The Church of Ireland Gazette (“we”, “our”, or “us”) is committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and protect your personal data when you visit our website, subscribe to our publications, or interact with us in any other way.

We operate in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and relevant data protection laws.

1. Who We Are

The Church of Ireland Gazette is an independent publication providing news and commentary on Church life and wider social issues. Our registered office is:

18 Market Square
Lisburn, County Antrim
BT28 1AF Northern Ireland

Email: office@coigazette.ie
Phone: +44 (0) 28 9266 7580

2. What Personal Data We Collect

We may collect and process the following categories of personal data:

• Contact Information: Name, postal address, email address, and telephone number.

• Subscription Data: Billing information, delivery address, and transaction history.

• Digital Interaction Data: IP address, browser type, operating system, and pages visited.

• Correspondence: Emails, letters to the editor, or any content you voluntarily submit.

• Marketing Preferences: Opt-in or opt-out choices for newsletters and promotional material.

3. How We Use Your Data

We use your personal data to:

• Process and manage subscriptions (print and digital)

• Deliver newsletters, updates, and promotional material (with consent)

• Respond to queries and correspondence

• Improve our website and user experience

• Maintain mailing lists and analytics for internal use

• Fulfil legal or regulatory obligations

We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties.

4. Legal Basis for Processing

We process your data under the following lawful bases:

• Consent: When you subscribe to our newsletter or opt in to marketing communications.

• Contract: To fulfil our obligations to subscribers.

• Legal Obligation: For compliance with laws or lawful authority requests.

• Legitimate Interests: For editorial management, analytics, or improving our services — provided this does not override your rights and freedoms.

5. Cookies and Website Tracking

Our website uses cookies to improve functionality and track performance. These may include:

• Essential Cookies: Necessary for website functionality.

• Analytics Cookies: Used to collect anonymised data on website usage.

• Marketing Cookies: May be used with your consent to tailor advertising or promotional offers.

You can manage your cookie preferences via your browser settings or through our website’s cookie banner.

6. Third-Party Services

We may use trusted third-party providers for services such as:

• Payment processing (e.g., Stripe, PayPal)

• Email newsletter delivery (e.g., Mailchimp)

• Website hosting and analytics (e.g., Google Analytics)

These providers only have access to the data necessary to perform their functions and are contractually obligated to protect your information in accordance with GDPR.

7. Data Retention

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes set out in this policy, including compliance with legal obligations and dispute resolution. After this, data is securely deleted or anonymised.

8. Your Rights

Under the GDPR, you have the right to:

• Access the personal data we hold about you

• Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data

• Request deletion of your data (subject to legal limitations)

• Object to or restrict certain types of processing

• Withdraw consent at any time (where applicable)

• Lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office: https://ico.org.uk

To exercise your rights, please contact us at office@coigazette.ie

9. Security

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data from unauthorised access, misuse, loss, or disclosure.

However, please note that transmission of data over the internet is not completely secure, and we cannot guarantee the security of data shared electronically.

10. Children’s Privacy

Our services are not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect data from children without verified parental consent.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated revision date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

12. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding your personal data or this Privacy Policy, please contact us.