Privacy & Data Protection Policy

By continuing to use this website you must read, understand and accept our Privacy & Data Protection Policy.

Information collection and use.

You can visit this web site and browse without logging-on. We will not be able to derive any personal identifiable information as a result of this activity. Only members will have the facility to log on.

It is only when you complete a form that requests personal information or e-mail us that you can be identified. When completing forms you may be asked for personal information, which will be necessary for the purpose of delivering the appropriate service. This may include name address and contact details.

Information from your browser, including your IP address and the page you requested may be automatically received and recorded on server logs.

We may use the information for:

  • Fulfilling your request for information or services
  • As input to improving our site and services
  • To inform you about improvements to our site or latest relevant news stories or issues.

Information sharing and disclosure

We intend to manage any information learned about you in an ethical manner. It will only be used for our internal purposes. We will not sell or rent your personal identifiable information to third parties.

We will only send your personal identifiable information about you to others when we have your consent or when required or permitted to do so in response to court orders or under Data Protection legislation.

Data Retention

Data is only stored for as long as it is needed for the site to function.

  • Threads are displayed for 6 months and deleted from the database after 12 months. The only exception to this is if a thread is stickied.
  • Inactive users are deleted after 1 year, inactive users are defined as members who have not logged in and do not have any current public or private messages
  • Website activity logs are kept for up to 6 weeks and then deleted.
  • Website analytics activity logs which include personaly identifiable data are kept for up to 14 months after the last activity.

These data retention periods might not apply if a person is under investigation for inappropriate behaviour in which case the data might be kept longer to protect the site and other users.

if you wish to close your account simply log out, your information will be deleted according to the above time limits.

Cookies

A cookie is a small file of letters and numbers downloaded on to a device when the user accesses certain websites. Cookies allow a website to recognise a user's device.

You may refuse the website permission to set cookies on your computer by selecting the appropriate settings in your web browser, however you may find that large parts of the website will not function as expected.

If you have not used your browser settings to prevent this website from setting cookies then we consider that you have given your consent for us to use them as described below.

For more information about cookies see: http://www.allaboutcookies.org/

Session Cookies

In order to enhance your use of the website you will be given a session cookie which will only last for the duration of that visit to the website. Each time you visit the Website you will have a different session cookie.

Third Party Cookies

Google Analytics

In addition to a session cookie the website also uses "Google Analytics", a web analytics service provided by Google, Inc. ("Google").

Google Analytics uses "persistent cookies", which are text files placed on your computer, to help the website analyze how users use the site.

The information generated by the cookie about your use of the website (including your IP address) will be transmitted to and stored by Google on servers in the United States. Google will use this information for the purpose of evaluating your use of the website, compiling reports on website activity for website operators and providing other services relating to website activity and internet usage.

Google may also transfer this information to third parties where required to do so by law, or where such third parties process the information on Google's behalf. Google will not associate your IP address with any other data held by Google.

You may refuse the use of cookies by selecting the appropriate settings on your browser. By accepting these cookies you consent to the processing of data about you by Google in the manner and for the purposes set out above.

Google Adsense

The website uses Google to serve advertisments on this site. Google will set third-party cookies to serve ads from this site.

Adsense delivers advertisments to this and other sites based on the content of this site and based upon your interests. Cookies delivered by Google Adsense can be used to track your use of this and other sites. You can change your personalisation settings by clicking here

Google can use this information to collect information about your interests. Information about your interests is used to help deliver more relevant advertising on this and other websites you visit.

More information about Google advertising and your privacy can be found here.

If you select personalised adverts your data may be shared with the following ad providers depending on what adverts you are shown. They may use data about your users for the purposes of ads personalisation and measurement. The providers marked with an asterisk are the most commonly used ones.