Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Welcome to TrendingNews.ie ("we," "our," or "us"). We are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring you have a positive experience on our platform. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website and use our services.

TrendingNews.ie is a community-driven local news platform that connects people with stories and events in their area. We believe in transparency and want you to understand how your information helps us provide you with a better service.

By using our service, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Personal Information

We may collect the following personal information:

• Name and contact information (email address)
• Profile information (bio, profile picture, location)
• Account credentials (username, password)
• Communication preferences

2.2 Content Information

• Stories, articles, and comments you submit
• Votes and reactions on content
• Messages and communications with other users
• Bookmarks and saved content

2.3 Usage Information

• Pages visited and time spent on our platform
• Search queries and filters used
• Device information (browser type, operating system)
• IP address and general location information

2.4 Automatically Collected Information

• Log files and server data
• Cookies and similar tracking technologies
• Analytics data about platform usage

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

3.1 Service Provision

• Create and manage your account
• Display your content and profile information
• Enable community features (voting, commenting, bookmarking)
• Provide personalized content recommendations

3.2 Communication

• Send you important service updates
• Respond to your inquiries and support requests
• Send newsletters and community updates (with your consent)
• Notify you about relevant community activities

3.3 Platform Improvement

• Analyze usage patterns to improve our services
• Conduct research and analytics
• Develop new features and functionality
• Monitor and maintain platform security

3.4 Legal and Safety

• Enforce our Terms of Service and community guidelines
• Prevent fraud, abuse, and illegal activities
• Comply with legal obligations
• Protect the rights and safety of our users

4. Information Sharing and Disclosure

We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties. We may share your information only in the following circumstances:

4.1 Public Information

Information you choose to make public (such as your profile, stories, and comments) will be visible to other users and may be indexed by search engines.

4.2 Service Providers

We may share information with trusted third-party service providers who help us operate our platform, such as:

• Cloud hosting and storage providers
• Analytics and performance monitoring services
• Email delivery services
• Customer support tools

4.3 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required by law or in response to:

• Legal process or government requests
• Court orders or subpoenas
• Law enforcement investigations
• Protection of our rights or the rights of others

4.4 Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction.

5. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction.

5.1 Security Measures

• Encryption of data in transit and at rest
• Regular security assessments and updates
• Access controls and authentication systems
• Secure hosting infrastructure
• Regular backups and disaster recovery procedures

5.2 Your Responsibility

You can help protect your account by:

• Using a strong, unique password
• Not sharing your login credentials
• Logging out of shared devices
• Reporting suspicious activity immediately

5.3 Data Breach Notification

In the unlikely event of a data breach that affects your personal information, we will notify you and relevant authorities within 72 hours as required by law.

6. Your Rights and Choices

Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and other applicable laws, you have the following rights:

6.1 Access and Portability

• Request access to your personal information
• Receive a copy of your data in a portable format
• View and download your account information

6.2 Correction and Updates

• Update your profile information at any time
• Correct inaccurate or incomplete data
• Request correction of information you cannot change yourself

6.3 Deletion and Erasure

• Delete your account and associated data
• Request erasure of specific information
• Remove content you have posted

6.4 Objection and Restriction

• Object to certain types of data processing
• Restrict how we use your information
• Opt out of marketing communications

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at info@trendingnews.ie or use the settings in your account.

7. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience on our platform.

7.1 Types of Cookies

• Essential Cookies: Required for basic platform functionality
• Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how you use our platform
• Preference Cookies: Remember your settings and preferences
• Marketing Cookies: Used to deliver relevant content (with consent)

7.2 Managing Cookies

You can control cookies through:

• Your browser settings
• Our cookie preference center
• Opting out of analytics tracking

7.3 Third-Party Analytics

We may use third-party analytics services to help us understand platform usage. These services may collect information about your use of our platform and other websites.

8. Data Retention

We retain your information for as long as necessary to provide our services and fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy.

8.1 Retention Periods

• Account Information: Until you delete your account
• Content: Until you delete it or your account is deleted
• Usage Data: Up to 2 years for analytics purposes
• Legal Data: As required by applicable laws

8.2 Deletion Process

When you delete your account or request data deletion, we will remove your personal information within 30 days, except where we are required to retain it for legal purposes.

9. International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than Ireland. We ensure that such transfers comply with applicable data protection laws through:

• Adequacy decisions by the European Commission
• Standard contractual clauses
• Other appropriate safeguards

10. Children's Privacy

Our service is not intended for children under 16 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 16. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately.

If we discover that we have collected personal information from a child under 16 without parental consent, we will delete that information promptly.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for other operational, legal, or regulatory reasons.

When we make changes, we will:

• Update the "Last updated" date at the top of this policy
• Notify you via email or platform notification for significant changes
• Provide a summary of changes when material updates are made

Your continued use of our service after any changes indicates your acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.

12. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us:

For GDPR-related requests, please include "GDPR Request" in your email subject line and provide sufficient detail about your request to help us respond promptly.