1. Introduction

Welcome to Britain Direct. We are committed to creating an ultra secure Private Members Only club where your privacy is paramount. This Privacy Policy outlines our practices concerning the collection, use, and protection of your information.

Please Note: Britain Direct is a personal project, not a commercial entity. It is developed and managed by a British expatriate based in Southeast Asia, with the aim of creating a secure and authentic community for British patriots exhausted by the current state of the UK.

By using Britain Direct, you confirm that you are 18 years of age or older, or the age of legal majority in your jurisdiction.

2. Information We Collect

Britain Direct is designed to minimise data collection. We collect the following types of information:

• Account Information: When you register for Britain Direct, we collect your chosen username, email address, and a hashed version of your password. You will also be required to confirm you are 18 years of age or older. If a passkey system is utilised for specific accounts, this will be provided by site administration for one-time use and not stored long-term.
• Profile Information: You may voluntarily provide additional information for your profile, such as a display name, biography, or profile picture.
• Content: We collect the content you create, post, or share on Britain Direct, including text updates, images, and comments. This includes content within groups and "Soap Boxes" (our private, invite-only chat rooms).
• Payment Information: Britain Direct does not collect, store, or process any payment information. All payment processing is handled securely by Stripe, a third-party payment processor. When you subscribe to a paid membership tier, you provide your payment information directly to Stripe. Britain Direct only receives confirmation of successful payments and basic subscription status information (such as whether your subscription is active). Your payment details, including credit card information, remain with Stripe and are never accessible to Britain Direct.
• Device and Usage Information: We do not collect device-specific information (such as hardware model or operating system). We do not use cookies for tracking. We do not use third-party analytics services like Google Analytics.
• Usage Information: We may collect information about how you interact with Britain Direct, such as features used and engagement with content. This data is primarily used for platform improvement and is anonymised or aggregated where possible.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

• Provide, operate, and maintain the Britain Direct platform.
• Process and manage your registration and account.
• Communicate with you regarding your account or platform updates.
• Enforce our Terms of Service and other policies.
• Protect the security and integrity of our platform and its users.
• Improve the security and functionality of Britain Direct.

4. Information Sharing and Disclosure

Britain Direct is designed to be an ultra secure Private Members Only club. We limit information sharing as follows:

• With Other Users: Your profile information and the content you post are visible to other users of the platform, as governed by your privacy settings and the nature of the feature (e.g., public posts vs. private groups).
• With Service Providers: We do not share your personal information with third-party service providers, except for payment processing through Stripe. All backend services are managed in-house to maintain control over your data.
• For Legal Reasons: We may disclose your information if we believe it is reasonably necessary to (a) comply with a law, regulation, legal process, or governmental request, (b) protect and defend the rights or property of Britain Direct, (c) prevent or investigate possible wrongdoing in connection with the platform, or (d) protect the personal safety of users of Britain Direct or the public.

5. Third-Party Services

Britain Direct uses the following third-party services:

• Stripe Payment Processing: For subscription payments, we use Stripe as our payment processor. When you make a payment, you provide your payment information directly to Stripe. Britain Direct only receives confirmation of successful payments and basic subscription status. Your payment details remain with Stripe and are never accessible to Britain Direct. Please review Stripe's Privacy Policy for information about how they handle your data.
• Firebase (Google): We use Firebase for authentication, database, and hosting services. Firebase is operated by Google and is subject to Google's Privacy Policy.

While we carefully select our third-party providers, we cannot control their privacy practices. We encourage you to review their privacy policies.

6. "Soap Boxes" and Privacy

Our "Soap Boxes" feature provides private, invite-only chat rooms. Uninvited users cannot join or view the content of these rooms. The host and co-hosts control access and participation. Content shared within a "Soap Box" is private to its members. However, we cannot control what participants do with the information shared within the room, and we encourage all users to be mindful of what they share.

The "ultra secure" nature of Britain Direct refers to our commitment to robust security practices, privacy-focused design, and minimising unnecessary data collection and sharing, particularly within features like "Soap Boxes".

7. Data Security

We implement a variety of security measures to maintain the safety of your personal information. These include the use of encryption for data in transit and at rest, secure password hashing, and strict access controls. However, no method of transmission over the Internet or method of electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee its absolute security.

8. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide you with our services. We may also retain and use your information as necessary to comply with our legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements. You may delete your account at any time, which will remove your profile and content from public view, subject to our data retention policies for backup and archival purposes.

9. Children's Privacy

Britain Direct is intended for individuals who are 18 years of age or older, or the age of legal majority in their jurisdiction. We do not knowingly collect personal information from individuals under this age. If you are under 18 (or the applicable age of majority), you are not permitted to use Britain Direct. If we become aware that an individual under the required age has provided us with personal information or created an account in violation of this policy, we will take steps to delete such information and terminate the account.

10. 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. You are advised to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes. Changes to this Privacy Policy are effective when they are posted on this page.

11. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us. Please note that as a personal, community-driven project, specific contact methods will be made available as the platform develops.