Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

On: Media is committed to safeguarding the privacy of visitors to its websites, including on-magazine.co.uk, and users of its related services (“Services”).

This Privacy Policy explains how On: Media collects, uses and shares personal data, and sets out the rights of individuals whose personal data is processed.

By using this website and/or the Services, you acknowledge that you have read this Privacy Policy. Where required by law (for example, for certain cookies or email marketing), On: Media will ask for your explicit consent separately.

For the purposes of UK data protection law, On: Media is the “data controller” in respect of personal data collected via this website.

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how your personal data is used, please contact On: Media using the details on the website’s Contact page or by email at editor@on-magazine.co.uk.

2. Key definitions

For the purposes of this Privacy Policy:

  • “Personal data” means any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person.
  • “Processing” means any operation performed on personal data, such as collection, storage, use, disclosure or deletion.
  • “Data subject” means the individual to whom the personal data relates.
  • “Child” means, in general, a person under 18 years of age. However, where consent is relied upon for online services offered directly to children in the UK, special rules apply to children under 13, as set out in the UK GDPR.
  • “We/us” means On: Media.
  • “You” means the individual using the website or Services.

3. Data protection principles

On: Media applies the data protection principles set out in the UK GDPR. Personal data will be:

  • processed lawfully, fairly and in a transparent manner;
  • collected for specified, explicit and legitimate purposes and not further processed in a manner incompatible with those purposes;
  • adequate, relevant and limited to what is necessary in relation to the purposes for which it is processed;
  • accurate and, where necessary, kept up to date;
  • kept in a form which permits identification of data subjects for no longer than is necessary for those purposes; and
  • processed in a manner that ensures appropriate security of the personal data.

On: Media is responsible for, and able to demonstrate compliance with, these principles.

4. Your rights as a data subject

Subject to certain legal conditions and exemptions, you have the following rights in relation to your personal data:

  • Right to be informed – to receive clear, transparent information about how your personal data is used, typically via this Privacy Policy and any related notices.
  • Right of access – to request a copy of the personal data held about you and information about how it is used.
  • Right to rectification – to request that inaccurate or incomplete personal data is corrected.
  • Right to erasure – in certain circumstances, to request that your personal data is deleted.
  • Right to restrict processing – in certain circumstances, to request that the use of your personal data is limited.
  • Right to object – to object to certain types of processing, including direct marketing.
  • Right to data portability – in some circumstances, to receive personal data you have provided in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format and to ask that it is transferred to another controller.
  • Rights in relation to automated decision-making, including profiling – to object to certain forms of automated processing and to request human intervention where decisions are made solely by automated means that produce legal or similarly significant effects.
  • Right to withdraw consent – where processing is based on your consent, to withdraw that consent at any time (without affecting the lawfulness of processing based on consent before its withdrawal).
  • Right to lodge a complaint – to complain to a data protection supervisory authority if you consider that your personal data has been processed unlawfully.

In the UK, the supervisory authority is the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO):
Website: https://ico.org.uk/

If you wish to exercise any of these rights, please contact On: Media using the details in section 14 below.

5. Personal data collected

5.1 Information you provide directly

This may include:

  • Name;
  • Email address;
  • Postal address (for example if you enter a competition or request a prize);
  • Any other information you choose to provide in forms, comments, competition entries or correspondence.

You may provide this information when you:

  • comment on articles;
  • subscribe to a newsletter or mailing list;
  • enter competitions or promotions;
  • contact On: Media via email, contact forms or social channels; or
  • otherwise interact with the website or Services.

5.2 Information collected automatically

When you visit the website, certain information is collected automatically, for example:

  • IP address;
  • browser type and version;
  • device information;
  • operating system;
  • referring URLs;
  • pages visited, links clicked, time and date of visits;
  • cookie identifiers and similar tracking technologies.

This information is used for purposes such as:

  • ensuring the website functions correctly;
  • monitoring and improving performance, security and usability;
  • measuring and understanding audience engagement;
  • displaying relevant advertising where applicable.

Cookies and similar technologies are explained further in section 12.

5.3 Information from partners and publicly available sources

On: Media may receive limited personal data about you from:

  • analytics providers (such as Google Analytics and Bing) in aggregate or pseudonymised form;
  • advertising and monetisation partners, including Ezoic and its advertising partners;
  • social media platforms where you interact with On: Media accounts;
  • publicly available sources, such as public websites or social profiles, where this is lawful.

