P930// PRIVACYUK GDPR // PECR
Privacy notice.
How North Bear Media Ltd collects and uses personal information when you visit this website, get in touch, order a Marketing MOT or apply to work with us, and the rights you have over that information.
UPDATED //
Who we are.
This website, northbearmedia.co.uk, is run by North Bear Media Ltd, a company registered in England and Wales under company number 15724523. Our registered office is Unit 6 Heritage Business Centre, Derby Road, Belper, Derbyshire DE56 1SW.
North Bear Media Ltd is the controller of the personal information described in this notice. That means we decide how and why it’s used, and we’re responsible for protecting it under UK data protection law, which is mainly the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. The rules on cookies and similar technologies are in the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 (PECR).
North Bear is founder led, so in this notice “we” usually means our founder and director, Norton Hunt. He’s the person to contact about anything here.
- EMAIL //info@northbearmedia.co.uk
- PHONE //01773 307 308
- POST //Norton Hunt, North Bear Media Ltd, Unit 6 Heritage Business Centre, Derby Road, Belper, Derbyshire DE56 1SW
What we collect, why, and our lawful basis.
We only collect what we need.
The law requires a “lawful basis” for each use of your information. Mostly we rely on legitimate interests, which means we have a genuine reason, such as replying to someone who’s contacted us or keeping the website running and secure, and we’ve weighed it against your rights. We think you’d reasonably expect these uses, and you can ask us for details of that assessment.
When you order a Marketing MOT, or become a client, we use your details to do the work you’ve asked for, which the law calls performing a contract.
When we rely on your consent instead, we say so, and you can withdraw it at any time.
You don’t have to give us your information. There’s no legal or contractual requirement to, but we do need a way to reach you, such as your name and email address on a form, in order to reply.
We don’t make any decisions about you based solely on automated processing, and we never sell your personal information.
When you send us an enquiry.
This website has two enquiry forms, one on the home page and one on the contact page. The Marketing MOT order form is covered in the next section.
Both ask for your name, company, email address and a message about what you need, plus your phone number if you’d like to give it.
Each form also sends a subject line, the name of the form you used and the address of the page you sent it from, along with the note of where you came from to our website (see Where you came from). When you press Send your message, your browser sends the form straight to Web3Forms, the form-handling service we use, which emails it to our business inbox. Like any online service, Web3Forms also receives technical details from your browser when you send the form, such as your IP address and browser type.
Our statistics tools record that a form was started, sent or couldn’t be sent, and which form it was. They never receive your name, contact details or message. The cookie notice explains which tools run, and when.
- WHY //To read and reply to your enquiry and, if you’d like to work with us, to talk about what you need.
- LAWFUL BASIS //Our legitimate interests in answering enquiries (UK GDPR Article 6(1)(f)). Where you’re asking about our services, it is also taking the steps you’ve asked for before we might enter into a contract (Article 6(1)(b)).
When you order a Marketing MOT.
You order the £295 Marketing MOT on our MOT page by filling in the order form. There’s no online payment. Once your order arrives, Norton emails you an invoice.
The order form asks for your name, email address, business name, the town where most of your work is, your main service in your own words and what you do about marketing at the moment. Your website and two competitors are optional.
When you send the order, your browser sends it straight to Web3Forms, which emails it to our business inbox, in the same way as our enquiry forms. With it go a subject line, the name of the form, the address of the page, the note of where you came from to our website and an order reference. The order reference is made up on your device when you send the form (it looks like MOT-261022-AB12).
We use your order to do your MOT and send it to you, to invoice you, and to get in touch if something on the form needs checking. We also keep a record of the sale for our accounts.
- WHY //To do the Marketing MOT you’ve ordered and send it to you, and to keep the accounting records the law requires.
- LAWFUL BASIS //Performing our contract with you, including the steps before it when you send the order form (UK GDPR Article 6(1)(b)), and our legal obligation to keep accounting and tax records (Article 6(1)(c)).
Where you came from.
When you arrive on this website, our own website code works out which website, search engine, AI assistant or campaign link sent you, if it can tell, and keeps a short note of it. We call this the enquiry source record.
It comes from the address of the page you came from, which your browser normally passes on, and from any campaign tags in the link you followed. It notes the type of source, for example an AI assistant such as ChatGPT, or a Google search, along with the name of the site that sent you, the first page you visited on our site and any campaign tags.
It’s kept in your browser’s session storage, under the name nb-src, for that browser tab only, so it’s gone when you close the tab. It isn’t a cookie, and the note itself isn’t sent to us while you browse.
