Privacy Policy
Last updated: November 11, 2025
1. Introduction
Pepper-Spray.uk ("we", "our", or "us") is committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website pepper-spray.uk ("the Site").
Please read this privacy policy carefully. If you do not agree with the terms of this privacy policy, please do not access the site.
2. Information We Collect
2.1 Personal Information
When you submit a response through our form, we may collect the following personal information:
- Name: First name (required) and last name (optional)
- Location: UK town/city (optional) and county (required) - used to create a heat map of support across the UK, not for exact physical addresses
- Email Address: Required for human verification to ensure data integrity
- Opinion: Your support level regarding pepper spray legalisation
- Comments: Any additional thoughts you choose to share
Why We Collect Location Data
We collect general location information (town/city and county) to create a visual heat map showing where support for pepper spray legalisation exists across the UK. We have no desire to collect exact physical addresses or precise location data. This broad geographic information helps demonstrate the nationwide scope of this campaign.
Why We Verify Email Addresses
Email verification serves one primary purpose: to ensure we are engaging with real humans, not automated bots. This verification process gives the information we collect more integrity and authenticity, making our campaign data more credible and meaningful.
2.2 Automatically Collected Information
We may collect certain information automatically when you visit our site:
- IP address for security verification (Cloudflare Turnstile)
- Browser type and version
- Pages visited and time spent on the site
- Referring website information
3. How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect for the following purposes:
- Email Verification: To verify your email address and confirm authentic submissions from real humans
- Public Display: To display verified responses (with limited personal information) on our website
- Campaign Analytics: To understand public opinion and create anonymised statistics
- Geographic Heat Mapping: To visualise support across different UK regions using general location data
- Communications: To send verification emails and occasional campaign updates (opt-out available)
- Security: To prevent spam and abuse through verification processes
- Legal Compliance: To comply with applicable laws and regulations
4. Our Data Protection Commitment
We Will NEVER Sell or Give Away Your Information
Pepper-Spray.uk makes an absolute commitment that we will never sell, rent, lease, or give away your personal information to third parties for commercial purposes.
Your data is collected solely for the campaign purposes outlined in this policy. We do not monetise user data, we do not have advertising partners, and we do not engage in data brokerage of any kind. Your trust is paramount to our mission.
4.1 Data Protection Measures
We are committed to protecting your data using industry-standard security measures:
- Patched and Maintained Servers: Our systems are regularly updated with the latest security patches
- Secure Infrastructure: We use reputable hosting providers with strong security practices
- Access Controls: Limited access to personal data on a need-to-know basis
- Regular Monitoring: Continuous monitoring for security threats and vulnerabilities
Security Disclaimer
While we implement robust security measures and maintain patched, up-to-date servers, we cannot guarantee absolute security. No internet-based system is completely immune to security breaches. We commit to using best practices and promptly addressing any security issues that may arise.
5. Information Sharing and Disclosure
5.1 Public Display
Once your email is verified, the following information may be displayed publicly:
- First name and last initial (if provided)
- Town/city and county (for heat mapping purposes)
- Your support position (yes/no/maybe)
- Comments (if provided)
- Submission date
Your full email address is never displayed publicly and is used solely for verification purposes.
5.2 Third-Party Services
We use the following third-party services that may collect information:
- Cloudflare Turnstile: For spam protection and security verification
- Mailgun: For sending verification and notification emails
- Web hosting provider: For website hosting and database storage
These services are bound by their own privacy policies and are necessary for the technical operation of our campaign. We do not share your data with these services for any purpose beyond the technical requirements of running this website.
6. Data Retention
We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes outlined in this privacy policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law. Specifically:
- Verified responses: Retained indefinitely for campaign purposes
- Unverified responses: Deleted after 30 days if email not verified
- Email communications: Retained for record-keeping purposes
7. Data Security
We implement appropriate technical and organisational security measures to protect your personal information against unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include:
- Secure HTTPS encryption for all data transmission
- Regular security updates and patches
- Access controls and authentication measures
- Regular data backups and recovery procedures
8. Your Rights Under GDPR
If you are a resident of the European Economic Area (EEA), you have certain data protection rights:
- Access: Request copies of your personal data
- Rectification: Request correction of inaccurate personal data
- Erasure: Request deletion of your personal data under certain conditions
- Restrict Processing: Request restriction of processing your personal data
- Data Portability: Request transfer of your data to another organisation
- Object: Object to our processing of your personal data
9. Cookies and Tracking Technologies
We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your browsing experience, analyze site usage, and support our campaign efforts. This section provides comprehensive details about our cookie practices.
9.1 What Are Cookies
Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit our website. They help us remember your preferences, understand how you use our site, and improve your overall experience.
9.2 Types of Cookies We Use
- Essential Cookies: Required for basic website functionality
- Session Cookies: For form functionality and security (Cloudflare Turnstile)
- Preference Cookies: Remember your cookie consent choices
- Analytics Cookies: Help us understand visitor behavior and site performance
- Campaign Tracking Cookies: Monitor advocacy campaign effectiveness
9.3 Comprehensive Data Collection
When you accept cookies, we collect detailed information to support our campaign and improve our services:
Technical Information
- IP address and approximate geographic location
- Browser type, version, and operating system
- Device information (screen resolution, device type)
- Internet service provider and connection type
- Time zone and language preferences
Behavioral Information
- Pages visited and time spent on each page
- Click patterns and interaction data
- Referral sources and entry/exit pages
- Search terms used to find our site
- Session duration and frequency of visits
Campaign Tracking
- UTM parameters and marketing campaign sources
- Social media referrals and engagement metrics
- Conversion tracking for form submissions
- A/B testing and content optimization data
9.4 Cookie Consent Choices
You have complete control over cookie usage on our website:
- Accept All: Consent to comprehensive data collection for full site functionality and campaign analytics
- Deny: Only essential cookies required for basic functionality will be used
- Browser Settings: You can modify your browser settings to block or delete cookies
- Withdrawal: You can withdraw consent at any time by clearing your browser cookies
Impact of Denying Cookies
While you can deny non-essential cookies, this may limit some website features including form submissions, personalization, and our ability to track campaign effectiveness. Essential cookies for security and basic functionality will always remain active.
9.5 Data Retention and Purpose
Cookie consent data is retained for the following purposes:
- Campaign Analytics: Understanding public engagement and support patterns
- Advocacy Reporting: Demonstrating campaign reach and effectiveness to stakeholders
- Website Optimization: Improving user experience and content delivery
- Security and Compliance: Preventing abuse and meeting legal requirements
- Research Purposes: Anonymous statistical analysis for campaign strategy
9.6 Third-Party Services
We use select third-party services that may set their own cookies:
- Cloudflare Turnstile: For spam protection and security verification
- Mailgun: For email delivery and verification services
- IP Geolocation Services: For approximate location data
We do not use advertising tracking, social media pixels, or behavioral advertising networks. Our focus is solely on campaign effectiveness and user experience improvement.
10. Children's Privacy
Our service is intended for users aged 18 and over. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us.
11. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update our Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the "Last updated" date. You are advised to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes.
12. Contact Us
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your data protection rights, please contact us: