The Council’s Communications team operates an official WhatsApp Channel as a one-way communication tool to share council updates, alerts and public information.
The Channel is one way only, you can follow us to receive updates, but you cannot reply directly.
This notice explains how your data is used when you choose to follow our Channel.
Article 6(1)(e) of the UK GDPR- Public task: the processing is necessary for you to perform a task in the public interest or for your official functions, and the task or function has a clear basis in law.
When you follow our channel:
The Council does not receive or collect:
• Your name
• Your phone number
• Your WhatsApp profile details
• Your device data
• Your messages (no messaging is possible)
WhatsApp Channels are strictly one way; followers cannot contact or message the Council through the Channel.
We only see overall numbers of followers and anonymised statistics, such as how many people reacted to posts.
When following a WhatsApp Channel, WhatsApp/Meta may process your:
• Phone number
• Device details
• IP address and approximate location
• Channel interaction data (views, emoji reactions)
Tendring District Council is responsible for any information we create or hold on our WhatsApp Channel. This privacy notice should be read alongside the Council’s main Service Privacy Notices.
The Council is not responsible for WhatsApp’s own processing of your data. WhatsApp (owned by Meta Platforms Inc.) is a separate data controller and processes your personal data under its own privacy policy, which you can read here: WhatsApp privacy policy.
No automated decision making applies to this process.
If you have concerns about how we have handled your personal information, you have the right to raise a complaint with us.
You can contact the Council’s Data Protection team using the details below, and we will investigate your concerns and respond without undue delay:
Email: DPAOfficer@tendringdc.gov.uk
Post: Data Protection Officer, Tendring District Council, Town Hall, Station Road, Clacton-on-Sea, CO15 1SE
If you remain dissatisfied with the outcome, you have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) -Make a complaint about how an organisation has used your personal information
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