Last updated: 15 October 2026
Your privacy matters to us. This policy explains what personal information Popular Magazine (“we”, “us”, “our”) collects when you visit popularmagazine.co.uk, why we collect it, how we look after it, and what rights you have. We are based in the United Kingdom and handle your information in line with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.
Who we are
Popular Magazine, available at popularmagazine.co.uk, is the controller of your personal information. If you have any questions about this policy, email us at admin@popularmagazine.co.uk.
What information we collect
We keep this to the minimum we need. It falls into two groups.
Information you give us
- Your name, email address and message when you contact us through the form or by email.
- Your name, email address and website (if you add one) when you leave a comment.
- Your email address if you subscribe to a newsletter, should we offer one.
Information collected automatically
- Your IP address, browser type, device type and operating system.
- The pages you visit, how long you stay, and the site you came from.
This is gathered through server logs, cookies and similar technologies.
How we use your information
- To reply to your messages and enquiries.
- To publish comments once they have been moderated.
- To keep the site secure and protect it from spam and abuse.
- To understand which stories people read, so we can write more of what is useful.
- To send newsletters, but only if you have signed up for them.
- To meet our legal obligations.
We do not sell your personal information, and we do not use it to make automated decisions about you.
Our legal basis for using your information
We rely on three grounds under UK data protection law. Consent, for things like comments, newsletters and non-essential cookies, which you can withdraw at any time. Legitimate interests, for keeping the site secure and improving it, where this does not override your rights. Legal obligation, where the law requires us to keep or share certain information.
Comments
When you leave a comment, we collect the details shown in the comment form, along with your IP address and browser user agent string to help detect spam. An anonymised string created from your email address (called a hash) may be sent to the Gravatar service to check whether you use it. Gravatar’s own privacy policy applies once your comment is approved and your profile picture becomes visible. Comments and their details are kept so that we can recognise and approve any follow-up comments automatically.
Cookies
Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit a website. We use essential cookies to keep the site working. If we use analytics or advertising services, they may set their own cookies, and where the law requires it we will ask for your consent first. You can block or delete cookies at any time through your browser settings, although some parts of the site may not work as intended.
Third-party services
We use trusted providers to run the site, such as web hosting and, where applicable, analytics, email and embedded content from services like YouTube or social media platforms. These providers may process some of your information on our behalf and have their own privacy policies. We only share what is needed for them to do their job.
How long we keep your information
We keep contact messages only as long as we need to deal with your enquiry, plus a reasonable period afterwards in case you write back. Comments stay on the site until you ask us to remove them. Server logs are kept for a short period for security and troubleshooting.
Your rights
Under UK data protection law, you have the right to:
- Ask for a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
- Ask us to correct anything that is inaccurate.
- Ask us to delete your information.
- Ask us to restrict or stop using your information.
- Ask for your information in a portable format.
- Withdraw your consent at any time.
To use any of these rights, email us at admin@popularmagazine.co.uk. We will reply within one month. If you are unhappy with how we have handled your information, you also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk.
Security
We take reasonable steps to protect your information from loss, misuse and unauthorised access. That said, no method of sending data over the internet is completely secure, so we cannot promise absolute protection.
Children
Popular Magazine is not aimed at children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect their personal information. If you believe a child has sent us their details, please get in touch and we will delete them.
Links to other websites
Our articles sometimes link to other sites. We are not responsible for their content or privacy practices, so please read their policies before sharing any personal information.
Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time. When we do, we will change the date at the top of this page, so it is worth checking back now and then.
Contact us
Questions about your privacy? Write to us at admin@popularmagazine.co.uk or through our Contact page.
