Privacy notice
The GOV.UK Prototype Kit is provided by the Government Digital Service (GDS), which is part of the Cabinet Office. The data controller for GDS is the Cabinet Office — a data controller determines how and why personal data can be processed.
Read the Cabinet Office’s entry in the Data Protection Public Register for more information.
What data we collect from you
We collect certain information and data about you when you use the GOV.UK Prototype Kit.
We collect your user profile if you interact with us on collaboration tools and platforms
If you sign up to our mailing list, we’ll collect your:
- name
- email address and business contact details
Why we need your data
For a number of the activities that we undertake to complete our function, we need to process personal data. We collect certain personal data when you use the GOV.UK Prototype Kit.
We collect your data so that we can:
- tell you about work and updates on the Prototype Kit
- work with you on contributions, where you’ve proposed to add or improve part of the Prototype Kit
- support you, including both the provision of support and responses to user enquiries
- gather feedback, including gathering it to improve our services, and responding to it, if you have asked us to
- invite you to take part in user research
Our legal basis for processing your data
The legal basis for processing this data is that processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the controller. This is because the GOV.UK Prototype Kit brings together research, design and development from across government to make sure it’s representative and relevant for its users.
The legal basis for sending you updates through our mailing list is consent.
How long we keep your data
We will only keep your personal data for as long as:
- the law requires us to
- we need for the purposes listed above
This means that we will only hold your personal data for a minimum of 1 year and a maximum of 7 years.
If you have signed up to our mailing list, your email address will only be retained while you choose to remain on the list. At regular intervals we will draw your attention to your right to unsubscribe.
Where your data is processed and stored
We design, build and run our systems to make sure that your data is as safe as possible at any stage, both while it’s processed and when it’s stored.
Your personal data may be transferred outside the United Kingdom while being processed by GDS. If this happens, we’ll make sure you’re given the same level of technical and legal protection as you are within the United Kingdom.
Providers we use
As part of GOV.UK Prototype Kit we share your personal data with data processors who provide us with:
- software collaboration platforms when you share research, feedback or make a contribution
- mailing list providers when you sign up to receive emails from us
- support providers when you contact us for assistance
- web analytics services
We share a mailing list provider with the GOV.UK Design System. This means your data is part of the same system as the GOV.UK Design System mailing list.
View the GOV.UK Design System privacy notice.
We will not:
- sell or rent your data to third parties
- share your data with third parties for marketing purposes
We will share your data if we’re required to do so by law — for example, by court order, or to prevent fraud or other crime.
How we protect your data and keep it secure
We are committed to doing all that we can to keep your data secure. We set up systems and processes to prevent unauthorised access to or disclosure of the data we collect about you – for example, we protect your data using varying levels of encryption. All third parties that process personal data for GDS are required to keep that data secure.
Your rights
You have the right to request:
- information about how your personal data is processed
- a copy of that personal data
- that anything inaccurate in your personal data is corrected without undue delay
You can also:
- raise an objection about how your personal data is processed
- request that your personal data is erased if there is no longer a justification for it
- ask that the processing of your personal data is restricted in certain circumstances
If your personal data is processed on the basis of consent, you have the right to:
- withdraw consent to the processing of your personal data at any time
- request a copy of your personal data — this copy will be provided in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format
Find out more information about your rights .
Questions and complaints
Contact the GDS Privacy Office if you:
- have any questions about anything in this document
- think that your personal data has been misused or mishandled
- want to make a subject access request (SAR)
The contact details for the data controller are: Cabinet Office (Government Digital Service), White Chapel Building, 10 Whitechapel High Street, London, E1 8QS, or gds-privacy-office@digital.cabinet-office.gov.uk.
The contact details for the data controller’s Data Protection Officer are: Stephen Jones, Data Protection Officer, Cabinet Office, 70 Whitehall, London, SW1A 2AS, or dpo@cabinetoffice.gov.uk>.
The Data Protection Officer provides independent advice and monitoring of Cabinet Office’s use of personal information.
If you consider that your personal data has been misused or mishandled, you may make a complaint to the Information Commissioner, who is an independent regulator. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at: Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF, or 0303 123 1113, or icocasework@ico.org.uk.
Any complaint to the Information Commissioner is without prejudice to your right to seek redress through the courts.
Changes to this notice
We may change this privacy notice. When we make changes to this notice, the ‘last updated’ date at the bottom of this page will also change. Any changes to this privacy notice will apply to you and your data immediately. If these changes affect how your personal data is processed, GDS will take reasonable steps to make sure you know.
Last updated: 12 September 2022