Who is responsible
The British Bench is independently edited by Stephen O'Connor. Privacy questions and requests can be sent to [email protected].
What the website measures
The site uses Vercel Web Analytics to understand overall readership and improve navigation, maker records and editorial coverage. It provides aggregated information such as page views, referring sites, broad country or regional location, device type, browser and operating system.
Analytics are used to understand the publication, not to build profiles for targeted advertising.
The analytics setup does not use third-party cookies to follow readers between websites.
Custom interaction events contain only non-personal labels such as a maker slug, map view or comparison position.
Reports are reviewed as trends and totals rather than individual browsing histories.
The British Bench does not deliberately place advertising, affiliate-tracking or optional analytics cookies. Essential security or delivery technologies may still be used by hosting and network providers. This position will be reviewed whenever the technology changes.
When you contact the site
The corrections form does not send information to a website database. It prepares an email in your own email application. When you send that email, the message may include your name, email address, relationship to the subject, supporting links, attachments and the content of your submission.
Correspondence is used to respond, assess evidence, maintain accurate editorial records and document permissions or image rights. Routine correspondence is normally retained for up to 24 months after the last meaningful contact. Evidence supporting a published record, permission or legal obligation may be retained for longer while it remains relevant.
Technical delivery and security
Vercel and Cloudflare help deliver and protect the website. Like most hosting and security services, they may process technical request information such as IP addresses, user-agent details, timestamps and requested URLs for delivery, abuse prevention, diagnostics and security. Their own retention and processing arrangements apply to that infrastructure.
Lawful reasons for processing
Information is processed where necessary for legitimate interests in operating and protecting an independent publication, understanding aggregate readership, responding to correspondence, checking factual claims and maintaining evidence for published records. These interests are balanced against the limited amount and sensitivity of the information involved.
Sharing and international processing
Personal information is not sold. It may be processed by service providers used for hosting, security, email and analytics, or disclosed where legally required. Some providers operate internationally and may process data outside the UK using their contractual and legal safeguards.
Your rights
Depending on the circumstances, you may ask for access, correction, deletion, restriction or objection to processing of your personal information. Contact [email protected] with enough detail to identify the relevant correspondence. You may also complain to the UK Information Commissioner's Office.
Changes to this notice
This page will be updated before introducing materially different analytics, advertising, account systems, newsletters or other personal-data uses. The revision date at the top will change when the policy changes.