Privacy Policy

How The Reader Times handles reader data today

This section describes the actual configuration of this publication as of 14 October 2026. It is included so that this notice does not read like a generic website template.

• Open-access publication. The Reader Times currently allows readers to open its public journalism without creating a Reader Times account or buying a subscription.
• No first-party reader profile is required. Reading ordinary articles does not create a named Reader Times profile.
• “Save article” stays in your browser. The saved-article feature uses local browser storage. The list is not uploaded to a Reader Times account.
• “Most Read” is based on article-level totals. The site keeps an aggregate counter for a story. It is used to rank stories and is not designed as an identifiable history of what a particular person has read.
• Google Reader Revenue Manager is installed for publisher verification and reader engagement. The current implementation identifies Reader Times articles as open-access content. Google may display newsletter, registration, survey or other reader CTAs according to the configuration in Publisher Center. The Reader Times does not currently operate a Reader Times paywall through this integration.
• Newsletter data is collected only when a reader chooses to sign up. If newsletter or reader-registration CTAs are active, information such as an email address, optional name, Google-account interaction and consent choices may be processed by Google and made available to the publisher through Publisher Center.
• Social sharing buttons are outbound actions. WhatsApp, Facebook, X and email controls do not embed a permanent social-media feed on the article page. A third-party service is contacted when the reader chooses to use that action.
• Google Site Kit / Search Console may be used for publication management. Google Analytics or other measurement is only relevant to the extent it is actually enabled and configured. Where consent is legally required for non-essential measurement, that consent must be obtained before the relevant technology is used.
• The publisher does not sell reader personal data. The Reader Times does not currently operate its own cross-site behavioural advertising profile or sell identifiable reader profiles to data brokers.
• Journalism is different from audience analytics. Articles may legitimately contain names, professional roles, quotations, images or other information about people when relevant to reporting. That editorial processing is assessed under the rules that reconcile data protection with freedom of expression and information.

If this operating model changes materially—for example, if The Reader Times introduces a paywall, paid subscriptions, personalised advertising or a new account system—this notice should be updated before or when the new processing begins.

Last updated: 14 October 2026

The Reader Times is a niche editorial publication devoted to books, publishing, authors, bookshops, rights and translation, fairs and events, technology and AI, printing and production, and related cultural and professional issues. The Reader Times is a brand owned and published by MEDIA-SOCIETY.COM PRESS & CREATORS NETWORK. This Privacy Policy explains in detail how personal data may be processed when you visit the site, read or share journalism, save articles, contact the newsroom, subscribe to reader services, or otherwise interact with The Reader Times.

1. Who we are and who controls your data

The Reader Times is an editorial brand of MEDIA-SOCIETY.COM PRESS & CREATORS NETWORK (“we”, “us”, “the publisher”). For personal-data processing whose purposes and means we determine, the publisher acts as the data controller. Some external services used by the site, such as Google services, may act as processors, independent controllers, or a combination depending on the feature and their own terms. Their processing is also governed by their own privacy notices.

This policy applies to the public website, article pages, archives, newsletter and reader-engagement pages, site search, contact and correction communications, and related technical operations. It does not govern third-party websites reached through external links.

2. Our privacy principles

We aim to apply data minimisation, purpose limitation, transparency, reasonable security and limited retention. We try not to collect personal data merely because it may be useful someday. Where a reader feature can operate locally on your device rather than requiring a server-side profile, we prefer that less intrusive design. We do not use the website to build our own cross-site advertising profiles of readers.

3. Categories of people whose data may be processed

Depending on your relationship with The Reader Times, we may process data relating to ordinary readers; newsletter subscribers or registered readers using Google reader services; people who contact the newsroom; authors, contributors, photographers and media professionals; representatives of publishers, associations, bookshops, institutions and event organisers; interviewees, quoted persons, public figures and other people appearing in legitimate editorial coverage; and people exercising privacy, correction, copyright or other legal rights.

4. What data we may process

The categories below describe the data that can arise through the current website. Not every category applies to every visitor.

5. Where personal data comes from

Personal data may be provided directly by you; generated automatically when your browser requests a page; produced by hosting, security and technical systems; supplied through a service you deliberately use, such as Google Reader Revenue Manager; or obtained for editorial purposes from interviews, contributors, official records, public documents, organisations, press material, websites, public social-media accounts and other legitimate journalistic sources.

6. Website hosting, server logs and security

Like virtually all websites, our hosting environment needs to receive technical request information in order to send pages to your device. Hosting and security systems may create server logs and security records. These logs can be used to diagnose errors, identify malicious traffic, investigate security incidents, enforce technical rules and defend the site. They are not intended to be used by The Reader Times to identify ordinary readers by name.

