations to your location
When you disclose personal data to us (e.g. via the contact form) or identify yourself as the sender of blog comments, we process the data disclosed.
We process personal data in particular for the following purposes: You can find more information about the specific purposes under point 5 and below.
Operation of the app: Some data are created automatically when using the app which is why they are required essential for the operation of the app. Other data are required so that certain functions can be offered, e.g. approximate location data for the “Weather on-site” function (point 3.2).
Security and stability: We use data not directly related to an individual to improve the security and stability of the app (see point 3.1).
Statistics: We process personal data and data not directly related to an individual for statistical purposes, i.e. for analyses in order to acquire specific information, e.g. information about app use, app content or the distribution of different app versions. This information is aggregated, i.e. not related to a specific person. You will find more information in point 5.
Improving the offers: We use data not directly related to an individual to continuously improve the app and other offers (e.g. by responding to different uses or adapting or developing new content).
Communication: We use data to communicate with you, e.g. if you contacted us via the contact form. We then process the personal content of the communication as well as log data on the type and time of the communication.
Compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements: We are allowed to process data in order to comply with laws, instructions and recommendations from other authorities and internal regulations. These include the prevention, detection and clarification of criminal offences and other violations, internal and external investigations and the disclosure of data to other authorities.
Defence and enforcement of claims: We are allowed to use data for civil or criminal proceedings or for defence in such proceedings.
We use service providers for the analysis of usage behaviour in the app. In certain circumstances service providers receive usage data from us and use technologies themselves to collect usage data. However, we do not disclose any personal data such as your name or email address to them.
Google Analytics for Firebase: We use the analysis service “Google Analytics for Firebase” operated by a Google company in Ireland. This service logs behavioural data relating to the app (access frequencies, accessed content, geographical origin of the access, etc). Google utilises this information to compile analyses for us regarding the use of our app. Google uses Google LLC in the USA as the order processor, whereby IP-addresses (which are the most likely way to identify individual persons) are shortened before being forwarded to Google LLC. However, we cannot exclude that from the data collected for its own purposes Google draws conclusions as to the identity of the visitors, compiles profiles and links these data with Google accounts. By using the app you agree to the use of Google Analytics and consent to processing that also includes the transfer of data to the USA. You can find information on the Google Firebase privacy policy at https://firebase.google.com/support/privacy?hl=en, and if you have a Google account, you can find information about processing by Google at https://policies.google.com/technologies/partner-sites?hl=en.
Firebase Crashlytics: We use “Firebase Crashlytics”, another service offered by Google. This enables us to collect anonymised crash reports that we need to improve the stability and reliability of the app. If the app crashes then for this purpose anonymised information is transferred to Google in the USA (status of the app at the crash time, ID number of the installation, information on the device and other details).
Service providers: In certain areas cases we work together with external service providers who obtain access to data to comply with their obligations and process these on our behalf (e.g. for app development, hosting, support, maintenance and tests). These service providers respectively are subject to contractual and/or statutory confidentiality and data privacy obligations.
You can find more information about service providers as regards analyses and statistics in point 5.
Authorities and offices: In conjunction with the exercise of rights, the defence of claims and compliance with legal requirements, we are allowed, under certain circumstances, to disclose data to other authorities, offices, courts and other public entities, e.g. within the framework of official, legal and pre-trial and extra-judicial proceedings and within the framework of statutory information and cooperation obligations.
As explained above, your data are not solely processed by us, but also by other authorities or external service providers within the framework of contracts and collaboration projects. This means that certain data, but as a rule no personal data, can also arrive abroad, for example, as a result of transfer to the service provider. These data can therefore be processed worldwide, also outside of the European Union or the European Economic Area (this means also in so-called third-countries such as the USA). Many third-countries do not have laws which guarantee the data privacy level that corresponds to Swiss law. This is why we take contractual precautions to contractually balance out the weaker statutory protection.
Therefore, as a rule we use standard contractual clauses which are also recognised by the Swiss Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner (EDÖB) with certain adaptations. More information on this and a copy of the standard contractual clauses can be found at https://www.edoeb.admin.ch/edoeb/en/home.html
Exceptionally, we may transfer personal data abroad based on the Swiss Data Protection Act even without such contractual arrangements. For example, where you have given your consent regarding data that have been made generally accessible by you and you have not objected to the processing of such data or if the execution of a contract requires such disclosure. An exception may apply in particular to legal proceedings abroad, but also in cases of overriding public interests.
We store your data for as long as they are required for our processing purposes, any retention periods and our legitimate interests in the processing for documentation and proof purposes or if such storage is a technical requirement. Therefore, the duration of our data processing is based on statutory and internal regulations and the processing purposes (see point 4), which also include the safeguarding of our interests such as for the enforcement of claims or for documentation and proof purposes.
We handle your data confidentially and undertake reasonable technical and organisational security measures in order to maintain the confidentiality, integrity and availability of your personal data, to protect them from unauthorised or unlawful processing and to counter the risk of loss, unintentional alteration, unwanted disclosure or unauthorised access.
Within the framework of applicable law, you have the right of access, rectification, erasure, restriction of data processing and of objection to our data processing and the right to obtain free-of-charge and in in a readable format the personal data that you have provided to us. You also have the right to revoke consents. In such case, the legitimacy of the data processing performed prior to the revocation is not affected. Please note that you must provide identification for the exercise of these rights and that the rights referred to may be subject to specific restrictions or exceptions.
If you are not in agreement with our handling of your rights or privacy, please inform us of this via the contact data stated in point 2. You can also contact the Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner here: https://www.edoeb.admin.ch/en