Tech City News Limited (UKTN) has revised its privacy policy to provide greater transparency around how personal data is handled across its website and services. The updated notice, effective from 4 February 2024, applies to all visitors to the UKTN website, regardless of location, and serves as a comprehensive guide to data protection practices under UK and EU law.
Who We Are and Contact Details
UKTN is the data controller responsible for your personal data, with a dedicated Data Protection Officer (DPO) named Marco Callegari. Users can reach the DPO via email at mydata@wearemvi.com, by post at 124 City Road, London, EC1V 2NX, or by phone at 0208 150 8286. The company encourages users to contact them first with any concerns, though the right to lodge a complaint with the UK Information Commissioner's Office remains unaffected.
Data Collected and Methods of Collection
The policy categorizes personal data into several types: Identity Data (name, title, date of birth), Contact Data (email, address, phone), Financial Data (bank account and payment card details), Transaction Data (purchase history), Technical Data (IP address, browser type, operating system), Profile Data (preferences and feedback), Usage Data (how the site is used), and Marketing and Communications Data (opt-in preferences). Additionally, aggregated data that cannot identify an individual may be used for statistical purposes. No special categories of personal data (such as race or health information) are collected.
Data is collected through direct interactions (form submissions, purchases, newsletter sign-ups, competition entries), automated technologies (cookies and server logs), and third-party sources such as Google Analytics and Google DoubleClick for Publishers. UKTN emphasizes that failure to provide certain data may prevent the performance of a contract, for example, delivering purchased products or services.
Legal Bases for Processing
The company relies on several lawful bases under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) to process personal data. These include performance of a contract (e.g., fulfilling orders), compliance with a legal obligation (e.g., tax reporting), and legitimate interests (e.g., improving website functionality, preventing fraud, and marketing). Consent is used only for third-party direct marketing via email or text, and users have the right to withdraw consent at any time. A detailed table in the policy maps each processing purpose—such as registration, payment processing, customer relationship management, and analytics—to the corresponding data types and legal basis.
Marketing and User Choices
UKTN may use personal data to deliver relevant content and advertisements, and to measure advertising effectiveness. Users will receive marketing communications if they have previously requested information or made a purchase, and have not opted out. Third-party marketing requires express opt-in consent. Opt-out mechanisms are available via the members area on the website or by following unsubscribe links in marketing emails. Cookies can be managed through browser settings, though disabling them may affect website functionality.
Data Sharing, Security, and Retention
Personal data may be shared with internal third parties (other companies within the Tech City News group) and external third parties (service providers, professional advisers, and regulatory authorities like HMRC). All third parties are contractually bound to process data only for specified purposes and to maintain confidentiality. UKTN does not transfer personal data outside the European Economic Area; if that changes in the future, the company commits to using approved safeguard mechanisms such as Standard Contractual Clauses or the Privacy Shield framework for US-based providers.
Security measures include limited access to personal data on a need-to-know basis, encryption, and procedures to handle data breaches. The company retains basic customer information (Contact, Identity, Financial, and Transaction Data) for six years after the end of the customer relationship, primarily for tax purposes. Users may request earlier deletion of their data under certain circumstances.
User Rights Under GDPR
The privacy policy outlines seven key rights available to individuals: the right to access personal data (subject access request), the right to correction of inaccurate data, the right to erasure (the 'right to be forgotten'), the right to object to processing (including for direct marketing), the right to restrict processing, the right to data portability (receiving data in a machine-readable format), and the right to withdraw consent. These rights are generally exercised free of charge, though reasonable fees may be applied for unfounded or excessive requests. UKTN aims to respond within one month, extending to two months for complex cases.
This updated policy replaces all previous versions and is intended to give users clear and actionable control over their personal information. The company recommends that users regularly review the policy for any changes, especially since third-party links on the website are not covered by this notice. For any questions or to exercise your rights, please contact the DPO using the details provided at the top of this article.
Source: UKTN News