This Privacy Policy explains how MJ CEO (“we”, “us”, “our”) collects, uses, stores and protects personal data when you visit and interact with this website. We are committed to processing personal data lawfully, fairly and transparently, in line with the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and other applicable data protection laws.
MJ CEO is an independent business blog covering startups, small business, marketing, leadership and productivity. We do not sell products or services, and we do not knowingly collect more data than is needed to run the site.
Please note: this page is provided for general information only. It is not legal advice. Data protection obligations depend on your specific circumstances and jurisdiction, so we encourage you to consult a qualified legal or privacy professional before relying on this policy for your own purposes.
Who we are (Data Controller)
The data controller responsible for your personal data is:
- Owner / entity: [Complete: legal name of the site owner or company]
- Registered address: [Complete: postal address]
- Company / registration number (if applicable): [Complete: registration number]
- Contact email: hello@mjceo.net
- Data protection contact (if appointed): [Complete: DPO name and contact, or state “not applicable”]
What data we collect
We only collect personal data that is necessary for the purposes described in this policy. Depending on how you use the site, this may include the following.
Comments
When you leave a comment on an article, we collect the information you provide in the comment form. This typically includes:
- Your name or chosen display name;
- Your email address;
- Your website URL (optional);
- The content of your comment;
- Your IP address and browser user-agent string, which help us detect spam.
An anonymised string created from your email address (a “hash”) may be provided to a spam-detection or avatar service to check whether you are using it.
Analytics and cookies
We use cookies and similar technologies, together with analytics tools, to understand how visitors use the site and to improve our content. This may include information such as pages visited, time on page, referring website, approximate location (derived from IP address), device type and browser. Where required, analytics that are not strictly necessary are only activated with your consent. For full details of the cookies we use, please see our Cookie Policy.
Contact and correspondence
If you email us at hello@mjceo.net or otherwise contact us, we collect your email address, name and the content of your message so that we can respond.
Server logs and security data
Like most websites, our hosting infrastructure automatically records technical information such as IP addresses, request times, and error logs. This helps us keep the site secure and operational.
Why we use your data and the legal basis
Under the GDPR, we must have a valid legal basis for each processing activity. The table below summarises how and why we process personal data.
| Purpose | Data used | Legal basis (GDPR Art. 6) |
|---|---|---|
| Publishing and managing comments | Name, email, website, comment content, IP | Consent, and our legitimate interest in fostering discussion |
| Spam prevention and site security | IP address, user-agent, email hash, logs | Legitimate interest in protecting the site |
| Analytics and site improvement | Usage data, cookies, approximate location | Consent (for non-essential cookies) |
| Responding to enquiries | Name, email, message content | Legitimate interest, or steps taken at your request |
| Meeting legal obligations | Relevant records as required | Legal obligation |
Where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time without affecting the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal. Where we rely on legitimate interests, you have the right to object (see “Your rights” below).
How long we keep your data (retention)
We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by law.
- Comments: retained indefinitely so that follow-up comments can be recognised and displayed, unless you ask us to delete them.
- Analytics data: retained for [Complete: retention period, e.g. 14 or 26 months] and then deleted or anonymised.
- Correspondence: retained for as long as needed to handle your enquiry and for a reasonable period afterwards.
- Server and security logs: retained for a short period for security and troubleshooting.
Who we share your data with (third parties)
We do not sell your personal data. We may share data with trusted service providers who process it on our behalf and under contract, including:
- Our website hosting provider [Complete: hosting provider name];
- Our analytics provider [Complete: analytics provider name];
- Spam-filtering and comment/avatar services [Complete: provider name(s)];
- Email or content delivery providers, where applicable.
We may also disclose data where required to comply with a legal obligation, court order, or valid request from a public authority, or to protect our rights, safety and property.
International data transfers
Some of our service providers may process data outside your country or the European Economic Area (EEA). Where this happens, we take steps to ensure an adequate level of protection, such as relying on adequacy decisions or Standard Contractual Clauses. For further details, contact us at hello@mjceo.net.
Your rights
Subject to applicable law, you have the following rights in relation to your personal data:
- Access: to request a copy of the personal data we hold about you;
- Rectification: to have inaccurate or incomplete data corrected;
- Erasure: to request deletion of your data (“right to be forgotten”) in certain circumstances;
- Restriction: to request that we limit how we use your data;
- Objection: to object to processing based on our legitimate interests;
- Portability: to receive your data in a structured, commonly used format;
- Withdraw consent: to withdraw consent at any time where we rely on it.
To exercise any of these rights, email us at hello@mjceo.net. We will respond within the timeframe required by law (generally one month). We may need to verify your identity before acting on your request.
Complaints to a supervisory authority
If you believe we have not handled your personal data properly, you have the right to lodge a complaint with a data protection supervisory authority. In the EEA, this is usually the authority in the country where you live, work, or where the issue occurred. [Complete: name and website of the relevant supervisory authority, e.g. your national data protection authority]. We would, however, appreciate the chance to address your concerns first, so please consider contacting us at hello@mjceo.net.
Cookies
We use cookies and similar technologies to operate the site, remember your preferences, and understand how the site is used. You can control non-essential cookies through our consent tools and your browser settings. For a full description of the cookies we use and how to manage them, please read our Cookie Policy.
How we protect your data
We apply reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, loss, misuse or alteration. However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.
Children’s privacy
This website is intended for a general, adult, business-focused audience. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children below the age of digital consent applicable in their country. If you believe a child has provided us with personal data, please contact us so we can remove it.
Changes to this policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. When we do, we will revise the “last updated” date below. We encourage you to review this page periodically.
Last updated: [Complete: date this policy was last revised]
Contact us
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal data, please contact us at hello@mjceo.net. For questions about your specific legal rights and obligations, we recommend seeking advice from a qualified data protection or legal professional.