7. Cookies, browser storage and similar technologies

The site may use cookies, local storage and similar browser technologies for essential operation, security, reader choices, measurement and Google reader services. The “Save article” feature uses local storage in your own browser. Clearing browser data may remove saved articles.

Essential technical storage may be used where necessary to provide a requested service or maintain security. Non-essential analytics, advertising or similar technologies should be subject to consent where the law requires it. You can also control cookies and site storage using your browser; blocking them may affect some features.

8. Google Reader Revenue Manager, Subscribe with Google and Google News

The site currently loads Google Reader Revenue Manager / Subscribe with Google code used for publication verification and reader-engagement features. Depending on how Google and the publisher configure a prompt, Google may process technical information, website activity, interactions with pop-ups or calls to action, newsletter sign-ups, reader registrations, surveys and account information where you choose to continue with a Google account.

The present Reader Times integration identifies articles as open access. If we later activate paid subscriptions, contributions or other monetisation flows, we will review this policy and any required consent or contractual information before launching those features.

Google explains that some general site-activity information used by Subscribe with Google/Reader Revenue Manager is retained for a comparatively short period, while completed actions may be retained longer so that the service can remember them. Google’s own processing is governed by its terms and Google Privacy Policy.

9. Google Site Kit, Search Console and Analytics

The site may use Google Site Kit to connect publisher and measurement services. Search Console is primarily used to understand search visibility and technical indexing. If Google Analytics is enabled, it may process usage and device information according to the site’s configuration and your applicable consent choices. The presence of Site Kit in WordPress does not by itself mean every Google module is active at all times.

10. Newsletter subscriptions and reader registration

Newsletter subscription is voluntary. The sign-up interface may be provided by Google Reader Revenue Manager or another provider identified at the point of collection. Depending on the configuration, you may provide an email address, optional name, consent choice or use a Google account. The information is used to administer the requested newsletter/reader relationship and not to authorise unrelated marketing merely because you supplied an email address.

You may unsubscribe using the mechanism supplied in the newsletter or reader service, or by contacting us. We may retain a minimal suppression record where necessary to make sure we respect your opt-out.

11. Contacting the newsroom, corrections, pitches and rights enquiries

If you contact The Reader Times, we process the details you voluntarily provide in order to deal with your request. This may include correction requests, editorial pitches, invitations, interview proposals, copyright or image-rights questions, licensing requests, complaints and privacy enquiries. Correspondence may be retained where reasonably necessary to document what was requested, what was published, what was corrected, or how a dispute was resolved.

12. Social sharing and external platforms

The WhatsApp, Facebook, X, email and similar sharing controls on article pages are ordinary links/actions rather than embedded social feeds. The external platform is contacted when you choose that action. It may then receive the destination URL, referrer, IP/device information and any information you provide under that platform’s own privacy terms. We do not control how those platforms process your account data.

13. External links and original reporting

Articles may link to original publishers, bookshops, authors, organisations, public authorities, reports and other websites. Following an external link takes you to a service we do not control. The destination website’s own privacy and cookie practices then apply. An editorial link or source credit is not an endorsement of the third party’s privacy practices.

14. Journalistic and editorial processing

The Reader Times is a media publication. Reporting may legitimately involve personal data about people who are the subject of news, commentary, cultural coverage or industry reporting. This can include names, roles, professional history, statements, photographs, event participation, litigation or public records where relevant to a story.

European data-protection law expressly requires privacy rights to be reconciled with freedom of expression and information, including processing for journalistic purposes. As a result, a request concerning published or archived editorial material is assessed case by case. A request for erasure, objection or restriction does not automatically require removal of lawful journalism. We may instead consider correction, clarification, updating, de-indexing where appropriate, contextualisation, or another proportionate measure.

15. Sources and confidential journalistic material

Protecting sources can be fundamental to journalism. Where information has been supplied in confidence or source identity must be protected, we will take that into account when handling access or disclosure requests and when applying applicable legal protections. We do not promise confidentiality merely because someone sends us an unsolicited message; confidentiality should be expressly agreed where it is important.

16. Special-category data and sensitive information

We do not ask ordinary readers to provide sensitive categories of personal data in order to read the site. However, legitimate journalism may sometimes concern matters such as political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, health, trade-union activity, sexuality or other sensitive information. Such material is processed only where there is a proper editorial/legal justification and with the safeguards appropriate to the circumstances.

17. Children and young people

The Reader Times is directed at a general/professional readership and is not designed as a children’s service. We do not knowingly seek personal information from children for marketing or reader profiling. Editorial coverage may nevertheless concern authors, books, education, youth events or other topics involving minors; any such editorial use should be assessed with particular care.

