Privacy Policy

Effective Date: 12/06/2023
Last Updated: 13/09/2024

At Northern Ireland Elects, we value your privacy and are committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, and safeguard the data you provide to us when you interact with our website, including leaving comments. By using our website, you consent to the terms outlined in this Privacy Policy.

1. Information We Collect

When you interact with Northern Ireland Elects, we may collect the following information:

1.1 Personal Information:

When you sign up for our newsletter or submit a contact form, we collect your name and email address.
When you leave a comment, we collect your name and email address.
If you choose to provide it, we may also collect additional information such as your organization or affiliation.

1.2 Usage Data:

We may collect non-personally identifiable information about your interactions with our website, such as the pages visited, the duration of your visit, and the actions you take on our website. This data is collected using cookies and similar technologies and is used to improve our website’s functionality and user experience.

1.3 Microsoft Clarity:

We partner with Microsoft Clarity and Microsoft Advertising to capture how you use and interact with our website through behavioral metrics, heatmaps, and session replay to improve and market our products/services. Website usage data is captured using first and third-party cookies and other tracking technologies to determine the popularity of products/services and online activity. Additionally, we use this information for site optimization, fraud/security purposes, and advertising. For more information about how Microsoft collects and uses your data, visit the Microsoft Privacy Statement.

2. Use of Information

We may use the information we collect for the following purposes:

2.1 Providing and Improving Services:

To deliver our newsletter, respond to your inquiries, and provide customer support.
To enable and display user comments on our website.
To improve our website’s content, functionality, and user experience.
To analyze user trends and preferences to enhance our services.

2.2 Communication:

To communicate with you, including sending administrative emails, updates, and newsletters.
To inform you about important changes to our website, services, or policies.

2.3 Legal Compliance:

To comply with applicable laws, regulations, legal processes, or enforceable governmental requests.

3. Data Retention

We will retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law. When your personal information is no longer needed, we will securely dispose of it.

4. Data Sharing and Disclosure

We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties. However, we may share your information with trusted third-party service providers who assist us in operating our website and providing services. These service providers are obligated to maintain the confidentiality of your information and are prohibited from using it for any other purpose.

We may also disclose your personal information:

To comply with applicable laws, regulations, or legal processes.
To protect and defend our rights or property.
To investigate and prevent potential fraud or unauthorized access.

Please see section 9 of our privacy policy for more information.

5. Security Measures

We take appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. However, please note that no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. Therefore, while we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee its absolute security.

6. Links to Third-Party Websites

Our website may contain links to third-party websites. Please note that this Privacy Policy does not apply to those websites, and we are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of third-party websites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of those websites before providing any personal information.

7. Children’s Privacy

Northern Ireland Elects does not knowingly collect personal information from individuals under the age of 16. If you are a parent or guardian and believe that your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us, and we will promptly delete such information from our records.

8. Changes to the Privacy Policy

We reserve the right to update or modify this Privacy Policy at any time without prior notice. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes. Your continued use of our website after any modifications to this Privacy Policy will constitute your acknowledgment

9. Advertising and Third-Party Services

9.1 Google AdSense:

We have implemented Google AdSense on our website to display third-party advertisements. AdSense is an advertising service provided by Google Inc. that allows us to generate revenue by displaying targeted advertisements based on user interests.

9.1.1 Cookies and Personalized Ads:

Google AdSense uses cookies and similar technologies to collect information about your interactions with the website, including your IP address, browsing history, and device information. This information is used to personalize the advertisements you see on our website and other websites that participate in the Google AdSense program.

9.1.2 Opting Out of Personalized Ads:

You can opt out of personalized advertising by visiting the Ads Settings page provided by Google. Alternatively, you can opt out of third-party cookies by visiting the Network Advertising Initiative’s opt-out page or by disabling cookies in your browser settings. Please note that opting out of personalized ads does not mean you will no longer see advertisements; it means that the ads you see may be less relevant to your interests.

9.1.3 Google’s Data Usage and Privacy Policies:

For more information about how Google collects, uses, and protects data from users of websites or apps that use Google services, please refer to Google’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.

9.2 Third-Party Websites and Services:

Our website may contain links to third-party websites or services. Please note that this Privacy Policy does not apply to those websites or services, and we are not responsible for their privacy practices. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of those third parties before providing any personal information.

10. Your Choices and Rights

10.1 Updating Your Information:

If you would like to update or correct the information you have provided to us, please contact us using the contact information provided below.

10.2 Opting Out:

If you no longer wish to receive our newsletter or any other communications from us, you may opt out by following the unsubscribe instructions provided in the emails or by contacting us directly.

10.3 Your Rights:

Depending on your location and applicable laws, you may have certain rights regarding the personal information we hold about you. These rights may include the right to access, rectify, restrict processing, or delete your personal information. To exercise these rights, please contact us using the contact information provided below.

11. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us by using our contact page.