Last updated: March 2026
Introduction
Pollen Count UK (“we”, “our”, or “us”) is dedicated to protecting your privacy and ensuring the security of your personal information. This privacy policy explains how we collect, use, and safeguard data when you use our website at pollencount.org and the Pollen Count mobile application (together, the “Services”).
By using the Services, you agree to the practices described in this policy. Please also review our Terms of Service which govern your use of the Services.
Information we collect
Analytics
We use Matomo, a self-hosted analytics platform, to understand how visitors use our website. Matomo runs on our own servers — your analytics data is not sent to any third party. The data we collect through analytics may include:
- Pages visited, time spent on pages, and general interaction patterns.
- Device type, browser, operating system, and screen resolution.
- Approximate location derived from your IP address (at a city level).
- Referral source (how you arrived at our website).
We configure Matomo to respect “Do Not Track” browser settings and to anonymise IP addresses.
App usage data
Within the mobile app, we collect limited data to improve performance and reliability:
- App usage statistics, such as features used and time spent on various screens.
- Device information, including model and operating system version.
- Crash reports and performance metrics to help us identify and resolve issues.
Information we do not collect
We do not require you to create an account, and we do not collect personal information that directly identifies you, such as your name, email address, or phone number, unless you choose to contact us directly.
Location data
Our app uses your device’s location to provide accurate, localised pollen forecasts. Here’s how we handle this:
- All location processing occurs on your device.
- We do not store your precise location on our servers.
- Your location may be temporarily used for geocoding (converting coordinates to place names) or reverse geocoding (converting place names to coordinates). Any location data used for this purpose is processed in real time and is not retained.
- You can revoke location permissions at any time through your device settings, though this may limit some app features.
How we use your information
We use the data described above for the following purposes:
- To provide and improve the Services, including forecast accuracy and user experience.
- To understand usage patterns and make informed decisions about new features.
- To identify and fix technical issues, bugs, and performance problems.
We do not use the data we collect directly to build individual marketing profiles or to send you marketing communications.
Cookies and similar technologies
Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit a website. We use the following categories of cookies:
Strictly necessary cookies
These are essential for the website to function and cannot be switched off. They include cookies that manage your consent preferences.
Analytics cookies
We use Matomo analytics cookies to understand how visitors interact with our website. As noted above, Matomo is self-hosted and your data is not shared with third parties. These cookies are only placed with your consent where required by law.
Advertising cookies
Our website displays advertisements served by third-party advertising networks, including Google AdSense. These networks may place cookies or use similar technologies (such as web beacons and device identifiers) to:
- Serve advertisements relevant to your interests based on your browsing activity across websites.
- Limit the number of times you see a particular advertisement.
- Measure the effectiveness of advertising campaigns.
These third-party advertising partners have their own privacy policies governing how they collect and use your data. Google’s advertising privacy practices are described in Google’s Privacy & Terms.
You can opt out of personalised advertising from Google by visiting Google Ads Settings. You can also opt out of interest-based advertising from many other networks at Your Online Choices (EEA/UK) or the Network Advertising Initiative (US).
Managing cookies
When you first visit our website, you will be presented with a consent banner that allows you to accept or reject non-essential cookies (including analytics and advertising cookies). You can also control cookies through your browser settings. Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of the Services.
Consent management
For visitors in the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland, we use a Google-certified Consent Management Platform (CMP) that integrates with the IAB Transparency and Consent Framework (TCF). This ensures that your consent preferences are communicated to advertising partners before any non-essential cookies are placed on your device.
We will not serve personalised advertisements to users who do not provide consent. Where consent is declined, you may still see advertisements, but they will not be tailored to your interests.
Legal basis for processing (UK/EEA)
If you are located in the United Kingdom or the European Economic Area, we process your data on the following legal bases under UK GDPR and EU GDPR:
- Legitimate interests: For operating and improving the Services, including analytics (where consent is not required or has been given).
- Consent: For placing non-essential cookies (analytics and advertising) on your device, and for processing data for personalised advertising.
- Legal obligation: Where we are required to process or retain data to comply with applicable law.
You may withdraw your consent at any time. Withdrawal does not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal.
Data sharing
We do not sell your personal data.
We share data with third parties only in the following limited circumstances:
- Advertising partners: When you consent to advertising cookies, third-party ad networks (including Google AdSense) may collect data about your browsing activity as described in the “Advertising cookies” section above.
- Analytics: Our analytics data is processed on our own servers and is not shared with third parties.
- Legal requirements: We may disclose information in response to valid requests by public authorities, including to meet national security or law enforcement requirements.
Data retention
- Analytics data is retained in aggregate form and is periodically purged of any identifiable information.
- Advertising cookies are managed by third-party networks according to their own retention policies.
- If you contact us by email, we retain your correspondence for as long as necessary to respond to your enquiry and for our legitimate record-keeping purposes.
Data security
We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your data, including:
- Encryption of data in transit using industry-standard protocols (TLS).
- Regular security reviews of our infrastructure.
- Strict access controls for our systems and servers.
While we take reasonable precautions, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.
Children’s privacy
The Services are not directed at children under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe that a child has provided us with personal data, please contact us and we will take steps to delete that information.
International users
Our servers are located in the United Kingdom and the European Union. If you access the Services from outside these regions, please be aware that your data may be transferred to and processed in the UK or EU. By using the Services, you consent to this transfer.
Your rights
Under UK GDPR and EU GDPR, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:
- Access: The right to request a copy of the data we hold about you.
- Rectification: The right to request correction of inaccurate data.
- Erasure: The right to request deletion of your data (the “right to be forgotten”).
- Restriction: The right to request that we restrict processing of your data.
- Portability: The right to receive your data in a structured, commonly used format.
- Objection: The right to object to processing of your data, including for direct marketing purposes.
- Withdrawal of consent: Where processing is based on consent, the right to withdraw that consent at any time.
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details below. We will respond to your request within one month, as required by law.
If you are not satisfied with our response, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk.
Changes to this policy
We may update this privacy policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, the Services, or applicable law. The date of the most recent revision is shown at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.
Contact us
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this privacy policy, please contact us at:
Email: [email protected]