​1. About this Privacy Policy

Welcome to The Self Depreciating Sofa.

This Privacy Policy explains how The Self Depreciating Sofa (“we”, “us”, “our”) collects, uses, stores, shares and protects personal information when you visit or interact with our website:

https://www.selfdepreciatingsofa.com/

The Self Depreciating Sofa is a UK-based website and business operating from Leicestershire, England, United Kingdom.

For privacy enquiries, requests or concerns, please contact:

Email: selfdepreciatingsofa@gmail.com

We are committed to respecting your privacy and handling personal information fairly, lawfully, securely and transparently.

This Privacy Policy applies to visitors from the United Kingdom and, where applicable, visitors from the European Economic Area, Switzerland, the United States and other countries.

​

2. Who we are

For the purposes of applicable data-protection legislation, including the UK GDPR, The Self Depreciating Sofa is generally the data controller responsible for personal information collected through this website and through our direct interactions with you.

Our details are:

The Self Depreciating Sofa
Leicestershire, England
United Kingdom

Privacy contact: selfdepreciatingsofa@gmail.com

We do not publish our private residential address through this Privacy Policy.

 

3. What personal information do we collect?

The information we collect depends on how you use our website.

Information you provide to us

You may voluntarily provide personal information when you:

• subscribe to our newsletter;

• sign up to receive updates;

• contact us;

• respond to communications;

• participate in promotions or activities;

• communicate with us through social media; or

• otherwise interact with The Self Depreciating Sofa.

This may include:

• your name;

• email address;

• information contained in messages you send to us;

• newsletter and marketing preferences;

• records of communications;

• information you voluntarily choose to provide; and

• information relating to your requests or interactions with us.

Our newsletter signup currently requests your email address.

Please do not send us sensitive personal information unless it is necessary for the purpose for which you are contacting us.

 

4. Information collected automatically

When you visit our website, certain information may be collected automatically by our website, hosting provider and third-party services.

This may include:

• IP address;

• approximate geographical location;

• browser type and version;

• operating system;

• device type;

• screen size and resolution;

• language and browser settings;

• referring website;

• pages visited;

• links and buttons interacted with;

• date and time of visits;

• website usage information;

• technical information;

• information relating to website performance;

• cookie identifiers;

• advertising identifiers;

• analytics identifiers; and

• information collected through pixels, tags, scripts or similar technologies.

The exact information collected depends on your device, browser, consent choices and the services enabled on our website.

 

5. How we use your personal information

We may use personal information for the following purposes.

Operating the website

We use information to:

• operate our website;

• provide website content and functionality;

• maintain website performance;

• troubleshoot technical issues;

• maintain website security;

• prevent abuse, fraud or malicious activity; and

• improve the reliability and functionality of the website.

Newsletter and updates

If you subscribe to our newsletter, we use your email address to:

• send newsletters;

• send updates about The Self Depreciating Sofa;

• notify you about new articles or content;

• send information relating to the website;

• manage your subscription;

• maintain records of your subscription and preferences; and

• send other communications for which you have provided appropriate consent or where another lawful basis applies.

Marketing

Where legally permitted and where the required consent has been obtained, we may send you marketing communications about The Self Depreciating Sofa.

Marketing communications may include:

• new content;

• website updates;

• promotions;

• announcements;

• collaborations;

• products or services;

• events; and

• other promotional information.

You can unsubscribe from marketing emails at any time.

Analytics

We use analytics technologies, including Google Analytics, to understand how visitors use our website.

This helps us understand things such as:

• how many people visit the website;

• which pages are visited;

• how visitors find the website;

• how long visitors spend on pages;

• general geographical information;

• device and browser information;

• website performance; and

• which content is most useful or popular.

Google states that its standard Analytics implementation can collect information such as user numbers, session statistics, approximate geographical location and browser/device information. GGoogle Help

Advertising

We use online advertising and advertising-related technologies to promote The Self Depreciating Sofa and, where applicable, measure the effectiveness of advertising.

This may involve advertising technologies provided by third parties, including Meta and Google-related advertising technologies.

Advertising technologies may use cookies, pixels, tags, identifiers or similar technologies to:

• measure advertising performance;

• understand interactions with advertisements;

• build or use advertising audiences;

• measure conversions;

• limit repeated advertising;

• provide relevant advertising; and

• understand how visitors interact with advertising.

