This Privacy Policy explains how Civic Affairs (civicaffairs.uk) looks after your personal data, what rights you have, and how you can control what we do with it. It is written for readers, contributors, tipsters, subscribers, and anyone who interacts with us – whether you send us a news tip, sign up for our newsletter, or simply browse our articles.
What personal data do we collect about you?
We collect only the information that is necessary for the specific way you engage with Civic Affairs. When you sign up to our newsletter we ask for your email address and optionally your name. If you send a news tip, a letter to the editor, or a complaints message, we will hold your name, email address, and the content you provide. Our website automatically logs standard technical data such as your IP address, browser type, and pages visited – this helps us analyse traffic and improve the site.
We never collect sensitive categories of data (like health or political opinions) unless you voluntarily include them in a message to us, and we would only process such data with your explicit consent.
Why do we process your data and what is our lawful basis?
We process personal data for three main purposes: to deliver the news and services you request, to operate and improve our website, and to comply with legal obligations. The lawful bases we rely on under UK GDPR are consent (for newsletter subscriptions and cookies where required), legitimate interest (for journalism, reader correspondence, and site analytics), and legal obligation (for record‑keeping and responding to lawful requests).
For editorial correspondence – including tips, complaints, and letters – we rely on the legitimate interest of conducting public‑interest journalism. We balance this against your privacy rights and you can object at any time (see your rights below).
How long do we keep your data?
We keep personal data only as long as it is needed for the purpose it was collected. Newsletter subscriber data stays active until you unsubscribe, after which we retain it in a suppressed format to honour your opt‑out preference. Tip and complaint correspondence is held for up to two years after the matter is closed, unless the information is relevant to ongoing reporting or a legal requirement. Website logs are anonymised after 14 months.
Do we share your data with anyone else?
We never sell your personal data. We share it only with trusted third‑party service providers who help us run the publication – for example, newsletter delivery platforms, website hosting, analytics tools, and payment processors (for sponsored content, if applicable). These providers are contractually bound to process your data only on our instructions and to keep it secure.
We may also share data if required by law, or to protect our rights, readers, or the integrity of our journalism. In the case of a source providing information in confidence, we take every precaution to protect their identity – please see our Tip Us page for more on source confidentiality.
What are your rights as a UK data subject?
Under UK GDPR you have the right to access the personal data we hold about you, rectify inaccuracies, erase your data (subject to legal exceptions), restrict processing, port your data to another service, and object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing. You also have the right to withdraw any consent you have given at any time.
To exercise any of these rights, simply email our privacy team at privacy@civicaffairs.uk. We will respond within one month. If you are unsatisfied with our response, you can lodge a complaint with the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk.
How this works in practice
Let’s take a concrete example. Suppose you email a tip to our newsdesk. We receive your name, email address, and the content of your message. We store that information securely, and our Standards & Fact-Checking Lead, Diane Forbes, may review it for verification purposes. We keep that data for as long as it is relevant to our reporting, up to two years after the tip is closed. If you later change your mind and want us to delete it, you email privacy@civicaffairs.uk and we will erase it – unless there is a strong public‑interest or legal reason to keep it, in which case we will explain why and note your objection.
Who runs Civic Affairs and who is the data controller?
Civic Affairs is operated by Sliema Media Limited, a company registered in Malta (Malta Business Registry company number C 84217, registered office Level 3 Tower Business Centre, Tower Street, Swatar, Birkirkara BKR 4013, Malta). For UK GDPR purposes, Sliema Media Limited is the data controller. We do not have a formally appointed Data Protection Officer; all privacy matters are handled by our editorial team, led by Editor‑in‑Chief William Ashby, and you can reach them via privacy@civicaffairs.uk or our UK editorial line +44 20 4587 9485.
Our editorial coverage is focused on the United Kingdom, and we adhere to UK data protection standards. For more about how we work, see our About Us page, Our Team, and our Sources & Standards policy.
Cookies and automated tools
Our website uses cookies and similar technologies for essential functionality and analytics. You can manage your cookie preferences via our Cookie Policy. We also use limited automation in our editorial process – see our AI & Automation Policy for full details.
In short
We collect only what we need, never sell your data, and respect your rights under UK GDPR. If you have any questions or want to access, correct, or delete your information, just email privacy@civicaffairs.uk – we’re here to help.