Last Updated: 11/19/2025
1. Introduction
Welcome to The Dot Magazine (“we,” “our,” or “us”). We are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring the security of your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website http://thedotmagazine.co.uk/ (the “Site”).
Please read this policy carefully. By using our Site, you consent to the practices described here. If you do not agree with this policy, please do not use our Site.
2. Information We Collect
We may collect information about you in the following ways:
A. Information You Provide Voluntarily:
- Contact Forms: When you contact us via a form (e.g., for inquiries, submissions, or feedback), we may collect your name, email address, and the content of your message.
- Newsletter Sign-up: If you subscribe to our newsletter, we collect your email address.
- User Accounts: If you create an account to comment on articles or access certain features, we collect your username, email address, and any other information you provide.
- Comments: When you leave a comment on an article, we collect the data shown in the comments form, your IP address, and browser user agent string to help with spam detection.
B. Information Collected Automatically:
- Log Data: Like most websites, we automatically collect information that your browser sends whenever you visit our Site. This may include your IP address, browser type and version, the pages of our Site that you visit, the time and date of your visit, the time spent on those pages, and other statistics.
- Cookies and Tracking Technologies: We use cookies and similar tracking technologies (like web beacons) to analyze trends, administer the website, track users’ movements around the site, and to gather demographic information about our user base as a whole. You can control the use of cookies at the individual browser level.
C. Information from Third Parties:
We may receive information about you from third-party services, such as analytics providers (e.g., Google Analytics) and advertising networks.
3. How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect for the following purposes:
- To operate and maintain the Site (e.g., user account management, comment moderation).
- To send you promotional communications, such as our newsletter, if you have subscribed. You can opt-out at any time using the unsubscribe link in every email.
- To respond to your comments and inquiries.
- To analyze how the Site is used so we can improve our content, design, and user experience.
- To detect, prevent, and address technical issues and security risks.
- To comply with legal obligations.
4. Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR)
If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA) or the UK, our legal basis for collecting and using your personal information is:
- Your consent (e.g., for sending newsletters).
- The performance of a contract with you (e.g., providing you with an account).
- Our legitimate interests (e.g., website analytics and security), which are not overridden by your rights.
5. How We Share Your Information
We value your privacy. We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties. We may share information in the following limited circumstances:
- Service Providers: With trusted third parties who assist us in operating our website, conducting our business, or serving our users (e.g., newsletter delivery services, hosting providers, analytics services), so long as they agree to keep this information confidential.
- Legal Requirements: If required to do so by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities (e.g., a court or a government agency).
- Business Transfers: In connection with a merger, sale of company assets, financing, or acquisition of all or a portion of our business to another company.
6. Cookies
A cookie is a small file placed on your device. We use the following types of cookies:
- Strictly Necessary Cookies: Essential for you to navigate the site and use its features.
- Performance/Analytics Cookies: Collect information about how you use our website (e.g., which pages you visit) to help us improve it.
- Functionality Cookies: Allow the website to remember choices you make (like your username or region).
- Targeting/Advertising Cookies: Used to deliver ads more relevant to you and your interests.
You can instruct your browser to refuse all cookies or to indicate when a cookie is being sent. However, if you do not accept cookies, you may not be able to use some portions of our Site.
7. Data Retention
We will retain your personal information only for as long as is necessary for the purposes set out in this policy, or as required to comply with our legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements.
8. Your Data Protection Rights
Depending on your location, you may have the following rights regarding your personal data:
- Right of Access: The right to request copies of your personal data.
- Right to Rectification: The right to request that we correct any information you believe is inaccurate or complete information you believe is incomplete.
- Right to Erasure (“Right to be Forgotten”): The right to request that we erase your personal data, under certain conditions.
- Right to Restrict Processing: The right to request that we restrict the processing of your personal data, under certain conditions.
- Right to Data Portability: The right to request that we transfer the data that we have collected to another organization, or directly to you, under certain conditions.
- Right to Object to Processing: The right to object to our processing of your personal data, under certain conditions.
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details at the end of this policy.
9. International Transfers
Your information may be transferred to —and maintained on — computers located outside of your country where data protection laws may differ. If you are located outside the United Kingdom and choose to provide information to us, please note that we transfer the data to the UK and process it there. Your consent to this Privacy Policy followed by your submission of such information represents your agreement to that transfer.
10. Children’s Privacy
Our Site is not intended for individuals under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 16. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us, and we will take steps to delete that information.
11. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update our Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the “Last Updated” date. You are advised to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes.
12. Contact Us
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, your data, or your rights, please contact us.