18. Who receives personal data

Access is limited according to need. Recipients may include authorised people working for or with the publisher; website hosting, security and maintenance providers; email/newsletter or reader-service providers; analytics providers if enabled; professional advisers; and public authorities where disclosure is legally required. We do not disclose reader data simply because a third party asks for it.

19. Service providers and processors

Where a supplier processes personal data on our behalf, we expect processing to be limited to the relevant service and subject to appropriate contractual and security arrangements as required by law. Some major technology services may instead act as independent controllers for parts of their processing; where that happens, their own privacy notice explains those activities.

20. International transfers

Some providers may process information in countries outside Spain or the European Economic Area. Where GDPR transfer rules apply, we rely on or expect the relevant provider to rely on a recognised mechanism such as an adequacy decision, Standard Contractual Clauses, or another lawful safeguard. The precise mechanism can depend on the provider and processing activity.

21. How long we keep information

We do not use one retention period for every category. Technical logs are generally short-lived; contact records are kept only while necessary to deal with the matter and preserve a reasonable audit trail; newsletter data is retained while the relationship is active and afterwards only as needed for opt-outs or legal obligations; analytics retention depends on configured provider settings; local saved-article data remains on your own device; and journalistic archives may be retained for long periods because preserving publication history and the public record is part of the editorial purpose.

When deciding retention, we consider necessity, sensitivity, the reason the data was collected, editorial/public-record value, contractual and legal obligations, limitation periods and security needs.

22. No sale of reader personal data

We do not sell readers’ personal data. The Reader Times does not currently operate its own cross-site behavioural advertising network or trade identifiable reader profiles with data brokers. If the business model materially changes in the future, this policy and any legally required consent controls will be updated before the new processing begins.

23. Automated decision-making and profiling

The Reader Times does not itself make decisions producing legal or similarly significant effects about readers solely through automated processing. Some third-party reader tools may use factors such as device type, referrer, visit frequency or prior interaction to decide when to display a prompt. That type of interface selection is not used by The Reader Times to determine a reader’s legal rights or eligibility for essential services.

24. Security

We use reasonable technical and organisational measures appropriate to the scale and nature of the site, including access controls, software maintenance, secure hosting practices and monitoring of technical failures or abuse. No website or electronic transmission can be guaranteed absolutely secure. If a personal-data breach creates a legal notification duty, we will follow the applicable response and notification requirements.

25. Your data-protection rights

Where the GDPR applies, you may have rights to request access to personal data, rectification of inaccurate data, erasure, restriction, data portability, and objection to processing based on legitimate interests. Where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw that consent without affecting processing already lawfully carried out before withdrawal. You may also have rights in relation to qualifying automated decisions.

Rights are not absolute. In particular, requests affecting journalism may need to be balanced against freedom of expression and information, preservation of the public record, legal obligations, source protection and the establishment or defence of legal claims.

26. How to exercise your rights

Send your request to MEDIA-SOCIETY.COM PRESS & CREATORS NETWORK through Contact or Contact, or write to Paseo de Extremadura 324, 1° Izquierda, 28024 Madrid, Spain. Please describe the request clearly and identify the relevant account, communication, page or article where appropriate. We may ask for proportionate proof of identity when necessary to avoid disclosing or altering another person’s data.

We aim to respond within the period required by applicable data-protection law. Under the GDPR the normal response period is one month, subject to permitted extensions for complex or numerous requests.

27. Correction, updating and privacy requests concerning journalism

If your concern relates to the accuracy or current context of an article, a correction or update request may be more appropriate than a general privacy request. Spanish law also recognises specific rights concerning rectification and updating of information in digital media. We therefore encourage you to identify the article and explain precisely what you believe is inaccurate, outdated or disproportionately harmful so that the newsroom can assess the appropriate remedy.

28. Complaints to a supervisory authority

You are encouraged to contact us first so we can try to resolve the issue. Where the GDPR applies, you also have the right to complain to a competent data-protection supervisory authority. For a controller established in Spain, the national supervisory authority is the Agencia Española de Protección de Datos (AEPD).

29. Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this policy when the website, publisher tools, service providers, business model or legal requirements change. Material changes will be reflected by updating the date at the top. Where a change requires a new consent, we will seek it rather than relying merely on publication of a revised policy.

30. Contact

Questions about this policy, privacy rights or the processing of personal data can be sent to MEDIA-SOCIETY.COM PRESS & CREATORS NETWORK through Contact or Contact, or by post to Paseo de Extremadura 324, 1° Izquierda, 28024 Madrid, Spain.