It’s only sent to us if you send one of our forms, when it’s added to your enquiry or order as Came from, Referring site, First page visited and Campaign tags. That tells us which of our marketing is bringing in enquiries, including whether people are finding us through AI assistants. When a form is sent, our statistics tools are also told the type of source, for example that it came from an AI assistant, but never your name, contact details or message.
- WHY //To know which websites, searches and campaigns bring us enquiries.
- LAWFUL BASIS //Our legitimate interests in understanding which of our marketing works (UK GDPR Article 6(1)(f)).
- SAVED AS //nb-src, in your browser’s session storage, for one tab
When you email, call or message us.
If you email, call or message us on WhatsApp, we receive whatever you choose to share. This is usually your name, your email address or phone number, your message and anything you attach.
Email to info@northbearmedia.co.uk is hosted by Google (Google Workspace).
Phone calls show us your number, unless you withhold it, and anything you tell us.
WhatsApp links open a chat with our business mobile number, 07985 345 147. Your messages are carried by WhatsApp, which is owned by Meta. WhatsApp is responsible for its own service under the terms and privacy policy you agreed to when you signed up. Depending on your WhatsApp settings, we see your WhatsApp name, number and profile photo, as well as your messages.
Our statistics tools record that you clicked an email, phone or WhatsApp link, so we can see which contact methods people use. They don’t see anything you send.
- WHY AND LAWFUL BASIS //The same as for our forms. We use your details to reply and to discuss any work you ask about.
When you book a call.
Our Book a call buttons take you to Cal.com, an online scheduling service, where you can book a 30 minute call with Norton. If you book, Cal.com collects the details its booking form asks for (usually your name, email address and any notes you add), the time you choose and your time zone.
Cal.com sends you confirmation and reminder emails, and the call takes place on Microsoft Teams.
This website doesn’t embed Cal.com, so Cal.com only receives your details if you press Book a call and open its booking page.
- WHY //To arrange and hold the call you’ve asked for.
- LAWFUL BASIS //Our legitimate interests, and taking steps you’ve asked for before a possible contract (UK GDPR Articles 6(1)(f) and 6(1)(b)).
When you apply to work with us.
Our careers page invites speculative applications by email.
You might send your contact details, some information about yourself, links, a portfolio or examples of your work, and a CV if you choose. We use these to consider your application and to reply.
Please don’t send sensitive information, such as details of your health, ethnicity, religion or any criminal record, unless you want us to know it. For example, you might want us to make adjustments for an interview.
- LAWFUL BASIS //Our legitimate interests in finding people to work with, and taking steps before a possible contract (UK GDPR Articles 6(1)(f) and 6(1)(b)).
If you become a client.
If we work together, we’ll keep your contact details, our correspondence, the details of what we’ve agreed, and invoicing and payment records.
Sometimes we handle personal data on a client’s behalf, for example enquiries sent through a website we host or manage for them, or comments and messages on social media accounts we look after for them. In that case we act as that client’s processor. The client’s own privacy notice applies, and our agreement with them governs what we do.
- LAWFUL BASIS //Performing our contract with you or your organisation (UK GDPR Article 6(1)(b)) and our legal obligation to keep accounting and tax records (Article 6(1)(c)). We also have a legitimate interest in running our business (Article 6(1)(f)).
When you browse this website.
Some information is collected automatically when pages load.
- SERVER LOGS //Our web host, Hostinger, logs each request to the site: the IP address, the date and time, the page requested, the referring page and browser or device details. These logs are used to run the site and keep it secure, including fixing problems when something goes wrong. Lawful basis: our legitimate interests.
- STATISTICS //We use tools to understand how the site is used and to measure our advertising. Tools that use cookies only set them if you accept. The cookie notice lists every tool and when it runs.
- FONTS //Our fonts load from Google Fonts, so your browser sends your IP address and browser details to Google when a page opens.
- LINKS //Links to WhatsApp, Google reviews, Companies House and other websites are ordinary links. This site has no social media tracking pixels. If you follow a link, that website’s own privacy policy applies.
Who we share it with.
We use service providers (processors) that handle personal information for us. They may only use it on our instructions and must keep it secure.
- 01Web3FormsReceives form submissions and emails them to us. Run by Web3Creative from India, using cloud providers, including Amazon Web Services, that may process data in several regions.
- 02Google WorkspaceOur business email. Google, USA, with data centres in several countries.
- 03Google Analytics 4Website statistics. Google, USA, with data centres in several countries.
- 04Google AdsMeasuring the results of our Google adverts. Google, USA, with data centres in several countries.
- 05Google FontsDelivers the fonts this website uses. Google, USA.
