Legal

Privacy Policy

Effective date: 24 April 2026

This Privacy Policy explains how Suru collects, uses, stores, and protects your personal data when you use the Suru platform. It applies to Publishers (account holders) and, where relevant, to readers who interact with published content on Suru.

Suru is operated by Suru, a company registered in England and Wales. We are the data controller for personal data processed under this policy. We are committed to handling your data in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Data We Collect

1.1 Account and Registration Data

When you create an account, we collect:

  • Your first and last name
  • Your email address
  • Your beat or location (neighbourhood, borough, or city)
  • Your publication name
  • Your email verification status and timestamp

1.2 Content Data

When you use Suru to capture and publish stories, we collect and store:

  • Audio recordings and their transcriptions
  • Photos and video files you upload
  • Story drafts, headlines, subheadlines, datelines, and body text
  • Reporter notes and location data attached to captures
  • Journalism check results, including scores and advisory flags
  • Attestation records, including timestamps and the content attested to
  • Published stories and their version histories
  • Correction logs attached to published pieces

1.3 Payment Data

If you use Suru's payments feature, payment processing is handled by Stripe. We do not store your full payment card details. We receive and store:

  • Your Stripe Connect account identifier
  • Transaction records, payout history, and revenue share calculations
  • Subscription tier settings you configure

1.4 Usage Data

We automatically collect certain technical data when you use Suru, including:

  • IP address and approximate location
  • Browser type and version
  • Device type and operating system
  • Pages visited, features used, and time spent on the platform
  • Error logs and performance data

1.5 Communications

If you contact us by email or through the platform, we retain records of that correspondence.

2. How We Use Your Data

2.1 To Provide the Service

We use your data to operate Suru, including to:

  • Create and manage your account
  • Process and store your captures, drafts, and published stories
  • Run journalism checks and generate AI-assisted drafts
  • Manage subscription payments and publisher payouts
  • Maintain attestation and correction records

2.2 Legal Basis

We process your personal data on the following legal bases under UK GDPR:

  • Contract: processing necessary to deliver the Service you have signed up for
  • Legitimate interests: improving the platform, preventing fraud, and ensuring security
  • Legal obligation: retaining records required by applicable law
  • Consent: where we ask for your permission for specific processing activities

2.3 To Improve the Service

We use aggregated and anonymised usage data to understand how the platform is used, identify issues, and improve features. We do not use your published content to train AI models without your explicit consent.

2.4 To Communicate With You

We may send you service-related emails, such as account verification, security alerts, payout confirmations, and material updates to our Terms or this Privacy Policy. We do not send marketing emails without your consent.

3. AI Processing

Suru uses AI to transcribe audio, generate story drafts, and run journalism checks. Your captured material, including audio transcripts, photos, video, and notes, is processed by AI systems to deliver these features.

We use third-party AI providers to power these features. Where your data is shared with these providers, it is processed solely for the purpose of delivering the Service and is subject to appropriate data processing agreements.

AI assistance is disclosed automatically on every published story. We do not use your content to train third-party AI models without your explicit consent.

4. Data Sharing

4.1 Third-Party Service Providers

We share data with trusted third-party providers who help us operate the Service, including:

  • Stripe: payment processing and publisher payouts
  • AI and transcription providers: audio transcription and story drafting
  • Cloud infrastructure providers: hosting and storage
  • Email delivery providers: transactional email

All third-party providers are bound by data processing agreements and are required to handle your data securely and in accordance with applicable law.

4.2 Published Content

Stories you publish through Suru are made publicly available on the web at your publication's URL. By publishing a story, you are making that content publicly accessible. Suru is not responsible for how publicly published content is accessed, shared, or indexed by third parties.

4.3 Legal Disclosure

We may disclose your data if required to do so by law, court order, or regulatory authority, or if we reasonably believe disclosure is necessary to protect the rights, property, or safety of Suru, its users, or the public.

4.4 No Sale of Data

We do not sell your personal data to third parties. We do not share your data with advertisers.

5. Data Retention

We retain your personal data for as long as your account is active and for a reasonable period thereafter to comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements.

  • Account data: retained for the duration of your account plus 3 years after closure
  • Published stories and attestation records: retained indefinitely as part of the public record, unless you request deletion (see Section 6)
  • Capture data not published: retained for 90 days after creation, then deleted
  • Payment records: retained for 7 years in accordance with financial record-keeping requirements
  • Usage and technical logs: retained for 12 months

6. Your Rights

Under UK GDPR, you have the following rights in relation to your personal data:

  • Right of access: request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
  • Right to rectification: ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete data
  • Right to erasure: ask us to delete your personal data, subject to legal retention obligations
  • Right to restriction: ask us to limit how we process your data in certain circumstances
  • Right to data portability: receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format
  • Right to object: object to processing based on legitimate interests
  • Right to withdraw consent: where processing is based on consent, withdraw it at any time

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at privacy@suru.cc. We will respond within 30 days. We may need to verify your identity before processing your request.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) if you believe we have not handled your data appropriately. The ICO can be reached at ico.org.uk.

7. Cookies

Suru uses cookies and similar technologies to operate the platform, maintain your session, and understand how the Service is used. A full Cookie Policy is available at suru.cc/cookies.

You can manage your cookie preferences through your browser settings. Note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of the Service.

8. Security

We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data against unauthorised access, loss, or disclosure. These include encrypted data transmission, access controls, and regular security reviews.

No system is completely secure. If you believe your account has been compromised, please contact us immediately.

9. International Transfers

Some of our third-party providers may process data outside the UK. Where this occurs, we ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place, such as UK adequacy decisions or standard contractual clauses, in accordance with UK GDPR requirements.

10. Children

Suru is intended for users aged 18 and over. We do not knowingly collect personal data from anyone under 18. If you believe we have inadvertently collected data from a minor, please contact us and we will delete it promptly.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of material changes by email or via a notice in the Service. The effective date at the top of this document will be updated accordingly. Your continued use of Suru after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

12. Contact

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests relating to this Privacy Policy or how we handle your data, please contact our privacy team at privacy@suru.cc.

Suru · suru.cc · A DoublePortrait Labs Production · England & Wales · 2026

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