Skip navigation
London Review of Books London Review Bookshop

Privacy statement

The London Review of Books (LRB) has created this statement to demonstrate our commitment to your privacy, to explain how we collect information and to explain how we use the information we collect about our web site users.

If you have any questions about this privacy statement please address them to registrar@lrb.co.uk

Scope

This privacy statement refers to the London Review of Books and the London Review Bookshop website (www.lrb.co.uk – hereafter ‘LRB web site’) and does not necessarily reflect the use of data gathered on subscribers to the print edition of the London Review of Books or those who have taken advantage of London Review of Books advertising promotions unrelated to the LRB web site.

This statement is subject to change and alteration at any time. The way we use any information will be subject to the privacy statement that is current when that information is gathered. Please check this page regularly to see any changes.

How we collect and use information

Cookies

Cookies are short strings of code sent to your browser and stored on your computer’s hard drive. Most commercial web sites use cookies. We use cookies to store information about the time and extent of your use of the LRB web site. If you are a subscriber and use our extended subscriber services we also use cookies to keep track of your e-mail address and password and to see how many different computers you use to log in to the LRB web site and how often. We use the information gathered from cookies for purposes of system administration and to track potential abuse of our terms and conditions of use. We also use aggregated information from cookies for purposes of marketing and as information to potential advertisers and subscribers. We do not use this information in any way that is personally identifying.

Most browsers have ‘preference’ settings which alert you when cookies are being sent and allow you to reject them before they are sent or delete them after they have been sent. You can still use the LRB website if you choose to reject cookies from our web server, but if you accept cookies, you will probably find the site easier to use. Subscribers who have registered for online access must accept cookies from our web server if they wish to view subscriber-only articles.

IP address

Your IP address is a code which is assigned to your computer every time you connect to the Internet. Typically for home users it will not identify your computer exactly but will identify the service provider via whom you connect to the internet. We use aggregated IP address information to compile reports on the demographics of the usage of the LRB web site for purposes of system adminstration, marketing, as information to potential advertisers and subscribers, and to track potential abuse of our terms and conditions of use. We do not use IP address information in a form that is personally identifiable except where that IP address has been responsible for violation of our terms and conditions of use.

Subscriptions, sales and other services

When you use the LRB web site to subscribe to the London Review of Books, to purchase goods and services, or to update your subscription data, we will need you to provide certain information (name, address, e-mail, credit card details, and so on). This information is necessary for us to process your order or update your details. We will not disclose your personal information to third parties except in the following cases:

(1) When it is necessary to provide you with a service you have requested.

(2) Under circumstances required by law: when we believe in good faith that a law or legal process requires it or where we believe disclosure is necessary to protect or enforce our rights, the rights of our contributors whose copyright material is under our control, or the rights of other users of the LRB web site whose personal information is under our control.

Newsletters, online forums and links

Newsletter and information sign up

If you sign up for any newsletter we might offer on the LRB web site we will hold your e-mail address securely and in such a way that it cannot be read by anyone. Should you wish to stop receiving the newsletter we will make sure that each newsletter carries information about how to opt out of the list and how to remove your name from the list.

Public Forums

In the future we may make chat rooms, forums, message boards, and/or news groups available to users of the LRB web site. Please remember that any information that is disclosed in these areas becomes public information and you should exercise caution when deciding to disclose your personal information.

Advertisers and commercial associates

The LRB web site contains advertisements and promotional links to web sites operated by third parties. While we would never knowingly link to a site which we believed to be trading in bad faith, the LRB is not responsible for the content of these web sites and we take no responsibility for the content, privacy practices, goods or services offered by these sites.

Contextual links

Articles on the LRB web site sometimes contain links to third party web sites. These links, provided by contributors to the LRB, are provided on a contextual basis and are relevant to the essays in which they appear. The London Review of Books is not responsible for the content, business practices or privacy practices of such web sites.

Security

The LRB web site uses SSL (secure socket layer) encryption for all financial transactions (e.g. subscribing to the LRB using our online service, purchases from the London Review Bookshop). All data we collect about users of the LRB web site is similarly protected.

Accepting this privacy statement

By using the LRB web site you signify your acceptance of this privacy statement and our terms and conditions of use. If you do not agree, or are not comfortable with any policy in this statement, your only remedy is to not use the LRB web site. If you are concerned about any cookies which have already been issued to you by the LRB web site, you can delete cookies served to your browser by the servers "lrb.co.uk", "www.lrb.co.uk" and "www.lrbshop.co.uk".

Document history:

16 August 2002: First public version of this document.
15 October 2002: Cookie server names updated.
15 June 2004: Scope includes online content of the London Review Bookshop; cookie server names updated.
12 December 2007: Acceptance of cookies is required by subscribers wishing to view subscriber-only content.