Privacy policy

Hosting and security systems may receive an IP address, request time, requested page, referring page, browser and device information, approximate location derived from an IP address, diagnostic events and security signals. This data is generated when a device requests the site and is needed to deliver and protect it.

Mediavine and its advertising partners may process IP address, operating-system and browser information, device type, site language, cookie or advertising identifiers, approximate location, referral information and interactions with pages or advertisements. Where a reader supplies an email through an enabled feature, it may be processed in hashed form for the purposes described by Mediavine.

If you email us, we receive your email address, message, attachments and any other information you choose to provide. The site does not currently offer purchases, public comments or an Ugly Animals account. Please do not send sensitive personal data unless it is necessary for a specific rights or legal enquiry.

If optional analytics or Grow features are enabled, additional data may include cookie identifiers, session and page interactions, consent choices, saved content, subscription status and information you voluntarily provide to the feature. The relevant sections below explain this conditional processing.

We process technical data to deliver pages, maintain security, prevent abuse, diagnose faults and establish or defend legal claims. Where the UK GDPR, EU GDPR or similar law applies, these activities rely on legitimate interests in operating a secure and reliable publication, and on legal obligations where a law requires processing.

We process correspondence to answer enquiries, investigate corrections, address image or intellectual-property claims and handle privacy requests. The legal basis may be legitimate interests, steps requested before entering an agreement, performance of an agreement or compliance with a legal obligation, depending on the message.

Where prior consent is required for analytics, advertising, personalisation or device storage, the relevant technology will not be activated until consent is given. Consent can be withdrawn through the available privacy control without affecting processing that occurred before withdrawal.

Google Search Console may be used to verify site ownership and view aggregated information about how pages appear in Google Search, including impressions, clicks, search terms, countries, devices and indexing issues. Search Console is an owner reporting service and does not require us to place a visitor analytics cookie on the site.

Google Analytics 4 may be added later to understand page use and site performance. When enabled, it may process a client identifier, session information, page and referral URLs, approximate location, browser and device information and interaction events. Standard GA4 tags may set first-party cookies named _ga and _ga_<container-id>. We will not send names, email addresses or other information that directly identifies a person to Google Analytics.

Google Analytics is not active merely because it is described here. Before activation, we will configure consent controls where required, review data-sharing settings and avoid advertising features unless they are separately disclosed and supported by the necessary choices.

The website works with Mediavine to manage third-party interest-based advertising. Mediavine serves content and advertisements when you visit and may use first-party and third-party cookies, tags, pixels, beacons and similar technologies to measure interactions, select advertisements, limit repetition, prevent fraud and improve advertising performance.

Mediavine may share advertising data with the partners it uses to deliver and measure advertisements. Those partners may combine data collected through this site with information they obtained independently, subject to their own privacy notices and the choices available to you.

Rejecting optional cookies does not necessarily remove all advertisements. Where applicable, it may result in contextual or non-personalised advertising instead. Browser controls can also block or delete cookies, although doing so may affect website or advertising features.

Use the consent or privacy controls shown on the site to manage available choices. Additional industry opt-out tools are available from the National Advertising Initiative and Digital Advertising Alliance.

Grow by Mediavine may be added later to provide features such as content sharing, recommendations, saving content, reader sign-in or email subscription. The exact features enabled will determine the data involved. A reader who chooses to sign in or subscribe may provide an email address, first name, consent choices and account or subscription information to Mediavine.

Mediavine may use cookies or similar technologies to operate Grow, prevent fraud, remember a login or choice and, where a reader has expressly agreed, support personalised advertising or first-party data features. Grow is not active merely because it is described here. Before activation, the Privacy Policy, Cookie Policy and consent interface will be checked against the enabled configuration.

Mediavine handles Grow account and feature data under its own notices and provides separate privacy-request controls. We may receive reports or subscription information associated with features used on this site.

Data may be made available to hosting, content-delivery, security, email, analytics, advertising and feature providers only to the extent reasonably necessary for their services. Mediavine and its advertising partners receive information as described in the programmatic-advertising section. Professional advisers, insurers, regulators, courts or law-enforcement bodies may receive information where reasonably necessary or legally required.

We do not sell personal data directly for money. Advertising activity may constitute sale, sharing or targeted advertising under some US state privacy laws. Where those laws apply, the site provides the required notice and opt-out controls.

Providers may process data in the United States and other countries outside the place where a visitor lives. Where transfer restrictions apply, we expect the relevant provider to use an approved transfer mechanism, such as an adequacy decision, standard contractual clauses or another lawful safeguard described in its terms.

We use reasonable administrative and technical measures intended to protect information, including access controls and reputable service providers. No internet transmission or storage system can be guaranteed completely secure, so absolute security is not promised.

Technical logs are retained according to operational, security and hosting requirements and are deleted or de-identified when no longer reasonably needed. Correspondence is generally retained for up to 24 months after an enquiry is resolved, but may be kept longer where necessary for rights records, disputes, legal compliance or the establishment or defence of claims.

If Google Analytics is enabled, event-level retention will be configured for no longer than 14 months unless a shorter period is appropriate. GA4 cookies may persist for up to two years unless consent is withdrawn, cookies are deleted or the configured duration is shorter. Consent records may be retained for as long as reasonably needed to demonstrate and respect the choice.

Depending on your location, you may have rights to request access, correction, deletion, restriction or portability of personal data, to object to processing, to withdraw consent and to complain to a privacy regulator. These rights are subject to legal conditions and exceptions.

Residents of California and other US states with applicable privacy laws may also have rights to know, correct or delete personal information, opt out of certain sales, sharing or targeted advertising, limit certain uses of sensitive information and receive equal service when exercising a right. We do not discriminate against a person for making a valid privacy request.

Send a request to [email protected] and identify the right you wish to exercise. We may request information reasonably necessary to verify identity, authority and the scope of the request. An authorised agent may submit a request where applicable law permits it.

The educational pages can be read by people of different ages, but we do not knowingly ask a child under 13, or under the applicable digital-consent age, to submit personal data. Optional account, subscription or personalised-advertising features are not intended for children who cannot provide valid consent.

A parent or guardian who believes a child has provided personal data can contact [email protected] so the circumstances can be reviewed and appropriate deletion requested.

We may update this policy when the website, providers or legal requirements change. The effective date will be revised only when the policy is materially changed. Earlier processing remains governed by the notice in effect at that time.

Contact [email protected] with a privacy request or complaint. You may also complain to the privacy or data-protection authority responsible for your location. The Cookie Policy explains device storage and consent choices in more detail.