Last Updated: Tuesday 11th August 2026

Effective Date: Immediately for new users; 10 September 2026 for existing users

Hootenanny is committed to protecting your privacy and complying with applicable data protection laws, including the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and, where applicable, the EU General Data Protection Regulation (EU GDPR).

This Privacy Policy (“Policy”) explains how we collect, use, disclose, and protect your personal data when you use our products and services (“Service”).

“Personal data” means any information that identifies or can identify you as an individual.

1. About us and our role

Hootenanny is operated by Fanclub Ltd, trading as Hootenanny.

Registered in England and Wales (Company No. 13824724). Registered address: Copscap Barn, Eastgate, Hornton, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom.

Fanclub Ltd acts as the Data Controller for personal data relating to your Hootenanny account, payments, our own communications with you, and the operation and security of the platform.

Where you join an artist's fanclub or sign up to an artist's mailing list, that artist is the Data Controller for your relationship with them, and Hootenanny processes your data on the artist's behalf. Section 6 explains this in more detail.

For privacy-related enquiries: hello@hootenanny.io

2. Information we collect

2.1 Information you provide directly

• Name

• Email address

• Consent preferences (marketing and artist communications)

• Information provided in surveys or research, for example age, location, or demographic details

• Delivery address, where you order merchandise or other physical items

2.2 Information collected automatically

• IP address

• Browser type and version

• Operating system

• Usage data, including interactions with our Service

• Cookies and similar tracking technologies

2.3 Information from third parties

We may receive information from:

• Analytics providers

• Music analytics providers, for example Songstats, from whom we receive social media and streaming performance data relating to artists

• Social media platforms

• Advertising networks

• Payment processors, for example Stripe

This information helps us improve and personalise the Service.

3. How we use your information

3.1 Service delivery

To provide, operate, and improve our platform and subscriptions.

3.2 Email marketing and communications

To send newsletters, updates, and promotional content where you have given consent.

3.3 Lead generation for artists

To manage signups to artist mailing lists where you have provided explicit consent.

3.4 Analytics and reporting

To provide aggregated insights such as:

• City-level subscriber counts

• Engagement metrics

• Purchase trends

Artist analytics may combine platform data with social media and streaming performance data supplied by third-party providers such as Songstats. This data relates to the artist's public performance across streaming and social platforms, not to individual fans.

We do not share full postcodes, exact addresses, or purchase-linked names with artists through analytics reporting.

3.5 Legal and compliance

To comply with applicable laws, enforce agreements, and prevent fraud.

3.6 Research and development

To improve features and develop new functionality.

If we intend to use your personal data for purposes not listed above, we will seek your explicit consent.

4. Lawful basis for processing

We rely on the following lawful bases under UK GDPR and EU GDPR:

• Subscription management, including payment processing: contractual necessity

• Sharing your membership details with the artist whose fanclub you join: contractual necessity (it is part of the membership you are buying)

• Email marketing from Hootenanny: consent

• Lead generation campaigns: explicit consent

• Analytics dashboard reporting, aggregated data only: legitimate interest

• Internal backups and security: contractual necessity and/or legal obligation

Where we rely on legitimate interests, we ensure processing is proportionate, limited to aggregated insights, and does not override your fundamental rights and freedoms. You have the right to object to processing based on legitimate interests at any time.

5. Sharing your information

5.1 Service providers

Trusted partners providing:

• Hosting services

• Analytics

• Email delivery, for example MailerSend

• Payment processing

• Customer support

• Order fulfilment and print-on-demand production and delivery

All processors operate under Data Processing Agreements (DPAs).

5.2 Sharing with artists

When you join an artist's fanclub, your name, email address and membership details are shared with that artist. This is part of the membership itself: fanclubs are a direct relationship between you and the artist, and the artist needs your details to run their community and contact you. The artist acts as an independent Data Controller for this data and can access and export it through the platform.

Where you sign up to an artist's mailing list without joining their fanclub, for example through a landing page, your details are shared with the named artist only where you have provided explicit consent.

In both cases we do not share:

• Full postcodes

• Exact addresses

• Purchase-linked payment details

Artists agree to handle your data in line with data protection law and to use it only for their fan relationship. You can unsubscribe from any artist's emails at any time.

5.3 Legal compliance

Where required by law, regulation, court order, or legal process.

5.4 Business transfers

In the event of merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, personal data may be transferred to the new entity.

6. Artist mailing lists and imported contacts

Artists on Hootenanny can build and manage their own mailing lists, including by importing contacts they have collected elsewhere, for example at shows or through their own website.

For these lists, the artist is the data controller and Hootenanny acts as their data processor. We store the data securely, send campaigns on the artist's instructions, and operate unsubscribe links and suppression lists. We do not use these contacts for our own purposes.

If you are on an artist's list and want to know how your data was collected or wish to exercise your data protection rights, contact the artist directly. You can unsubscribe from any email at any time using the link in the email, and we will honour that across the platform. You can also contact us at hello@hootenanny.io and we will pass your request to the artist and assist where we can.

7. International transfers

Your personal data may be processed outside the UK or EEA.

Where transfers occur, we rely on appropriate safeguards, including:

• Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs)

• UK International Data Transfer Agreement (IDTA)

• Adequacy regulations where applicable

These safeguards ensure your data remains protected to GDPR standards. 

8. Retention of personal data

We retain personal data only as long as necessary for the purposes described.

Data type

Retention period

Active subscribers

Duration of subscription

Unsubscribed users

12 months after unsubscribe

Lead generation contacts

12 months after consent withdrawal or inactivity

Imported artist contacts

Duration of the artist's agreement with us, including any post-termination run-off period, then deleted or returned at the artist's choice, except suppression records

Payment records

Up to 7 years, legal and accounting requirement

Exported CSV files

Maximum 30 to 90 days

Anonymised or aggregated data

Indefinitely

We may retain certain information longer where required to comply with legal obligations or resolve disputes.

9. Cookies and tracking technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies for:

• Essential website functionality

• Analytics

• Email engagement tracking, including open rates, click rates, CTOR and CTR

• Marketing, where consent is given

Non-essential cookies are deployed only with your consent. You may withdraw consent for non-essential cookies or marketing communications at any time via the cookie banner or your account settings. For more information, please refer to our Cookie Policy.

10. Automated decision-making

We do not make decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects solely through automated processing. If this changes, we will update this Policy and provide appropriate notice.

11. Children's data

You must be 18 or older to subscribe to a fanclub. Our services are not directed at children under the age of 16, or the applicable minimum age in your jurisdiction.

We do not knowingly collect personal data from children without appropriate consent. If you believe a child has provided personal data, please contact us.

12. Your rights

Under applicable data protection law, you have the right to:

• Access your personal data

• Request correction of inaccurate data

• Request deletion of your personal data

• Restrict processing

• Object to processing

• Withdraw consent at any time

• Request data portability

• Lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority

To exercise your rights, contact: hello@hootenanny.io. Where an artist is the data controller (section 6), we will pass your request to them and assist where we can.

UK users may lodge complaints with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO). EU users may complain to their local supervisory authority.

13. Security of your information

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures, including:

• Role-based access controls

• Encryption where possible

• Controlled data export retention

• Regular review of access permissions

• Two-factor authentication on internal systems handling personal data

While we take reasonable steps to protect personal data, no system is completely secure.

14. Third-party links

Our Service may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for their privacy practices. Please review their privacy policies before providing personal data.

15. Updates to this policy

We may update this Policy periodically. Changes take effect 30 days after posting the updated version. We encourage regular review of this page.