Privacy Policy
Last Updated: December 2025
1. Introduction
- Shooters Hill Forum ("we", "us", "our") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal information when you use our community forum.
- Data Controller: Shooters Hill Forum (Steve Ferguson)
Contact: [email protected]
Website: shootershillforum.co.uk
2. Information We Collect
- Registration Information
- Username, email address, and password (encrypted)
- Profile Information (Optional)
- Avatar image, location, website, and biography
- Content You Post
- Forum posts and topics, private messages, classified ads and listings, uploaded images and attachments
- Automatically Collected Information
- IP address, browser type and version, device information, pages visited and time spent, date and time of visits
3. How We Use Your Information
- We use your information to:
- Provide the Service: Create and manage your account, display your posts, enable communication
- Security: Prevent spam, abuse, and fraud; enforce our Terms of Use
- Communication: Send account notifications, replies to your posts, private messages
- Improvement: Analyse usage patterns to improve the Forum
- Legal Compliance: Comply with legal obligations and respond to lawful requests
Legal Basis (UK GDPR)
- We process your data based on: Contract (providing the Forum service), Legitimate Interests (preventing fraud, improving security), Consent (optional email marketing), and Legal Obligation (complying with UK law).
4. Information Sharing
- Public Information
- Your username, avatar, posts, and classified ads are publicly visible. Do not post sensitive personal information publicly.
- Private Information
- Your email address and IP address are never displayed publicly.
- Third-Party Sharing
- We do not sell your personal information. We may share information with our hosting provider (minimal data necessary), law enforcement (if required by law), or in response to legal processes.
5. Cookies
- We use essential cookies required for Forum functionality:
- Session Cookie: Maintains your login session
Authentication Cookie: Remembers your login (if you select "Remember Me")
Preference Cookies: Stores your language and display preferences
- These cookies are essential and cannot be disabled without losing functionality. You can control cookies through your browser settings.
6. Data Retention
- Active Accounts: We retain your data while your account is active.
- Inactive Accounts: Accounts inactive for 3+ years may be deleted after notification.
- Deleted Accounts: When you delete your account, your profile and email are removed. Posts may remain visible but show as "Guest" or "[Deleted User]".
7. Your Rights (UK GDPR)
- Under UK GDPR, you have the right to:
- Access: Request a copy of personal data we hold about you
- Rectification: Correct inaccurate or incomplete data
- Erasure: Request deletion of your personal data ("right to be forgotten")
- Data Portability: Receive your data in a machine-readable format
- Objection: Object to processing based on legitimate interests
- To exercise your rights, contact us at [email protected]. We will respond within 30 days.
8. Data Security
- We implement appropriate security measures including:
- Encryption: Passwords are hashed and encrypted
HTTPS: Secure connections for all data transmission
Access Controls: Limited access to personal data
Regular Backups: Encrypted backups stored securely
- In the event of a data breach, we will notify affected users within 72 hours and report to the ICO if required.
9. Children's Privacy
- The Forum is not intended for children under 13. We do not knowingly collect data from children under 13. Users aged 13-18 should have parental consent.
10. Changes to This Policy
- We may update this Privacy Policy. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated date. Significant changes will be notified via forum announcement. Continued use after changes constitutes acceptance.
11. Contact & Complaints
- For privacy questions or to exercise your rights:
Email: [email protected]
- If you're unhappy with how we handle your data, you can complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO):
Website: ico.org.uk
Telephone: 0303 123 1113