StoryNative.uk is operated by Strait Line Media Ltd., a private company limited by shares registered in Gibraltar (company number 129570, registered office Suite 8, Leanse Place, 50 Town Range, Gibraltar GX11 1AA). This privacy policy explains how we collect, use, store and protect your personal data when you interact with our digital entertainment publication, in accordance with UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.
Who is responsible for your personal data?
Strait Line Media Ltd. is the data controller for all personal data collected through StoryNative.uk. As a Gibraltar-registered company, we have voluntarily committed to complying with UK GDPR standards because our editorial coverage and audience are focused on the United Kingdom. You can contact our data protection team at privacy@storynative.uk or write to our registered office in Gibraltar.
Our Editor‑in‑Chief, Vanessa Cole, oversees editorial privacy standards, and our Standards & Fact‑Checking Lead, Patrick Nolan, reviews celebrity privacy and data handling practices. For day‑to‑day enquiries about your data, please use the privacy email above rather than individual editorial addresses.
What personal data do we collect?
We collect personal data that you provide directly – such as your email address when you subscribe to our newsletter or contact us – and data generated automatically through your use of the site, including IP addresses, browser type, device information and browsing behaviour collected via cookies and similar technologies. Full details are set out in our Cookie Policy.
Specifically, we may collect the following categories of data:
- Email correspondence – names, email addresses and message content when you contact our editorial, newsdesk, tips, corrections, complaints or general enquiry addresses.
- Newsletter subscriptions – email address, subscription preferences and engagement metrics (opens, clicks).
- Technical and analytics data – IP address, browser and operating system details, referring URLs, page interaction data, and aggregated usage statistics.
- Advertising and affiliate tracking data – cookies that help us serve relevant advertisements and track affiliate link performance. These are explained in our Cookie Policy.
We do not collect sensitive personal data (such as race, religion, health information) unless you voluntarily provide it in a communication, in which case we will treat it with extra care and only process it with your explicit consent where required.
How do we use your personal data and what is our lawful basis?
We use your data only for legitimate purposes aligned with running a professional showbiz publication: to send you our newsletter, respond to your enquiries, improve our editorial content, display relevant advertisements and comply with legal obligations. Each processing activity relies on a specific lawful basis under UK GDPR.
Our lawful bases are:
- Consent – for newsletter subscriptions, certain cookie placements (e.g. marketing cookies) and when you voluntarily submit sensitive information. You can withdraw consent at any time.
- Legitimate interests – for responding to editorial tips, managing reader correspondence, detecting fraud, improving site performance and serving non‑personalised advertising. We balance these interests against your privacy rights.
- Legal obligation – for retaining records where required by law, for example to respond to a valid court order or regulatory request from the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).
How long do we retain your data?
We keep your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purpose for which it was collected. For example, newsletter subscriber data is retained until you unsubscribe; correspondence records are kept for up to two years after the last contact; analytics data is aggregated and anonymised after 26 months. Our retention schedules are reviewed regularly to ensure compliance.
Do we share your personal data?
We never sell your personal data to third parties. We may share data with trusted processors who help us operate the site, send newsletters, host content and analyse traffic – all under strict contractual agreements that require them to protect your data and use it only for our instructions. These processors include email service providers, analytics providers and hosting platforms, all of which are based in the UK, EU or in jurisdictions with adequate data protection safeguards.
If we are legally required to disclose your data to law enforcement, regulators or courts, we will do so only in accordance with UK GDPR principles and we will notify you where permitted.
What are your rights under UK GDPR?
As a data subject, you have the following rights in relation to the personal data we hold about you: the right to be informed (this policy fulfils that), the right of access, the right to rectification, the right to erasure (the “right to be forgotten”), the right to restrict processing, the right to data portability, the right to object, and rights relating to automated decision‑making and profiling. We do not use automated decision‑making that produces legal effects concerning you.
How can you exercise your rights?
To exercise any of your rights, please email privacy@storynative.uk with a clear description of your request. We will respond within one month, free of charge, unless the request is manifestly unfounded or excessive. If you are not satisfied with our response, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK’s supervisory authority, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). We encourage you to contact us first so we can resolve any concerns.
How do we handle source confidentiality?
We are committed to protecting the confidentiality of sources who provide tips and information to our newsdesk. If you submit a tip, your personal data will be kept secure and only accessed by relevant editorial staff. We will not disclose your identity without your consent unless required by law. For full details, please see our Tip Us page.
For any other privacy‑related enquiries – including requests to update your newsletter preferences, opt out of analytics tracking or withdraw consent – please use the same email address or contact our editorial team via our Contact page.
Our commitments
- We will never sell your personal data to third parties.
- We will only collect and process data that is necessary for our stated purposes.
- We will provide transparent information about our data practices and respond promptly to your requests.
- We will uphold source confidentiality and journalist‑source privilege in line with UK press standards.
- We will review this policy at least annually and notify you of any material changes via our website.