Last updated: 25 August 2026

Firearm Facts (“Firearm Facts”, “we”, “us” or “our”) respects your privacy and is committed to protecting the personal information you provide to us.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store and protect personal information when you visit or interact with the Firearm Facts website, including when you read our articles, contact us, subscribe to communications, submit information or otherwise use our website.

Firearm Facts is a South African educational and information platform focused on promoting a balanced understanding of firearms and their role in society.

This Privacy Policy should be read together with our Terms and Conditions.

1. Applicable Law

Firearm Facts aims to process personal information in accordance with applicable South African law, including the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (“POPIA”), as well as other applicable legislation.

POPIA establishes requirements for the lawful processing and protection of personal information by public and private bodies.

2. Information We Collect

Depending on how you interact with our website, we may collect certain personal information, including:

• Your name;
• Email address;
• Organisation or company name;
• Contact details;
• Information you provide when contacting us;
• Information submitted through forms on our website;
• Newsletter or subscription preferences;
• Comments or other content you voluntarily submit;
• Technical information such as your IP address, browser type, device type and operating system;
• Website usage information, including pages visited, approximate location, referring websites and interaction with our content; and
• Information collected through cookies and similar technologies.

You are not generally required to provide personal information simply to browse and read Firearm Facts.

3. How We Collect Information

We may collect information:

• Directly from you when you submit a form or contact us;
• When you subscribe to a newsletter or other communication;
• When you voluntarily provide information for editorial or research purposes;
• Automatically when you browse our website through cookies, server logs and similar technologies; and
• From third-party services that help us operate, analyse and secure the website.

4. How We Use Personal Information

We may use personal information for legitimate business, operational, editorial and administrative purposes, including to:

• Operate and maintain the website;
• Respond to enquiries;
• Communicate with users who contact us;
• Send newsletters or other communications where permitted;
• Understand how visitors use our website;
• Analyse website traffic and content performance;
• Improve our website and editorial offering;
• Prevent abuse, fraud, spam and malicious activity;
• Maintain website security;
• Maintain internal records;
• Comply with legal and regulatory obligations; and
• Protect our rights and legitimate interests.

We will not use personal information for purposes that are incompatible with the purpose for which it was collected, except where permitted or required by law.

5. Editorial and Research Communications

Firearm Facts may receive information, comments, research material, tips, submissions or correspondence from journalists, researchers, policymakers, industry representatives and members of the public.

Where information is voluntarily provided for editorial or research purposes, we may use it to investigate, verify, analyse or report on matters relating to the subject matter of Firearm Facts.

Where appropriate, we may contact individuals to verify information or request permission to publish material.

We do not guarantee that information submitted to Firearm Facts will remain confidential unless we have expressly agreed to confidentiality.

If you provide information that you believe should be treated confidentially, you should clearly indicate this when submitting it.

6. Funding and Editorial Independence

Firearm Facts receives financial support from companies operating within the South African firearm-training sector.

This funding supports the operation and development of the platform.

Funding relationships do not, in themselves, give funders the right to access users’ personal information or determine the editorial decisions, conclusions or opinions published by Firearm Facts.

We aim to maintain a clear distinction between financial support and editorial decision-making.

7. Cookies and Similar Technologies

Firearm Facts may use cookies and similar technologies to operate the website and understand how visitors interact with it.

Cookies may be used for purposes including:

• Essential website functionality;
• Security;
• Remembering preferences;
• Measuring website traffic;
• Understanding how users interact with articles;
• Improving website performance; and
• Supporting analytics and other website services.

Some cookies may be placed by third-party service providers whose services we use.

You can configure your browser to refuse or delete cookies. However, disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of parts of the website.

8. Analytics and Third-Party Services

We may use third-party services to help operate, analyse, secure or improve the website.

These services may process technical or usage information in accordance with their own privacy policies.

Third-party services may include website hosting providers, analytics providers, email delivery services, spam-prevention services, security providers, content delivery networks and other technology providers.

Where personal information is processed by a service provider on our behalf, we aim to use appropriate contractual and technical safeguards.

9. Sharing Personal Information

We do not sell or rent your personal information.

We may disclose personal information where reasonably necessary to:

• Service providers operating on our behalf;
• Website hosting and infrastructure providers;
• Analytics and technology providers;
• Professional advisers;
• Law enforcement or regulatory authorities where required or permitted by law;
• Courts or other competent authorities;
• Third parties where you have provided appropriate consent; or
• Other persons where disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, users, website or property.

We only intend to disclose information for legitimate purposes and in accordance with applicable law.

10. International Transfers

Some third-party service providers used by Firearm Facts may process or store information outside South Africa.

Where personal information is transferred outside South Africa, we will take reasonable steps to ensure that such transfers are conducted in accordance with applicable data-protection requirements.

11. Retention of Personal Information

We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, to provide our services, maintain appropriate records, resolve disputes, comply with legal obligations or protect our legitimate interests.

The period for which information is retained may vary depending on its nature and purpose.

12. Security

We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal information against loss, misuse, unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration or destruction.

However, no internet transmission or electronic storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

You should therefore exercise appropriate caution when transmitting sensitive information over the internet.

13. Your Rights

Subject to applicable law, you may have rights including the right to:

• Request access to personal information we hold about you;
• Request correction or updating of inaccurate information;
• Request deletion of personal information where legally permissible;
• Object to certain processing of your personal information;
• Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent;
• Request information about how your personal information is processed; and
• Lodge a complaint concerning the processing of your personal information.

Requests may be submitted using the contact details provided below.

We may need to verify your identity before processing certain requests.

14. Direct Marketing

Where we send direct marketing communications, we will do so in accordance with applicable law.

You may unsubscribe from marketing or newsletter communications by using the unsubscribe mechanism provided in the communication or by contacting us.

Unsubscribing from marketing communications does not prevent us from sending non-marketing communications where reasonably necessary.

15. Children’s Privacy

Firearm Facts is not specifically directed at children.

We do not knowingly collect personal information from children in circumstances where such collection would be unlawful.

If you believe that a child has provided personal information to us improperly, please contact us so that we can investigate and take appropriate action.

16. Links to Other Websites

Our website may contain links to external websites, publications, organisations and services.

We are not responsible for the privacy practices, security or content of third-party websites.

You should review the privacy policy of any external website before providing personal information.

17. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes to our website, services, technology or legal obligations.

The latest version will be published on this page with the applicable revision date.

18. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, wish to exercise a privacy right, or have a concern regarding the handling of your personal information, please contact Firearm Facts through the contact details published on our website.

Where applicable, you may also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa.

19. Acceptance

By using the Firearm Facts website, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy.

This Privacy Policy forms part of the terms governing your use of the Firearm Facts website.