Privacy Policy

Last updated: September 2026

This notice explains what personal information I collect, why I use it, how long I keep it and what rights you have.

I'm Emma Vickers, a sole trader providing copywriting, content and training services. I'm responsible for the personal information described here. You can contact me here.

Whose information I hold

  • Clients and the colleagues I work with at client organisations

  • People I interview or quote when researching and writing content

  • People who attend my training courses

  • People who contact me through this website or by email

What information I hold

  • Contact and business details, such as your name, job title, organisation, email address and phone number

  • Interview material, such as notes, recordings or transcripts, and any quotes or personal details you agree to share for publication

  • Training details, such as your name, email address, organisation and responses to feedback forms

  • Financial records, such as invoices and payment details for clients

  • Website usage information, described in the cookies section below

Why I use it

UK data protection law requires me to have a legal basis for using your information. I rely on:

  • Legitimate interests, to keep in touch with work contacts and to research and write content, including interviews. I only use interview material in the ways you have agreed to.

  • Contract, to agree, deliver and invoice work, and to run training courses you or your employer have booked

  • Legal obligation, to keep financial records for tax purposes

Who I share it with

I do not sell personal information. I use a small number of service providers who store or process information on my behalf:

  • Squarespace, for website hosting and site analytics

  • Microsoft (OneDrive), for file storage

  • IONOS, for email forwarding

  • Google (Gmail), for email

  • Otter.ai, for transcribing interview recordings

  • Intuit (QuickBooks), for invoicing and accounts

  • Anthropic (Claude), for research and drafting support (see Use of AI tools)

Where a provider stores information outside the UK, such as in the United States, I rely on the safeguards required by UK law.

I will share information if the law requires it, for example with HMRC or law enforcement. Otherwise, I won't share your personal information without your permission.

How long I keep it

  • Client contact details: while we work together and for eight years after our last project

  • Financial records: at least five years after the 31 January Self Assessment deadline for the tax year to which they relate

  • Interview notes, briefing information, recordings and transcripts: for 18 months after the content is published, unless you ask me to delete them sooner

How I protect it

I store files on a password-protected laptop and with cloud providers that meet UK data protection standards.

Cookies

This website uses cookies. Some are essential for the site to work. Others are analytics cookies from Squarespace and Google Analytics, which help me understand how many people visit the site and which pages they read. I don't use cookies for advertising.

Analytics cookies are only set if you accept them through the cookie banner. You can accept, or decline when you first visit, and change them at any time using the cookie settings link at the bottom of the page.

Use of AI tools

I use two AI tools: Otter.ai, for transcribing interview recordings, and Claude, made by Anthropic, for research and drafting support. I use paid accounts with settings that stop my content being used to train their models. I do not put confidential client material into either tool without the client's agreement.

Client confidential information

Clients often share confidential business material with me, such as research, data and draft reports. I use this only for the project it was shared for. I delete confidential material 18 months after publication and keep copies of published work only.

Your rights

You have the right to:

  • ask for a copy of the personal information I hold about you

  • ask me to correct it

  • ask me to delete it

  • ask me to restrict or stop using it

  • object to how I use it

  • ask for a copy in a format you can take elsewhere

To make a request, contact me using the form on this website.

Complaints

If you're unhappy with how I've handled your information, please contact me. I will acknowledge your complaint, look into it and let you know the outcome.

You can also complain to the Information Commissioner's Office at ico.org.uk.

Changes to this notice

I review this notice regularly. If I change it, I will update the date at the top of the page.