Privacy Policy
Last Updated: 2 September 2025
1. Introduction
Welcome to paulbalecmo.com. I am committed to protecting the privacy and security of your personal information. This Privacy Policy outlines how I collect, use, store, and protect the personal data you provide when you visit my website, request information, or use my services.
As the owner and operator of this website, Paul Bale is the "data controller" for the purposes of data protection law.
2. What Information I Collect
I may collect and process the following personal data from you:
Identity Data: First name and last name.
Contact Data: Email address.
Technical Data: This includes your IP address, browser type and version, time zone setting and location, browser plug-in types and versions, operating system and platform, and other technology on the devices you use to access this website. This data is collected automatically by Squarespace, my website hosting provider.
Usage Data: Information about how you use my website, such as the pages you visit.
Marketing and Communications Data: This includes your preferences in receiving marketing from me (e.g., subscribing to my newsletter) and your communication preferences.
3. How I Collect Your Data
I collect data in the following ways:
Direct Interactions: You may provide me with your personal data when you:
Fill in a contact form on my website.
Request a chat.
Subscribe to my newsletter.
Correspond with me by email or otherwise.
Automated Technologies: As you interact with my website, I may automatically collect Technical Data about your equipment and browsing actions. This data is collected by using cookies and other similar technologies. Please see my Cookie Policy section below for further details.
4. How I Use Your Personal Data
I use your personal data for the following purposes, and only where the law allows me to:
To Respond to Your Enquiries: To reply to messages you send me via the contact forms.
To Provide Services: To fulfil my contractual obligations if you become a client.
For Marketing: To send you my newsletter and other marketing communications that you have opted-in to receive. You can unsubscribe from these communications at any time by clicking the "unsubscribe" link in the email or by contacting me directly.
To Improve My Website: To use data analytics to improve my website, services, marketing, and user experience.
5. Legal Basis for Processing
Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the legal bases I rely on for processing this information are:
Your Consent: For activities like sending you a newsletter, which you can withdraw at any time.
Contractual Necessity: To perform a contract I am about to enter into or have entered into with you.
Legitimate Interests: Where it is necessary for my legitimate interests (or those of a third party) and your interests and fundamental rights do not override those interests. For example, for business administration or to improve my services.
6. Data Sharing and Third Parties
I respect your privacy and will not sell your personal data. However, I may share your data with trusted third-party service providers who help me operate my business. These include:
Website Hosting: My website is hosted by Squarespace. Their privacy policy can be found on their website.
Analytics: I may use Google Analytics to understand website traffic.
Marketing & CRM: I may use platforms like Mailchimp or HubSpot to manage my newsletter and client relationships.
These third parties are required to respect the security of your personal data and to treat it in accordance with the law. I will update this policy if and when I formally engage these services.
7. Data Security and Storage
I have put in place appropriate security measures to prevent your personal data from being accidentally lost, used, or accessed in an unauthorised way. Your data may be stored on my local computer and backed up to my secure Google Workspace account.
I will only retain your personal data for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes I collected it for, including for the purposes of satisfying any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements.
8. Cookies
Cookies are small files placed on your device that help my website function and gather information about your browsing activity. My website uses cookies for:
Essential Operations: Squarespace uses functional and required cookies to enable visitors to navigate and use key features on the site.
Analytics and Performance: These cookies help me understand how visitors interact with my site.
Future Use: I may in the future use cookies for advertising and social media purposes.
You will be asked for your consent to use non-essential cookies when you first visit the website.
9. Your Data Protection Rights
Under data protection law, you have rights including:
Your right of access - You have the right to ask for copies of your personal information.
Your right to rectification - You have the right to ask to rectify information you think is inaccurate.
Your right to erasure - You have the right to ask to erase your personal information in certain circumstances.
Your right to restriction of processing - You have the right to ask to restrict the processing of your information in certain circumstances.
Your right to object to processing - You have the right to object to the processing of your personal data in certain circumstances.
Your right to data portability - You have the right to ask that I transfer the information you gave me to another organisation, or to you, in certain circumstances.
You are not required to pay any charge for exercising your rights. If you make a request, I have one month to respond to you.
10. How to Contact Me or Complain
If you have any questions about this privacy policy or wish to exercise any of your rights, please contact me at:
Data Protection Officer Email: DPO@paulbalecmo.com
You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) if you are unhappy with how I have used your data.
Data Protection Commission 21 Fitzwilliam Square South, Dublin 2, D02 RD28 Website: www.dataprotection.ie