Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains how The VR Community Awards ("we", "us", "our") collects, uses, and protects personal information when visitors access or use our website and voting panel (collectively, the "Service"). We are based in the United Kingdom and operate globally.

By using the Service, you consent to the practices described in this Policy. If you do not agree with any part of this Policy, you should discontinue use of the Service.

1. Data We Collect

We collect only the information necessary to operate the Service and measure its usage.

1.1 Information You Provide

• Email address — collected only when you choose to log in using Google OAuth and cast a vote.
  • This email is stored alongside your vote to ensure voting integrity.
  • We do not use this email for messaging or marketing.
  • We do not have consent to send promotional emails and therefore do not send any.

1.2 Information Collected Automatically

• Usage analytics and traffic data, such as:
  • Pages visited
  • Time spent on pages
  • Browser, device, and operating system identifiers
  • Anonymised IP-based region information

We use this information to analyse traffic and improve our Service. We do not sell this data, and we do not run advertisements.

Note: Some of this information may be collected via cookies or similar technologies. A separate Cookies Notice may apply depending on your region.

2. How We Use Your Data

We do not use your personal data for:

• Targeted advertising
• Selling to third parties
• Unsolicited communication

3. Our Legal Basis for Processing (UK GDPR / UK Data Protection Act 2018)

We process personal data under the following legal grounds:

• Legitimate Interests — maintaining service quality and ensuring secure, fair voting
• Performance of a Contract — enabling authenticated access to the voting panel you choose to use

We rely on consent only for login, which is granted through the Google OAuth flow.

4. Data Sharing & Third Parties

We may share your data only with service providers who help us operate the Service:

These providers only process data as instructed by us and never gain ownership of your personal information.

We do not share your data with advertisers or data brokers.

5. International Transfers

Because the Service is accessible globally, your data may be processed or stored in countries outside the United Kingdom. When this occurs, we ensure protection via:

• Standard contractual clauses (where applicable)
• Regional data safeguards offered by providers
• Technical protections such as encryption and access controls

6. Data Retention

• Voting-related email data is retained only as long as necessary to maintain vote integrity.
• Analytics data may be stored in aggregate form for trend analysis.

When data is no longer needed, we take reasonable steps to delete or anonymise it.

7. Your Rights

Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have the right to:

• Access your personal data
• Request correction or deletion
• Object to processing based on legitimate interest
• Withdraw OAuth permission (via your Google account settings)

To exercise your rights, contact us at info@vrcommunityawards.com.

We may request identity verification before fulfilling requests.

8. Children's Privacy (COPPA)

Our Service is not directed to children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13.

• If you are under 13, do not use the voting panel or submit personal data.
• If we become aware that data from a child under 13 has been collected, we will delete it promptly.

Parents or guardians who believe their child's information has been collected may contact us at info@vrcommunityawards.com.

9. Cookies & Tracking

We may use cookies or similar technologies to:

• Maintain session authentication
• Analyse service usage

Where required by law, you will be asked to consent to analytics cookies before they are applied. Essential cookies may operate without prior consent.

10. Data Security

We implement reasonable measures to protect your data, including:

• Encryption in transit
• Access controls
• Limiting data access to authorised personnel only

No method of electronic transmission is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When changes occur, the "Last updated" date at the top will reflect the change. Continued use of the Service after updates constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.

12. Contact Us

If you have any questions or wish to exercise your rights, you can contact us at:

The VR Community Awards
info@vrcommunityawards.com

Thank you for using our Service.