This policy explains what personal data Computing.net collects, why, how long we keep it, who we share it with and the rights you have. We keep it short because we collect very little: you can read everything on Computing.net without an account and without giving us any personal information.

Who we are

Computing.net (https://computing.net) is owned and operated by Kooc Media Ltd, a company registered in England and Wales (company number 05695741), International House, 61 Mosley Street, Manchester M2 3HZ, United Kingdom. Kooc Media Ltd is the data controller for personal data collected through this website. You can contact us about privacy at hello@kooc.co.uk.

What we collect and why

Newsletter

If you sign up to our newsletter we store your email address, the date you signed up and where on the site you signed up. We use it only to send you the newsletter. Our lawful basis is your consent, which you can withdraw at any time by using the unsubscribe link in any newsletter or by emailing us.

Contact form and emails

When you contact us through our contact form or by email we receive the details you choose to send — usually your name, email address and message. We use them to reply and to deal with your enquiry, for example to investigate a correction request. Our lawful basis is our legitimate interest in responding to people who contact us. Our contact form is provided by Jotform, which processes the form on our behalf.

Affiliate link clicks

When you click a link that goes through computing.net/out/, we record which partner the link points to, the page you clicked it on and the time. We do not record your IP address or set a cookie, and we cannot identify you from this information. We use it to understand which content readers find useful and to reconcile commission payments.

Staff accounts

Our writers and editors sign in to manage content. For them we store their name, email address, role and author profile, and set a sign-in cookie. This applies only to Computing.net staff, not to readers.

Technical data

Like all websites, our hosting provider automatically processes technical information such as IP addresses, browser type and the pages requested, in order to deliver the site and protect it from abuse. These logs are kept for a short period for security purposes and are not used to build profiles of individual readers.

Cookies and similar technologies

Computing.net does not use advertising or analytics cookies for readers.

  • Display preference — if you switch between light and dark mode, your choice is saved in your browser's local storage so the site remembers it. It never leaves your device.
  • Staff sign-in — a strictly necessary cookie that keeps our writers and editors signed in to the admin area.

Third-party content can set its own cookies. This includes embedded posts and videos (for example from X/Twitter or YouTube), our Jotform contact form, and the websites of partners you visit by clicking an affiliate link — affiliate partners typically use a cookie to record that you came from Computing.net. These cookies are controlled by those companies under their own privacy policies. If we introduce analytics or advertising cookies in future we will update this policy and ask for your consent where the law requires it.

Who we share data with

We never sell your personal data. We share it only with service providers who help us run the site, under contracts that require them to protect it and use it only on our instructions:

  • Vercel — website hosting;
  • Neon — database hosting;
  • Cloudflare — image storage and delivery;
  • Resend — sending emails, such as staff sign-in links and newsletters;
  • Jotform — our contact form.

We may also disclose information if required by law, or to protect our rights or the safety of others.

International transfers

Some of our providers store or process data outside the UK, including in the United States. Where this happens we rely on appropriate safeguards recognised under UK data protection law, such as the UK International Data Transfer Agreement or Addendum, or the UK–US data bridge where the provider is certified.

How long we keep data

  • Newsletter subscribers — until you unsubscribe. After that we keep only a record that you unsubscribed, so we don't email you again.
  • Contact enquiries — as long as needed to deal with your enquiry, and no longer than two years unless it relates to an ongoing matter such as a legal claim.
  • Affiliate click records — these contain no personal data and are kept for reporting.
  • Staff accounts — while the person writes for us, and for a reasonable period afterwards so their published work stays correctly credited.

Your rights

Under UK data protection law (the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018), and the EU GDPR where it applies, you have the right to:

  • access the personal data we hold about you;
  • have inaccurate data corrected;
  • have your data deleted;
  • restrict or object to how we use your data;
  • receive your data in a portable format;
  • withdraw your consent at any time, where we rely on consent.

To exercise any of these rights, email hello@kooc.co.uk. We may need to verify your identity, and we will respond within one month. If you're unhappy with how we've handled your data, you can complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ico.org.uk) or to your local data protection authority.

Children

Computing.net is intended for adults. Our gambling content is strictly for people aged 18 and over, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from children.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy as the site changes — for example if we add new features or services. The “Last updated” date at the top of this page shows when it was last revised.

Contact us

Questions about this policy or your data? Email hello@kooc.co.uk or write to Kooc Media Ltd, International House, 61 Mosley Street, Manchester M2 3HZ, United Kingdom.