Your information
Privacy Notice
How The Belfast Herald handles reader, source and operational information.
Effective date: 11 August 2026.
Who controls your information
The data controller is Te Quiero Media, trading as The Belfast Herald, at Fleming Way, Sussex RH10 9DP. Privacy enquiries can be made through the contact page or by email to privacy@belfastherald.co.uk.
Information we collect and why
Contact and news-tip submissions contain the details you choose to provide. They are used to respond, verify information and operate the newsroom on the basis of legitimate interests and, where relevant, journalistic purposes. Editorial complaints are processed to meet our published standards and establish, exercise or defend legal claims.
Subscriber accounts contain an email address, a one-way password credential, verification and session records, plan status and Stripe customer references. They are used to form and perform the subscription contract, secure account access, administer payments and meet legal and accounting obligations. Stripe processes payment-card details; The Belfast Herald does not store full card numbers.
Morning Briefing subscriptions contain an email address, confirmation status and unsubscribe record. They are used only after email confirmation and on the basis of consent. Each message includes an unsubscribe facility.
The publication keeps aggregate daily page counts to understand which reporting is read. These counters do not set an analytics cookie or store a reader identifier, network address, referrer or browser profile. Browser Do Not Track and Global Privacy Control signals are honoured for these counts.
Hosting systems process ordinary security and diagnostic information, including request time, browser information, network address and error details, to protect, operate and troubleshoot the service.
Sharing and processors
Information is not sold. It may be processed by service providers used for website hosting and security, transactional email and payments. Current core providers are OpenAI Sites and its Cloudflare infrastructure, Resend for subscriber email, and Stripe for payment and billing. Information may also be disclosed where required by law or necessary to protect rights and safety.
Retention
- General contact messages are normally retained for up to 12 months.
- Editorial complaints and their outcome are normally retained for up to three years after closure.
- Subscriber account data is kept while the account is active and normally deleted or anonymised within 12 months of closure, except transaction records retained for up to six years where required.
- Morning Briefing addresses are kept while subscribed; unsubscribe records are retained to respect that choice.
- Security logs are normally retained for up to 30 days unless an incident requires longer investigation.
- Journalistic material may be retained for archival and public-interest purposes where data-protection law permits.
International processing
Some providers may process information outside the United Kingdom. Where required, transfers are protected by an adequacy decision, approved contractual safeguards or another lawful transfer mechanism.
Your rights
Depending on the circumstances, you may ask for access, correction, deletion, restriction, portability or objection. Identity may need to be verified. Rights can be limited where a journalism exemption or another legal exception applies. You can also complain to the UK Information Commissioner's Office at ico.org.uk.
Editorial information
Personal information used for journalism is handled separately from subscriber and commercial records. Source confidentiality, freedom of expression and the public interest are considered when responding to rights requests involving editorial material.