- 06Microsoft ClarityHeatmaps and session recordings of how visitors use our pages, only if you accept. Microsoft, USA.
- 07Microsoft TeamsVideo calls. Microsoft, USA, with data centres in several countries.
- 08Cal.comOnline booking of calls, through our Book a call buttons. Cal.com, Inc., USA.
- 09Fathom AnalyticsCookie-free visitor statistics. Conva Ventures Inc., Canada.
- 10MetricoolCookie-free visitor statistics, only if you accept. Metricool Software, S.L., Spain.
- 11HostingerWebsite hosting and server logs.
When providers use information for themselves.
Some providers also use information for their own purposes. When they do, they’re responsible for that use under their own privacy policies.
Google may use information from Google Analytics and Google Ads to provide, improve and protect its services, including advertising. Microsoft sets some of Clarity’s cookies on its own domains, and says one of these cookies (MUID) is used across Microsoft sites for advertising, site analytics and other operational purposes. WhatsApp (Meta) carries any WhatsApp messages you send us.
We may also share information with our professional advisers, such as our accountant. Where the law requires it, we may share information with HMRC, regulators, the police or the courts. If the business is ever sold, the buyer would receive it and would have to keep to this notice.
When information leaves the UK.
Some of our providers are based outside the UK, or process data outside it. Google, Microsoft and Cal.com are in the USA, Web3Forms is in India, Fathom is in Canada and Metricool is in Spain. Some of them also use data centres in other countries.
UK data protection law allows personal information to leave the UK where one of its safeguards applies.
The first is UK adequacy regulations, where the UK Government has confirmed that the destination gives adequate protection. For example, this covers the European Economic Area. It also covers US organisations certified under the UK Extension to the EU-US Data Privacy Framework.
The second is approved contract terms, where the provider has signed up to the ICO’s International Data Transfer Agreement (IDTA), or to the UK’s International Data Transfer Addendum to the EU Standard Contractual Clauses.
If you’d like to know which safeguard applies to a particular provider, please ask us.
How long we keep it.
We keep personal information only for as long as we need it for the purposes in this notice. After that we delete it or make it anonymous.
- WHERE YOU CAME FROM //The note in your browser is deleted when you close the tab. Once it’s been sent with a form, we keep it with that enquiry or order.
Cookies and similar technologies.
Our own website code doesn’t set any cookies. Some of the tools we use do, and the ones that aren’t essential only use cookies if you accept them. The cookie notice lists every tool, what it does, which ones need your consent and how to change your mind, and it also explains the note of where you came from, which sits in session storage rather than a cookie.
Your rights.
Under UK data protection law you have the rights below. To use any of them, contact Norton using the details under Who we are. It’s free in most cases, and we may need to check your identity first. We’ll reply within one month. If a request is complex, we may extend this by up to two more months, and if we do, we’ll tell you why.
- 01AccessGet a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
- 02CorrectionHave it corrected if it’s inaccurate or incomplete.
- 03DeletionHave it deleted in certain circumstances.
- 04RestrictionRestrict how we use it in certain circumstances.
- 05ObjectionObject to our use of it where we rely on legitimate interests. You can always object to direct marketing, and if you do, we’ll stop.
- 06PortabilityReceive information you gave us in a commonly used electronic format, or have it sent to another organisation, where we use it on the basis of consent or a contract.
- 07Withdrawing consentWithdraw consent at any time where we rely on it. This doesn’t affect anything we did before you withdrew it.
- 08Automated decisionsNot be subject to decisions based solely on automated processing that significantly affect you. We don’t make any such decisions.
If you’re unhappy.
If you’re unhappy with how we’ve handled your personal information, please tell us first so we can try to put it right.
We’ll acknowledge your complaint within 30 days and let you know the outcome without undue delay.
You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the UK’s data protection regulator.
- ICO ONLINE //ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint
- ICO HELPLINE //0303 123 1113
Security, children and changes.
This website uses an encrypted (HTTPS) connection.
- SECURITY //Only the people at North Bear who need your personal information, and the providers listed above, can access it. We choose providers that have appropriate security measures. No method of sending information over the internet is completely secure, so please don’t send highly sensitive information through our forms.
- CHILDREN //Our website and services are aimed at businesses and adults. We don’t knowingly collect personal information from children.
- CHANGES //We’ll update this notice whenever how we use personal information changes. If we make a significant change that affects you, and we have your contact details, we’ll let you know.
Questions about your information?
Use the details below to get hold of Norton, or send a message from the contact page.
- PHONE // 01773 307 308
- EMAIL // info@northbearmedia.co.uk
- WHATSAPP // 07985 345 147
- RESPONSE // HUMAN