Introduction
This Privacy Policy explains how Local Morning Star News (lmsmagazine.co.za) collects, uses, and protects your information when you visit our website. We are committed to respecting your privacy and ensuring transparency about the data we handle. This policy applies to all visitors and users of our site.
Information We Collect
When you visit our website, we automatically collect certain non-personal information through standard web technologies. This includes:
- IP address and browser type
- Pages visited and time spent on site
- Referring URLs and device information
- Standard server log data
We do not collect names, email addresses, phone numbers, or any other personally identifiable information unless you voluntarily provide it through contact forms or comments. Even then, such data is not stored in a database and is used solely for the purpose of responding to your inquiry.
How We Use Information
The information we collect is used exclusively to:
- Improve website functionality and user experience
- Analyze traffic patterns and content popularity
- Ensure the security and stability of our website
- Deliver relevant news content based on general usage trends
We do not use your data for profiling, targeted advertising, or selling to third parties. All usage is limited to internal operations essential for maintaining our news service.
Cookies and Tracking Technologies
We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your browsing experience. These include:
- Session cookies to maintain site functionality
- Analytics cookies to understand how visitors interact with our content
Cookies do not store personal information. You can manage or disable cookies through your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect some website features but will not prevent you from accessing news content.
Third-Party Services
We may use third-party services such as Google Analytics to gather aggregate statistics about website traffic. These services operate under their own privacy policies and may use cookies or web beacons to collect anonymized data. We do not share personally identifiable information with these providers.
Our website may also display advertisements through third-party networks. These advertisers may use tracking technologies to serve ads based on general browsing behavior, but they do not collect personal data directly from our site. We have no control over these third-party practices.
Data Security
We implement reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect the confidentiality and integrity of the data we collect. This includes secure server infrastructure, regular system updates, and access controls. However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security, but we strive to use industry-standard safeguards.
Your Rights
Under South African law, including the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), you have the right to:
- Know what information we collect about you
- Request access to or correction of your personal data
- Object to the processing of your data
- Request deletion of data you have voluntarily submitted
If you wish to exercise any of these rights, please contact us at [email protected]. We will respond to your request within 30 days as required by POPIA.
Children's Privacy
Our website is not directed toward children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we become aware that we have inadvertently collected data from a child, we will take immediate steps to delete it.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. Any material changes will be posted on this page with a revised "Last Updated" date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.
Contact Information
If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your data, please contact:
Kieran Botha
Durban Botanic Gardens, 9A John Zikhali Rd, Musgrave, Durban, 4001, South Africa
Email: [email protected]