Privacy Policy
1. Overview
BarSmash takes your privacy seriously. This Privacy Policy explains what personal data we collect, how we use it, and your rights in relation to it. It applies to all users of the BarSmash platform.
By creating an account or using BarSmash, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy.
2. Who We Are
BarSmash is an independent digital revision platform. For the purposes of data protection law, BarSmash is the data controller in respect of personal data collected through the platform.
If you have any questions about how we handle your data, you can contact us at hello@barsmash.com.
3. Data We Collect
We collect the following categories of personal data:
Account data
- Your name and email address, provided when you register
- Your encrypted password (we do not store passwords in plain text)
- The date and version of your acceptance of our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy
Usage data
- Your responses to practice questions
- Session history, scores, and performance metrics
- Study streaks and activity dates
- Flagged questions and topic interactions
- Exam dates you enter for countdown tracking
Technical data
- IP address and approximate location
- Browser type, operating system, and device information
- Pages visited and actions taken within the platform
- Timestamps of logins and activity
4. How We Use Your Data
We use your personal data to:
- Create and manage your account
- Provide the BarSmash revision service, including personalised performance tracking and feedback
- Monitor and improve platform performance and content quality
- Communicate important service updates, such as changes to these policies
- Detect and prevent misuse or unauthorised access
- Comply with legal obligations
We do not use your data for automated decision-making that produces legal or similarly significant effects, and we do not sell your data to third parties.
5. Legal Bases for Processing
Under UK GDPR, we rely on the following legal bases to process your personal data:
- Contract: processing necessary to provide the service you have signed up for
- Legitimate interests: improving the platform, ensuring security, and monitoring usage patterns, where these interests are not overridden by your rights
- Legal obligation: where we are required to process or retain data by law
- Consent: where we ask for your specific permission, for example in relation to optional communications
6. Data Sharing
We do not sell your personal data. We may share data with the following categories of trusted third-party service providers who support the operation of BarSmash:
- Authentication and database services — to store your account and usage data securely
- Hosting and infrastructure providers — to deliver the platform
- Analytics providers — to help us understand how the platform is used, in aggregated or anonymised form where possible
- Payment processors — where paid features are available, to handle transactions securely
All third-party providers are required to handle your data in accordance with applicable data protection law. Where providers are based outside the UK, we take steps to ensure appropriate safeguards are in place.
We may also disclose data where required by law, court order, or to protect the rights and safety of BarSmash or its users.
7. Data Retention
We retain your personal data for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide the service. If you close your account, we will delete or anonymise your personal data within a reasonable period, except where we are required to retain it for legal, regulatory, or audit purposes.
Usage and performance data may be retained in anonymised form for platform improvement purposes after account deletion.
8. Your Rights
Under UK GDPR, you have the following rights in relation to your personal data:
- Right of access — to request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
- Right to rectification — to ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete data
- Right to erasure — to request deletion of your data in certain circumstances
- Right to restrict processing — to ask us to limit how we use your data
- Right to data portability — to receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format
- Right to object — to object to processing based on legitimate interests
- Right to withdraw consent — where processing is based on consent, to withdraw it at any time
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at hello@barsmash.com. We will respond within 30 days. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk.
9. Security
We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data against unauthorised access, loss, or disclosure. These include encrypted data storage, secure authentication, and access controls.
Whilst we take reasonable precautions, no internet-based service can guarantee absolute security. You are responsible for keeping your account credentials confidential.
10. Cookies and Analytics
BarSmash may use cookies or similar technologies to maintain your session, remember preferences, and collect anonymised usage analytics. These help us understand how the platform is used and improve it over time.
We do not use cookies for advertising or to track you across other websites. You can control cookie settings through your browser, though disabling certain cookies may affect platform functionality.
11. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Where changes are material, we will notify you by email or through the platform. The version number and date at the top of this page will always reflect the current version. We recommend reviewing this page periodically.
12. Contact Us
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests relating to your privacy or this policy, please contact us at: