Privacy - Harberd & Co.

Privacy Policy

Last updated: 14/06/2025

This privacy policy explains how we collect, use, and safeguard your personal information when you use community.queernook.co.uk (“site”). We are committed to protecting your privacy in compliance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

What information do we collect?

We collect and process the following personal data:

Information you provide when registering (such as your email address and, optionally, your name).
Information received from third-party login providers (such as Google or Discord), which may include your email address, display name, and unique user ID.
Technical data including your IP address, browser type, and user agent.
Content you contribute, such as posts, replies, likes, and other forum activity.
Information contained in server logs (such as request metadata and errors).

When you choose to register or log in using Google or Discord, we collect limited profile data from those providers via OAuth2 to create and authenticate your account. This may include your display name, email address, and a unique identifier associated with your Google or Discord account.

We verify your email address by sending a confirmation email containing a unique link. Visiting that link confirms that you control the address.

How do we use your information?

We process your personal data for the following purposes, based on the lawful bases outlined under the UK GDPR:

To provide and maintain the forum (contractual necessity and legitimate interest).
To authenticate your identity using Google or Discord if you choose to sign in via one of those services (legitimate interest).
To personalize your experience and support forum functionality (legitimate interest).
To communicate with you, such as notifications and support responses (consent or legitimate interest).
To protect the security and integrity of our site, including moderation and abuse prevention (legitimate interest and legal obligation).
To comply with legal obligations, including data retention and law enforcement requests.

How do we protect your information?

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of your personal data. This includes encryption, access control, regular software updates, and monitoring of security practices.

Data retention

We retain your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected. We will:

Retain server logs (including IP addresses) for no longer than 90 days unless required for security or legal compliance.
Allow you to delete your account and associated data upon request (see “Your rights” below).

Do we use cookies?

Yes. We use cookies and similar technologies to:

Enable essential site features.
Remember your preferences and login state.
Gather usage statistics to improve the forum.

You may configure your browser to block cookies, but some parts of the forum may not function properly without them.

Do we share your information?

We do not sell or rent your personal data. We may share it:

With trusted service providers who assist us in operating the forum (e.g., hosting providers, email services), under contractual agreements that ensure GDPR compliance.
With third-party authentication providers (e.g., Google, Discord) only as required to facilitate login and account creation.
If legally required, to comply with applicable law or legal process.
To protect the rights, safety, or property of users or the public.

Third-party links

Our site may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of those sites. Please review their respective privacy policies.

For reference:

Your data protection rights

Under the UK GDPR, you have the right to:

Access your personal data.
Rectify inaccurate or incomplete data.
Erase your personal data (“right to be forgotten”) under certain conditions.
Restrict or object to the processing of your data.
Request data portability.
Withdraw consent at any time, where processing is based on consent.
Lodge a complaint with the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

To exercise your rights, please contact us using the details below.

You can also contact the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) at https://ico.org.uk/ if you believe your data has been handled improperly.