Privacy Policy

PRIVACY POLICY

Last Updated: 5 July 2026

This Privacy Policy describes how Tales from the Balcony (“we”, “our”, or “us”) collects, uses, and protects your information when you visit our website at https://talesfromthebalcony.com.

  1. Information We Collect

We collect the following categories of information when you interact with our travel blog:

  • Log Data: Our servers automatically log details such as your IP address, browser type, pages visited, and timestamps.
  • Voluntarily Provided Personal Data: When you leave a comment, contact us, or register for our newsletter, we collect your name and email address.
  • Cookies and Tracking Technologies: We use cookies and pixels to monitor site performance, remember user preferences, and track affiliate interactions.
  1. How and Why We Use Your Information

We process your personal data using the following legal bases:

  • To Send Newsletters: We may use your email to send post updates and newsletters, including via Mailchimp (Lawful Basis: Consent).
  • To Analyse Site Performance: We use analytical cookies to understand how readers interact with our posts (Lawful Basis: Consent).
  • To Process Affiliate Links: If you click an affiliate link, tracking pixels attribute your referral. We do not manage any financial payment data (Lawful Basis: Legitimate Interest).
  1. Sharing Your Information

We never sell your personal data. To run this website efficiently, we share limited data with specific, trusted service providers:

  • Email Marketing: Data is securely managed by us or Mailchimp to process any newsletter subscription.
  • Analytics Providers: General user behaviour traffic data is shared with our analytics software provider.
  • Affiliate Networks: Anonymised click data is shared with tracking systems used by partners.
  • Future Ad Networks: We do not currently run programmatic ad networks. However, we reserve the right to partner with third-party advertising companies (such as Google AdSense) in the future, which will deploy cookies to serve relevant ads.

Note: Some providers process data outside the UK and European Economic Area (EEA). We ensure they employ valid data protection transfer safeguards, such as Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs).

  1. Data Retention

We retain your personal data only as long as strictly necessary. Newsletter subscriber details are held until you choose to unsubscribe via the link in our emails. Analytics data is automatically deleted based on standard default retention settings.

  1. Your Global Data Rights

Depending on your geographical location, you hold distinct statutory rights over your personal data:

For UK & EEA Residents (under GDPR and DUAA 2025)

  • Right of Access & Rectification: You can request a copy of your data or correct errors.
  • Right to Erasure & Restriction: You can demand we delete or limit processing of your data.
  • Right to Withdraw Consent: You can revoke cookie or email consent at any time.

For US Residents (under CCPA/CPRA and State Laws)

  • While we do not sell your personal information for money, letting third-party cookies track your habits can be classified as “sharing” data for targeted ads under US law. You have the right to opt-out of targeted tracking.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us directly at: talesfromthebalcony@gmail.com.

  1. Internal Data Protection Complaints Procedure

Under the UK Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (DUAA), we maintain a transparent process to resolve any data privacy complaints internally:

  1. Submission: Submit your privacy complaint to talesfromthebalcony@gmail.com.
  2. Acknowledgement: We will formally acknowledge receipt of your complaint within 30 calendar days.
  3. Investigation: We will investigate your grievance thoroughly and without undue delay.
  4. Outcome: We will communicate the final outcome and any corrective actions taken directly to you in writing.

If you remain unsatisfied with our internal resolution, you retain the legal right to escalate your complaint directly to the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) or your local EEA Data Protection Authority.

  1. Changes to This Policy

We may periodically update this Privacy Policy to reflect modifications to our blog tools or legal changes. Any updates will be published instantly on this page with a revised “Last Updated” date.

  1. Contact Us

For any privacy questions or data access requests, please contact:

  • Email: talesfromthebalcony@gmail.com