POPIA Compliance

Ancient Earth News is committed to protecting your personal information in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act, No. 4 of 2013 (POPIA), South Africa’s primary data protection law. This page explains how we comply with POPIA and how you can exercise your rights under the law.

Scope and Applicability

POPIA applies to the processing of personal information by responsible parties operating in South Africa. While Ancient Earth News does not collect personal information through user registration or databases, we do process limited personal data automatically through website analytics, server logs, and cookies to improve user experience and ensure site functionality. This processing falls under POPIA’s scope.

Your Rights Under POPIA

As a data subject, you have the following rights under POPIA:

• Right to access your personal information held by us
• Right to request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
• Right to request deletion of your personal information where no legal obligation requires its retention
• Right to object to processing of your personal information
• Right to withdraw consent where processing is based on consent

How We Comply

Ancient Earth News complies with POPIA by:

• Collecting only minimal personal data necessary for site operations
• Using anonymized analytics to track general usage patterns
• Implementing technical measures to secure data transmission
• Not selling, renting, or sharing personal information with third parties for marketing purposes
• Reviewing data processing practices annually

Data We Process

The personal information we may process includes:

• IP addresses (anonymized where possible)
• Browser type and device information
• Pages visited and time spent on site
• Cookie identifiers for session management

No names, email addresses, phone numbers, or other directly identifiable information is stored or collected unless voluntarily provided via our contact form.

Legal Basis for Processing

We process personal information based on:

• Legitimate interest — to ensure website functionality, security, and performance
• Consent — where cookies require prior consent under applicable regulations

How to Exercise Your Rights

To exercise any of your rights under POPIA, please contact us via email at [email protected]. Include your full name, contact details, and a clear description of your request. We will verify your identity before responding.

Response Timeframes

We will respond to your request within 20 business days, as required by POPIA. If additional time is needed, we will notify you in writing with the reasons and expected response date.

No Discrimination Policy

You will not be denied services, charged different prices, or receive a different quality of service because you exercised your rights under POPIA.

Updates and Changes

We may update this POPIA Compliance page periodically. Any material changes will be published here with an updated effective date. We encourage you to review this page regularly.

Contact Information

If you have any questions about this compliance page or wish to lodge a complaint, please contact our Information Officer:

Keiran Marwood
Information Officer, Ancient Earth News
Email: [email protected]
Address: Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, Rhodes Dr, Newlands, Cape Town, 7735, South Africa

You may also lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa at www.justice.gov.za/inforeg/.