Privacy Policy

The People's Timeline is an independent digital archive operated in the UK by Olivia Hylton, founder of Black in Time.

For privacy questions, concerns or requests about your information, contact blackintimepod@gmail.com.

• Memory contributions: Your written memory, its date, associated place or map location, chosen attribution (name, initials or anonymous), and any themes you select.
• Voice memories: If you use this feature, your recording and any resulting transcription.
• Enquiries and requests: Information you provide when contacting us, including your email address and message.
• Technical information: Limited information used to operate the website and prevent misuse, including a hashed version of your IP address for submission rate limiting.
• Site steward access: Sign-in and authentication information used by authorised people managing the archive.

You don't need to create an account or provide an email address to contribute a memory.

Memories may contain sensitive personal information about you or other people, including details about ethnicity, family, identity or personal experiences. Please avoid sharing private or sensitive information about others without their permission.

We use information to receive, review and publish memories, preserve them as part of the archive, respond to enquiries and removal requests, prevent misuse and maintain the website.

We rely on legitimate interests to operate and protect the archive and to document, preserve and make accessible experiences of Black British life for historical, educational and community purposes, where those interests are not overridden by people's rights. We also process information where necessary to meet legal obligations.

Some memories may contain information requiring additional protection under UK data protection law, such as racial or ethnic origin, religious beliefs or health information. Such information must have an appropriate additional legal condition before it can be processed.

Every memory is reviewed before publication.

Unpublished memories are not displayed in public listings. However, someone with the exact submission link may currently be able to access a pending memory.

Once approved, a memory's text, date, location, chosen attribution and any associated public media become accessible to visitors through the timeline and map.

Choosing anonymous attribution means your name will not appear as the contributor. However, details within your memory may still make you identifiable.

Locations may include precise map coordinates, so please avoid sharing private addresses or sensitive locations unnecessarily.

Published memories may be copied, saved or shared by visitors or other services. Removing a memory from the archive cannot guarantee the removal of copies elsewhere.

The People's Timeline allows contributors to associate memories with places and visitors to explore those memories geographically.

Location searches use OpenStreetMap-based services. Map providers may receive technical information, including your IP address, when their services load.

Approved locations may appear as pins on the public map, potentially revealing precise coordinates.

The People's Timeline uses Lovable Cloud for application data, storage and administrative authentication, and Cloudflare infrastructure to deliver the website.

The website also uses Google Fonts and OpenStreetMap-based services.

Where voice transcription is available and used, recordings may be processed through Lovable's AI services.

These providers may process information necessary to deliver their services, including technical connection details. Their processing may involve infrastructure outside the UK; relevant transfer arrangements and retention practices depend on the services used.

External websites linked from The People's Timeline have their own privacy practices.

The People's Timeline does not use cookies for tracking, analytics or advertising.

We use your browser's session storage to remember your position on the timeline and map, so you can pick up where you left off. This information is normally cleared when you close the tab.

If you're an authorised site steward, your browser stores information needed to keep you signed in.

The website loads fonts from Google Fonts and map imagery from OpenStreetMap-based services. These providers may receive technical information, including your IP address, when their services load.

Draft memories are not automatically saved in your browser. Your memory is submitted to the archive when you press send.

The People's Timeline aims to preserve community memories for the long term.

Published memories are retained as part of the archive unless removed or no longer appropriate for publication.

Unpublished submissions, moderation records and technical information may also be retained. Some technical submission logs currently have no automatic expiry schedule.

Access to administrative features is restricted to authorised site stewards. We use technical measures to protect information, although no online service can guarantee complete security.

You can contact us to request removal of your information. Some records may need to be retained for legal reasons, and removal may not immediately erase provider backups or copies held by third parties.

You can ask us to correct or remove a memory, request access to your personal information or raise a privacy concern by emailing blackintimepod@gmail.com.

Depending on the circumstances, UK data protection law may also give you rights to request deletion, restrict or object to processing, or receive a copy of your information.

We may need to verify your connection to a contribution before making changes. Please don't email identity documents unless a secure verification process has been agreed.

There is currently no automatic contributor account or self-service deletion system.

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at https://ico.org.uk.

The People's Timeline is open for everyone to explore, but contributions are intended for people aged 18 or over.

We do not knowingly accept submissions from anyone under 18. If you believe a child's personal information has been submitted inappropriately, please contact us.

This policy may be updated as the archive develops or its data practices change. Material changes will be reflected on this page.

See also our Terms of Use & Contribution and Community Guidelines.