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    Privacy Policy for NearbyYou

     

    Last Updated: 5 February 2026

     

    NearbyYou Limited (“we”, “our”, or “us”) operates nearbyyou.co.uk and whatisnearme.co.uk (the “Services”). This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our Services.

     

    By using NearbyYou, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy.

    1. Information We Collect

     

    1.1 Personal Information You Provide

     

    When you use NearbyYou, we may collect:

     

    – Account Information: Email address, username, password (encrypted)
    – Profile Information: Name, preferences, interests, saved favourites
    – Business Owner Information: Business name, address, contact details, VAT number, payment information
    – Communication Data: Messages sent through our platform, support requests, feedback

     

    1.2 Automatically Collected Information

     

    When you visit NearbyYou, we automatically collect:

     

    – Location Data: Your approximate location (city/region) to show relevant nearby businesses
    – Device Information: IP address, browser type, operating system, device identifiers
    – Usage Data: Pages visited, time spent, clicks, searches, discovery method usage (Swipe, Maze, Passport stamps)
    – Analytics Data: How you interact with our platform, which features you use

     

    1.3 Cookies and Tracking Technologies

     

    We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to:

     

    • Remember your preferences and settings
    • Analyse platform usage and improve user experience
    • Track Passport stamps and gamification progress
    • Provide personalised content recommendations
    • Measure advertising effectiveness

     

    You can control cookie preferences through your browser settings. Disabling cookies may limit some platform functionality.

    2. How We Use Your Information

     

    We use collected information for the following purposes:

     

    2.1 Platform Services

     

    • Provide and maintain our discovery platform
    • Show relevant nearby businesses based on your location
    • Process Passport stamp collections and verify physical visits
    • Enable gamification features (Maze, Take Me Anywhere, Vibe Discovery)
    • Save your favourite businesses and preferences
    • Send service notifications and updates

     

    2.2 Business Purposes

     

    • Process subscription payments for business listings
    • Provide analytics to business subscribers about their listing performance
    • Verify business authenticity and prevent fraudulent listings
    • Send marketing communications to business owners (with consent)

     

    2.3 Improvement and Analytics

     

    • Analyse user behaviour to improve platform features
    • Conduct A/B testing for new features
    • Generate aggregate statistics (never personally identifiable)
    • Identify and fix technical issues
     
    2.4 Legal Compliance

     

    • Comply with legal obligations and requests from authorities
    • Enforce our Terms of Service
    • Protect against fraud, abuse, and security threats

    3. How We Share Your Information

     

    We DO NOT sell your personal information. We may share your information in the following circumstances:

     

    3.1 With Business Listings

     

    When you visit a business using Passport or engage with their listing, we share anonymous engagement metrics (views, clicks, visits) with that business. We do not share your personal contact information unless you choose to contact them directly.

     

    3.2 Service Providers

     

    We share information with trusted third-party service providers who help us operate our platform:

     

    – Payment Processors: Stripe (for subscription payments)
    – Hosting Services: Our web hosting provider
    – Analytics Services: Google Analytics, Search Console
    – Email Services: For transactional and marketing emails (with consent)

     

    These providers are contractually obligated to protect your data and use it only for specified services.

     

    3.3 Legal Requirements

     

    We may disclose your information if required by law, court order, or governmental authority, or to protect our rights, property, or safety.

     

    3.4 Business Transfers

     

    In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred to the acquiring entity. We will notify you of any such change in ownership.
     

    4. Data Retention

     

    We retain your personal information only as long as necessary for the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy:

     

    – Active Users: While your account remains active
    – Business Subscribers: For the duration of the subscription plus 7 years (for accounting/tax purposes)
    – Analytics Data: Aggregate, anonymised data may be retained indefinitely
    – Deleted Accounts: Personal data is deleted within 30 days of account deletion request
     

    5. Your Rights Under GDPR

     

    As a UK-based service, we comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). You have the following rights:

     

    5.1 Right to Access

     

    Request a copy of all personal data we hold about you.

     

    5.2 Right to Rectification

     

    Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal data.

