Effective Date: 13/04/2025
Website: https://www.unknownireland.com
Unknown Ireland (“we,” “us,” or “our”) respects your privacy. This Privacy & Cookie Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and protect your information in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and other relevant data protection laws.
1. Who We Are
Unknown Ireland is a digital news platform based in Ireland that explores underrepresented stories and places across the island.
📧 Email: Contact@unknownireland.com
2. Information We Collect
a. Personal Data (provided by you)
- Name
- Email address
- Contact messages or inquiries
- Newsletter subscriptions
b. Automatically Collected Data
- IP address
- Device type and browser
- Operating system
- Pages visited and time spent
- Referral source
- Approximate location
Collected via:
- Cookies
- Google Analytics (or similar tools)
3. Legal Basis for Processing
Under GDPR, we process your personal data based on:
- Consent – for newsletters and cookie preferences
- Legitimate Interest – to analyze performance and improve content
- Contractual Obligation – when responding to your messages
- Legal Compliance – to meet regulatory requirements
4. How We Use Your Data
We use your data to:
- Provide and improve our content and website functionality
- Respond to your messages or inquiries
- Send newsletters (only if you have opted in)
- Monitor traffic and usage trends
- Ensure website security and detect fraud
5. Use of AI-Generated or Altered Content
Some images or visual elements on Unknown Ireland may be generated or enhanced using AI tools. These will be clearly disclosed or labeled and are part of our editorial and creative process—not intended to mislead.
6. Cookie Policy & Consent
We use cookies and similar technologies to enhance your browsing experience, gather statistics, and improve site functionality.
Types of Cookies We Use:
- Essential Cookies – Necessary for core site operations
- Analytics Cookies – Help us understand usage (e.g., Google Analytics)
- Marketing Cookies – May track user interests to improve content targeting
Cookie Consent
On your first visit, a cookie banner allows you to:
- Accept all cookies
- Reject non-essential cookies
- Customize your preferences
You can change or withdraw consent at any time via your browser settings or our [Cookie Preferences page] (add link if available).
Disabling certain cookies may affect how parts of the website function.
7. Third-Party Services We Use
| Service | Purpose | Data Shared | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Analytics | Site traffic analysis | IP address, browser data | USA/EU |
| Mailchimp (or similar) | Email marketing | Email address | USA/EU |
| Cloudflare | Site security & CDN | IP address | Global |
| YouTube, Google Maps, Instagram | Embedded content | Browser/device data | Varies |
These services may set their own cookies. We recommend reviewing their privacy policies for more detail.
8. Data Retention
We keep your data only as long as necessary:
- Contact forms: Retained until resolved or no longer needed
- Newsletter data: Retained until you unsubscribe
- Analytics data: Retained for up to 26 months (per Google Analytics settings)
9. Your Rights (Under GDPR)
You have the right to:
- Access your personal data
- Correct inaccurate data
- Erase your data (“right to be forgotten”)
- Restrict or object to processing
- Data portability
- Withdraw consent at any time
To exercise these rights, email us at: Contact@unknownireland.com
We will respond within 30 days.
You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Data Protection Commission of Ireland:
🔗 https://www.dataprotection.ie
10. Data Security
We implement appropriate technical and organizational safeguards to protect your information. However, no method of internet transmission or storage is 100% secure.
11. Children’s Privacy
This website is not intended for children under 16. We do not knowingly collect personal data from minors. If we become aware of such data, we will delete it immediately.
12. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this policy from time to time. When we do, the “Effective Date” at the top will be updated. Please review this page periodically to stay informed.
13. Contact Us
For any questions or privacy-related concerns, contact us at:
📧 Email: Contact@unknownireland.com
🌍 Website: https://www.unknownireland.com