GDPR Statement

1. Our Commitment to GDPR Compliance

GOT News, operated by GOT Connections, is committed to protecting the privacy and rights of individuals in the European Union (EU) and European Economic Area (EEA) in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This statement outlines how we handle personal data of EU/EEA residents.

2. Data Controller

GOT News / GOT Connections acts as the data controller for personal data collected through our platform. For any data-related inquiries, contact us at:

3. Legal Basis for Processing

We process personal data under the following legal bases as defined by GDPR Article 6:

• Consent (Art. 6(1)(a)): Newsletter subscriptions, cookie usage, and optional account features. You may withdraw consent at any time.
• Contract Performance (Art. 6(1)(b)): Processing necessary to provide our services, including account creation and article submission management.
• Legitimate Interests (Art. 6(1)(f)): Website analytics, security monitoring, and platform improvement, balanced against your rights and freedoms.
• Legal Obligation (Art. 6(1)(c)): Where required by applicable law or regulation.

4. Your Rights Under GDPR

As an EU/EEA resident, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:

To exercise any of these rights, email us at [email protected]. We will respond within 30 days.

5. Data We Collect

For EU/EEA residents, we collect and process the following categories of personal data:

• Identity data: Name, email address
• Account data: Login credentials (password stored as encrypted hash)
• Subscription data: Newsletter preferences, subscription status
• Usage data: Pages visited, articles read, interaction history
• Technical data: IP address, browser type, device information
• Submission data: Articles, contact details provided during submission

6. Data Retention

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected:

• Account data: Retained while your account is active. Deleted upon account deletion request.
• Newsletter subscriptions: Retained until you unsubscribe.
• Usage analytics: Aggregated and anonymized after 24 months.
• Article submissions: Retained for editorial and platform purposes unless deletion is requested.

7. International Data Transfers

GOT News is based in the United States. If you are located in the EU/EEA, your personal data may be transferred to and processed in the United States. We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, including standard contractual clauses approved by the European Commission, to protect your data during transfer.

8. Data Security

We implement technical and organizational measures to protect your data, including:

• SSL/TLS encryption for all data in transit
• Secure password hashing (bcrypt)
• Access controls and authentication for administrative functions
• Regular security monitoring and updates

9. Third-Party Processors

We use the following categories of third-party processors who may handle your data:

• Cloud hosting and database services
• Email delivery services for newsletters
• CRM platform for subscriber management

All processors are bound by data processing agreements that ensure GDPR-compliant handling of your data.

10. Right to Lodge a Complaint

If you believe your data protection rights have been violated, you have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection supervisory authority. A list of EU data protection authorities can be found on the European Data Protection Board website.

11. Updates to This Statement

We may update this GDPR Statement as our practices or legal requirements change. Any updates will be posted on this page with a revised date. We encourage you to review this statement periodically.