PRIVACY POLICY

Last updated: 24 July 2026

At Black Wire (“we”, “our”, or “us”), we are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal information responsibly. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and your rights under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

This policy applies to https://black-wire.co.uk/ and all content published on the website.

Who We Are

Black Wire is an independent UK-based music publication covering rock, metal, alternative music, festivals, tours, reviews, interviews and news.

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how your data is handled, please contact us through the contact form on our website or via the email address listed on our Contact page.

Information We Collect

Information you provide

We may collect personal information that you voluntarily provide, including:

  • Name
  • Email address
  • Information submitted through contact forms
  • Information submitted when subscribing to newsletters
  • Any information you include when contacting us

You are under no obligation to provide this information, but some services may not be available without it.

Information collected automatically

When you visit Black Wire, we may automatically collect information such as:

  • IP address
  • Browser type and version
  • Device information
  • Operating system
  • Pages visited
  • Time spent on pages
  • Referring website
  • Date and time of your visit

This information is collected to help us improve the website and understand how visitors use our content.

Cookies

Black Wire uses cookies to improve your browsing experience.

Cookies may be used to:

  • Remember your preferences
  • Analyse website traffic
  • Measure performance
  • Improve website functionality
  • Support advertising services where applicable

You can disable cookies through your browser settings, although doing so may affect some website features.

Analytics

We may use analytics services, such as Google Analytics, to understand how visitors interact with our website.

Analytics information is collected anonymously where possible and may include:

  • Pages viewed
  • Time on site
  • Device type
  • Country or region
  • Referral source

This helps us improve our content and user experience.

Advertising

Black Wire may display advertisements provided by third-party advertising partners, including Google AdSense or similar advertising networks.

These providers may use cookies or similar technologies to:

  • Display relevant advertisements
  • Measure advertising performance
  • Prevent fraudulent activity

Google and other advertising partners may use advertising cookies to serve ads based on previous visits to this website or other websites.

You can manage personalised advertising preferences through your Google account or your browser settings.

Affiliate Links

Some articles may contain affiliate links.

If you click an affiliate link and make a purchase, Black Wire may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.

Affiliate partnerships never influence our editorial opinions or reviews.

Newsletter

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

  • News
  • Festival updates
  • Reviews
  • Competitions
  • Promotions
  • Website updates

You can unsubscribe at any time using the unsubscribe link included in every email.

Contact Forms

When you contact us through our website, we collect the information you provide solely for the purpose of responding to your enquiry.

We do not sell your personal information.

Comments

If comments are enabled on the website, information submitted through comments may include:

  • Name
  • Email address
  • IP address
  • Browser information

This information helps detect spam and maintain website security.

Embedded Content

Articles on Black Wire may include embedded content such as:

  • YouTube videos
  • Spotify playlists
  • Instagram posts
  • Facebook posts
  • X (formerly Twitter) posts
  • TikTok videos

Embedded content behaves exactly as if you visited the original website. These third-party services may collect data about you according to their own privacy policies.

Competitions and Giveaways

If you enter a competition or giveaway, we may collect information necessary to administer the promotion, including:

  • Name
  • Email address
  • Postal address (where prizes require shipping)

Information collected for competitions will only be used for administering that promotion unless you separately consent to marketing communications.

Legal Basis for Processing

We process personal information under one or more of the following lawful bases:

  • Your consent
  • Performance of a contract
  • Compliance with legal obligations
  • Legitimate interests in operating and improving our website

Sharing Your Information

We do not sell your personal information.

We may share information with trusted service providers that help us operate the website, including providers of:

  • Website hosting
  • Analytics
  • Email marketing
  • Spam protection
  • Advertising
  • Security services

These providers only process information as necessary to provide their services.

We may also disclose information where required by law.

Data Retention

We retain personal information only for as long as necessary to:

  • Respond to enquiries
  • Provide requested services
  • Meet legal obligations
  • Resolve disputes
  • Protect our legal rights

When information is no longer required, it is securely deleted or anonymised.

Security

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your information against unauthorised access, loss or misuse.

However, no method of transmitting information over the internet can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

Your Rights

Under UK GDPR you may have the right to:

  • Access your personal information
  • Correct inaccurate information
  • Request deletion of your data
  • Restrict processing
  • Object to processing
  • Withdraw consent
  • Request a copy of your personal data
  • Lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO)

If you wish to exercise any of these rights, please contact us.

Children’s Privacy

Black Wire is intended for a general audience and does not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 13.

If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us so we can remove it.

Third-Party Websites

Our website contains links to external websites.

We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of third-party websites. We encourage you to read their privacy policies before providing any personal information.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, legal obligations or industry practices.

The latest version will always be published on this page with the updated revision date.

Contact

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your data protection rights, please contact us via the Contact page on Black Wire.