Privacy Policy

Last Update: March 1, 2025

Introduction

The Society of Professional Motorsports Journalists acts as a data controller for personal data collected through this website. This Privacy Policy applies to all users globally, with GDPR-specific provisions for users in the European Economic Area (EEA). By using this website, you consent to the collection and use of your personal data as outlined below.

Information We Collect

Personal Data: We may collect personally identifiable information, such as your name, email address, phone number, payment information, and any additional details required for specific services. This includes information provided when you sign up for an account, subscribe to a newsletter, make a purchase or donation, or apply for membership. For membership applications, we may also collect professional background information as needed to assess your application.

Non-Personal Data: We may also collect non-personal data, such as your browser type, IP address, and device identifiers, which help us understand how users interact with our website.

Lawful Basis For Processing Personal Data

We process your personal data under the following lawful bases:

Consent: You have provided explicit consent for us to process your data for a specific purpose.
Contract: The processing is necessary to perform a contract with you.
Legal Obligation: We are required to process data to comply with a legal obligation.
Legitimate Interests: The processing is necessary for our legitimate interests, which do not override your privacy rights.

How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect in the following ways:

To provide, operate, and maintain our website and services.
To improve and personalize your experience.
To process transactions and manage your orders.
To communicate with you, including responding to inquiries and sending updates or promotional materials.
To comply with legal obligations and resolve disputes.
To process and evaluate your membership application and, if approved, to manage your membership and related benefits.

Cookies & Tracking Technologies

We use essential cookies to ensure website functionality and non-essential cookies for analytics and advertising. You can manage your cookie preferences through your browser settings or by interacting with the cookie consent banner that appears when you first visit our site. Please note that disabling cookies may affect site functionality.

Sharing of Information

We may share your personal data with:

Service Providers: Third-party companies and individuals to facilitate our services (e.g., payment processing, email marketing).
Legal Purposes: To comply with any legal obligations, such as to respond to court orders or protect our legal rights.

If we transfer your personal data to third parties located outside the European Economic Area (EEA), we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place, such as standard contractual clauses or reliance on adequacy decisions, to protect your data.

We will never sell or rent your personal information to third parties.

Data Security

We implement security measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure. However, no internet transmission or storage method is completely secure. We cannot guarantee the absolute security of your data.

Your Rights Under GDPR

You have the following rights regarding your personal data:

Right of Access: You can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Right to Rectification: You have the right to request corrections to any inaccurate or incomplete personal data.
Right to Erasure ("Right to be Forgotten"): You can request that we delete your personal data, subject to certain conditions.
Right to Restrict Processing: You can request that we limit the processing of your data.
Right to Object: You can object to the processing of your personal data for specific purposes.
Right to Data Portability: You can request a copy of your data in a machine-readable format for transfer to another service provider.
Right to Withdraw Consent: If you have given consent for the processing of your data, you have the right to withdraw it at any time.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at info@motorsportsjournalists.org.

Data Retention

We retain your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy or to comply with legal obligations. The retention period depends on the type of data and specific legal or operational requirements.

Membership Application Data:
Personal data submitted for membership applications is retained only for the duration necessary to complete the application process. For approved members, personal data is retained in accordance with active membership requirements. For denied applications, data will be retained for a limited period as needed for legal or operational purposes before secure deletion.

Data Breach Notification

In the event of a data breach, we will notify you and the relevant data protection authority within 72 hours if the breach poses a risk to your rights and freedoms.

Third Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those websites and encourage you to review their privacy policies.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. Significant updates will be communicated via email or a prominent notice on our website. Please review this page periodically for updates.

Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, your rights under GDPR, or wish to lodge a complaint, please contact us at info@motorsportsjournalists.org.