Privacy & Cookie Policy
The short version: we only use Google Analytics cookies if you say yes, and you can say no or change your mind at any time. There are no accounts or sign-ins, and section 5 explains what happens to anything you enter or submit. This page explains the details.
1. Who we are
This website, My Top Picks in the UK (www.mytoppicks.uk), publishes independent UK reviews, buying guides and other free online content. We are the data controller for the personal data described here. To contact us about anything in this policy, see section 10.
2. Cookies and similar technologies we use
A cookie is a small file stored on your device. "Similar technologies" include local storage in your browser. We use a small record in your browser's local storage (mtp_consent) to remember your cookie choice. It is strictly necessary for this to work, so it needs no consent, and it lasts up to 12 months. If you accept analytics, Google Analytics also sets cookies (_ga and _ga_ followed by our measurement ID) that last up to 2 years.
The analytics cookies are only set if you accept them. We do not use advertising or social-media tracking cookies.
3. Your cookie choices
The first time you visit, a banner asks whether to allow analytics cookies. "Reject analytics" and "Accept analytics" are equally easy to choose, and nothing analytics-related loads until you accept. You can change your choice at any time here, or with the "Cookie settings" link in the footer of every page. We ask again after 12 months.
Analytics cookies: Off
Rejecting or withdrawing consent also deletes any Google Analytics cookies already set on this site. You can also block or delete cookies in your browser settings; see aboutcookies.org for how.
4. Google Analytics
If you accept, we use Google Analytics 4 to measure which pages are visited, how people arrive at the site, and what device, browser and approximate location (country or city, worked out from your IP address) they use. Google Analytics 4 does not log or store IP addresses. We use this to understand which content and features are useful and to improve the site.
We have switched off Google signals and ad personalisation for this site, so analytics data is not used to show you personalised advertising. Google acts as our processor, and may process data outside the UK and European Economic Area, including in the United States, using approved transfer safeguards. Analytics data is kept for the retention period set in our Google Analytics account (no more than 14 months). See how Google uses data from sites that use its services.
5. Other personal data we handle
- Hosting and server logs. Our website hosting provider records standard technical information for each request, such as your IP address, browser type, the page requested and the time. We rely on this to deliver the site, keep it secure and fix faults.
- What you search for or enter. When you use certain features, such as a search box, we may store what you entered with a timestamp in our database. This shows us which features are used. We do not store your IP address or any account details with it. Please don't enter personal information into these boxes.
- Information you enter to get a result. Figures or text you enter into interactive features are sent to our server so it can produce your result. Unless a feature says otherwise, we do not save them to a database.
- Information you submit through forms. Where a form asks for details such as an email address or phone number, we store what you submit, with a timestamp, in a private database. We use contact details only to limit repeat entries and to deter spam and fake entries. They are never shown publicly, never used for marketing, and we don't use them to contact you. Anything we publish from submissions is combined so that it can't be traced back to you. We keep private records for as long as we need them for these purposes, and you can ask us to delete yours at any time (see section 10).
- Service providers. We use third-party providers to host the site and store data. They act on our behalf and may process data outside the UK and European Economic Area, including in the United States, using approved transfer safeguards.
- Third-party scripts. Article pages load two open-source scripts (for formatting article text) from the jsDelivr content delivery network, which means jsDelivr receives your IP address and browser details when the page loads.
- Survey. If you choose to take our survey you are sent to Google Forms, and Google's own privacy policy applies to your answers.
- Social links. Our Instagram and Pinterest icons are plain links, not embedded widgets. Those services only collect data once you visit them.
6. Affiliate links
Some links on this site may be affiliate links. If you click one and buy something, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. When you click through, the retailer or affiliate network may set its own cookies to record the referral. We do not control those cookies; check the privacy policy of the site you land on.
7. Our lawful bases
- Analytics cookies: your consent (UK GDPR Article 6(1)(a) and the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations). You can withdraw it at any time, as described above.
- Server logs, security, feature-usage records and submitted contact details: our legitimate interests in running a secure, working website, understanding how its features are used, and keeping submissions free from spam and fake entries (Article 6(1)(f)).
8. Your rights
Under UK and EU data protection law you have the right to ask for access to the personal data we hold about you, to have it corrected or erased, to restrict or object to how we use it, and to receive a copy in a portable format. You can withdraw consent at any time. Because we don't run accounts, we may need to verify who you are, and ask which email address or phone number you used, before we can find data that relates to you.
If you are unhappy with how we handle your data, you can complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ico.org.uk) or, if you are in the EU, to your local data protection authority. We'd appreciate the chance to put things right first.
9. Changes to this policy
If we change how we use cookies or handle data, we'll update this page and the "last updated" date above. If a change affects the cookies we use, we'll ask for your consent again.
10. Contact
To exercise your rights or ask a question about this policy, send us a message on Instagram at @mytoppicksuk.