Privacy Policy

Last updated: 14 September 2026

Yorkist ("we", "us", "our") is a local news publication covering York and North Yorkshire, published by Yorkist Media Group. This policy explains what personal data we collect when you use yorkist.co.uk (the "Site"), why we collect it, and what rights you have over it.

This Site runs on Ghost, a publishing platform. Some of the data described below is processed directly by Ghost's underlying systems (for example, member accounts and payments) rather than by us manually - where that's the case, we've said so.

1. Who we are

Yorkist Media Group is the data controller for the personal data described in this policy. If you have any questions, contact us at editor@yorkist.co.uk.

2. What data we collect

If you subscribe to our free newsletter

  • Your email address, and the date you signed up.
  • Whether you've opened or clicked links in our emails (used to keep our mailing list accurate and to understand which stories people read - not to track you individually across the web).

If you become a paying member

  • Your name and email address.
  • Payment details are collected and processed directly by Stripe, our payment provider. We never see or store your full card number - Stripe handles this in line with its own security standards (PCI DSS). We do receive limited billing information from Stripe, such as your subscription tier, billing history, and card type/last four digits, so we can manage your membership and answer billing queries.
  • Login sessions are managed using a cookie that keeps you signed in as a member. This is essential to the membership working and can't be switched off while remaining logged in.

If you comment on an article, or contact us

  • Any information you provide directly - for example, your name and email address when submitting a tip, a comment, or a query to editor@yorkist.co.uk.
  • If you contact us with a story tip, we may retain your email correspondence for as long as is reasonably necessary to follow up on or verify the story. We do not publish tipster details without your explicit permission.

Automatically, when you browse the Site

  • Standard web analytics: pages visited, approximate location (country/city level, derived from IP address), device and browser type, and referring website. We use this in aggregate to understand what's being read and how the Site is performing - not to build individual profiles of readers.
  • We aim to keep analytics privacy-friendly and do not sell or share this data with advertisers or data brokers.

3. Cookies

We use a small number of cookies:

  • Member session cookie - keeps you logged in if you're a member. Required for login to function; cannot be opted out of.
  • Analytics cookie(s) - used to understand aggregate site traffic. Can be controlled depending on your browser/device settings.

We do not use cookies for third-party advertising, and we do not run ads on Yorkist - our model is funded by paying members, not advertisers.

4. Why we process your data, and our legal basis

  • Sending the free newsletter - legal basis: consent (you signed up).
  • Managing your paid membership and taking payment - legal basis: performance of a contract.
  • Responding to tips, queries and comments - legal basis: legitimate interest (running a functioning newsroom).
  • Site analytics - legal basis: legitimate interest (understanding and improving the Site).
  • Complying with law, e.g. tax records for payments - legal basis: legal obligation.

You can withdraw consent for the newsletter at any time by clicking "unsubscribe" in any email, or by emailing us.

5. Who we share data with

We don't sell your data. We share it only where necessary to run the Site:

  • Stripe - processes membership payments. See Stripe's privacy policy at stripe.com/gb/privacy.
  • Our email delivery provider - sends newsletters and transactional emails (login links, receipts) on our behalf.
  • Ghost (Ghost Foundation / our hosting provider) - the platform and infrastructure the Site runs on.
  • If we're legally required to (e.g. a court order), or to protect the rights, property or safety of Yorkist, our readers, or the public.

We do not share reader data with advertisers, as we don't carry advertising.

6. How long we keep your data

  • Newsletter subscribers: for as long as you remain subscribed, plus a short period afterwards to record that you unsubscribed (so we don't accidentally re-add you).
  • Paying members: for the duration of your membership, plus as long as required afterwards for accounting and tax purposes (typically up to 6 years, per UK requirements).
  • Tips and correspondence: kept only as long as reasonably needed to act on or verify the story, or to comply with journalistic source-protection obligations, whichever is longer.

7. Your rights

Under UK GDPR, you have the right to:

  • Access the personal data we hold about you.
  • Correct inaccurate data.
  • Delete your data ("right to be forgotten"), except where we have a legal reason to keep it (e.g. financial records, or protecting a confidential source).
  • Object to or restrict certain processing, including analytics or marketing.
  • Data portability - receive your data in a portable format.
  • Withdraw consent at any time, where consent is our basis for processing (e.g. the newsletter).

To exercise any of these rights, email editor@yorkist.co.uk. We'll respond within one month, as required by law.

If you're unhappy with how we've handled your data, you also have the right to complain to the UK's data protection regulator, the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) - ico.org.uk.

8. Protecting journalistic sources

Where someone contacts us as a confidential source or whistleblower, we take extra care to protect their identity, in line with standard journalistic ethics and the NUJ Code of Conduct. Source-identifying information is not stored longer than necessary, is access-restricted internally, and will not be disclosed except where we are legally compelled to and have exhausted all reasonable means of resistance.

9. Children

Yorkist is intended for a general adult readership. We do not knowingly collect data from children under 13, and our membership and newsletter sign-up processes are not designed for use by children.

10. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time - for example, if we change payment or analytics providers. We'll update the "last updated" date at the top of this page, and for significant changes, we'll notify members and subscribers directly.

11. Contact us

Yorkist Media Group
editor@yorkist.co.uk