Privacy policy
This privacy policy outlines the conditions under which your personal information is collected and processed by the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle ("the Museum") in connection with the website “Puzzling Biodiversity.” It is intended to help you better understand what personal data we collect and how we use it, in compliance with your rights.
The Museum is committed, in accordance with applicable legislation, to protecting your privacy by ensuring the protection, confidentiality, integrity, availability, and security of the personal data you entrust to us.
The data controller is the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, represented by its President. It is a public institution of a scientific, cultural, and professional nature, headquartered at 57, rue Cuvier, 75005 Paris, France.
This privacy policy is directly accessible from the website at the time of registration and later via a visible link in the footer of every page of the site.
This policy may be updated at any time. As a result, users are encouraged to refer to the latest version in force.
1 The main principles
The Museum is committed to the following essential principles in order to guarantee respect for fundamental rights:
· Transparency: we provide you with all relevant information on the processing of your data, in particular the purposes for which it is used and the recipients;
· Data minimisation: we collect and process only data that is adequate, relevant and not excessive in relation to the purposes for which it was collected;
· Confidentiality and integrity: we implement all reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data against disclosure, loss, alteration or access by unauthorised third parties;
· Retention: we keep your personal data only for as long as is necessary for the purposes of the specific processing or service;
· Respect for your rights: we offer you the possibility of accessing, modifying and objecting to the processing of your data, either directly via your personal areas, or via customer service or our Data Protection Officer. Where permitted by law, we also offer you the possibility of exercising your right to limit the processing of your data, as well as your right to data portability;
· Commitment of our partners: operations for which we call on specialist partners are subject to a contract to ensure that your data is protected and that your rights are respected.
1.1 What Personal Data Does the Museum Collect?
Personal data is information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person.
The Museum collects only the information strictly necessary to provide its services.
In accordance with the law, the Museum does not collect personal data through the “Puzzling Biodiversity” website that reveals racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, trade union membership, genetic data, biometric data for the purpose of uniquely identifying a natural person, health data, or data concerning a natural person’s sex life or sexual orientation.
2 How does the Museum use your data?
Your personal information is collected for the purposes detailed below.
Certain information is required in order to benefit from the corresponding service (indicated by an asterisk). Without this information, we will not be able to provide the service.
Data retention periods are defined by the Museum based on legal and contractual obligations. These periods are determined according to the purposes pursued. Once these periods expire, the data is either deleted or anonymized—meaning it is modified so it can no longer be linked to an identifiable person.
Pursuant to the French Heritage Code, certain documents about you may be retained beyond the normal retention period due to their administrative, scientific, statistical, or historical value.
As a user, you guarantee that the information you provide is accurate, complete, and up to date.
User Account Registration and Management on the Website
| Goal | Creating and managing a user account |
| Legal basis | Necessary for the performance of a contract |
| Data processed and retention period | Last name*, first name*, email address*, gender, professional status*, organization*, sector of activity*, date of birth, nationality, time spent in nature, expertise (answers to questions about expertise level). Retained for 5 years from the last user login. |
| Recipients | The relevant departments of the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle |
Highlighting the Diversity of Respondent Profiles
| Goal | Showcase diversity among respondents to ensure transparency and gender balance, in accordance with COP15 requirements |
| Legal basis | Public interest mission |
| Data processed and retention period | Gender, age, nationality, sector of activity. Retained for 5 years from the last user login. |
| Recipients | The relevant departments of the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle. |
Sending a Reminder Email About the End of the Survey
| Goal | Contact participants to inform them of the survey’s conclusion |
| Legal basis | Legitimate interest of the Museum to obtain complete responses |
| Data processed and retention period | Email address* |
| Recipients | Relevant departments of the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle |
Verifying the Quality of the Respondent Panel
| Goal | Ensure panel quality to guarantee reliable benchmark results |
| Legal basis | Public interest mission |
| Data processed and retention period | Full name*, email address*, sector / company / seniority*, sector of expertise*. Retained for 5 years from last user login. |
| Recipients | Relevant departments of the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle |
Transmission of Respondent List (with Consent)
| Goal | Transfer the list of respondents (subject to consent) for inclusion in a publication or other scientific participation |
| Legal basis | Public interest mission |
| Data processed and retention period | Respondent’s full name*. Retained indefinitely from the moment of consent; considered public information. |
| Recipients | Relevant departments of the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle |
Newsletter Management After Subscription
| Goal | Send the Museum’s newsletter, subject to your consent |
| Legal basis | Consent |
| Data processed and retention period | Full name*, email address* (retained until you unsubscribe). You may check a box during registration or in your profile to opt in. |
| Recipients | Relevant departments of the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle |
Administrative and Technical Management of the Website
| Goal | Enable Mosaic’s IT team to develop, operate, and maintain the website |
| Legal basis | Legitimate interest of the Museum (economic interest in continuously improving the site and understanding user needs) |
| Data processed and retention period | URL paths (user navigation through the Museum’s websites), services visited, session durations, IP address, login info, browser type and version, timezone settings, plugin types, geolocation data, OS version (retained for 12 months). Total retention: 13 months |
| Recipients | Relevant departments of the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle |
Contact Us
| Goal | Send questions, suggestions, or requests to Mosaic services |
| Legal basis | Legitimate interest of the Museum to respond to inquiries |
| Data processed and retention period | Full name, email address*. Retained for up to 6 months after the response. |
| Recipients | Relevant departments of the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle |
Management of Data Subject Rights Requests
| Goal | Enable you to exercise your data protection rights |
| Legal basis | Legal obligation |
| Data processed and retention period | Content of exchanges, full name*, email address, proof of identity (exceptionally, if needed, deleted after identity verification), copy of requested data. Retained for 6 years after the request to serve as legal proof. |
| Recipients | Relevant departments of the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle |
Legal or Regulatory Requirements
The Museum may be required to disclose your personal data in response to legitimate requests by public authorities, including for national security, anti-fraud, or other legal obligations.