We will only use non-essential advertising and tracking technologies where we have obtained any consent required by applicable law.

 

6. Legal bases for processing

Where UK GDPR or EU GDPR applies, we process personal information only where we have an appropriate lawful basis.

Depending on the circumstances, these may include:

Consent

We may rely on your consent for:

• non-essential cookies;

• analytics cookies;

• advertising cookies;

• tracking pixels;

• certain social-media technologies;

• newsletter marketing; and

• other processing where consent is legally required.

You can withdraw consent at any time.

Withdrawal of consent does not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before consent was withdrawn.

Legitimate interests

We may rely on legitimate interests where appropriate, for example to:

• operate and administer the website;

• maintain security;

• prevent fraud and abuse;

• respond to enquiries;

• improve website functionality;

• maintain appropriate business records; and

• establish, exercise or defend legal claims.

Where we rely on legitimate interests, we consider whether our interests are balanced against your privacy rights and expectations.

Legal obligations

We may process personal information where necessary to comply with a legal obligation.

Contract

Where applicable, we may process information where necessary to perform a contract with you or take steps at your request before entering into a contract.

 

7. Cookies and similar technologies

Our website uses cookies and other technologies that store information on, or access information from, your device.

These technologies may include:

• essential cookies;

• functional cookies;

• analytics cookies;

• advertising cookies;

• tracking pixels;

• scripts;

• tags;

• local storage;

• advertising identifiers; and

• similar technologies.

UK PECR applies not only to traditional cookies but also to technologies including tracking pixels, scripts, tags, web storage and other methods of storing or accessing information on a user's device. IICO

Essential technologies

Some technologies are necessary for the website to operate, provide security or deliver a service you have specifically requested.

Where an applicable legal exception applies, these technologies may be used without consent.

Analytics technologies

We use Google Analytics for website measurement and analytics.

Analytics technologies may collect information relating to your device, browser, website interactions, approximate location and website usage.

Where required, analytics technologies will only be activated following your consent.

Google provides controls allowing website operators to control Analytics data collection, advertising features, data retention and related privacy settings. GGoogle Help

Advertising technologies

We use advertising technologies, including Meta Pixel and Google-related advertising technologies.

These technologies may be used to measure advertising effectiveness, understand website activity following advertising interactions, create or use advertising audiences and support relevant advertising.

Because advertising technologies can involve tracking and storage/access technologies, we will obtain consent where required by applicable law.

The ICO states that online advertising involving storage or access technologies generally requires consent under PECR. IICO

Social-media technologies

Our website uses a Wix Instagram app/feed.

The Instagram feed may cause information to be exchanged with Instagram/Meta or associated services when the relevant content is loaded or interacted with.

The availability and operation of the feed may depend on your cookie and privacy choices.

Instagram/Meta may process information according to its own privacy policies and terms.

 

8. Cookie consent

Where required by law, we use a cookie-consent mechanism to allow visitors to control non-essential cookies and similar technologies.

Non-essential analytics, advertising and tracking technologies should not be activated before the visitor has provided the appropriate consent.

Our cookie controls may allow you to choose between categories such as:

• necessary;

• preferences/functionality;

• analytics; and

• advertising/marketing.

The exact categories and controls available may change as our website and third-party services change.

UK ICO guidance states that consent for non-essential cookies must be actively and clearly given and that visitors should be able to enable or disable non-essential technologies. IICO

 

9. Google Analytics

We use Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google.

Google Analytics helps us understand visitor behaviour and website performance.

Depending on the configuration and your consent choices, Google Analytics may process information including:

• device and browser information;

• approximate location;

• pages and content viewed;

• interaction information;

• session information;

• identifiers associated with analytics cookies; and

• other website measurement information.

Google states that its Analytics service uses identifiers such as the _ga first-party cookie to distinguish users and sessions where analytics storage is enabled. Google Help

Google also states that Analytics does not log or store individual IP addresses for users in the UK, EEA and Switzerland, although it may derive coarse geographical information from IP data before discarding the IP address. Google Help

We will configure Google Analytics in accordance with applicable privacy requirements and will not intentionally send personally identifiable information to Google Analytics.

Google's policies prohibit customers from sending personally identifiable information to Google Analytics. Google Help

For more information about Google's privacy practices, please consult Google's privacy documentation.

