1. Who we are
EyeOn Media Limited publishes EyeOn local news websites, including Eye on Southport. For the personal information described in this notice, EyeOn Media Limited is the data controller.
Questions and data protection requests can be sent to [email protected]. Please tell us which EyeOn service or local edition your request concerns so we can find the relevant information.
2. Information we use and why
| Activity | Information | Purpose and lawful basis |
|---|---|---|
| Using our website | IP address, browser and device details, requested pages, referral information, timestamps and security logs. | To deliver, secure and troubleshoot the service. We rely on our legitimate interests in operating a reliable and secure news service. |
| Audience measurement | Pages and articles viewed, approximate location derived from an IP address, device data and a short-lived random visitor identifier. | To understand readership, prevent duplicate counting and improve coverage. We rely on consent where information is stored on or read from your device, and legitimate interests for aggregated service measurement where consent is not required. |
| Newsletter | Email address, local edition, delivery preference, consent and subscription records, and engagement with messages. | To send the briefing you request and manage your preferences. We rely on consent, and keep a minimal suppression record where necessary to respect an unsubscribe request. |
| Contact, corrections and commercial enquiries | Your contact details, message and related correspondence. | To respond, investigate corrections, manage a potential contract or handle an existing relationship. We rely on steps requested before a contract, performance of a contract and our legitimate interests in communicating with readers and customers. |
| Advertising | Online identifiers, device and browser information, IP address, ad interactions and consent choices. | To fund our journalism and measure advertising. Consent is the basis for non-essential advertising storage or access on your device. Partners may also process limited information for security, fraud prevention and delivery of contextual advertising. |
| Journalism | Information in news tips, public records, interviews, photographs, recordings, correspondence and material supplied by sources. | To research, verify, publish and archive journalism in the public interest. Depending on the circumstances, we rely on legitimate interests and the special provisions for journalism in UK data protection law. |
We obtain information directly from you, automatically from your device, from public bodies and public records, from organisations involved in a story, and from journalistic sources. We do not use website or newsletter information to make decisions about you that have legal or similarly significant effects.
Journalistic material can be subject to exemptions under the Data Protection Act 2018 where applying a particular requirement would be incompatible with journalism and publication is reasonably believed to be in the public interest. We assess this case by case.
5. How long we keep information
We keep personal information only for as long as needed for the stated purpose, then delete or anonymise it unless law requires longer retention. We consider the amount, sensitivity, risk, legal requirements and whether the purpose can be achieved another way.
- The first-party article measurement cookie expires after one day. Aggregated readership totals may be retained without the visitor identifier.
- Newsletter details are kept while you subscribe. After unsubscribing, we may retain a minimal suppression record so we do not contact you again by mistake.
- Enquiries and correction correspondence are kept for as long as needed to respond and establish a record of what was decided.
- Published journalism and supporting editorial records may be retained as part of the news archive, subject to periodic review and applicable journalistic protections.
- Security and technical records are retained for a limited period based on operational and legal need.
6. Your data protection rights
Depending on the circumstances, UK data protection law gives you the right to:
- be informed about how your information is used;
- ask for a copy of your personal information;
- correct inaccurate or incomplete information;
- ask for erasure or restriction;
- object to processing based on legitimate interests or to direct marketing;
- receive certain information in a portable format; and
- withdraw consent at any time where processing relies on consent.
These rights are not absolute. For example, legal duties, freedom of expression and the journalistic exemptions can affect what we can provide or remove. We normally respond within one month. We may ask for proportionate evidence of identity and will explain if we cannot fulfil all or part of a request.
Children
Our general news service is not directed at children. If you believe a child has provided personal information to us without appropriate permission, contact us so we can investigate. Reporting about children is handled with particular care under our editorial responsibilities.
Security
We use organisational and technical measures designed to protect personal information. No online system is completely secure, so please avoid sending sensitive information through ordinary email unless necessary.
7. Contact, complaints and changes
Email privacy questions or rights requests to [email protected]. If your concern relates to an article, include its URL and explain what you believe is inaccurate or unfair.
You may also complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office, the UK data protection regulator. We would appreciate the opportunity to address your concern first, but you do not have to contact us before the ICO.
We may update this notice when our services, providers or legal obligations change. Material changes will be highlighted where appropriate, and the date at the top will be revised.