Privacy Policy

Balls.ie Privacy Policy

May 2025
Controller: Balls Media Limited, 4 Marys Abbey, Dublin 7
Contact: [[email protected]]
Data Protection Officer Brian Reynolds [[email protected]]

1) What this policy covers

  • How we collect, use, share, and retain personal data on Balls.ie.
  • Your rights under the GDPR and Irish law.

2) The data we collect

We collect the minimum we need for each purpose.

  • Account & subscriptions: name, email, password hash, preferences.
  • Comments & UGC: profile name, comment content, timestamps.
  • Competitions & promos: name, email, phone (if required), entry responses, eligibility checks.
  • Newsletters: email, categories chosen, open/click events (subject to consent).
  • Advertising & measurement: consent signals, cookie IDs, advertising IDs, approximate location (city/region), device & browser data, page views, referral source.
  • Surveys & feedback: responses, contact details if provided.
  • Support: messages you send us, email address, logs.
  • Technical: IP address, user-agent, device info, basic diagnostics.
  • Children: we do not knowingly seek consent from children under 16 without parental authorisation (Ireland’s digital age of consent is 16).

3) How we get your data

  • Directly from you (forms, comments, emails, surveys).
  • Automatically via cookies/SDKs/pixels (with consent where required).
  • From partners you authorise (e.g., single sign-on, prize fulfilment).
  • From public sources (e.g., when moderating public comments).
    Cookie use and consent are governed by the ePrivacy Regulations (Reg. 5(3)) and DPC guidance.

4) Why we use your data & our lawful bases

Purpose Examples Lawful basis
Run the site & deliver content load pages, secure the service, prevent abuse, moderation Legitimate interests (keep services reliable & secure)
Create/manage your account login, settings Contract
Send newsletters & alerts daily/weekly emails Consent
Competitions & prize fulfilment eligibility checks, contact winners Contract; Legal obligation (records)
Measure audience & improve content analytics, A/B tests (with consent) Consent (for non-essential cookies)
Personalised ads show relevant ads based on your choices Consent (TCF v2.2)
Non-personalised ads (contextual) ads based on page topic Legitimate interests
Respond to queries support, rights requests Legal obligation; Legitimate interests
Prevent fraud/abuse blocking malicious activity Legitimate interests
Legal compliance regulatory requests, record-keeping Legal obligation

5) Cookies, consent, and ads

  • We use a Consent Management Platform (CMP) that follows IAB TCF v2.2. Where applicable, ad personalisation/content personalisation rely on consent only (no legitimate interests for TCF purposes 3–6).
  • We set only essential cookies by default. Non-essential cookies (analytics/ads) load after you consent, per Irish DPC guidance and ePrivacy rules.
  • Google products: we implement Consent Mode v2 (including ad_user_data and ad_personalization signals) so tags respect your choices. Google Supportdataguard.com
  • Manage preferences anytime via [Cookie Settings] link in the footer.

Our main partners

  • Advertising: [Google Ad Manager], [Xandr/Microsoft], [Index Exchange], [OpenX], [Teads], [Yahoo], [Magnite], [PubMatic]. [Shinka]. [ID5]. [Liveramp].
  • Measurement/analytics: [Google Analytics 4], [IO Technologies],
  • CMP:
    We keep an up-to-date vendor list in our Cookie Policy and inside the CMP interface.

6) How long we keep data

  • We apply specific retention rules per purpose and law.
  • Typical periods:
    • Account data: active account + 24 months inactivity.
    • Newsletter data: until you unsubscribe or 24 months inactivity.
    • Competition records: up to 6 years (audits/legal).
    • Logs/diagnostics: 12–24 months (security/abuse).
    • Consent records: at least the life of the cookie + 5 years (accountability).
  • We anonymise or delete data once no longer needed.

7) Sharing your data

We share data with:

  • Processors who host, support, or operate our services (under Article 28 contracts).
  • Adtech & measurement vendors you consent to via our CMP.
  • Prize partners when required to deliver prizes (you’ll be told clearly).
  • Authorities or legal advisers where required by law.
    We do not sell your personal data.

8) International transfers

  • Some partners process data outside the EEA. When this happens, we use approved transfer tools such as EU Standard Contractual Clauses (2021/914) and apply supplementary measures where necessary, aligned with EDPB guidance post-Schrems II. EUR-LexEuropean CommissionEDPB

9) Your rights

You can:

  • access your data;
  • correct inaccurate data;
  • erase your data;
  • restrict processing;
  • object to processing (including direct marketing);
  • port your data;
  • withdraw consent at any time;
  • not be subject to decisions based solely on automated processing that produce legal or similarly significant effects.
    How to exercise: email [[email protected]] or use [My Account] tools where available. You can also complain to the Irish Data Protection Commission. GDPRdataprotection.ie

Irish DPC (supervisory authority)

  • Web: dataprotection.ie/contact
  • Email: [email protected]
  • Phone: +353 (0)1 765 0100 / 1800 437 737 (Ireland)

10) Direct marketing

  • Email marketing requires prior consent (opt-in).
  • You can unsubscribe in every email and via account settings.
  • We won’t send you marketing if you opt out.

11) Profiling & automated decisions

  • We may use profiling to segment audiences for content and ads.
  • We do not make decisions with legal or similarly significant effects based solely on automated processing.

12) Links to other sites

  • External links have their own privacy policies.

13) Changes to this policy

  • We’ll update this page and change the “Effective date” when we make material changes.
  • For major changes, we may also notify you via the site or email.