Privacy Policy

This policy explains how we collect, use and protect personal data when you visit routead.com, contact us, use our traffic network as an advertiser or publisher, or interact with the ads and tracking links we serve.

Who we are

RouteAd is a trading name of Netstar Limited, a company registered in England and Wales (company number 06018540) with its registered office at 71-75 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2H 9JQ. For the personal data described in this policy, Netstar Limited is the data controller, except where we say we act as a processor.

You can contact us about this policy or your personal data using the contact form on our homepage.

What we collect

We do not knowingly collect special category data, and our network is not directed at children under 18.

How and why we use it

• To provide the network and manage accounts (running campaigns, tracking traffic, reporting, billing and payouts). Lawful basis: performance of a contract with you, or steps taken at your request before a contract.
• To prevent fraud, invalid traffic and abuse, and to keep our systems secure. Lawful basis: our legitimate interests in protecting our business, our customers and the network.
• To measure and improve the network (for example, optimisation and quality scoring). Lawful basis: our legitimate interests.
• To respond to enquiries. Lawful basis: our legitimate interests in running our business and replying to you.
• To meet legal obligations, such as tax, accounting and anti-fraud requirements. Lawful basis: legal obligation.
• To send you business communications about our services. We send marketing emails to business contacts only where the law allows it, and you can opt out at any time.

Where the law requires consent, for example for non-essential cookies, we rely on consent. Advertisers and publishers who send traffic through our network are responsible for providing any notices and obtaining any consents required on their own websites, apps and traffic sources.

Cookies and similar technologies

Our own website uses only the cookies and similar technologies needed for it to work and stay secure. We also store a small preference in your browser's local storage to remember that you have dismissed the cookie notice, so we do not show it on every visit. Our tracking links and ad delivery may set or read cookies and similar identifiers on end users' devices to attribute clicks and conversions, count events accurately and detect invalid traffic. You can control cookies through your browser settings, although blocking them may affect how tracking works.

Who we share data with

We share personal data only where needed to run the service, and we require our providers to protect it. Our main categories of recipients are:

• Platform provider: AdKernel, which supplies the ad-serving and tracking platform we use. It processes traffic and account data on our behalf.
• Infrastructure and security: Cloudflare, which hosts and secures our website and DNS.
• Communications: Web3Forms, which delivers contact form submissions to us, and Zoho, which provides our email.
• Payment and finance providers and our professional advisers, such as accountants and lawyers.
• Advertisers and publishers on the network, who receive campaign and traffic reporting. This does not include your name or contact details unless you are the advertiser or publisher concerned.
• Authorities and other third parties where we are required to by law, or to protect our rights, or in connection with the sale or restructuring of our business.

We do not sell personal data.

International transfers

Some of our providers are located, or process data, outside the UK. Where personal data is transferred outside the UK, we make sure a lawful transfer mechanism is in place, such as an adequacy decision or the UK International Data Transfer Agreement or Addendum.

How long we keep data

• Contact enquiries: up to 12 months after the conversation ends.
• Account, billing and payment records: for the life of the account and then 6 years, to meet tax and accounting requirements.
• Raw traffic and tracking logs: up to 12 months, after which they are deleted or aggregated so they no longer identify individuals.

We may keep data for longer where needed to resolve a dispute, investigate fraud or comply with the law.

Security

We use reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal data, including encrypted connections and restricted access. No system is completely secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security.

Your rights

Under UK data protection law you have the right to access your personal data, have it corrected or erased, restrict or object to our processing, and receive a portable copy of data you gave us. Where we rely on consent you can withdraw it at any time. To exercise these rights, use the contact form on our homepage and tell us which right you want to use. We may need to verify your identity first.

If you are unhappy with how we handle your data, you can complain to the Information Commissioner's Office at ico.org.uk. We would appreciate the chance to resolve your concern first.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. The date at the top shows when it was last changed, and material changes will be notified to registered account holders.