 

10. Google Tag Manager

We use Google Tag Manager to manage certain website tags and tracking technologies.

Google Tag Manager itself is a tag-management system that allows us to configure and deploy website tags.

The tags deployed through Google Tag Manager may include analytics, advertising, measurement or other technologies.

The information collected therefore depends on the tags configured within our Google Tag Manager container.

Where consent is required, relevant tags will be configured to respect the visitor's consent choices.

Google's Consent Mode allows Google tags to adjust their behaviour based on consent choices, including separate controls for analytics storage, advertising storage, advertising-related user data and advertising personalisation. GGoogle for Developers

 

11. Meta Pixel and Meta advertising

We use Meta Pixel and related Meta advertising technologies.

These technologies may allow us to:

• measure advertising campaigns;

• understand website activity following an advertisement;

• measure conversions;

• create advertising audiences;

• understand how visitors interact with our website; and

• improve the relevance and effectiveness of advertising.

Depending on your consent choices and the configuration of our advertising tools, information such as browser/device information, website activity, IP address, advertising identifiers and interaction information may be processed.

Where required by law, Meta Pixel and other non-essential Meta advertising technologies will only operate after appropriate consent has been obtained.

Meta may process information according to its own privacy policies and terms.

 

12. Wix

Our website is built and hosted using Wix.

Wix provides the website infrastructure and may process technical and personal information necessary to provide its services.

We also use Wix for our newsletter/email subscriber management and email marketing.

Information processed through Wix may include:

• email addresses;

• contact information;

• subscription information;

• website usage information;

• IP addresses;

• device/browser information;

• cookie information;

• technical information; and

• information necessary to provide Wix's services.

Wix states that its services include website, application and related services and that its own privacy policy applies to information processed by Wix. Wwix.com

Wix also provides functionality for website owners to manage cookie consent and privacy settings. WWix Support

 

13. Newsletter and email marketing

Our newsletter is managed using Wix Email Marketing / Wix's contact and subscriber functionality.

When you subscribe, your email address may be stored within Wix's systems so that we can manage your subscription and send communications to you.

We may use your email address to send:

• newsletters;

• new-content notifications;

• website updates;

• promotional information;

• marketing communications; and

• other communications covered by your subscription.

Marketing consent

Where PECR requires consent for electronic marketing, we will obtain the appropriate consent before sending marketing emails.

Consent should be:

• freely given;

• specific;

• informed;

• unambiguous; and

• capable of being withdrawn.

The ICO confirms that organisations normally need consent before sending unsolicited electronic marketing to individual subscribers, subject to the applicable PECR rules and exemptions. IICO

Wix also provides functionality for site owners to use explicit consent mechanisms for email marketing. WWix Support

Unsubscribing

You can unsubscribe from our marketing emails at any time by:

• clicking the unsubscribe link in our emails; or

• contacting selfdepreciatingsofa@gmail.com.

After you unsubscribe, we will stop sending you marketing communications, subject to retaining limited suppression information where necessary to ensure that we respect your unsubscribe request.

 

14. Instagram feed

Our website uses the Wix Instagram app/feed to display Instagram content.

When the feed is loaded or interacted with, information may be exchanged between your browser and Instagram/Meta or associated third-party services.

This may include technical information, IP address, browser/device information and information relating to interactions with the embedded content.

Third-party services may use cookies or similar technologies according to their own policies.

Where required by law, non-essential third-party technologies associated with the Instagram feed will be subject to our consent controls.

 

15. Advertising

We may use online advertising to promote The Self Depreciating Sofa.

Advertising may appear through third-party advertising networks and platforms.

Advertising technologies may allow us and advertising providers to:

• measure advertisements;

• understand advertising performance;

• measure conversions;

• build advertising audiences;

• show advertisements based on previous website activity; and

• improve advertising relevance.

Where advertising involves cookies, pixels or other storage/access technologies requiring consent, we will obtain consent before using them.

We will not knowingly use sensitive personal information for targeted advertising in circumstances where applicable law prohibits it.

 

16. Social media

The Self Depreciating Sofa may maintain social-media accounts and may link to social-media platforms from the website.

Social-media platforms are independent third parties.

If you interact with social-media content, follow a social-media link or interact with an embedded social-media feature, the relevant platform may collect information about you.

The platform's own privacy policy will apply to its processing.

