Booking.com Researcher Data Use Policy

Researchers who are granted access to Booking.com data must adhere to this Researcher Data Use Policy. Failure to comply with the terms of this Researcher Data Use Policy may result in the revocation of your access.

1. Definitions
‘Approved Research’ means the specific research that was expressly approved by Booking.com as part of your application.

‘Authorized Researcher’ or ‘You’ means a qualified researcher accepted to partake in the Researcher Programme, along with the affiliated qualified institutions and other individuals employed by these institutions whose involvement is necessary for conducting Approved Research.

‘Access’ means the access and permissions that you have been granted, provided your application has been approved.

‘Data’ means data to which Access has been granted.

2. Access and use of Data

1. Acceptable use. You agree that the use of Access and Data will be limited to the purpose of the Approved Research only. Any other Access or use of the Data, requires additional, prior approval from Booking.com in writing. This includes use for purposes of any other research than the Approved Research. Access or Data cannot be used for:
   1. Direct or indirect development of a product
   2. Research that serves private interests (e.g. promoting a service or product for commercial gain or driven by purely personal motives)
   3. Discussion of non-public Data of individuals, whether they are public figures or not, or the non-public Data of public figures
   4. Personal use
   5. Any conduct that would harm Booking.com services or its users
   6. Any abusive, fraudulent, or harmful behaviour that would defame, abuse, harass, stalk, threaten, or otherwise infringe upon the rights of others
   7. Encouragement or promotion of illegal activities or infringement of third-party rights
   8. Attempts to reverse engineer any Booking.com product, service, or feature
   9. Any other purpose not explicitly outlined in point 3.1 above.
2. No Data disclosure.
   1. Subject to subsection 2, you are prohibited from disclosing, reproducing, selling, licensing, or otherwise transferring Access or Data to any individual other than an Authorized Researcher.
   2. You may disclose Data to a third party only if required by applicable law or legal order, provided you promptly notify Booking.com unless prohibited from doing so by a legal order.
3. Compliance with law, third party rights, Booking.com terms of service, and service-specific terms. You will comply with all applicable (local) law, regulation, and third party rights, which include but are not limited to, the EU General Data Protection Regulation and other laws regarding the import or export of Data or software, privacy, and local laws. You will not breach any other terms of service with Booking.com, including the Terms of Service, unless explicitly allowed in this Researcher Data Use Policy.
4. Technical and Organizational measures and Security requirements. Your use of Access and Data is subject to your acceptance to adhere to the technical and organizational measures and security requirements set forth by Booking.com.
5. Data measures. You warrant and represent that You:
   1. Maintain and adhere to a written privacy policy that clearly and accurately describes (a) the Data that you will access, collect and store, and (b) The methods and rationale behind your use and processing of the Data.
   2. Maintain and adhere to reasonable and appropriate administrative, organizational, technical, and physical safeguards aimed at protecting Data from inadvertent, unauthorized, or unlawful destruction or accidental loss, alteration, or destruction, and to protect against any unauthorised disclosure or access. These safeguards must be documented and must be tailored to provide an appropriate level of security commensurate with the risk posed by the process and nature of the Data to be protected.
   3. At the time of agreeing to this Researcher Data Use Policy, have no direct knowledge of any local laws that might or reasonably could significantly impair the assurances outlined in this Researcher Data Use Policy. Moreover, you commit to promptly notify the Data exporter (which will relay such notification to the pertinent authority where necessary) upon becoming aware of any such laws.
6. Data retention. You commit to securely retain Data solely to the extent necessary and proportionate for conducting Approved Research, and to implement Access controls to any systems containing Data. You will maintain and adhere to a documented retention plan that demonstrates a commitment to not retaining Data beyond the earliest of two years from the date of collection or 40 days after the end of the Approved Research.
7. Anti-circumvention. You commit not to bypass any measures implemented by Booking.com to prevent violations of this Researcher Data Use Policy.

3. Modification of Researcher Data Use Policy

Booking.com reserves the right to change the terms and conditions specified by this Researcher Data Use Policy at any time – with or without notice. Your continued Access and/or any continued use of any Data after such changes enter into effect, constitutes your agreement to and acceptance of all such changes.