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Belfast City Marathon - Good Luck Messages Privacy Notice

Your trust is very important to us. This means the BBC is committed to protecting the privacy and security of your personal data. It is important that you read this notice so that you are aware of how and why we are using such personal data. This privacy notice describes how we collect and use personal data about you during and after your relationship with us, in accordance with data protection law.

Why are we doing this and how can you participate?

The BBC is giving you the chance to have your good luck video messages for the Belfast City Marathon played on BBC programming and online. Messages can be on behalf of yourself or for someone else who is running the marathon.

The BBC will collect the personal data via an online platform used by the BBC.

If you are under 18 years old, or you send in a video that features someone who is under 18, you must have parental/guardian permission, and the video must also include a parent/guardian. By submitting a video, you confirm that you have obtained the necessary permission from any child or parent/guardian featured in the video.

When you send in your message to the BBC, we may use it in our programmes or content, but we cannot promise to use everything that we receive. If we broadcast your message, this may include the programme being available online and/or on demand, and your message may be used again in a future broadcast. It may also include use on the BBC’s social media channels.

For information in relation to how the BBC will process your personal data where you are providing contributions to our programmes, please see our Privacy Notice for Contributors here.

What personal data will the BBC collect?

There are two types of personal data: personal data and special category data. Special category data is still personal data, but its processing by the BBC requires the BBC to follow additional compliance steps.

The BBC will collect and process the following personal data about you:

  • Name

  • Hometown

  • Running club (if applicable)

  • Charity you’re supporting (if applicable)

  • Video of your good luck message

Depending on the content of your message, we may process special category data, which may include:

  • Health related data

We do not ask you to provide special category data, but it may appear in the content you choose to submit.

We ask that if you’re sending in a message of support to someone else that you ask for their permission first and share this privacy notice with them.

Who is the Data Controller?

The BBC is the “data controller” of your personal data. This means that the BBC decides what your personal data is used for, and the ways in which it is processed. For the avoidance of doubt, your personal data will be collected and processed solely for the purposes set out in this privacy notice. As the data controller, the BBC has the responsibility to comply, and to demonstrate compliance with, data protection law.

Lawful basis for processing your personal data

The lawful basis on which the BBC processes your personal data is performance of its public task. The additional processing condition under which the BBC processes your special category data is substantial public interest under ‘statutory and governmental purposes’.

The BBC’s role is to act in the public interest and to serve all audiences with content which informs, educates, and entertains. This processing is in line with the BBC’s Public Purposes under the Royal Charter, which say that the BBC should encourage people to “participate in new activities through partnerships with educational, sporting and cultural institutions.”

Sharing your personal data

The BBC works with our approved third-party providers who help us to provide some of our services. These partners only use your personal data on behalf of the BBC and not independently of the BBC. These providers may include hosting services, content management systems and technical support services.

We may share personal data with a third party where required or permitted by law.

Retaining your personal data

If you appear on a BBC broadcast or in BBC content this will be permanently stored in our archive.

All other personal data that we collect will be deleted within 10 days of the Belfast City Marathon on 3rd May 2026

Your personal data will be stored in the UK and the European Economic Area (EEA). We do not transfer your personal data outside the UK or EEA.

Your rights and more information

You have rights under data protection law:

  • You can request a copy of the personal data the BBC stores about you.

  • You have the right to request that we rectify any inaccurate or incomplete personal data that we hold about you.

  • You have the right to ask for the personal data we collect about you to be deleted, however there are limitations and exceptions to this right which may entitle the BBC to refuse your request.

  • In certain circumstances you have the right to restrict the processing of your personal data, or to object to the processing of your personal data.

  • You have the right to ask that we transfer the personal data to you or to another organisation, in certain circumstances.

Some of these rights may be limited where your personal data forms part of BBC editorial content, in line with the exemptions available under data protection law.

You can contact our Data Protection Officer at dpo@bbc.co.uk if you have questions or you wish to find out more details about your rights, please visit the BBC’s Privacy and Cookies Policy at http://www.bbc.co.uk/privacy.

If you have a concern about the way the BBC has handled your personal data, you can raise your concern with the supervisory authority in the UK, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) https://ico.org.uk/.

Updating this privacy notice

We will revise the privacy notice if there are significant changes to how we use your personal data.