We do not control the privacy practices of third-party social-media platforms.

 

17. Who we share personal information with

Depending on how you use the website, personal information may be shared with or processed by:

• Wix — website hosting, infrastructure, contacts and email marketing;

• Google — Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager and related Google advertising/measurement services;

• Meta — Meta Pixel, advertising and Instagram-related functionality;

• website security and technical service providers;

• professional advisers where necessary;

• law-enforcement or regulatory authorities where legally required;

• insurers or professional advisers where appropriate; and

• other service providers necessary to operate the website.

We do not sell your personal information as a standalone mailing list or database.

If our use of advertising technology constitutes “sale”, “sharing” or another regulated disclosure under a particular privacy law, we will provide any additional notices and opt-out mechanisms required by that law.

 

18. International transfers

Some of our service providers, including major technology providers such as Wix, Google and Meta, may process information in countries outside the United Kingdom or European Economic Area.

Where applicable data-protection law restricts international transfers, we will use an appropriate lawful transfer mechanism.

Depending on the circumstances, this may include:

• an adequacy decision;

• approved contractual safeguards;

• the UK International Data Transfer Agreement;

• the UK Addendum to EU Standard Contractual Clauses;

• another legally recognised transfer mechanism; or

• an applicable legal exception.

Information about international processing and transfer safeguards may also be available in the privacy policies and contractual documentation of Wix, Google and Meta.

 

19. How long we keep personal information

We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, unless a longer period is required or permitted by law.

Newsletter information

If you subscribe to our newsletter, we generally retain your email address while you remain subscribed.

If you unsubscribe, we may retain limited information necessary to record your unsubscribe request and prevent future unwanted marketing.

Enquiries

We may retain correspondence for as long as reasonably necessary to deal with your enquiry, maintain appropriate records or resolve potential disputes.

Analytics information

Analytics data is retained according to the retention settings configured within our Google Analytics account.

Advertising information

Advertising and tracking information may be retained by third-party platforms according to their applicable settings, terms and retention policies.

Legal records

Information may be retained for longer where necessary to:

• comply with legal obligations;

• establish, exercise or defend legal claims;

• prevent fraud;

• resolve disputes; or

• maintain required business records.

We periodically review the information we hold and delete or anonymise information that is no longer required.

 

20. Security

We take reasonable technical and organisational measures designed to protect personal information against:

• unauthorised access;

• accidental loss;

• misuse;

• destruction;

• alteration;

• unauthorised disclosure; and

• other unlawful processing.

These measures include using established third-party technology providers and appropriate account and access controls.

However, no internet transmission or electronic storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

If you believe that your information has been compromised in connection with our website, please contact:

selfdepreciatingsofa@gmail.com

 

21. Your UK privacy rights

If UK GDPR applies to your personal information, you may have rights including:

• the right to be informed about how your information is used;

• the right of access;

• the right to rectification;

• the right to erasure;

• the right to restrict processing;

• the right to object to processing;

• the right to data portability;

• rights relating to certain automated decision-making and profiling; and

• the right to withdraw consent where processing is based on consent.

These rights are not absolute and certain legal exceptions may apply.

 

22. Your right to object to direct marketing

You have an absolute right to object to the processing of your personal information for direct marketing purposes.

You can exercise this right at any time by:

• clicking the unsubscribe link in our marketing emails; or

• emailing selfdepreciatingsofa@gmail.com.

We will stop direct marketing processing as soon as reasonably practicable following your request, subject to retaining information necessary to prevent future unwanted marketing.

 

23. How to exercise your rights

To make a privacy request, email:

selfdepreciatingsofa@gmail.com

Please include enough information for us to identify you and understand your request.

For security reasons, we may need to verify your identity before providing personal information or acting on certain requests.

We will respond within the timeframe required by applicable law.

Where legally permitted, we may refuse or charge a reasonable fee for requests that are manifestly unfounded or excessive.

 

24. EU/EEA privacy rights

If EU GDPR applies to our processing of your personal information, you may have rights including:

• access;

• rectification;

• erasure;

• restriction;

• objection;

• data portability;

• withdrawal of consent; and

• rights relating to certain automated decision-making.

The EU GDPR may apply to a UK organisation in certain circumstances, including where an organisation offers goods or services to individuals in the EEA or monitors their behaviour.

