News Uploader Privacy Notice

Your trust is very important to us.

This means the BBC is committed to protecting the privacy and security of your personal data.

It is important that you read this notice so that you are aware of how and why we are using such personal data.

This privacy notice describes how we collect and use personal data about you during and after your relationship with us, in accordance with data protection law.

Why are we doing this and how can you participate?

Audiences are at the heart of everything we do at the BBC. We actively engage and ask our audience to contribute to our News output in a variety of ways, including giving you the chance to send in your story suggestions and content via the BBC website. You can also send us feedback about the BBC News website.

The BBC will collect the personal data you send via an online platform used by the BBC.

We will occasionally get in touch with you if we need more information on what you have sent to us. We may also invite you to appear on BBC programming.

When you contribute to the BBC, we may use your contribution in our programmes or content, but we cannot promise to use everything that we receive. If we broadcast your contribution, this may include the programme being available online and/or on demand, and your contribution may be used again in a future broadcast. It may also include use on the BBC's social media channels.

For information in relation to how the BBC will process your personal data where you are providing contributions to our programmes, please see our Privacy Notice for Contributors.

What personal data will the BBC collect and how will we use it?

The BBC will collect and process the personal data for the purposes of learning what stories our audience would like us to cover; to contribute content to the BBC News and our programming; to get back in touch if we would like more information about what you have sent to us; and to collect audience feedback about the BBC News website.

Personal data

Depending on what content we've asked you to send to us, we will ask for different kinds of personal data, which may include:

We may occasionally ask you to send us a story or contact that comprises special category data, which may include:

Who is the Data Controller?

The BBC is the "data controller" of your personal data. This means that the BBC decides what your personal data is used for, and the ways in which it is processed. For the avoidance of doubt, your personal data will be collected and processed solely for the purposes set out in this privacy notice. As the data controller, the BBC has the responsibility to comply, and to demonstrate compliance with, data protection law.

Lawful basis for processing your personal data

The lawful basis on which the BBC processes the personal data is the performance of its public task. The additional condition on which the BBC processes your special category data is substantial public interest relating to 'statutory and government purposes' within the UK and European Economic Area (EEA), or your consent in the rest of the world.

The BBC's role is to act in the public interest and to serve all audiences with content which informs, educates and entertains. This is in line with its public purpose commitment to, "provide impartial news and information to help people understand and engage with the world around them: the BBC should provide duly accurate and impartial news, current affairs and factual programming to build people's understanding of all parts of the United Kingdom and of the wider world."

The BBC collects your personal data so that it can undertake activities which concern the freedom of the press, journalism and which support freedom of expression. This includes artistic, historical, literary, or scientific purposes.

Sharing your personal data

The BBC works with our approved third-party providers who help us to provide some of our services. These partners only use your personal data on behalf of the BBC and not independently of the BBC.

We may share personal data with a third party where required or permitted by law.

Retaining your personal data

We will retain personal data not used for a story or our content for one (1) year, after which time it will be deleted.

If you or your content appear on a broadcast or on the BBC website, this will be retained and archived in perpetuity by the BBC. 

Your personal data will be stored on the online platform used by the BBC in the UK and the European Economic Area (EEA).

Your rights and more information

You have rights under data protection law:

You can contact our, Data Protection Officer if you have questions or you wish to find out more details about your rights, please visit the BBC's Privacy and Cookies Policy.

If you have a concern about the way the BBC has handled your personal data, you can raise your concern with the supervisory authority in the UK, the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).

Updating this privacy notice

We will revise the privacy notice if there are significant changes to how we use your personal data.