This privacy policy (“Privacy Policy”) explains how we collect and use your personal information when you visit alexjcobalt.com (“Website“) or sign up for our newsletter “Writing on Caffeine” (“Newsletter“). Refer to the section at the end regarding the use of Cookies on this Website and in the Newsletter

What type of data we collect will depend on how you engage with our website or newsletter.

Website: Our website provider is WordPress, and their Privacy Notice will cover how your personal data is used on our website. If you are logged in whilst using the Website, you will also be covered by Automattic’s Privacy Policy. (together these are referred to below as “WordPress Privacy Policy”)

Mailchimp: Our newsletter provider is Mailchimp, and their Privacy Policy will cover how your personal data is used if you subscribe to our newsletter “Writing on Caffeine” (together these are referred to below as “Mailchimp Privacy Policy”)

Type of Data

Depending on how you engage with either the website or newsletter will depend upon what type of Personal Data we may collect. The information is most likely to include personal identifiers (e.g. username, first name) or contact details (e.g. email).

Website: If you submit your email to follow our website, your email will be processed in accordance with WordPress’ Privacy Policy. Please refer to WordPress’ Privacy Policy for any other types of Personal Data (e.g. IP addresses).

Newsletter: if you submit your email and first name on the email subscription form, your personal data will be processed in accordance with the Mailchimp Privacy Policy.

Purpose and Lawful basis of Processing

The purposes for processing your Personal Data are:

Website: legitimate interest to provide you with the website. Where you provide your email to subscribe to website updates, you do so on the basis of consent.

Newsletter: When you sign up for our newsletter by completing the newsletter sign up form, we collect your email address, first name (if provided), location, and your newsletter preferences. You do so on the basis of consent.

Where you provide your consent to receive either email updates (Website) or newsletter emails (Newsletter), you can withdraw your consent at anytime by using the unsubscribe button on the emails. You can also use the “contact me” form below to ask to be removed from subscription lists.

For further information about purposes and lawful basis of Processing please refer to either WordPress Privacy Policy (Website) or Mailchimp Privacy Policy (Newsletter).

Third Country Transfers

Where you provide your Personal Data to either the Website or Newsletter, your Personal Data may be processed outside of the UK.

Where your Personal Data is processed within the a country of adequate protection (e.g. EEA) this transfer is covered by the adequacy regulations.

Where your Personal Data is processed in a third country outside of the UK or an adequate country, then your Personal Data will be transferred in accordance with UK GDPR. For further information about transfers to third countries please refer to either WordPress Privacy Policy (Website) or Mailchimp Privacy Policy (Newsletter).

Retention Periods

Website: if you are an email subscriber to the Website your details remain on the list of past recipients to prevent accidental re-adding of your address.

Newsletter: When you unsubscribe from our newsletter, your details remain on the list of past recipients to prevent accidental re-adding of your address. After you unsubscribe, your details will be removed as a “contact” with Mailchimp 60 days after your un-subscription to our newsletter.

For further information about retention of different categories of Personal Data beyond the above, please refer to either WordPress Privacy Policy (Website) or Mailchimp Privacy Policy (Newsletter).

Withdrawing Consent

Website: Where you subscribe via email, you can unsubscribe via the link in the email footer. You can also use the “Contact me” form below to ask to be removed from the email subscription.

Newsletter: Every newsletter contains a quick and easy unsubscribe link in its footer. You can also unsubscribe at any time using this form.

Data Protection Rights

Under data protection law, you have rights including:

Your right of access – You have the right to ask us for copies of your personal information.

Your right to rectification – You have the right to ask us to rectify personal information you think is inaccurate. You also have the right to ask us to complete information you think is incomplete.

Your right to erasure – You have the right to ask us to erase your personal information in certain circumstances.

Your right to restriction of processing – You have the right to ask us to restrict the processing of your personal information in certain circumstances.

Your right to object to processing – You have the the right to object to the processing of your personal information in certain circumstances.

Your right to data portability – You have the right to ask that we transfer the personal information you gave us to another organisation, or to you, in certain circumstances.

You are not required to pay any charge for exercising your rights. If you make a request, we have one month to respond to you.

Please contact us at using the form below if you wish to make a request.

Complaints Supervisory Authority

If you have any concerns about our use of your personal information, you can make a complaint to us using the contact form below.

You can also complain to the ICO if you are unhappy with how we have used your data.

The ICO’s address:           

Information Commissioner’s Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

Helpline number: 0303 123 1113

ICO website: https://www.ico.org.uk

Contact re Privacy Policy

Cookies

Website: Where you visit the Website, you will be displayed a cookie banner with a link to WordPress’ Cookie Policy. Cookies placed from the Website will be in accordance with WordPress’ Cookie policy.

Newsletter: When you visit the Newsletter landing page(s), or open a Newsletter, any cookies placed will be in accordance with Mailchimp’s Cookie policy.