Data Protection

Privacy Policy

This policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your personal information when you use PoliRank's platforms and services.

Last Updated: May 1, 2025
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Community Guidelines

Our Privacy Commitment

PoliRank is committed to protecting your privacy and personal data. We believe in transparency about how we collect, use, and share information about you. This Privacy Policy is designed to help you understand our data practices and your rights to control your personal information.

As a platform dedicated to political engagement and transparency, we take the responsibility of handling your data with the utmost care. We've designed our privacy practices to balance the need for verification (to ensure platform integrity) with strong privacy protections that give you control over your information.

Who This Policy Applies To

This Privacy Policy applies to all users of PoliRank's services, including our website, mobile applications, and related online services. It describes how we handle personal information when you use our services, regardless of how you access them. By using our services, you consent to the data practices described in this policy.

Privacy Policy Details

Information We Collect

Information You Provide

When you create an account, we collect your name, email address, and constituency information for verification purposes. When you post reviews or participate in discussions, we collect the content you submit.

  • Account information (name, email, password)
  • Profile information (optional biography, profile picture)
  • Constituency verification data (address, voter ID where applicable)
  • Content you post (reviews, comments, ratings)
  • Survey responses and feedback

Information We Collect Automatically

When you use our services, we automatically collect certain information about your device and how you interact with our platform.

  • Device information (browser type, operating system, IP address)
  • Usage data (pages visited, features used, time spent)
  • Location data (general location based on IP address)
  • Log data (access times, error reports)
  • Cookies and similar tracking technologies

How We Use Your Information

Core Service Functionality

We use your information to provide, maintain, and improve our services, including verifying your constituency for relevant political reviews.

  • Verify your identity and constituency for representative reviews
  • Display your content and enable interactions with other users
  • Personalize your experience based on your preferences
  • Process and complete transactions
  • Send service notifications and updates

Research and Analytics

We use anonymized and aggregated data to analyze platform usage patterns and improve our services.

  • Generate statistical reports on political engagement trends
  • Improve platform features based on user behavior
  • Analyze the effectiveness of civic engagement tools
  • Conduct research on democratic participation (with anonymized data)
  • Detect and prevent fraudulent activity or platform abuse

How We Share Your Information

Public Information

Information you choose to make public on our platform is visible to other users and visitors. This includes reviews, ratings, and public profile information.

  • Public profile information (username, bio, profile picture)
  • Reviews and ratings of political representatives
  • Comments in public discussions and debates
  • Public participation in petitions or civic initiatives
  • Verified constituency status (without revealing specific address)

Third-Party Sharing

We do not sell your personal information to advertisers or data brokers. We share limited information with service providers who help us operate our platform.

  • Service providers who help us operate our platform (hosting, analytics)
  • Identity verification services (for constituency verification)
  • Legal requirements (court orders, legal obligations)
  • With your consent (when you explicitly authorize sharing)
  • During corporate transactions (merger, acquisition, sale of assets)

Identity & Constituency Verification

Verification Process

To maintain platform integrity, we verify users' identities and constituencies when they review representatives. This process is designed to balance verification with privacy protection.

  • Secure cross-referencing with voter registration databases
  • Address verification to confirm constituency
  • Document verification options for jurisdictions without accessible voter data
  • Identity verification to prevent impersonation and duplicate accounts
  • Privacy-preserving methods that minimize data retention

Verification Data Handling

Verification data is handled with heightened security measures and is not used for purposes beyond confirming your eligibility to review specific representatives.

  • Encryption of all verification documents and data
  • Deletion of sensitive verification documents after review
  • Strict access controls for staff handling verification information
  • Regular audits of verification processes and data handling
  • Separation of verification data from public profile information

Data Security & Protection

Security Measures

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, loss, or alteration.

  • Encryption of sensitive personal information in transit and at rest
  • Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments
  • Multi-factor authentication for account protection
  • Employee training on data security and privacy best practices
  • Incident response procedures for potential data breaches

Data Retention

We retain your information only as long as necessary to provide our services, comply with legal obligations, or as specified in this policy.

  • Account information retained until account deletion or inactivity period
  • Verification data retained only as long as necessary for verification
  • Content retained until deleted by user or account termination
  • Usage data retained in anonymized form for analytics
  • Backup retention for disaster recovery purposes

Your Privacy Rights & Choices

Access and Control

You have the right to access, correct, update, or request deletion of your personal information. You can manage many privacy settings directly through your account.

