Privacy and Cookies Policies
This Privacy Policy explains
- what information is collected
- how information is stored
- how information is used
Cookies
Very many websites, including this one, send you cookies when you visit the site in order to collect data to track traffic flows.- A cookie is a small amount of data, which often includes a unique identifier that is sent to your computer or other device browser from a website's computer and is stored on your device's hard drive.
- Cookies record information about the location of your IP provider, technical data about your computer and data about which pages you look at on this website and how these were accessed.
- They do NOT tell Blogger or Google or me who the person is or anything else about the person viewing the site.
- If you have a website or blog yourself then you are probably collecting statistical data relating to traffic flows in a very similar way.
Privacy
What is personal data?
This is the definition provided to me by the Information Commission
The GDPR applies to ‘personal data’ meaning any information relating to an identifiable person who can be directly or indirectly identified in particular by reference to an identifier.
This definition provides for a wide range of personal identifiers to constitute personal data, including name, identification number, location data or online identifier, reflecting changes in technology and the way organisations collect information about people.
The GDPR applies to both automated personal data and to manual filing systems where personal data are accessible according to specific criteria. This could include chronologically ordered sets of manual records containing personal data.
What information do I collect?
When you contact me
- Personal data you provide about yourself (for example, your name and contact details e.g. an email)
- you provide a name and an email address when making a comment on a blog post or submitting a form. I do not ask for any other details. What you provide is up to you.
- you may disclose information about your business - however this is not personal information which for the purposes of the GDPR only relates to the personal data of individuals
When a third party contacts me on your behalf
- Personal data provided by a third party such as your name, contact details and specific circumstances.
When you visit this website, or interact with this site or me via social media
- Your IP address and browsing preferences and choices;
- Your name and username and any comments that you make.
When you commission me to do work for you
Your name and email address. I will also ask you for your normal mailing address for my invoice. Depending on the assignment you may disclose various other data but this will vary from client to client and will not apply to all. What you disclose is your choice.
How do I collect information?
Your personal information may be collected from a number of sources. These include:
- From you when you contact or interact with this site by email or when you communicate through social media;
- From forms you may complete;
- From public sources of data (e.g. the contacts details you have chosen to make public on your website or social media)
- From organisations/bodies you are connect to or are affiliated with, when they provide your information to me
Why do I collect it?
- In relation to news updates, the information I hold is based on you having given your consent. For example, in relation to news updates you have provided the email and then verified that it should be stored and used as a basis for processing the blog feed via the email subscription service (was Google Feedburner / now Mailer Lite) and sending you an email for the news update.
- I also collect information because of a legitimate interest to ensure I have got details correct in relation to any public published information about you.
- Data relating to any business transaction arises out of a contractual necessity e.g. so both you and I are fulfilling the obligations set out in supplier terms and conditions or any contract that may be in place.
How do I use your information?
I process your data in order to:
- Record any correspondence or products I receive and respond accordingly;
- Send out information relating to news updates
- Maintain relationships with individuals and organisations and send messages from time to time
How is it stored?
Your personal data is stored in a number of ways:
- In paper files stored securely;
- In software systems which are managed on my Apple hardware or on webware provided by a third party supplier. (details below)
- If you register to receive news updates, your information will be held on a secure server and the data will be shared with Mailer Lite only for automated processing of the news feed.
Who do I share your information with?
I may share your data with and/or obtain information from some third parties:
- my website service in relation to the use of forms and comments on this website and for the management of cookies on this website;
- statistical services with respect to understanding the traffic to the website
- Social media providers e.g. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram – to highlight public news
PLUS Other organisations where I am required to by law or by a public authority.
I am committed to protecting your privacy.
- Under no circumstances do I rent, trade or share your e-mail address without your consent.
- Very occasionally, people ask to be put in contact with another person. Rather than give their email address to you, I inform you that I will forward your request (using gmail) to them and leave them to decide how to respond.
How do I protect your data?
I take the security of your data very seriously.
- Your data cannot be accessed by third parties other than those providing services as identified below.
- I engage reputable service providers to process your data on my behalf for the purposes of email correspondence, website and social media provision They are all under a duty of confidentiality, and are legally obliged to implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to ensure the security of data in line with the relevant legislation.
How long do I keep your personal data?
Nothing is kept indefinitely. Your personal data is kept under review.
- Correspondence: I periodically delete contacts and associated emails.
- Blog comments and forms: If the blog comment is not published and/or the form submitted is nonsensical they are deleted immediately.
- Spam comments are kept for a period of time prior to reports to Google re. the worst offenders.
- News updates: Emails are stored on in my dedicated email subscription service (was Google Feedburner now Mailer Lite). If the email is not verified for this use within one month of it being received by Feedburner I delete it. You may unsubscribe from this online newsletter at anytime.
- Personal data and business correspondence in relation to all business contracts involving payment is retained for a minimum of six years after the end of the tax year in line with the requirements of HMRC.
Katherine Tyrrell writes Making Mark| UPDATED 16 July 2021