Who we are
CRS Editorial is run by Craig Smith trading as a sole trader. We are the controller of the personal data described in this policy, under UK data protection law (the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018).
- Contact: Use our contact form
- ICO registration number: [number, or remove if exempt]
This policy explains what personal data we collect through www.crseditorial.co.uk and in our editing, proofreading and copywriting work, why we use it, and your rights. It was last updated on 10 Nov 2026.
What personal data we collect
We collect only what we need to answer enquiries, deliver your project and run the website.
- Enquiries: your name, email address, phone number (if given) and message, when you use the contact form or email us.
- Bookings: your name, email address and any answers you give when you book a call through Calendly.
- Client work: your contact and billing details, and the documents you send us to edit, proofread or write. These documents may contain personal information about you or other people.
- Website use (only if you accept analytics cookies): pages visited, time on the site, device and browser type, approximate location from your IP address, and how you scroll and click.
- Spam protection: technical information about your device and behaviour on the contact page, used by Google reCAPTCHA to tell people from bots.
We do not knowingly collect data from children, and we do not sell your data.
How we use your data and our lawful basis
UK law requires a lawful basis for each use of your data. Ours are below.
| What we do | Data used | Lawful basis |
|---|---|---|
| Reply to enquiries and give free project scoping | Enquiry details | Legitimate interests (responding to people who contact us), or steps before entering a contract |
| Arrange calls | Booking details | Steps before entering a contract |
| Carry out and invoice client work | Client details and documents | Contract |
| Keep financial and tax records | Billing details and invoices | Legal obligation |
| Understand how the website is used, to improve it | Website use data via Google Analytics and Microsoft Clarity | Consent (you can withdraw it at any time) |
| Protect the contact form from spam | reCAPTCHA data | Legitimate interests (keeping the site secure) |
Where we rely on legitimate interests, we have weighed them against your rights and kept the data to a minimum.
Cookies
We set analytics cookies only if you click Accept All, or turn on Analytics in Cookie settings. If you click Reject or do nothing, only the necessary cookies below are used.
| Cookie | Set by | Purpose | Type | Lasts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
_ga | Google Analytics | Distinguishes visitors | Analytics (consent) | 2 years |
_ga_5NM226C4P2 | Google Analytics | Keeps track of your visit | Analytics (consent) | 2 years |
_clck | Microsoft Clarity | Recognises returning visitors | Analytics (consent) | 1 year |
_clsk | Microsoft Clarity | Links page views in one visit | Analytics (consent) | 1 day |
CookieLawInfoConsent | Cookie banner | Stores your cookie choices | Necessary | 1 year |
viewed_cookie_policy | Cookie banner | Records that you made a choice | Necessary | 1 year |
cookielawinfo-checkbox-* | Cookie banner | Stores your choice for each cookie category | Necessary | 1 year |
_GRECAPTCHA | Google reCAPTCHA (contact page) | Protects the contact form from spam | Necessary | 6 months |
Microsoft Clarity records how you move, scroll and click on our pages so we can see where the site is hard to use. It masks text you type into forms.
Changing your choice: use the Cookie settings link on the banner, or the Manage consent button at the bottom of each page. You can also delete cookies in your browser settings.
Videos and posts embedded from YouTube and LinkedIn may set their own cookies when they load. See the next section.
Who we share your data with
We use the services below to run the website and the business. Each handles your data under its own privacy policy.
| Service | Provider | What it receives |
|---|---|---|
| Website hosting | [Hosting provider] | All website data, including contact form messages |
| Contact form email | Contact form messages | |
| Google Analytics | Website use data (only with consent) | |
| Microsoft Clarity | Microsoft | Website use data and session recordings (only with consent) |
| Google reCAPTCHA | Device and behaviour data on the contact page | |
| Calendly | Calendly LLC | Booking details you enter on Calendly |
| YouTube and LinkedIn embeds | Google, LinkedIn | Your IP address and their own cookies when you view a page with an embedded video or post |
We may also share data where the law requires it, for example with HM Revenue & Customs.
Transfers outside the UK
Google, Microsoft, Calendly and LinkedIn may process your data in the United States or other countries. These transfers are protected by the UK–US data bridge, where the provider is certified under it, or by the UK International Data Transfer Agreement or Addendum.
How long we keep your data
| Data | How long |
|---|---|
| Enquiries that do not lead to work | [12 months] after our last contact |
| Client documents and project files | [6 months] after the project ends, unless you ask us to delete them sooner |
| Invoices and billing records | [6 years], as required for tax records |
| Google Analytics data | [14 months] |
| Microsoft Clarity data | Up to 13 months for summary data; recordings for 30 days unless we keep a specific one |
| Cookies | See the table in the Cookies section |
Your rights
You have the right to:
- ask for a copy of the personal data we hold about you
- ask us to correct data that is wrong or incomplete
- ask us to delete your data
- ask us to limit how we use your data, or object to our using it
- ask us to send your data to you or to another organisation in a reusable format
- withdraw your consent at any time, for example to analytics cookies, without affecting anything done before
To use any of these rights, contact us via the contact form. We will reply within one month. There is normally no charge.
Complaints: if you are unhappy with how we have handled your data, please contact us first. You can also complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint or on 0303 123 1113.
Security and changes to this policy
The website uses an encrypted (HTTPS) connection. Client documents are stored on password-protected devices and accounts, and are treated as confidential.
We will update this policy when the way we use data changes. The date at the top shows when it was last updated.