We at First News are committed to protecting the privacy of all visitors to our website at www.firstnews.co.uk.

We have drawn up a privacy policy which reflects our legal obligations but also covers areas which, as users or parents ourselves, we would like to have explained.

We hope you find it reassuring to understand how we use and protect the information that you provide to us.

First News is published by ­­a family owned business, First News (UK) Ltd which is the sole owner of the information collected on this site.

Like most websites, First News collects data from our users at several different points on our website.

We will only share aggregated demographic information for Under 16s with our partners and advertisers. In plain English, this means data which is not linked to any personal information that can identify any individual.

Additionally, we will only share personal information for Over 16s if you tell us we can (see Over 16s section below).

We will not sell, share, or rent this information to others in any way which differs from this statement.
By registering or placing an order on this website, you consent to the collection, use and transfer of your information under the terms of this policy.

Data policy – under 16s

In order to enter competitions, vote in polls and post comments on stories and videos, a user must first complete the registration form.

During registration a user is required to give their contact information (such as name and email address).This information is held by First News (UK) Ltd.

The postal address will only ever be used to contact or send prizes to competition winners.

We will NEVER pass personal individual information of Under 16s on to third parties.

Surveys

First News, working in partnership with Opinion Matters, will occasionally feature surveys to get children’s views on topics which concern them. We will only share aggregated demographic information with our partners and advertisers. This is not linked to any personal information that can identify any individual person.

Data policy – over 16s

We are committed to managing your personal information in accordance with current legislation and best practice. Our aim is to be responsible, relevant and secure when using your data.

Whenever you provide personal information we will treat that information in accordance with this Notice. We endeavour at all times to keep your data accurate and secure, and to honour your data preferences with regard to receipt of direct marketing e.g. email, mobile messaging and mobile telephone calls.

What information we collect

To provide you with the best possible customer experience we may ask you to submit personal information such as your name, postcode, email address and mobile phone number. Providing this personal information helps us to offer you a better experience e.g. not having to login to websites each time you visit and showing you content that really interests you.

Anonymous data will be recorded for the purpose of reporting web traffic statistics, advertisement ‘click-throughs’, and/or other activities on our sites.

How we use your data

Any use of personal information is subject to your stated preferences; we and our content partners will always make it clear how you can prevent i.e. opt-out of these uses.

The personal information we obtain could be used for the following purposes if you give us permission: technical administration of the web site, enhancing your experience of the site, research and development, customer service, marketing, advertising, targeting and making your personal data available to selected partners.

This might include First News (UK) Ltd and our partners sending you information about products and services that will be relevant to you, by email, mobile messaging, postal mail or direct telephone contact.

We may use third party suppliers to provide part of our service to you. It’s unlikely but, in some circumstances, these providers may be based in countries outside the European Economic Area whose laws provide for a different standard of protection for your personal information than that provided under UK Law. In such circumstances we will have in place strict contractual arrangements that will require your information is processed securely, at least to a standard equivalent to the UK Data Protection Act 1998.

Your personal data will not be disclosed to state institutions and authorities except if required by law or other regulation. Before we release data on this basis, we will ensure that the information is being provided to a genuine and properly authorised investigation. If we are not satisfied that there are valid grounds for releasing the information, the Data Protection Act does not oblige us to do so.

If we refuse to release the information, law enforcement agencies may obtain a court order requiring us to provide it.

Individual Choice

To unsubscribe from communication from First News (UK) Ltd and our carefully selected partners, please email [email protected].

You will ALWAYS be given a straightforward way to opt out from our direct marketing each time you receive a communication from us or one of our advertising partners.

Personal information security

First News (UK) Ltd security policies, rules and technical measures have been implemented to protect your personal information from unauthorised or improper use and from accidental loss.

All our employees and data processors that have access to, and are associated with, the processing of your personal information are legally obliged to respect the confidentiality of your data and are bound by contract to do so.

Privacy Support

If you have an enquiry or concern about our Privacy Notice, please contact: First News (UK) Ltd, 58 Southwark Bridge Road London, SE1 0AS

If we decide to change our Privacy Notice we will post these changes on this page so that you are always aware of what information we collect, how we use it and in what circumstances we disclose it.

In the event of any part of First News (UK) Ltd either being sold or going into receivership, we reserve the right to continue to share your data to third parties in accordance with the latest preferences you have provided. You will be informed should any change of ownership occur, and the new owner will manage your personal information preferences.

How we use Cookies on our website

A cookie is a small text file that is stored on a user’s computer for tracking and record-keeping purposes. We use session cookies to allow you to sign in to our site, and you can remove cookies via your browser’s ‘clear cookie’ function. Please see allaboutcookies.org for more information about blocking cookies on your particular web browser. You can read further details on the cookies that we use below.

Unless you have adjusted your browser setting so that it will refuse cookies, we will drop cookies as soon as you visit our site.

By agreeing to the terms of this privacy policy, you consent to the cookies referenced above being dropped onto your machine.

What we share with Third Parties

We use an analytics company, which drops cookies via our website and collects non-personally identifiable information about you, so we can understand how you use our website. We do not have access to or control over these cookies, but please see here for more information on these cookies. By agreeing to the terms of this privacy policy, you consent to the cookies referenced above being dropped onto your machine.

Cookie Information

PHPSESSID

The user’s current session id. This keeps track of the user as they move around the site. This is an essential cookie to the operation of the site.

_utma, _utmb, _utmc, _utmz

Google Analytics: We use Google Analytics to monitor traffic levels, search queries and visits to this website. These cookies enable Google to determine whether you are a return visitor to the site, and to track the pages that you visit during your session.