Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

1.1 We are committed to safeguarding the privacy of our website visitors.

1.2 This policy applies where we are acting as a data controller with respect to the personal data of our website visitors; in other words, where we determine the purposes and means of the processing of that personal data.

1.3 We use cookies on our website. Insofar as those cookies are not strictly necessary for the provision of our website, we will ask you to consent to our use of cookies when you first visit our website.

2. Credit

2.1 This document was created using a template from SEQ Legal (https://seqlegal.com).

3. How we use your personal data

3.1 In this Section 3 we have set out:

(a) the general categories of personal data that we may process;

(b) in the case of personal data that we did not obtain directly from you, the source and specific categories of that data;

(c) the purposes for which we may process personal data; and

(d) the legal bases of the processing.

3.2 We may process data about your use of our website and services (“usage data“). The usage data may include your IP address, geographical location, browser type and version, operating system, referral source, length of visit, page views and website navigation paths, as well as information about the timing, frequency and pattern of your use of our website. The source of the usage data is Google Analytics. This usage data may be processed for the purposes of analysing the use of the website. The legal basis for this processing is monitoring and improving our website.

3.3 We may process information that you provide to us for the purpose of subscribing to our email notifications and/or newsletters (“notification data“). The notification data may be processed for the purposes of sending you the relevant newsletters. The legal basis for this processing is to communicate with you about website updates at your request.

3.4 We may process information contained in or relating to any communication that you send to us (“correspondence data“). The correspondence data may include the communication content and metadata associated with the communication. Our website will generate the metadata associated with communications made using the website contact forms. The correspondence data may be processed for the purposes of communicating with you and record-keeping. The legal basis for this processing is the proper administration of our website and business and communications with users.

3.5 In addition to the specific purposes for which we may process your personal data set out in this Section 3, we may also process any of your personal data where such processing is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation to which we are subject, or in order to protect your vital interests or the vital interests of another natural person.

3.6 Please do not supply any other person’s personal data to us, unless we prompt you to do so.

4. Providing your personal data to others

4.1 We may disclose your personal data where such disclosure is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation to which we are subject, or in order to protect your vital interests or the vital interests of another natural person. We may also disclose your personal data where such disclosure is necessary for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims, whether in court proceedings or in an administrative or out-of-court procedure.

5. International transfers of your personal data

5.1 In this Section 5, we provide information about the circumstances in which your personal data may be transferred to countries outside the European Economic Area (EEA).

5.5 You acknowledge that personal data that you submit for publication through our website or services may be available, via the internet, around the world. We cannot prevent the use (or misuse) of such personal data by others.

6. Retaining and deleting personal data

6.1 This Section 6 sets out our data retention policies and procedure, which are designed to help ensure that we comply with our legal obligations in relation to the retention and deletion of personal data.

6.2 Personal data that we process for any purpose or purposes shall not be kept for longer than is necessary for that purpose or those purposes.

6.3 We will retain your personal data as follows:

(a) Usage data will be retained for a minimum period of 3 years following the end of the year during which the usage data was collected, and for a maximum period of 1 year following that date.

(b) Notification data will be retained until the date you unsubscribe. You may unsubscribe at any time by clicking the Unsubscribe link in any email from us.

(c) Correspondence data will be retained for a minimum period of 3 years following the end of the year when the relevant communication was sent, and for a maximum of 2 years following that date.

6.4 In some cases it is not possible for us to specify in advance the periods for which your personal data will be retained. In such cases, we will determine the period of retention based on the following criteria:

(a) the period of retention of notification data will be determined based on the dates you decide to subscribe and unsubscribe.

6.5 Notwithstanding the other provisions of this Section 6, we may retain your personal data where such retention is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation to which we are subject, or in order to protect your vital interests or the vital interests of another natural person.

7. Amendments

7.1 We may update this policy from time to time by publishing a new version on our website.

7.2 You should check this page occasionally to ensure you are happy with any changes to this policy.

8. Your rights

8.1 In this Section 8, we have summarised the rights that you have under data protection law. Some of the rights are complex, and not all of the details have been included in our summaries. Accordingly, you should read the relevant laws and guidance from the regulatory authorities for a full explanation of these rights.

8.2 Your principal rights under data protection law are:

(a) the right to access;

(b) the right to rectification;

(c) the right to erasure;

(d) the right to restrict processing;

(e) the right to object to processing;

(f) the right to data portability;

(g) the right to complain to a supervisory authority; and

(h) the right to withdraw consent.

8.3 You have the right to confirmation as to whether or not we process your personal data and, where we do, access to the personal data, together with certain additional information. That additional information includes details of the purposes of the processing, the categories of personal data concerned and the recipients of the personal data. Providing the rights and freedoms of others are not affected, we will supply to you a copy of your personal data. The first copy will be provided free of charge, but additional copies may be subject to a reasonable fee.

8.4 You have the right to have any inaccurate personal data about you rectified and, taking into account the purposes of the processing, to have any incomplete personal data about you completed.

