Who we are
Soft Power Route is an independent DTV visa comparison resource, operated from the United Kingdom. This policy explains what information we collect when you use the site, why, and what rights you have over it under UK data protection law (UK GDPR).
What we collect, and why
UK data protection law requires us to state our "lawful basis" for each way we use your data - the specific legal justification, not just the business reason. Here's both, side by side:
| What | When | Why | Lawful basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Email address | Creating an account or purchasing the full guide | To give you access to your purchase and let you return to your saved tracker progress | Contract - necessary to deliver what you've paid for |
| Payment information | Purchasing the full guide | Processed directly by our payment provider (Stripe) - we don't store your card details ourselves | Contract - necessary to process your payment |
| Essential cookies | Whenever you browse the site | Keep you signed in and remember that you've unlocked the full guide | Necessary for the service - these don't require your consent, since the site can't function without them |
| Analytics data | Whenever you browse the site, if you consent | Understand which pages are useful and fix things that aren't working | Consent - you can decline this and still use the site normally |
We don't collect anything beyond what's needed to run the site and deliver what you've paid for. We don't sell your data to anyone.
Third parties we use
We rely on a small number of third-party services to run the site. Each only receives the information it needs to do its specific job:
- Stripe - processes payments for the full guide. Stripe has its own privacy policy governing how it handles your payment details; we never see or store your full card number.
- Google - if you choose to sign in with Google, Google shares your name and email address with us so we can create your account. We don't receive your Google password.
- Analytics provider - collects anonymized usage patterns (which pages are visited, roughly how) to help us improve the site.
Cookies
We use two kinds of cookies. Essential cookies keep you signed in and remember that you've unlocked the full guide - the site can't work properly without these, so they don't require your consent. Analytics cookies help us understand which pages are useful, and only run if you consent to them - we'll ask before setting any. We don't use cookies to track you across other websites or serve you ads.
How long we keep your data
We keep account information for as long as your account is active, so you retain access to what you've purchased. If you ask us to delete your account, we'll remove your personal data within 30 days, except where we're required to keep records (for example, payment records) for legal or tax purposes.
Your rights
Under UK GDPR, you have the right to:
- Access the personal data we hold about you
- Ask us to correct inaccurate data
- Ask us to delete your data (subject to the legal record-keeping exceptions above)
- Ask us to restrict or object to how we use your data
- Receive your data in a portable format
- Withdraw your consent at any time, where consent is our basis for processing (this applies to analytics - withdrawing it won't affect your account access or the guide you've purchased, since those rely on contract, not consent)
To exercise any of these rights, contact us using the details below. We'll respond within one month, as required by law.
Children's privacy
This site isn't directed at, and we don't knowingly collect data from, anyone under 18.
Changes to this policy
If we make material changes to how we handle your data, we'll update this page and change the "last updated" date above.
Contact us
For any privacy questions or to exercise your rights, email us at [email protected].