1. Who We Are
My Dorset Companion ("we", "our", "us") is a Dorset-based online guide and directory service. We are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal data responsibly. This policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your information when you use our website.
2. What Data We Collect
We may collect the following types of information:
Information you provide: When you contact us, subscribe to our newsletter, or submit a business listing, we may collect your name, email address, phone number, and business details.
Automatically collected data: When you visit our website, we automatically collect certain technical information including your IP address, browser type, device type, pages visited, and time spent on the site. We use privacy-respecting analytics to understand how our site is used.
Cookies: We use essential cookies to ensure the website functions correctly. Please see our Cookie Policy for full details.
3. How We Use Your Data
We use your data to: provide and improve our services; respond to your enquiries; send you relevant updates (only with your consent); display relevant advertising; and ensure the security and proper functioning of our website.
4. Legal Basis for Processing
Under UK GDPR, we process your data based on: your consent (e.g., newsletter sign-ups); legitimate interests (e.g., improving our services); and contractual necessity (e.g., business listing agreements).
5. Data Sharing
We do not sell your personal data. We may share data with trusted service providers who help us operate our website (e.g., hosting providers, analytics services), but only where necessary and under appropriate data protection agreements.
6. Data Retention
We retain your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by law. You can request deletion of your data at any time.
7. Your Rights
Under UK GDPR, you have the right to: access your personal data; correct inaccurate data; request deletion of your data; object to processing; request data portability; and withdraw consent at any time. To exercise any of these rights, please contact us.
8. Contact Us
If you have any questions about this privacy policy or how we handle your data, please contact us at [email protected] or via our Contact page.