If EU GDPR applies to a particular processing activity, we will comply with the applicable EU GDPR requirements.

 

25. US privacy rights

Certain US states have enacted comprehensive privacy laws providing residents with additional rights.

Depending on whether a particular law applies to The Self Depreciating Sofa, these may include:

• the right to know what personal information is collected;

• the right to access personal information;

• the right to correct inaccurate information;

• the right to request deletion;

• the right to obtain information about disclosures;

• the right to opt out of certain targeted advertising;

• the right to opt out of certain sales or sharing;

• the right to limit certain uses of sensitive personal information; and

• the right not to receive discriminatory treatment for exercising privacy rights.

The precise rights available depend on the state in which you reside and whether the applicable legal thresholds apply.

 

26. California residents

If the California Consumer Privacy Act, as amended by the California Privacy Rights Act, applies to our activities, California residents may have additional rights under California law.

These may include rights to:

• know/access personal information;

• request deletion;

• request correction;

• obtain information about categories of personal information collected and disclosed;

• opt out of certain sales or sharing;

• opt out of certain targeted advertising;

• limit certain uses of sensitive personal information where applicable; and

• exercise privacy rights without unlawful discrimination.

We do not currently intend to sell personal information in the conventional sense of selling a consumer database.

However, certain advertising technologies can be treated as “sharing” or similar regulated activity under some US privacy laws even where money is not directly exchanged for the information.

Where required by applicable law, we will provide an appropriate opt-out mechanism.

California residents can contact us at:

selfdepreciatingsofa@gmail.com

 

27. Global Privacy Control and similar signals

Certain browsers and devices provide privacy preference signals, including the Global Privacy Control (GPC).

Where applicable law requires us to recognise a legally valid universal opt-out signal, we will take reasonable steps to recognise and honour it.

The technical operation and legal effect of such signals may differ between jurisdictions.

 

28. Children's privacy

The Self Depreciating Sofa is not intentionally directed at children for the purpose of collecting personal information.

We do not knowingly request personal information from children where doing so would be unlawful.

If you believe that a child has provided personal information to us, please contact:

selfdepreciatingsofa@gmail.com

If we become aware that personal information has been collected from a child in circumstances where it should not have been collected, we will take reasonable steps to delete it.

 

29. Third-party websites

Our website may contain links to websites and services operated by third parties.

These may include social-media platforms, advertising platforms, external websites and other services.

Once you leave our website, we are not responsible for the privacy practices, security or content of the third-party website.

We recommend reviewing the privacy policy of any third-party service before providing personal information.

 

30. Complaints

If you have concerns about how we have handled your personal information, please contact us first:

The Self Depreciating Sofa
Email: selfdepreciatingsofa@gmail.com

We will investigate privacy complaints appropriately and provide an outcome within the timeframe required by applicable law.

If you are in the United Kingdom and remain dissatisfied, you can complain to the UK's independent data-protection regulator:

Information Commissioner's Office (ICO)

Website: https://ico.org.uk/

If you are located in the EEA and EU GDPR applies, you may also have the right to complain to the relevant data-protection supervisory authority in your country.

 

31. Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time.

Changes may be required because of:

• changes to our website;

• changes to Wix or other service providers;

• changes to analytics or advertising technologies;

• changes to our newsletter or marketing practices;

• changes in applicable law;

• changes in regulatory guidance; or

• changes in how we process personal information.

When we make material changes, we will update the “Last updated” date at the top of this Privacy Policy.

We recommend checking this page periodically.

 

32. Contact us

For questions, privacy requests, complaints or other privacy-related matters, please contact:

The Self Depreciating Sofa

Email: selfdepreciatingsofa@gmail.com

Location: Leicestershire, England, United Kingdom

 

33. Important information

This Privacy Policy is intended to provide clear information about how The Self Depreciating Sofa handles personal information.

However, publishing a Privacy Policy alone does not make a website compliant with privacy law.

Compliance also depends on the actual configuration and operation of the website, including:

• cookie-consent settings;

• Google Analytics configuration;

• Google Tag Manager configuration;

• Meta Pixel configuration;

• advertising settings;

• Wix email-marketing settings;

• newsletter consent;

• third-party integrations;

• international data transfers;

• data-retention settings;

• security measures; and

• procedures for handling privacy requests.

We will review this Privacy Policy when our website, services, technologies or processing activities materially change.