8.5 In some circumstances you have the right to the erasure of your personal data without undue delay. Those circumstances include: the personal data are no longer necessary in relation to the purposes for which they were collected or otherwise processed; you withdraw consent to consent-based processing; you object to the processing under certain rules of applicable data protection law; the processing is for direct marketing purposes; and the personal data have been unlawfully processed. However, there are exclusions of the right to erasure. The general exclusions include where processing is necessary: for exercising the right of freedom of expression and information; for compliance with a legal obligation; or for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims.

8.6 In some circumstances you have the right to restrict the processing of your personal data. Those circumstances are: you contest the accuracy of the personal data; processing is unlawful but you oppose erasure; we no longer need the personal data for the purposes of our processing, but you require personal data for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims; and you have objected to processing, pending the verification of that objection. Where processing has been restricted on this basis, we may continue to store your personal data. However, we will only otherwise process it: with your consent; for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims; for the protection of the rights of another natural or legal person; or for reasons of important public interest.

8.7 You have the right to object to our processing of your personal data on grounds relating to your particular situation, but only to the extent that the legal basis for the processing is that the processing is necessary for: the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of any official authority vested in us; or the purposes of the legitimate interests pursued by us or by a third party. If you make such an objection, we will cease to process the personal information unless we can demonstrate compelling legitimate grounds for the processing which override your interests, rights and freedoms, or the processing is for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims.

8.8 You have the right to object to our processing of your personal data for direct marketing purposes (including profiling for direct marketing purposes). If you make such an objection, we will cease to process your personal data for this purpose.

8.9 You have the right to object to our processing of your personal data for scientific or historical research purposes or statistical purposes on grounds relating to your particular situation, unless the processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out for reasons of public interest.

8.10 To the extent that the legal basis for our processing of your personal data is:

(a) consent; or

(b) that the processing is necessary for the performance of a contract to which you are party or in order to take steps at your request prior to entering into a contract,

and such processing is carried out by automated means, you have the right to receive your personal data from us in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format. However, this right does not apply where it would adversely affect the rights and freedoms of others.

8.11 If you consider that our processing of your personal information infringes data protection laws, you have a legal right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority responsible for data protection. You may do so in the EU member state of your habitual residence, your place of work or the place of the alleged infringement.

8.12 To the extent that the legal basis for our processing of your personal information is consent, you have the right to withdraw that consent at any time. Withdrawal will not affect the lawfulness of processing before the withdrawal.

8.13 You may exercise any of your rights in relation to your personal data by written notice to us.

9. About cookies

9.1 A cookie is a file containing an identifier (a string of letters and numbers) that is sent by a web server to a web browser and is stored by the browser. The identifier is then sent back to the server each time the browser requests a page from the server.

9.2 Cookies may be either “persistent” cookies or “session” cookies: a persistent cookie will be stored by a web browser and will remain valid until its set expiry date, unless deleted by the user before the expiry date; a session cookie, on the other hand, will expire at the end of the user session, when the web browser is closed.

9.3 Cookies do not typically contain any information that personally identifies a user, but personal information that we store about you may be linked to the information stored in and obtained from cookies.

10. Cookies used by our service providers

10.1 Our service providers use cookies and those cookies may be stored on your computer when you visit our website.

10.2 We use Google Analytics to analyse the use of our website. Google Analytics gathers information about website use by means of cookies. The information gathered relating to our website is used to create reports about the use of our website. Google’s privacy policy is available at: https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/.

11. Managing cookies

11.1 Most browsers allow you to refuse to accept cookies and to delete cookies. The methods for doing so vary from browser to browser, and from version to version. You can however obtain up-to-date information about blocking and deleting cookies via these links:

(a) https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/95647?hl=en (Chrome);

(b) https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/enable-and-disable-cookies-website-preferences (Firefox);

(c) http://www.opera.com/help/tutorials/security/cookies/ (Opera);

(d) https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/help/17442/windows-internet-explorer-delete-manage-cookies (Internet Explorer);

(e) https://support.apple.com/kb/PH21411 (Safari); and

(f) https://privacy.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-10-microsoft-edge-and-privacy (Edge).

11.2 Blocking all cookies will have a negative impact upon the usability of many websites.

11.3 If you block cookies, you will not be able to use all the features on our website.

12. Our details

12.1 This website is owned and operated by Martin Banks.

12.2 You can contact us using our website contact form.

13. Affiliate disclosure

13.1 As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

13.2 I get commissions for purchases made through some links in our posts.

14. Microsoft Clarity

We partner with Microsoft Clarity to capture how you use and interact with our website through behavioral metrics, heatmaps, and session replay to improve and market our content. Website usage data is captured using first and third-party cookies and other tracking technologies to determine the popularity of online content and online activity. Additionally, we use this information for site optimization, fraud/security purposes, and advertising. For more information about how Microsoft collects and uses your data, visit the Microsoft Privacy Statement.

