Introduction
This is the privacy policy for ECNetNews.com (collectively referred to as “ECNetNews”, “we”, “us” or “our” in this policy), including our sites such as ecnetnews.com and any associated apps (“our sites”). Our commitment to your privacy guides everything we do, from our editorial approach to how we handle your personal data. We are dedicated to keeping your personal data safe throughout its lifecycle, from the initial collection to its deletion.
Who We Are
ECNetNews.com is an independent news website providing comprehensive news coverage from around the globe. We can be contacted at info@ecnetnews.com for any questions or concerns regarding our privacy practices.
About This Privacy Policy
This privacy policy explains how we collect, use, share, transfer, and protect your personal data when you use our services or interact with us. It also explains your data privacy rights.
Personal Data We Collect
1. Directly from You:
- Registration Data: Your name, email address, contact number, residential or billing address, user name, photograph (if you choose to add one).
- Interaction Data: When you comment on articles, participate in surveys, or contact us via email or social media.
- Subscription Data: Information you provide when subscribing to our newsletters, including preferences and interests.
2. Automatically Collected Data:
- Device and Usage Information: IP address, browser type, operating system, pages visited, time and date of visit, referring websites, geolocation data.
- Cookies and Similar Technologies: For more details, please refer to our Cookie Policy below.
3. From Third Parties:
- Social Media: Data shared with us when you use social media credentials to sign in.
- Payment Processors: Information necessary for transactions.
- Advertising Partners: Data related to your interactions with advertisements.
How We Use Your Personal Data
We use your personal data for the following purposes:
- To provide and improve our services.
- To personalize your experience on our website.
- To send newsletters and updates if you have subscribed.
- To respond to your inquiries and provide customer support.
- To analyze website usage and improve our content and services.
- To ensure the security and integrity of our website.
- To comply with legal obligations.
- To manage your account and subscriptions.
- To conduct market research and analysis.
Legal Grounds for Processing Your Personal Data
We only use your personal data when we have a valid reason to do so. These include:
- Consent: When you have given us permission.
- Contract: To fulfill our contractual obligations to you.
- Legal Obligation: To comply with legal requirements.
- Legitimate Interest: For purposes that are reasonably necessary for our business, such as improving our services.
Sharing Your Personal Data
We do not sell your personal data. We may share your data with third-party service providers to help us operate our website and provide our services, including:
- Web hosting providers
- Email marketing services
- Analytics providers
- Payment processors
- Customer support services
- Advertising and marketing services
- Event partners and sponsors
These providers are bound by contractual obligations to keep your information confidential and secure. We may also disclose your information if required by law or in response to legal requests.
Cookies and Similar Technologies
We use cookies and similar technologies to collect information about your usage of our website. Cookies help us enhance your user experience by remembering your preferences, providing personalized content, and improving our website. You can manage your cookie preferences through your browser settings. For more information, please refer to our Cookie Policy.
Types of Cookies We Use
- Essential Cookies: Necessary for the operation of our website.
- Analytical/Performance Cookies: Help us understand how you use our website and improve its functionality.
- Functionality Cookies: Remember your preferences and personalize your experience.
- Targeting/Advertising Cookies: Used to deliver relevant advertisements to you.
Social Media
If you interact with us on social media platforms, we may collect personal data such as your social media handle, profile information, and interaction content. This information is used to respond to your comments and inquiries and to enhance our social media presence. We may also use social media plugins on our website, such as the Facebook “Like” button, which may collect information about your browsing activity.
Third-Party Links
Our website may contain links to third-party sites and services not operated by us. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third parties. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing any personal data.
Children’s Privacy
Our website is not intended for children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If we become aware of data collected from children under 13, we will delete it promptly.
International Data Transfers
Your personal data may be transferred to, stored, and processed in a country different from your own. We ensure that such transfers comply with applicable data protection laws and that your personal data remains protected by:
- Transferring data to countries with adequate data protection standards.
- Using Standard Contractual Clauses approved by relevant authorities.
- Implementing appropriate safeguards and security measures.
Data Security
We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal data against unauthorized access, loss, or destruction. These measures include:
- Encryption of data
- Secure data storage
- Access controls and authentication
- Regular security audits
However, no method of transmission over the internet is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.
Data Retention
We retain your personal data only as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, including legal or reporting requirements. If we no longer need your data, we will delete it or make it anonymous by removing all details that identify you.
Your Rights
You have the following rights regarding your personal data:
- Access: To receive a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
- Correction: To correct any inaccurate data.
- Deletion: To request deletion of your personal data.
- Objection: To object to the processing of your data.
- Withdrawal of Consent: To withdraw consent at any time where we rely on consent to process your data.
- Restriction: To request the restriction of processing of your data.
- Data Portability: To request the transfer of your data to another party.
To exercise these rights, please contact us at info@ecnetnews.com. We will respond to all legitimate requests within one month.
How We May Contact You
We may contact you via email, phone, SMS, or post for service communications, marketing communications, research purposes, or to respond to your queries or complaints. You can manage your communication preferences in your account settings or opt-out by following the instructions in the communication.
Marketing Communications and Editorial Newsletters
If we have your permission or you have not opted out, we may send you materials we think may interest you, such as new offers and updates. Depending on your marketing preferences, this may be by email, phone, SMS, or post. You can manage your subscription to these emails through your profile page when you are signed in to your account.
Responding to Your Queries or Complaints
If you have raised a query or a complaint with us, we may contact you to answer your query or to resolve your complaint.
Special Note to California Users
If you elect to use the “California resident – Do not sell” button, we will not recontact you about that choice for at least 12 months.
Cookies and Similar Technologies
When you visit our sites, we may collect personal data from you automatically using cookies or similar technologies. This privacy policy includes our cookie policy, where you can find more information about our use of cookies.
