BusOva — Built for Bus Enthusiasts
Effective Date: 3rd January 2025
This Privacy Policy explains how BusOva ("we", "us", or "our") collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects your personal data when you use our website at www.busova.com (the "Website") and related services (collectively, the "Service").
We are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your data in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the Data Protection Act 2018, and where applicable, the EU General Data Protection Regulation (EU GDPR).
This policy should be read alongside our Terms and Conditions and Cookie Policy.
For the purposes of applicable data protection legislation, the data controller responsible for your personal data is:
BusOva
Email: webmaster@busova.com
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us using the details above.
We collect different types of information depending on how you interact with the Service.
| Category | Examples | When Collected |
|---|---|---|
| Account Information | Username, email address, password (stored securely hashed) | When you register an account |
| Profile Information | Display name, biography, location, profile picture, social links | When you complete or update your profile |
| User Content | Bus data submissions, photographs, comments, notes | When you contribute to the database |
| Communications | Messages, feedback, support requests | When you contact us |
| Category | Examples | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Technical Data | IP address, browser type and version, operating system, device type | Security, compatibility, diagnostics |
| Usage Data | Pages visited, time spent, navigation paths, referral sources | Analytics and service improvement |
| Log Data | Access times, error logs, request data | Security monitoring and troubleshooting |
| Cookie Data | Session identifiers, preferences, consent choices | Functionality and personalisation |
We may receive information about you from third-party services if you choose to link them to your account (for example, signing in via a social platform). We only collect information that you authorise.
We use your personal data for the following purposes:
| Purpose | Description | Lawful Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Provide the Service | Create and manage your account, enable contributions, display your content | Contract |
| Authentication & Security | Verify your identity, protect against fraud, detect suspicious activity | Contract / Legitimate Interests |
| Communications | Send service updates, respond to enquiries, provide support | Contract / Legitimate Interests |
| Personalisation | Remember your preferences (e.g., theme), tailor your experience | Consent / Legitimate Interests |
| Analytics & Improvement | Understand how the Service is used, identify issues, improve features | Legitimate Interests / Consent |
| Legal Compliance | Comply with legal obligations, respond to lawful requests | Legal Obligation |
| Enforce Terms | Enforce our Terms and Conditions, protect rights of users | Legitimate Interests |
Under UK GDPR, we must have a valid lawful basis to process your personal data. We rely on the following bases:
Where you have given clear consent for us to process your personal data for a specific purpose, such as receiving marketing communications or enabling optional analytics cookies. You may withdraw consent at any time.
Where processing is necessary for the performance of a contract with you, such as providing account services, enabling you to submit content, and managing your profile.
Where processing is necessary for our legitimate interests (or those of a third party) and your interests and fundamental rights do not override those interests. This includes operating and securing the Service, preventing fraud, and improving user experience.
Where processing is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation to which we are subject, such as responding to lawful requests from authorities or retaining certain records.
We do not sell your personal data. We may share your information only in the following circumstances:
Information you choose to make public on the Service — such as your username, profile information, bus submissions, photographs, and comments — will be visible to other users and may be indexed by search engines.
We engage trusted third-party service providers ("processors") to perform functions on our behalf, including:
All processors are bound by data processing agreements that require them to process data only on our instructions and maintain appropriate security measures in compliance with UK GDPR.
We may disclose your information if required to do so by law, regulation, or legal process, or if we believe in good faith that disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, your safety, or the safety of others.
If BusOva is involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your personal data may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you of any such change and any choices you may have.
We may share your information with third parties when you have given us explicit consent to do so.
Your personal data may be transferred to, stored, or processed in countries outside the United Kingdom. When we transfer data internationally, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, including:
These safeguards ensure your personal data remains protected to a standard consistent with UK GDPR requirements.
We retain personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by law. Our general retention periods are:
| Data Type | Retention Period | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Account Information | Until account deletion | Deleted upon verified request or extended inactivity |
| Profile Information | Until account deletion | You may update or remove at any time |
| User Content | Until removed or account deletion | Bus entries, photos, comments |
| Server Logs | Up to 12 months | For security and troubleshooting |
| Analytics Data | Up to 26 months | Aggregated and anonymised where possible |
| Backups | Up to 90 days | Encrypted, automatically rotated |
When personal data is no longer required, it is securely deleted or anonymised so that it can no longer be associated with you.
We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data against unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include:
While we take reasonable precautions, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security but are committed to protecting your data to the best of our ability.
Under UK data protection law, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:
| Right | Description |
|---|---|
| Right of Access | Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you |
| Right to Rectification | Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal data |
| Right to Erasure | Request deletion of your personal data ("right to be forgotten") |
| Right to Restrict Processing | Request limitation of processing in certain circumstances |
| Right to Data Portability | Request transfer of your data in a structured, machine-readable format |
| Right to Object | Object to processing based on legitimate interests or for direct marketing |
| Right to Withdraw Consent | Withdraw consent at any time where processing is based on consent |
| Rights Related to Automated Decision-Making | Not be subject to decisions based solely on automated processing that significantly affect you |
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at webmaster@busova.com. We may need to verify your identity before processing your request. We aim to respond to all legitimate requests within one month, though this may be extended for complex requests.
You may request deletion of your account through your profile settings or by contacting us directly. When a deletion request is submitted, your account will be marked as "Pending Deletion" and reviewed. Once approved, all associated data — including bus entries, photographs, profile information, and comments — will be permanently deleted in accordance with our retention schedule.
You will not have to pay a fee to exercise your rights. However, we may charge a reasonable fee or refuse to comply with requests that are manifestly unfounded or excessive.
We do not currently use automated decision-making or profiling that produces legal effects or similarly significantly affects you. If this changes in the future, we will update this policy and provide appropriate information and safeguards.
We use cookies and similar technologies to operate the Service, remember your preferences, and analyse usage. For detailed information about the cookies we use and how to manage them, please see our Cookie Policy.
The Service is not intended for children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 13. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal data, please contact us immediately at webmaster@busova.com and we will take steps to delete such information.
Users aged 13 to 17 should obtain consent from a parent or legal guardian before using the Service.
The Service may contain links to third-party websites or services that are not operated by us. We have no control over and assume no responsibility for the content, privacy policies, or practices of any third-party sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit.
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or for other operational reasons. When we make material changes, we will:
We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically. Your continued use of the Service after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.
If you are not satisfied with how we handle your personal data or respond to your requests, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK supervisory authority:
Information Commissioner's Office (ICO)
Website: ico.org.uk
Telephone: 0303 123 1113
We would, however, appreciate the opportunity to address your concerns before you approach the ICO, so please contact us first.
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:
Email: webmaster@busova.com
We aim to respond to all enquiries within 48 hours.
© 2026 BusOva. All rights reserved.
