Privacy Policy
Last updated: 22 June 2026
Labhair Còmhla (“Speak Together”) is a community directory for Scottish Gaelic speakers and learners. This policy explains what personal data we collect, why we collect it, and what rights you have over it. We are committed to handling your data in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.
1. Who we are
The data controller for Labhair Còmhla is:
Struan McDonough
Email: TBC
If you have any questions about how we handle your data, please contact us at the address above.
2. What data we collect and why
We collect the following personal data when you create or maintain a profile:
| Data | Why we collect it | Legal basis |
|---|---|---|
| Email address | To create and secure your account, and to send you account-related notices | Contract (UK GDPR Article 6(1)(b)) |
| Password (stored as a secure hash — we never see your password in plain text) | To authenticate you when you log in | Contract |
| Full name (English and/or Gaelic) | To identify you in the public directory | Contract |
| Profile photo | To help other Gaelic speakers recognise you | Contract |
| Gaelic level (CEFR) | To help people find an appropriate conversation partner | Contract |
| Island (Mull or Iona) | To help people find speakers near them | Contract |
| Conversation readiness status | To let people know whether you welcome being approached | Contract |
| “About me” text (optional) | To help others understand who you are | Consent |
| “Why I’m learning Gaelic” text (optional) | To help others understand your background | Consent |
| “Where you might find me” text (optional) | To help speakers locate one another in everyday life | Consent |
We also collect limited technical data when you use the site:
| Data | Why we collect it | Legal basis |
|---|---|---|
| IP address and browser information | For security, fraud prevention, and debugging | Legitimate interests |
| Login timestamps | To detect unusual account activity | Legitimate interests |
We do not use your data for advertising, profiling, or automated decision-making. We do not sell your data to any third party.
3. Public visibility of your profile
By creating a profile, you are choosing to make your name, photo, Gaelic level, conversation readiness status, island, and any optional profile text publicly visible to anyone who visits the Labhair Còmhla directory — including people who do not have an account. Please only include information in your profile that you are comfortable sharing publicly.
Your email address and password are never shown publicly.
4. Who we share your data with
We share your data with the following third-party services that help us operate the site:
- Hosting and database provider — to store the website, account data, and uploaded photos. Lovable Cloud
- Email service — to send account-related emails such as sign-up confirmation and password resets. TBC
These providers process data only on our instructions and are bound by data processing agreements. We do not share your data with any other third parties.
We may disclose your data if required to do so by law or in response to a valid legal request from a UK authority.
5. How long we keep your data
| Data | Retention period |
|---|---|
| Your profile and account data | Until you delete your account |
| Optional profile fields you remove | Deleted immediately upon removal |
| Moderation reports involving your profile | Up to 12 months after resolution, then deleted |
| Server logs (IP addresses, timestamps) | Up to 90 days, then automatically deleted |
When you delete your account, all of your personal data — including your profile, photo, and any moderation reports about you — is permanently removed from our active systems within 30 days. Backups are purged within 90 days.
6. Cookies
We use only the cookies and local storage necessary to operate the site:
- Session cookie / token — keeps you logged in during your visit
- Language preference — remembers whether you prefer the English or Gàidhlig interface
We do not use advertising cookies, tracking cookies, or any third-party analytics that identify you personally.
7. Age restriction
Labhair Còmhla is for people aged 16 and over. We do not knowingly collect personal data from anyone under 16. If you believe a user is under 16, please report their profile using the “Report this profile” link, and we will investigate and remove the account if confirmed.
8. Your rights
Under UK GDPR, you have the following rights in relation to your personal data:
- Right of access — you can request a copy of the data we hold about you
- Right to rectification — you can correct inaccurate information (most profile data can be edited directly in your account)
- Right to erasure — you can delete your account and all associated data at any time from your account settings
- Right to restriction — you can ask us to pause processing of your data in certain circumstances
- Right to data portability — you can request your profile data in a machine-readable format
- Right to object — you can object to processing based on legitimate interests
To exercise any of these rights, contact us at TBC. We will respond within one calendar month.
9. Making a complaint
If you are unhappy with how we have handled your data, you have the right to make a complaint to the UK’s data protection regulator:
Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO)
Website: ico.org.uk
Helpline: 0303 123 1113
We would appreciate the opportunity to address any concerns directly before you contact the ICO, so please reach out to us first if possible.
10. Changes to this policy
We will post any updates to this policy on this page with a revised “Last updated” date. We will notify registered users by email if we make any significant changes.