Privacy Policy

Welcome to the Privacy Policy of Article Content (articlecontent.co.uk). We are committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. This policy explains what personal data we collect, why we collect it, how we use it, and what rights you have over your information.

Article Content is an independent blog operated from the United Kingdom by Ethan Parker. As the data controller, we are responsible for ensuring that your personal data is handled lawfully, fairly, and transparently in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

By using our website, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with any part of this policy, please discontinue use of the website.

We collect different types of information depending on how you interact with our website. Below is a detailed breakdown of the data we may collect:

A. Information You Provide Directly

• Name: When you fill out our contact form or send us an email.
• Email Address: When you reach out via the contact form, email, or any communication channel.
• Phone Number: Only if you voluntarily include it in your message to us.
• Message Content: Any text, questions, feedback, or suggestions you submit through our contact form.
• Subject Selection: The topic category you choose when submitting a contact form.

B. Information Collected Automatically

• IP Address: Your device’s internet protocol address when you visit our website.
• Browser Type & Version: The web browser you use to access our site (e.g., Chrome, Firefox, Safari).
• Operating System: The operating system of your device (e.g., Windows, macOS, iOS, Android).
• Referring URL: The website or link that directed you to our page.
• Pages Visited: Which pages you view and how long you spend on each page.
• Access Times: The date and time of your visits to our website.
• Device Information: Screen resolution, device type (mobile, tablet, desktop), and language settings.

We use the collected information for specific, legitimate purposes only. Here is a clear overview of how your data may be used:

Under the UK GDPR, we must have a lawful basis for processing your personal data. We rely on the following legal grounds:

• Consent (Article 6(1)(a)): When you voluntarily submit information through our contact form or email, you consent to us processing that data to respond to your inquiry.
• Legitimate Interests (Article 6(1)(f)): We process automatically collected data (such as analytics) to improve our website, ensure security, and understand reader preferences. Our legitimate interest does not override your rights and freedoms.
• Legal Obligation (Article 6(1)(c)): We may process data when required to comply with a legal obligation, such as responding to a lawful request from authorities.

Where we rely on consent, you have the right to withdraw it at any time by contacting us at websitehost317@gmail.com. Withdrawing consent does not affect the lawfulness of processing that occurred before withdrawal.

Our website may use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your browsing experience and collect anonymous usage data. Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit a website.

Managing Cookies

You can control and manage cookies through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to block, delete, or restrict cookies. However, please note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of our website.

• Chrome: Settings → Privacy and Security → Cookies
• Firefox: Options → Privacy & Security → Cookies
• Safari: Preferences → Privacy → Cookies
• Edge: Settings → Cookies and Site Permissions

We may use a limited number of trusted third-party services to help operate our website. These services may collect and process data independently, subject to their own privacy policies:

• Hosting Provider: Our website is hosted by a third-party hosting service that may log server data such as IP addresses and access times for security and performance purposes.
• Analytics Services: We may use tools such as Google Analytics to collect anonymous usage data. These tools use cookies to track page views, session duration, and traffic sources. Data is aggregated and anonymised.
• Image Sources: Some images on our website are sourced from platforms like Unsplash. These images are loaded from external servers and may be subject to their own data handling practices.
• Email Services: When you send us an email, your message is processed through email service providers (e.g., Gmail) which have their own privacy policies.

We encourage you to review the privacy policies of these third-party services. We are not responsible for the data practices of external websites or services linked from our blog.

We take a strict approach to data sharing. Your personal information is not shared with third parties except in the following limited circumstances:

• Service Providers: Trusted third parties who assist us in operating our website (e.g., hosting, analytics) under strict data processing agreements.
• Legal Requirements: When required by law, regulation, legal process, or governmental request.
• Protection of Rights: To protect the rights, property, or safety of Article Content, our readers, or the public.
• Business Transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your data may be transferred as part of the transaction. You will be notified of any such change.

Protecting your personal data is a priority. We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to safeguard your information against unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction:

• SSL Encryption: Our website uses HTTPS/SSL encryption to protect data transmitted between your browser and our servers.
• Access Controls: Personal data is accessible only to authorised individuals on a need-to-know basis.
• Secure Storage: Data is stored on secure servers with restricted access and regular security monitoring.
• Regular Reviews: We periodically review our data collection, storage, and processing practices to ensure ongoing security.
• Breach Protocol: In the unlikely event of a data breach, we will notify affected individuals and the relevant supervisory authority (ICO) within 72 hours as required by UK GDPR.

While we strive to protect your data, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security but commit to taking all reasonable precautions.

As a data subject under the UK General Data Protection Regulation, you have the following rights regarding your personal data. We are committed to honouring every valid request promptly:

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at websitehost317@gmail.com with the subject line “GDPR Rights Request – [Your Name]”. We will respond within 30 days of receiving your request.

We retain your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by law. Our retention guidelines are as follows:

• Contact Form Submissions: Retained for up to 12 months after the inquiry has been resolved, then securely deleted.
• Email Correspondence: Retained for up to 24 months for reference and follow-up purposes, unless you request earlier deletion.
• Analytics Data: Aggregated and anonymised data may be retained indefinitely as it does not identify individual users.
• Server Logs: Automatically deleted after 90 days by our hosting provider.

Once the retention period expires, your personal data will be securely deleted or anonymised so that it can no longer be linked to you.

Article Content is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately at websitehost317@gmail.com.

If we become aware that we have inadvertently collected data from a child under 13, we will take immediate steps to delete that information from our records.

Article Content is based in the United Kingdom. However, some of the third-party services we use (such as hosting providers or analytics tools) may process your data in countries outside the UK, including the United States or the European Economic Area (EEA).

When personal data is transferred internationally, we ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place, including:

• Adequacy Decisions: Transfers to countries recognised by the UK government as providing adequate data protection.
• Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs): Legally binding agreements that ensure the receiving party protects your data to UK GDPR standards.
• UK International Data Transfer Agreement (IDTA): Where applicable, we use the ICO’s approved transfer mechanisms.

If you would like more information about the specific safeguards we use for international transfers, please contact us at websitehost317@gmail.com.

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. When we make changes:

• The “Last Updated” date at the top of this page will be revised accordingly.
• Significant changes will be communicated through a visible notice on our website.
• We encourage you to review this page periodically to stay informed about how we protect your data.

Your continued use of Article Content after any changes to this policy constitutes your acceptance of the updated terms. If you disagree with the revised policy, please discontinue use of the website and contact us to request deletion of your data.