Transfer of Data Outside the European Union
No data is transferred outside the European Union.
Security and Confidentiality of Personal Data
The Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle undertakes to implement all necessary measures to guarantee the security and confidentiality of personal data and to prevent unauthorized access, damage, or deletion.
Rights of Individuals Whose Data is Collected and Processed
It is explicitly agreed that the personal data collected by the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle is used in accordance with the purposes described in this privacy policy.
In accordance with applicable regulations on personal data protection, and subject to meeting the necessary conditions, every user has the right to:
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Access their personal data
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Rectify their data
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Object to processing for legitimate reasons (except for direct marketing, where no justification is required)
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Withdraw consent at any time
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Restrict processing, where allowed by law
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Data portability
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Request erasure of their personal data
Users may also issue instructions regarding what happens to their data after death.
These rights may be exercised at any time, subject to proof of identity by any appropriate means. Users may also update their personal data directly through their account settings. The Museum will respond to requests to exercise these rights as promptly as possible, and in any case within one month of receipt.
For more information about your rights, you may contact the Museum’s Data Protection Officer at:
📧 dpo@mnhn.fr 📬 Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle – Legal Affairs and Procurement Department – Data Protection Officer, 57 rue Cuvier, 75005 Paris, France
If you experience any difficulties in exercising your data rights, you may file a complaint with the French data protection authority (CNIL): 3 Place de Fontenoy, TSA 80715 – 75334 PARIS CEDEX 07.
Cookie Management
Our website uses cookies and related technologies (collectively referred to as "cookies" for simplicity). Cookies may also be placed by third parties commissioned by the Museum.
What is a Cookie?
Cookies are computer files automatically stored on the hard drive of your computer, tablet, or mobile device when you browse our website. They are managed by your web browser (e.g., Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, Google Chrome).
Cookies serve multiple purposes: remembering your visitor ID, setting language preferences, tracking browsing behavior for statistical or marketing reasons, etc.
According to the French Data Protection Authority (CNIL), cookies fall into different categories:
Cookies That Do Not Require Your Consent
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Necessary cookies (internal): These store data between sessions on the same site using the same device (e.g., login credentials or interface customization). Consent is not required.
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Statistical cookies: These track your interactions with the site and generate statistics to improve your experience. As the data is anonymized, consent is typically not required.
Cookies That Require Your Consent
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First-party cookies: These are set by the site itself, may collect personal data, track user behavior, and serve marketing purposes. Consent is required.
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Third-party cookies: These are placed by other domains for tracking pages visited and collecting data about your browsing activity. Consent is also required.
Purpose of Cookies
Cookies issued by our site allow us to:
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Generate statistics and usage metrics (page views, number of visits, activity, return frequency, etc.) to monitor and improve service quality
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Enhance your experience by storing form data or preferences, and by tailoring content to your interests
6.2 Cookies placed
Technical cookies
| Name | Service | Retention Period | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| REMEMBERME | User service | 7 days | Maintains session login |
| Tarteaucitron | User service | 1 year | Stores cookie preference settings |
These are necessary for site functionality and do not require consent.
Analytical cookies
Used solely for internal research to improve the user experience. These cookies assess how anonymous users interact with the website.
| Name | Service | Retention Period | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| _pk_ref* | Web analytics | 6 months | Stores referring IDs |
| _pk_testcookie* | Web analytics | Session | Counts and tracks page views |
| _pk_id* | Web analytics | 13 months | Stores a unique user ID |
| _pk_ses* | Web analytics | 30 minutes | Stores a unique session ID |
These data are not shared with third parties.
See Piwik (Matomo)’s privacy policy (available in English only) for more information.
Consent and Objection
When visiting the website for the first time, a banner appears informing you about the use of cookies and allowing you to set your preferences (accept all, reject all, or granular selection). Cookies requiring consent are only stored if accepted.
You can change your cookie preferences at any time by clicking the “Cookies” button at the bottom of any page. You can also block cookies via your browser settings, but this may impact the site’s functionality.
How to Block Cookies via Your Browser
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Firefox: Go to Menu > Settings > Privacy & Security. Choose Standard, Strict, or Custom to control cookie behavior. Click “Reload All Tabs” to apply changes.
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Chrome: Go to Menu > Settings > Privacy and Security > Third-party Cookies. Choose “Block third-party cookies in Incognito” or “Block third-party cookies” based on your preferences. Changes are saved automatically.
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Microsoft Edge: Go to Settings > Cookies and Site Permissions > Manage and delete cookies. Uncheck “Allow sites to save and read cookie data (recommended)” or choose “Block third-party cookies” to limit tracking. Changes are saved automatically