15. Mediavine Advertising Privacy Notice v. 1.2

Mediavine works with this site to support the delivery of ads that align with your interests. It collects information about your online activities and browsing information, including websites you visit, pages you view, search terms, the apps you use, the language and device you use, location, and emails from newsletter sign ups. This information is then passed to partners to enable them to display interest based advertising to you.

This Notice is specific to Mediavine and explains how Mediavine collects, uses, shares, or sells your personal information when you visit this site or sign up for a newsletter managed by Mediavine. This website must disclose any collection, use, sharing or sale of personal data beyond the services provided by Mediavine in its own privacy notice (above) and comply with relevant privacy laws.

What personal data does Mediavine collect?

Mediavine may collect:

  • IP Address (unique address that identifies your computer or phone on the internet)
  • Location (country, city, state)
  • Operating System (e.g., Windows or Mac)
  • Device Information (hardware, platform, location and carrier data)
  • Language of the Website or Browser
  • Web Browser Type (e.g., Chrome, Firefox or Safari)
  • Email address

When you visit this site, Mediavine uses cookies and similar technologies, such as pixels and tags, to collect your information about your behavior on this site and other websites you visit, across your devices. These tools track preferences, website visits and activities, interactions with emails and ads, and evaluate effectiveness of emails and ads and record which ads have been shown to you to enable the delivery of interest based ads on this site. To learn more, please visit https://www.allaboutcookies.org; ICO – What are cookies and similar technologies; https://learnwebanalytics.com/whats-the-difference-between-a-cookie-a-pixel-and-a-tag.

In some cases, Mediavine may manage a site’s newsletter. Mediavine collects your email directly from you through the newsletter sign up form, and will request your consent to use your email for interest based advertising. Your email will be converted into hashed format – a unique set of numbers and letters representing your email – before being sent to partners. If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter, you may unsubscribe at any time using the “Unsubscribe” button.

Does Mediavine share or sell my personal information for interest based advertising

Yes, Mediavine will use, share, license, sell or otherwise disclose your personal information to our partners to enable interest based advertising to be displayed to you on this site. Through the bidstream, an online marketplace, Mediavine shares data, such as ad location, site content, and your personal information with advertisers. Using this information, advertisers bid for ad space, and the winning bidder gets to display their ad to you on this site.

Mediavine may share your personal data with partners to create a universal (unique) identifier linked to your online behavior and preferences. This identifier is added to the bid request to improve the targeting of interest based ads. Mediavine and its partners may also combine your personal data collected from your interaction with this site with your data that they have collected from other sources to create a profile of your interests and behaviors to provide interest based advertising across your online experience, including devices, browsers, and applications. Mediavine could also license your personal data from its partners to enrich the information in its bid request to advertisers.

To learn more about Mediavine partners, visit https://www.mediavine.com/ad-partners.

How can I opt out of interest based advertising?

To opt out of interest based advertising on this site, you may take the following actions:

Cookie Consent – For EU/UK visitors

On first visit to the site, you may reject the use of cookies through the cookie consent banner, shown only where legally required. If you initially accept the use of cookies, but change your mind, you can access the banner by clicking “Update Privacy Settings” at the bottom of the home page to change your preferences at any time.

Disabling Cookies

To learn more about cookies and how to disable them for interest based advertising, visit All About Cookies. Most browsers provide options in their menu to stop accepting new cookies, alert you to new cookies, disable cookies, and clear your browser’s cache or storage. Be aware that blocking cookies may affect your site experience, and essential cookies cannot be disabled as these are necessary for the website to function.

Opting Out Using Other Tools

Use the following tools to opt out of receiving interest-based advertising:

Opt-Out Rights in Certain US States

If you reside in certain US states, you have the right to opt out of the sale or sharing of your personal data. A “Do Not Sell or Share My Information” button can be found at the bottom of the home page, where required.

Seeing Ads After Opting Out or Disabling Ads

Disabling cookies or opting out of the sales or sharing of personal data for advertising does not mean you won’t see ads on this website. It means the ads you see will not be personalized to your online behavior and interests.

What are my data protection rights?

Under data protection laws in the EU, UK and certain US states, you may have the right to delete, access, request a copy, and correct your personal information. If you’d like to exercise these rights related to the services we provide to this website, please contact Mediavine at privacy@mediavine.com.

Will Mediavine transfer my personal data to the US?

Yes. Mediavine transfers your data to the US for processing and storage. To safeguard this transfer, Mediavine enters into agreements known as Standard Contractual Clauses with our vendors and partners to ensure your data is protected according to EU or UK privacy standards.

How does Mediavine protect my personal information?

Mediavine has implemented technical and organizational security measures appropriate to the risk to the personal data. Despite our safeguards and efforts, no internet transmission can be 100% secure.

How long does Mediavine keep my personal information?

Where Mediavine processes personal data to enable interest based advertising, we will continue to process until you ask us to stop.

How can I contact Mediavine if I have questions about this notice or its services to this website?

Please contact us at Privacy@mediavine.com, or you may write to us at: 159 W. 25th St., Suite #427, New York, NY 10001.