Last updated: 4 August 2026
1. Who we are
Sentinel ("the Service") is operated by the International News Safety Institute (INSI) ("we", "us"). INSI is the data controller for personal data processed through this website (sentinel-insi.org) and the Sentinel application (app.sentinel-insi.org). You can contact us at info@newssafety.org.
2. Data we collect
Account data
Sentinel is an invitation-only service for approved organisations. For each user account we process: name, work email address, organisation, role, and authentication credentials (passkeys and/or one-time sign-in links; we do not store passwords in plain text).
Usage and security data
We keep technical logs necessary to operate and secure the Service: sign-in events (including IP address and browser information), audit records of administrative actions, and service telemetry (e.g. feature usage and error reports). Security logs are retained for a limited period and then deleted.
Content you provide
Notes, queries, briefs and other content that users create inside the Service are stored on behalf of the user's organisation.
Publicly available information
The Service monitors publicly available sources — news publications, official government publications, election data and public social media posts — for journalist-safety purposes. This may include personal data that appears in those public sources (for example, the name of a public official quoted in a news article). This monitoring is limited to information the publisher has made public and is processed for the purpose described below.
3. Why we process it
- To provide the Service — operating accounts, alerts, briefings and monitoring (performance of contract with subscribing organisations).
- Journalist safety — analysis of public information to identify risks to journalists and media workers (legitimate interest; this is INSI's charitable mission).
- Security and integrity — protecting the Service against unauthorised access and abuse (legitimate interest and legal obligation).
- Communications — service emails such as sign-in links and alert notifications. We do not send marketing email.
4. Sharing
We do not sell personal data. We share data only with: (a) the user's own organisation (workspace administrators can see their organisation's users and activity); (b) service providers who host and support the platform (cloud infrastructure and email delivery providers, bound by data-processing agreements); and (c) authorities where required by law.
5. International transfers
The Service is hosted in the United Kingdom/European Economic Area region. Where a service provider processes data outside the UK/EEA, we rely on appropriate safeguards such as adequacy decisions or standard contractual clauses.
6. Retention
Account data is retained while an organisation subscribes to the Service and deleted or anonymised after account closure. Sign-in and security logs are retained for up to 90 days. Monitored public-source material is retained while it remains relevant to the safety purpose of the Service.
7. Your rights
Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have rights to access, correct, delete, restrict or object to the processing of your personal data, and to data portability. If your personal data appears in monitored public-source material and you wish to raise a concern, or to exercise any other right, contact info@newssafety.org. You also have the right to complain to your data-protection authority (in the UK, the Information Commissioner's Office).
8. Cookies
This website sets no advertising or analytics cookies. The Sentinel application uses strictly necessary cookies only, to keep you signed in securely.
9. Security
All traffic is encrypted in transit. Access to the application is restricted, authenticated and logged; accounts exist by invitation only. We review the platform's security as part of its development cycle and restrict infrastructure access to authorised personnel.
10. Changes
We may update this policy from time to time. Material changes will be signposted on this page with a revised "last updated" date.