Privacy Policy

Last updated: 11 August 2026

The London Basin Palaeontological Society (LBPS) respects your privacy and is committed to handling personal information responsibly and transparently.

This Privacy Policy explains what information we may collect through the LBPS website, why we collect it, how it is used and the choices available to you.

Who we are

The London Basin Palaeontological Society is responsible for deciding how personal information submitted through this website is used.

Website: [replace with the live LBPS website address before launch]

For questions about this Privacy Policy or your personal information, please contact us through our Contact Us page or at:

[add LBPS contact email before launch]

Information we collect

Depending on how you use the website, we may collect information including:

  • Your name
  • Email address
  • Telephone number where voluntarily provided
  • Town or general area
  • Information supplied in membership enquiries
  • Information submitted through the Contact Us form
  • Fossil collecting locality information
  • Details about fossil specimens or discoveries
  • Photographs uploaded for fossil identification
  • Information about your interests in fossils, palaeontology and Society activities
  • Your preferences regarding LBPS news and email updates
  • Technical information that may be generated when using the website, such as IP address, browser information and security logs

We only ask for information that is relevant to the purpose for which it is being collected.

Fossil identification submissions

When you submit a fossil for identification, we may collect your name, email address, information about where the specimen was found, approximate size, photographs and any additional information you provide.

This information is used to review your submission, communicate with you and assist with identification.

Where you separately give LBPS permission to use your submitted photographs for educational purposes, those photographs may also be used within the LBPS website, fossil identification database, articles, guides or other educational material.

Giving permission for photographic reuse is optional. You can still request an identification without agreeing to wider use of your photographs.

Membership enquiries

When you register an interest in joining LBPS, we may collect your name, contact details, general location, areas of interest and information about the activities you would like to become involved with.

We use this information to respond to your membership enquiry and, where applicable, administer your involvement with the Society.

If you subsequently become a member, additional information may be required for the administration of your membership. Our privacy information will be updated if the way we manage membership data changes materially.

Contact enquiries

When you use our Contact Us form, we collect the information you provide so that we can review and respond to your enquiry.

This may include your name, email address, subject, type of enquiry and message.

LBPS news and email updates

Where you choose to receive occasional LBPS news, event or activity updates, we use your email address for that purpose.

You can withdraw your agreement or unsubscribe from these communications at any time.

Your choice to receive email updates is separate from your ability to contact LBPS, submit a fossil or enquire about membership.

For electronic marketing, consent must be specific and people must be able to withdraw it; the separate optional choice you have already put on the membership form is therefore a good approach.

How we use your information

We may use personal information to:

  • Respond to enquiries
  • Process fossil identification requests
  • Contact people who have expressed an interest in membership
  • Administer Society activities and events
  • Maintain records relating to Society activities
  • Develop and improve the LBPS fossil database
  • Protect the security and proper operation of the website
  • Send Society news and updates where you have chosen to receive them
  • Use submitted photographs for educational purposes where permission has been given

UK data protection law requires an appropriate lawful basis for processing personal information. Depending on the activity, LBPS may rely on consent, steps taken at your request in connection with membership, or legitimate interests where the use is necessary, proportionate and something you would reasonably expect.

Photographs and fossil records

Photographs submitted to LBPS remain associated with the information supplied with the submission where necessary for identification and record keeping.

Where you have given permission for educational use, photographs may be incorporated into the LBPS fossil identification database or other educational resources.

Please avoid uploading photographs containing personal information or precise location information that you do not wish to provide to LBPS.

How long we keep information

LBPS will not keep personal information for longer than is reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected.

As a working policy, I suggest we set the following LBPS retention periods:

  • General contact enquiries: up to 12 months after the enquiry has been resolved
  • Unsuccessful or incomplete membership enquiries: up to 12 months
  • Membership records: for as long as required to administer membership and for an appropriate period afterwards
  • Fossil identification enquiries: up to 24 months after the enquiry is completed, unless information or photographs form part of an ongoing scientific or educational record
  • Email update preferences: until you unsubscribe or ask us to remove your details
  • Photographs authorised for educational/database use: for as long as they remain relevant to that resource or until permission is withdrawn where consent is the basis for their use

Those time periods are LBPS policy choices, not statutory periods. The ICO requires you to state retention periods or the criteria used to determine them, so we should decide and document them before launch.

Who we share information with

LBPS does not sell personal information.

Information may be accessible to authorised Society administrators or volunteers where they need it to perform their role.

We may also use service providers to operate the website, including website hosting, email delivery, security, backups and form-processing services. These providers may process information on our behalf where necessary to provide those services.

We may disclose information where required by law or where reasonably necessary to protect the security of the website or the rights and safety of LBPS or others.

Cookies

The website may use cookies that are necessary for basic functionality, security and administration.

For example, WordPress uses cookies for logged-in users and administrative functions.

If LBPS later introduces analytics, advertising or other non-essential tracking technologies, we will update this policy and provide appropriate cookie controls before those technologies are used.

Under PECR, non-essential cookies generally require an informed positive choice, while strictly necessary technologies can fall within an exemption.

Embedded content from other websites

Some pages may contain embedded content such as videos, maps or other material provided by third-party websites.

Interacting with embedded content may allow that third party to collect information or use cookies in accordance with its own privacy practices.

Where non-essential third-party technologies require consent, they should not be activated before the appropriate choice has been made.

Website accounts

Most visitors do not need an account to use the LBPS website.

Where authorised administrators, editors or other users have website accounts, WordPress stores information required to manage those accounts and website access.

Your data protection rights

Depending on the circumstances, UK data protection law may give you rights including the right to:

  • Be informed about how your personal information is used
  • Request access to personal information we hold about you
  • Ask us to correct inaccurate information
  • Ask for personal information to be erased in certain circumstances
  • Ask for processing to be restricted in certain circumstances
  • Object to certain uses of your information
  • Withdraw consent where we rely on consent

The ICO confirms that organisations must explain relevant individual rights and, where processing relies on consent, the right to withdraw that consent.

To exercise a right or ask a question about your information, contact LBPS using the details above.

You also have the right to raise a concern with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) if you are unhappy with how your personal information has been handled.

Security

LBPS takes reasonable steps to protect information held through the website against unauthorised access, loss, misuse or disclosure.

Access to website administration and submitted information is restricted to people who require it for legitimate Society purposes.

Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy when the website, Society activities or the way we process information changes.

The date at the top of this page will show when the policy was last updated.