Privacy policy

This privacy policy governs the collection, storage, use of personal information collected by Stark Narrative B.V. It provides details about the personal information that we collect, how we use personal information, and rights regarding the personal information that we are in possession of. Please read this privacy policy carefully – by engaging in our services, you confirm that you have read, understood, agree to this privacy policy in its entirety.
Stark Narrative B.V. (whose registered address is Herengracht 456, 1017 CA, Amsterdam and registered company number 34377454 in the Netherlands, provides public relations and communications advice and support to companies.
This requires the employees of Stark Narrative B.V. to collect and store the contact details of journalists for whom client information is likely to be relevant.

Stark Narrative B.V. is a ‘data controller’ in respect of the personal information that it collects and stores from both journalists and clients.

The basic personal data is collected from journalists, clients and prospective clients. This includes name, email, phone number as well as in some cases brief biographical details or career history.

This personal information is collected by journalists by a number of means including:

• Downloading information from specialist industry databases
• Identifying bylines in papers, online sites and magazines
• By communicating with journalists verbally
• By following journalists updating their status on various platforms including LinkedIn, Twitter and other sites.

The purpose of collecting personal data as well as the legal basis for the processing
The collection and use of personal information of journalists, clients and prospective clients’ legitimate interest in communicating with them about information and services that are relevant to them in a professional context.
Stark Narrative B.V. contacts journalists to inform them of relevant corporate and industry news via telephone, emails and press releases. The relationship between public relations professionals, companies and journalists is established and respected.

The personal information of individuals who are deemed as clients is acquired and stored in order to provide the services requested by the client by way of a contractual obligation. Personal data from journalists, clients and prospective clients is only utilized in order to provide and oversee these the competent completion of the firm’s service offering.

For the purposes of IT hosting and maintenance this information is located on servers within the European Union. All staff working at the firm are fully informed of data protection policies.
Journalists’ personal information can only be accessed via a secure and password protected online platform, which is accessible only to only those individuals working in account teams where the client is relevant to the journalist in question.

Clients’ and prospective clients’ personal information can only be accessed via a secure and password protected online platform, by those individuals who have a legitimate interest in doing so. Typically this would include carrying out contracted work requested by the client, or some administrative functions such as invoicing.

Cases when personal information belonging to journalists or clients is disclosed to third parties:

• Providing client contact details to journalists when/if the client has indicated they wish to be contacted directly by the journalist in question.
• Providing journalist contact details to clients when/if the journalist has indicated they wish to be contacted directly by the client in question.
• Compliance with laws and legal proceedings: responding to court orders, or legal process, or to establish or exercise our legal rights or defend against legal claims. Belief that it is necessary to share information in order to investigate, prevent or take actions against illegal activities, suspected fraud, situations involving potential threats to the physical safety of any person, violations of our terms of use, or as otherwise required by law.
• Merger or acquisition: when involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of all or a portion of its assets, the party will be notified via direct correspondence about ownership or uses of personal information, as well as any choices indicated about the use of personal information.
Client data is held for the duration of a working contract and for a period of three years thereafter.
All data will be removed once requested.
Every individual has the right to:
• receive copies of personal information in our possession;
• request updates or corrections of any out of date or incorrect personal information (in accordance with applicable data protection legislation);
• opt-out of any communications.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact DataPrivacy@StarkNarrative.com.
This privacy policy was last updated on 1 April 2019.