On: Media does not intentionally collect special category personal data (for example, health or political opinions) via this website. Please avoid including such information in comments or contact forms.

6. How personal data is used and lawful bases

On: Media uses your personal data for the purposes and on the legal bases set out below.

6.1 To provide and operate the Services

For example:

  • publishing and moderating your comments;
  • running competitions and promotions;
  • responding to enquiries and correspondence;
  • providing newsletters or updates where requested;
  • managing technical access to the website.

Legal bases:

  • Performance of a contract (or steps taken at your request before entering into a contract), where applicable;
  • Legitimate interests in operating and improving the website and Services;
  • Consent, where you have explicitly opted in (for example, to receive a newsletter).

6.2 To send newsletters and other marketing

If you opt in, On: Media may use your contact details to send newsletters, updates, and carefully selected marketing communications from On: Media and, occasionally, partners.

Legal basis:
Consent. You can withdraw this consent at any time by using the unsubscribe link in emails or by contacting On: Media.

6.3 Analytics and performance monitoring

On: Media uses analytics tools (such as Google Analytics) and Ezoic’s platform to understand how the website is used, improve content and layout, and measure the performance of advertising. This may involve the use of cookies and similar technologies.

Where required by law, non-essential cookies (including most analytics and advertising cookies) will only be used with your consent via the cookie banner or preferences tools.

Legal bases:

  • Consent for non-essential cookies and similar technologies;
  • Legitimate interests in understanding and improving audience engagement, in a privacy-respecting way, where permitted.

6.4 Security, fraud prevention and abuse detection

On: Media uses personal data (including IP addresses and log data) to:

  • help protect the website from attacks;
  • detect and prevent fraud, spam and abusive or unlawful behaviour;
  • investigate and respond to security incidents.

This may include the use of automated tools, including AI-assisted filters, for spam detection and moderation.

Legal bases:

  • Legitimate interests in keeping the Services secure and preventing misuse;
  • Compliance with legal obligations where applicable.

6.5 Legal and regulatory obligations

On: Media may process personal data to comply with legal obligations, for example:

  • keeping records for tax or accounting purposes;
  • responding to lawful requests from public authorities;
  • handling complaints, disputes or legal claims.

Legal basis:
Compliance with legal obligations.

6.6 Anonymised and aggregated data

On: Media may anonymise personal data so that it no longer identifies an individual and use such data for statistical, research or reporting purposes. Anonymised data is not considered personal data.

7. AI tools and automated decision-making

On: Media may use automated tools, including AI-based systems, to:

  • assist with comment moderation and spam detection;
  • identify security threats or unusual patterns of use;
  • support internal analytics or editorial planning in an aggregate, non-personalised way.

These tools are designed to support human decision-making, not replace it. On: Media does not make decisions about you that produce legal or similarly significant effects based solely on automated processing without human involvement.

Where AI tools are used in ways that materially affect your rights, On: Media will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place and that your UK GDPR rights regarding automated decision-making and profiling can be exercised.

8. Sharing your personal data

On: Media does not sell your personal data. Personal data may be shared with:

  • Service providers and contractors who provide hosting, technical, email, analytics, security and related services, under appropriate contracts and confidentiality obligations.
  • Advertising and monetisation partners, including Ezoic and its advertising partners, who help display and tailor advertising on the website and may use cookies or similar technologies. Their use of data is governed by their own privacy policies as well as this one.
  • Professional advisers, such as legal or accounting advisers, where reasonably necessary for the purposes of operating the business or handling disputes.
  • Public authorities, regulators or law enforcement, where required by law or where disclosure is necessary to protect the rights, property or safety of On: Media, its users or others.

Where On: Media uses Ezoic on this website, you can find further information in Ezoic’s privacy policy, which is linked here:
https://g.ezoic.net/privacy/on-magazine.co.uk

9. International transfers

Some service providers and advertising partners may be located outside the UK or European Economic Area (EEA). Where personal data is transferred internationally, On: Media will:

  • ensure that the destination country is recognised as providing an adequate level of data protection; or
  • put in place appropriate safeguards, such as standard contractual clauses approved under UK data protection law, together with any additional measures required.

