Privacy Policy

Grounded Publications Ltd publishes Grounded Magazine at groundedmag.co.uk and is the data controller for the personal data described here.

When you browse the site

• Analytics, only if you accept. DataFast records the pages you visit, how you arrived (for example the referring site or campaign link), your approximate location from your IP address, and your browser and device type. We use this to see which stories people read. See our Cookie Policy.
• Story clicks.When you open a story from our feed, we record which tile was clicked, the referring page and your browser’s user-agent. This is not linked to your name or email.
• Security and abuse prevention. Our forms and public services limit how often they can be used. To do this we briefly store a one-way hashed version of your IP address. The raw address is not stored, and the hashed record is deleted automatically once the limit period ends.
• Server logs. Our hosting provider keeps short-lived technical logs, including IP addresses, to run and secure the service.

When you save stories on this device

Saved stories, boards and your board name are kept in your browser’s local storage. They stay on your device and are not sent to us.

When you join the newsletter

We collect your email address and, if you give it, your first name. Flodesk stores these and sends our emails. Flodesk also tells us whether our emails are opened and which links are clicked, so we can improve the newsletter. You can unsubscribe at any time using the link in every email.

When you contact us, pitch, or apply to guest edit

We collect your name, email address, the type of enquiry, your message, and your agreement to our terms. We store these in our content system and email them to our editorial team. We also add your name and email to a separate contacts list in Flodesk so we can manage our replies. Being on that list does not subscribe you to the newsletter.

When you create an account

Member accounts are currently paused. When they are available, we collect your email address and any profile details you add, such as a display name, interests, saved articles and wishlists. You sign in with a one-time email link, or with Google, in which case Google shares your name, email address and profile picture with us.

• Consent: analytics cookies and the newsletter. You can withdraw consent at any time through Cookie Settings in the footer or the unsubscribe link.
• Contract: running your member account when you ask us to create one.
• Legitimate interests: answering enquiries and pitches, recording story clicks, keeping the site secure and preventing abuse. We have balanced these interests against your rights, and you can object at any time.
• Legal obligation: keeping records we are required to keep by law.

We use the following service providers to run Grounded. They process data only on our instructions and under a data processing agreement.

Some articles embed videos from YouTube (in privacy-enhanced mode) or Vimeo, and some images load from Instagram’s servers. When these load, the provider receives your IP address and browser details under its own privacy policy.

Where a provider handles data outside the UK, we rely on UK adequacy regulations (including the UK Extension to the EU–US Data Privacy Framework) or on the ICO’s International Data Transfer Agreement or Addendum.

We may also disclose data if the law requires it, or to protect our rights or the safety of others.

Some product links are affiliate links. If you click one, the retailer or affiliate network may set its own cookies to record that you came from Grounded, under its own privacy policy. We receive commission reports, not your personal details. Read our Affiliate Disclosure.

• Newsletter: until you unsubscribe.
• Enquiries, pitches and applications: up to 24 months after our last contact with you, unless we go on to work together.
• Member accounts: until you delete your account or ask us to.
• Story clicks: up to 24 months.
• Hashed IP rate-limit records: deleted automatically once the limit period ends.
• Analytics: kept by DataFast in line with our settings with them. The cookie lifetimes are listed in our Cookie Policy.

Under UK GDPR you have the right to:

• access the personal data we hold about you
• have inaccurate data corrected
• have your data deleted
• restrict or object to how we use it, including for direct marketing
• receive your data in a portable format
• withdraw consent at any time, without affecting what we did before

Email us at hello@groundedmag.co.uk and we will reply within one month. If you are unhappy with how we handle your data, you can complain to the ICO at ico.org.uk or on 0303 123 1113. We would appreciate the chance to put things right first.

We use encrypted connections (HTTPS), restrict access to personal data to the people who need it, and sign in without passwords. No system is perfectly secure, but we take reasonable steps to protect your data and will tell you and the ICO about any serious breach as the law requires.

Grounded is written for adults. We do not knowingly collect data from anyone under 13. If you believe a child has given us their details, please contact us and we will delete them.

We will update this page when our practices change and revise the date at the top. If a change is significant, we will tell subscribers and members by email.