     

    5.3 Right to Erasure (“Right to be Forgotten”)

     

    Request deletion of your personal data, subject to legal retention requirements.

     

    5.4 Right to Restrict Processing

     

    Request that we limit how we use your personal data.

     

    5.5 Right to Data Portability

     

    Receive your personal data in a machine-readable format to transfer to another service.

     

    5.6 Right to Object

     

    Object to processing of your personal data for direct marketing or legitimate interests.

     

    5.7 Right to Withdraw Consent

     

    Withdraw consent for data processing at any time (where processing is based on consent).

     

    5.8 Right to Lodge a Complaint

     

    File a complaint with the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk.

     

    To exercise any of these rights, contact us at: advertising@nearbyyou.co.uk
     

    6. Children’s Privacy

     

    NearbyYou is not intended for users under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you are a parent/guardian and believe your child has provided personal information, contact us immediately and we will delete it.
     

    7. Data Security

     

    We implement appropriate technical and organisational security measures to protect your personal information:

     

    – Encryption: SSL/TLS encryption for data transmission
    – Secure Storage: Encrypted database storage
    – Access Controls: Limited employee access to personal data
    – Regular Security Audits: Ongoing monitoring for vulnerabilities
    – Incident Response: Procedures for handling data breaches

     

    However, no method of transmission over the Internet is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your data, we cannot guarantee absolute security.
     

    8. International Data Transfers

     

    NearbyYou operates primarily in the United Kingdom. If we transfer personal data outside the UK/EEA, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place (such as Standard Contractual Clauses or adequacy decisions).
     

    9. Third-Party Links

     

    Our Services may contain links to third-party websites, applications, or services not operated by us. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third parties. We encourage you to review their privacy policies.
     

    10. Marketing Communications

     

    10.1 For Users

     

    With your consent, we may send promotional emails about new features, special offers, and relevant content. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking “Unsubscribe” in any marketing email.

     

    10.2 For Business Subscribers

     

    As part of your subscription, we may send transactional emails (billing, listing updates, analytics). You can opt out of promotional emails while still receiving essential service communications.

     

    11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

     

    We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated “Last Updated” date. Significant changes will be communicated via email or prominent notice on our platform.

     

    Continued use of NearbyYou after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.

     

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    12. Contact Us

     

    If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal data:

     

    Email: advertising@nearbyyou.co.uk  
    Address: NearbyYou Limited, United Kingdom  
     

     

    For GDPR-related complaints, you may also contact the UK Information Commissioner’s Office:
    – Website: ico.org.uk
    – Phone: 0303 123 1113

     

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    13. Cookie Policy

     

    13.1 Types of Cookies We Use

     

    Strictly Necessary Cookies  
    Essential for platform functionality (login sessions, security, load balancing). Cannot be disabled.

     

    Performance Cookies  
    Track how visitors use our site (Google Analytics). Help us improve user experience.

     

    Functionality Cookies  
    Remember your preferences (language, location settings, saved filters).

     

    Targeting Cookies  
    Track your browsing to show relevant content and measure advertising effectiveness.

     

    Gamification Cookies  
    Track Passport stamps, Maze progress, and discovery activity.

     

    13.2 Managing Cookies

     

    You can control cookies through your browser settings:
    – Chrome: Settings → Privacy and Security → Cookies
    – Firefox: Options → Privacy & Security → Cookies and Site Data
    – Safari: Preferences → Privacy → Cookies and website data
    – Edge: Settings → Privacy, search, and services → Cookies

     

    Disabling cookies may affect platform functionality, particularly gamification features.

     

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    14. Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR)

     

    We process your personal data under the following legal bases:

     

    – Consent: Where you have given explicit consent (marketing communications, cookies)
    – Contract: To provide our Services and fulfil subscription agreements
    – Legitimate Interests: To improve our platform, prevent fraud, and ensure security
    – Legal Obligation: To comply with UK laws and regulations

     

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    15. Automated Decision-Making

     

    We do not use automated decision-making or profiling that produces legal effects or similarly significantly affects you.

     

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    Thank you for trusting NearbyYou with your information. We are committed to protecting your privacy and transparency in how we use your data.