  • Access your personal data through account settings
  • Correct or update your profile information
  • Control privacy settings for profile visibility
  • Download a copy of your data (Data Export feature)
  • Request deletion of specific content or your entire account

Additional Rights

Depending on your location, you may have additional rights under applicable data protection laws such as GDPR (EU) or CCPA (California).

  • Right to object to processing of your personal information
  • Right to restrict processing of your personal information
  • Right to data portability (receive your data in a structured format)
  • Right to withdraw consent where processing is based on consent
  • Right to lodge a complaint with a data protection authority

Cookies & Tracking Technologies

Cookie Usage

We use cookies and similar technologies to provide, protect, and improve our services, including remembering your preferences and authentication.

  • Essential cookies necessary for platform functionality
  • Authentication cookies to remember your login status
  • Preference cookies to remember your settings
  • Analytics cookies to understand how you use our services
  • Security cookies to help protect your account

Cookie Controls

You can control cookies through your browser settings and our cookie preference center.

  • Cookie consent preferences can be updated at any time
  • Browser settings can be configured to block or delete cookies
  • Required cookies cannot be declined as they are necessary for basic functions
  • Third-party analytics cookies can be disabled without affecting core functionality
  • Do Not Track signals are respected when technically feasible

Account Closure & Data Deletion

Account Closure Process

You can close your account at any time through your account settings. When you close your account, we handle your data as described below.

  • Account closure option available in account settings
  • Verification before closure to prevent unauthorized account deletion
  • Option to download your data before closure
  • Grace period during which account can be reactivated
  • Information about what happens to your content after closure

Data Deletion

When you delete your account, we remove your personal information from our active systems, though some information may be retained as described in this policy.

  • Personal information deleted or anonymized within 30 days
  • Public content (reviews, comments) remains with author marked as {`Anonymous`}
  • Backup copies retained for a limited time for technical reasons
  • Information retained if required by law or legitimate business purposes
  • Option to request deletion of specific content even without account closure

International Data Transfers

How We Transfer Data Internationally

PoliRank operates globally and may transfer your information to countries outside your country of residence. When we transfer personal data across borders, we take steps to ensure that your information receives an adequate level of protection wherever it is processed.

For transfers from the European Economic Area (EEA) to countries not deemed to provide an adequate level of data protection, we implement measures such as standard contractual clauses approved by the European Commission to protect your personal information.

Data Protection Safeguards

We implement appropriate safeguards for international transfers, including contractual obligations, privacy certifications, and selecting processors with strong data protection practices.

Regional Data Processing

Where possible, we process data within your region. For European users, we prioritize data processing within the EU. For UK users, we prioritize UK-based processing in compliance with UK data protection laws.

Legal Basis for Processing (EU/UK Users)

For users in the European Union and United Kingdom, we process your personal data based on the following legal grounds:

Contractual Necessity

Processing necessary to provide services to you under our Terms of Service, such as maintaining your account, processing payments, and providing customer support.

Legitimate Interests

Processing that serves our legitimate interests, such as preventing fraud, ensuring network security, and improving our services. We balance our interests against your privacy rights.

Consent

Processing based on your specific consent, such as for optional features or communication preferences. You can withdraw consent at any time.

Legal Obligations

Processing necessary to comply with legal requirements, such as tax laws, responding to legal processes, or fulfilling regulatory obligations.

Children's Privacy

Age Restrictions & Protections

PoliRank's services are not directed to individuals under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 16. If you are a parent or guardian and believe that your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately.

If we discover that a child under 16 has provided us with personal information, we will take steps to delete such information from our systems as soon as possible. We may require age verification for certain features to ensure compliance with this policy.

In some jurisdictions, users between 16-18 years old may use our services with parental consent as required by local law. Special data protection measures apply for these young users, including enhanced privacy settings and restricted data processing.

Changes to This Policy

Policy Updates

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, services, or applicable laws. We will notify you of any material changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the "Last Updated" date.

For significant changes, we will notify you through a prominent notice on our services or by sending you an email. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we are protecting your information.

Recent Updates

May 1, 2025

Updated policy to include enhanced data subject rights and additional details on constituency verification procedures.

January 15, 2025

Revised cookie policy and added more detailed information about data processing and international transfers.

October 10, 2024

Added section on data deletion and retention, updated sharing practices for clarity.

Questions or Concerns?

If you have any questions or concerns about our Privacy Policy or data practices, please contact our Data Protection Officer.

Contact Information

Data Protection Officer: privacy@polirank.com

Postal Address: PoliRank Ltd., 123 Democracy Way, London, EC1V 9BD, United Kingdom

EU Representative: PoliRank EU Representation, Avenue de Tervueren 270, Brussels 1150, Belgium