Your Privacy and Data Protection Rights
You have a number of rights with regard to the personal data that we hold about you, including:
- The right to receive a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
- The right to correct the personal data we hold about you.
- Where applicable, the right to receive a machine-readable copy of your personal data.
- The right to ask us to delete your personal data or restrict how it is used.
- The right to object to the processing of your personal data for certain purposes.
- The right to withdraw consent to use your personal data at any time.
- The right to opt out of the use of your personal data for marketing analysis.
To exercise these rights, please email us at info@ecnetnews.com. We will respond to all legitimate requests within one month. Occasionally, it may take us longer if your request is particularly complex or you have made a large number of requests. In this case, we will notify you and keep you updated.
Verification of Your Identity
We may need verification of your identity to proceed with a request. If you provide us with proof of identity containing information that does not match our records, we may request further proof of identity from you. This is a security measure to ensure that your personal data is not disclosed to any person who does not have a right to receive it.
Fees for Data Access Requests
You will not have to pay a fee to obtain a copy of your personal data (or to exercise any of the other rights). However, for any further copies requested by you, we may charge a reasonable fee based on administrative costs.
Your California Privacy Rights
The California Consumer Privacy Act 2018 (“CCPA”) and California Privacy Rights Act 2020 (“CPRA”) provide certain rights to residents of California. The CCPA and CPRA are collectively referred to as “CCPA” below.
If you are a resident of California, you may contact us with regard to the following rights in relation to your personal data:
- Right to Know: At or before the time of collection, you have a right to receive notice of our practices, including the categories of personal data and sensitive personal data to be collected, the purposes for which it is collected and used, whether such personal data is “sold or shared” and for how long personal data is retained. These details are set out in this Privacy Policy.
- Right to Access: You have the right to request access to the personal data we may hold on you for the past twelve (12) months. You may submit up to two (2) requests per year of access to your personal data.
- Right to Correct: You have the right to correct inaccurate personal data we hold about you.
- Right to Opt-Out of Sale of Personal Data: For individuals sixteen (16) years or older, you have the right to opt-out of the sale of personal data we may hold on you. You can exercise this right at any time by pressing the “California resident – Do not sell” link in the footer of every page on our site. For individuals between thirteen (13) to sixteen (16) years old, you have the right to opt-in to the sale of personal data we may hold on you.
- Right to Deletion: You also have the right to ask us to delete personal data we may hold on you or restrict how it is used. There may be exceptions to the right to deletion which, if applicable, we will set out for you in response to your request.
- Right to Limit Use and Disclosure of Sensitive Personal Data: Where applicable, you have the right to limit our use of sensitive personal data for any purposes other than to provide the services you request or as otherwise permitted by law.
- Right to Non-Discrimination: We will not discriminate against you for exercising any of your California Consumer Privacy Act rights.
If you want to make any of these requests, please contact info@ecnetnews.com. We will deal with requests for access to your personal data within forty-five (45) days for California-specific requests.
California “Shine the Light” Privacy Rights
Residents of California can ask us to provide a list of the types of personal data we have disclosed to third parties for direct marketing purposes and the identity of those third parties. To the extent that we share email addresses with third parties in connection with online marketing, you may opt-out through your “Manage My Account” choices.
To make a “Shine the Light” request, please email info@ecnetnews.com with “Shine the Light” in the subject line.
Your Australian Privacy Rights
The Australian Privacy Act has rules around how we handle your personal information that may be different from rules in other regions. These rules are set out in the Australian Privacy Principles in force under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (the Australian Privacy Act). We are required to treat your personal information in line with those principles, including disclosing what personal information we collect and how we use it, storing your information securely, and supporting you in exercising your rights.
Personal Information We Collect and Use
When we refer to “personal data” throughout this policy, we are also referencing “personal information,” as it is defined under Australian law.
Your Rights
Your rights to privacy are also protected by the Australian Privacy Act, including your:
- Right of access to the personal information held about you.
- Right of correction to correct your information when it is incorrect.
These principles and rights are reflected throughout this privacy policy.
Opt Out of Personalized Advertising
Under the Australian Privacy Act, you have the right to opt out of the use of your personal information for direct marketing purposes, including personalized advertising. You can opt out of personalized advertising across our website and apps at any time by going to the “Privacy Settings” link on our sites in the footer of every page. You will still see non-personalized advertising.
We and our partners use cookies and similar technologies to collect information about your use of the website to help create reports and statistics on the performance of the website. Analytics cookies such as Google Analytics collect information such as your IP address, device type and operating system, referring URLs, location, and pages visited. If you don’t want Google Analytics to be used in your browser, you can install the ‘Google Analytics Opt-Out Browser Add-On’, provided by Google.
For a complete description of our use of cookies and similar technologies globally, please see our cookie policy.
If you have contacted us at info@ecnetnews.com with a privacy-related complaint and you are not satisfied with our handling of that complaint, you may refer that complaint to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner:
GPO BOX 5218, Sydney NSW 2001
1300 363 992
https://www.oaic.gov.au/
Contact Us for Information About How We Use Your Personal Data
If you have any questions about how we use your personal data or if you have a concern about how your personal data is used, please contact us at info@ecnetnews.com.
Complaints
Complaints will be dealt with by our Data Protection Team and will be responded to within 30 days. If you are not satisfied with the way your concern has been handled, you can refer your complaint to the Information Commissioner’s Office.
Changes to This Privacy Policy
If we decide to change our privacy policy, the updated privacy policy will be posted on this page. If the changes are significant, we may also choose to email all our registered users with the new details. If required by law, we will get your permission or give you the opportunity to opt out of any new uses of your data.
Effective Date
This privacy policy is effective as of July 1, 2024.