Last Updated: 20/10/2025
At Manchestertime.co.uk, your privacy is paramount. We are committed to protecting the personal data of our readers and users. This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, process, and safeguard your information when you visit and interact with our website. We operate in compliance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and other applicable privacy laws.
By using Manchestertime.co.uk, you agree to the practices described in this policy.
1. Information We Collect
We collect various types of information to provide and improve our services to you:
- Information You Voluntarily Provide:
- Contact Information: When you subscribe to our newsletter, submit a news tip, participate in a survey, or contact us directly, you may provide us with your name, email address, and any other information you choose to include in your message.
- Comments & Submissions: If you leave comments on our articles or submit content, the information you provide (e.g., your name/username, email address, and the content of your comment) will be collected.
- Automatically Collected Information (Technical Data):
- Usage Data: When you visit our site, we automatically collect certain information about your device and how you interact with our content. This includes your IP address, browser type and version, operating system, referral source, pages viewed, time spent on pages, and the path you take through our website.
- Cookies & Similar Technologies: We use cookies and similar tracking technologies (like web beacons and pixels) to enhance your browsing experience, analyze site traffic, personalize content, and serve advertisements. For more details, please refer to our separate [Cookie Policy Link – add link when created].
2. How We Use Your Information
We use the collected information for the following purposes:
- To Provide and Maintain Our Website: Ensuring Manchestertime.co.uk functions correctly and delivers content effectively.
- To Personalize Your Experience: Tailoring content and advertisements to better suit your interests (where applicable and permitted).
- To Improve Our Content & Services: Analyzing site usage to understand reader preferences, optimize articles, and enhance user experience.
- To Communicate With You: Responding to your enquiries, sending newsletters you’ve subscribed to, and providing updates related to your interactions with us.
- For Analytics & Research: Understanding audience demographics and behaviour to inform editorial decisions and business strategy.
- For Security & Fraud Prevention: Protecting our website and users from malicious activity.
- For Legal Compliance: Fulfilling our legal obligations and protecting our rights.
- For Advertising: Displaying relevant advertisements, which helps support our independent journalism.
3. Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR)
We process your personal data based on the following legal grounds:
- Consent: Where you have given clear consent for us to process your personal data for a specific purpose (e.g., newsletter subscription). You can withdraw consent at any time.
- Legitimate Interests: Where processing is necessary for our legitimate interests (or those of a third party) and your interests and fundamental rights do not override those interests (e.g., website security, analytics, delivering relevant advertising).
- Contractual Necessity: Where processing is necessary for the performance of a contract with you or to take steps at your request before entering into such a contract (e.g., processing a paid subscription, if offered).
- Legal Obligation: Where processing is necessary to comply with a legal or regulatory obligation.
4. Sharing Your Information
We do not sell your personal data. We may share your information with third parties only in the following limited circumstances:
- Service Providers: We engage trusted third-party companies and individuals to perform services on our behalf (e.g., hosting, analytics, email delivery, advertising platforms). These providers only have access to the data necessary to perform their functions and are contractually obligated to protect it.
- Legal Requirements: We may disclose your information if required to do so by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities (e.g., a court order or government agency).
- Business Transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or asset sale, your personal data may be transferred as part of the transaction.
- With Your Consent: We may share your information with third parties when you give us explicit permission to do so.
5. Data Retention
We will retain your personal data only for as long as is necessary for the purposes set out in this Privacy Policy, including for satisfying any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements.
6. Your Data Protection Rights (GDPR)
Under GDPR, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:
- The Right to Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
- The Right to Rectification: Request that we correct any inaccurate or incomplete data we hold about you.
- The Right to Erasure (“Right to Be Forgotten”): Request that we delete your personal data under certain conditions.
- The Right to Restrict Processing: Request that we limit the way we use your personal data under certain conditions.
- The Right to Data Portability: Request that we transfer your data to another organization or directly to you, under certain conditions.
- The Right to Object: Object to our processing of your personal data under certain conditions.
- The Right to Withdraw Consent: Where we rely on your consent to process your data, you have the right to withdraw that consent at any time.
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at privacy@manchestertime.co.uk. We may need to verify your identity before fulfilling your request.
7. Cookies
As mentioned, Manchestertime.co.uk uses cookies. Please refer to our dedicated [Cookie Policy Link – add link when created] for detailed information on what cookies are, how we use them, and your options for managing them.
8. Third-Party Links
Our website may contain links to other websites not operated by us. We have no control over, and assume no responsibility for, the content, privacy policies, or practices of any third-party sites or services. We encourage you to review the privacy policy of every site you visit.
9. Children’s Privacy
Manchestertime.co.uk is not intended for use by anyone under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect personally identifiable information from children under 16. If you are a parent or guardian and you are aware that your child has provided us with personal data, please contact us. If we become aware that we have collected data from children without verification of parental consent, we will take steps to remove that information from our servers.
10. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update our Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for other operational, legal, or regulatory reasons. 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.
11. Contact Us
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:
- Email:
privacy@manchestertime.co.uk - By Mail (Optional): Manchester Time [Your Street Address] [Your City, Postcode] United Kingdom