Privacy policy
Privacy Notice for Communities
This privacy notice explains how we collect and use your personal information for Communities. Communities is run by the Department for Education (DfE).
For the purposes of relevant data protection legislation, the DfE is the data controller for personal information processed for this research.
How we use your personal information
DfE collects your personal information when you use Communities.
We collect and use the following personal information only where we need to and law permits:
- your name, email address and password when you sign up to use Communities.
- posts or replies you leave on Communities
- your subscription preferences when you sign up to our email alerts
- your Internet Protocol (IP) address, and details of which web browser you used
- information on how you use the site, using cookies
How long we hold personal information
We will only retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes we collected it for, including for the purposes of satisfying any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. User accounts will be reviewed every 12 months and dormant accounts will be deleted. Customer feedback will be retained for 2 years and then deleted. Posts and replies on Communities will be retained for 2 years and then deleted.
Who we share your personal information with
We may share your information where the law allows it to enable the running of Communities, or where we have a legal obligation to do so.
What is the legal basis for collecting and processing the data
In order for the use of personal data to be lawful, we need to meet one (or more) conditions in the data protection legislation, as set out in Article 6(1) of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). For the purpose of Communities, the relevant condition that we are meeting is that you have given your consent under Article 6 (1)(a) of the GDPR.
Your data protection rights
Under data protection law, you have certain rights depending on our reason for processing your personal information.
- Your right of access: You have the right to ask us for copies of your personal information. Read more here.
- to have your personal data rectified, if it is inaccurate or incomplete
- to request the deletion or removal of personal data where there is no compelling reason for its continued processing
- to restrict our processing of your personal data (i.e. permitting its storage but no further processing)
If you need to contact us regarding any of the above, please do so via the DfE site at: https://www.gov.uk/contact-dfe.
More information about how the DfE handles personal information is published here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-education/about/personal-information-charter
Withdrawal of consent
Where we are processing your personal data with your consent, you have the right to withdraw that consent. If you change your mind, or you are unhappy with our use of your personal data, please let us know by contacting https://www.gov.uk/contact-dfe
How to complain
Contact us using our secure online contact form or by writing to:
Ministerial and Public Communications Division
Department for Education
Piccadilly Gate
Store Street
Manchester
M1 2WD
If you wish to contact the DfE’s data protection officer, please use the secure online form or write to the address above.
You also have the right to lodge a complaint about data protection with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). For more information, visit the ICO website.