Information about the safeguards applied can be requested using the contact details in section 14.

10. Security of your data

On: Media takes appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data, including:

  • using secure protocols (such as HTTPS) for data transfer;
  • limiting access to personal data to those who need to know it;
  • using security tools and monitoring for vulnerabilities and attacks;
  • applying anonymisation or pseudonymisation where appropriate.

However, no method of transmission or storage is completely secure. While On: Media takes reasonable steps to protect personal data, it cannot guarantee absolute security. In the event of a data breach posing a risk to your rights and freedoms, On: Media will notify the relevant supervisory authority and affected individuals where required by law.

If you have an account or login associated with the Services, you are responsible for keeping your credentials confidential.

11. Children

This website and the Services are primarily aimed at a general audience and are not intended to be used by children under 13 without the involvement of a parent or guardian.

On: Media does not knowingly collect personal data from children under 13. If On: Media becomes aware that it has collected personal data from a child under 13 without appropriate consent, it will take steps to delete that information as soon as reasonably practicable.

Parents or guardians who believe their child has provided personal data via this website are encouraged to contact On: Media using the details in section 14.

12. Cookies and similar technologies

On: Media uses cookies and similar technologies (such as pixels, tags and scripts) on this website to:

  • make the site function properly and remember your preferences;
  • understand how visitors use the site;
  • personalise content and advertising where applicable;
  • improve performance and security.

A cookie is a small text file placed on your device when you visit a website.

12.1 Types of cookies used

  • Strictly necessary cookies – required for core site functions (for example, page navigation, security features). These do not usually require consent.
  • Functionality cookies – remember your preferences (such as comments details) to provide a more personalised experience.
  • Analytics cookies – help measure how visitors use the site and improve content and layout.
  • Advertising and targeting cookies – help deliver relevant advertisements, limit how often you see an ad and measure campaign performance. These may be set by On: Media or by advertising partners such as Ezoic and its partners.

12.2 Consent and control

Under UK law, most non-essential cookies (including analytics and advertising cookies) require your consent before they are set.

Where required, the website uses a cookie banner or consent management tool to collect and record your preferences. You can:

  • accept or reject categories of cookies (other than strictly necessary cookies);
  • change your choices at any time by revisiting your cookie preferences or adjusting your browser settings;
  • delete cookies already stored on your device via your browser.

If you disable or reject certain cookies, some features of the website may not function as intended.

For more detailed information about cookies used on this website and by Ezoic’s platform, please refer to:

13. Data retention

On: Media keeps personal data only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including for the purposes of satisfying any legal, accounting or reporting requirements.

Retention periods depend on the type of data and the purpose of processing, but in general:

  • comments and related data may be retained for as long as the relevant article remains published, unless you request deletion or removal;
  • newsletter subscription data is retained for as long as you remain subscribed and for a short period afterwards to document consent and unsubscribes;
  • competition entry data is retained for the duration of the competition and any prize fulfilment, and for a reasonable period afterwards to handle queries or disputes;
  • technical and analytics data may be retained for a limited period to analyse trends and improve the website, often in aggregated or anonymised form.

When personal data is no longer needed, it will be securely deleted, anonymised or archived in accordance with applicable laws.

14. How to contact On: Media and the supervisory authority

If you have any questions, concerns or requests relating to this Privacy Policy or the way your personal data is handled, please contact On: Media via:

  • the contact details on the website’s Contact page; or
  • email: editor@on-magazine.co.uk.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) if you are unhappy with how your personal data is handled:

  • Website: https://ico.org.uk/
  • Details of how to raise a concern are available on the ICO website.

If you are located in the EU/EEA, you may also have the right to complain to your local supervisory authority under the EU GDPR.

15. Askimet

We collect information about visitors who comment on sites that use our Akismet Anti-spam service. The information we collect depends on how the user sets up Akismet for the site, but typically includes the commenter’s IP address, user agent, referrer, and site URL (along with other information directly provided by the commenter such as their name, username, email address, and the comment itself).

16. Changes to this Privacy Policy

On: Media may update this Privacy Policy from time to time, for example to reflect changes in law, guidance, technology or its services. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated “last updated” date.

Where changes are material, On: Media may also provide a more prominent notice (for example, a banner on the website or an email notification, where appropriate).

Last updated: 18 November 2025