Wochenfokus (wochenfokus.de) respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal data under UK data protection law. This Privacy Policy explains how and why we collect, use and store information when you visit our site or interact with us. It supplements our Cookie Policy and should be read alongside our Terms of Use.
Who controls your data when you use Wochenfokus?
The data controller for Wochenfokus is Donau Media OÜ, a private company registered in Gibraltar (company number 16928471, Estonian Business Register) with registered office at Tornimäe 5, Kesklinn, Tallinn, 10145, Estonia. For UK GDPR purposes, we have appointed a representative who can be contacted via our Contact page.
Oliver Böhm, as Chefredaktör (anders.lindqvist@wochenfokus.de, +46 8 525 030 61), oversees editorial standards and data protection compliance. Any questions about your rights under UK data protection law should be directed first to our editorial team at info@wochenfokus.de, and we will escalate to the relevant person if needed.
What personal data do we collect and why?
We collect only the personal data necessary to provide our journalism, operate our site and fulfil our legitimate interests. This includes your email address if you subscribe to our newsletter, your IP address and browsing behaviour through cookies, and any information you voluntarily provide when contacting us via editorial or tip‑off addresses.
We use this data to send you our Newsletter, to improve our content through analytics, to respond to corrections and complaints, and to comply with legal obligations such as verifying sources. We never sell your data. Our legal bases are consent (for cookies and newsletter subscriptions), legitimate interest (for editorial correspondence and site security) and legal obligation (for fact‑checking and correction records).
How do we handle corrections, complaints and tip‑offs?
When you submit a correction, complaint or tip‑off via editorial@wochenfokus.de, tips@wochenfokus.de or corrections@wochenfokus.de, we retain your contact details and the substance of your message only for as long as needed to investigate and resolve the matter. Our Corrections Policy and Complaints Procedure explain the process in full.
Anonymous tips are accepted, but if you choose to identify yourself, that information is treated confidentially and stored securely. We do not share tipsters’ identities unless required by law. Fact‑checking records are retained for audit purposes under our Fact‑Checking Policy.
What cookies and tracking technologies do we use?
We use cookies and similar technologies to make our site work, to analyse traffic and to deliver relevant advertising. Full details are in our separate Cookie Policy, which explains how to manage your preferences.
You can opt out of non‑essential cookies at any time through your browser settings or via the consent banner on our site. Our advertising and affiliate partners may also place cookies; we have no control over those. All sponsored content is clearly labelled in line with our Advertising & Affiliate Disclosure.
What you can expect from us
Every article published on Wochenfokus is written by a named journalist, reviewed by an editor and fact‑checked before going live. AI‑assisted tools may support research or drafting, but never replace human editorial judgement – all final content is approved by a human editor. Our AI & Automation Policy sets out strict safeguards against fabricated quotes or sources.
We have a dedicated fact‑checking team led by Birgit Weiß (emma.sandberg@wochenfokus.de, +46 8 525 030 66). If you believe an error has been published, please follow our Corrections Policy. We commit to transparency about our funding and editorial independence, detailed in our Ownership & Funding page.
How long do we keep your data?
We retain personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purpose for which it was collected. Newsletter subscriber data is kept until you unsubscribe. Correspondence related to corrections or complaints is deleted after six months following resolution, unless legal obligations require longer retention. Analytics data is anonymised within 26 months.
Records of fact‑checking and source verification are retained for three years to support editorial accountability. You can request deletion of your data at any time – see “Your rights” below.
What are your rights under UK GDPR?
You have the right to access, rectify, erase or restrict processing of your personal data, and to object to processing based on our legitimate interests. You also have the right to data portability where processing is based on consent or contract.
To exercise any of these rights, please email privacy@wochenfokus.de or use the contact details on our Contact page. We will respond within one month. If you are unsatisfied, you may lodge a complaint with the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).
Do we transfer your data outside the UK?
We are a Swedish publication operated by Donau Media OÜ, registered in Gibraltar and with a registered office in Estonia. As such, data may be transferred to and processed in Sweden, Estonia and Gibraltar. We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place – including Standard Contractual Clauses where necessary – to protect your data in line with UK GDPR requirements.
Our hosting providers and newsletter service are located within the European Economic Area or in jurisdictions with an adequacy decision. No data transfers are made to third countries without adequate protection.
Questions or concerns?
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how your data is handled, please contact our editorial team at info@wochenfokus.de or use the dedicated privacy@wochenfokus.de address. For complaints, you can also follow our Complaints Procedure or contact the UK ICO. For full details about our editorial standards and fact‑checking processes, see our Sources & Standards page.