Privacy Policy

1. Who we are

Universal Dating is operated by Vuurpijl Beheer B.V., registered with the Dutch Chamber of Commerce under number KVK 34108141, VAT number NL807542313B01, located at Lagedijk 11A, 2064 KV Spaarndam, Netherlands. We act as the data controller for the personal data processed through this platform.

For any privacy-related questions, please contact us at info@universal-dating.com.

2. What data we collect

We collect the following categories of personal data:

• Account data: name, email address, date of birth, gender, and password (hashed).
• Profile data: photos, bio, interests, preferences, location, and any information you choose to share on your profile.
• Usage data: interactions with the platform, matches, messages, and feature usage.
• Technical data: IP address, browser type, device information, and cookies.
• Communication data: messages you send through the platform and any support correspondence.
• Payment data: transaction records (payment processing is handled by third-party providers; we do not store full payment card details).

3. Legal basis for processing

We process your personal data on the following legal grounds under the GDPR:

• Contract performance (Art. 6(1)(b)): to provide and maintain our dating service, including matching, messaging, and account management.
• Consent (Art. 6(1)(a)): for optional features such as location-based services, marketing communications, and processing of special category data (e.g., sexual orientation).
• Legitimate interest (Art. 6(1)(f)): for platform security, fraud prevention, analytics, and improving our services.
• Legal obligation (Art. 6(1)(c)): to comply with applicable laws, such as tax and accounting requirements.

4. How we use your data

• To create and manage your account.
• To provide matching and connection features.
• To facilitate communication between users.
• To personalise your experience and improve our algorithm.
• To ensure platform safety and enforce our community guidelines.
• To send service-related notifications.
• To send marketing communications (only with your consent).
• To process payments and manage subscriptions.
• To comply with legal obligations.

5. Data sharing

We do not sell your personal data. We may share data with:

• Other users: profile information you choose to make visible.
• Service providers: hosting, email delivery, payment processing, and analytics providers who process data on our behalf under data processing agreements.
• Legal authorities: when required by law, regulation, or valid legal process.
• Safety purposes: to protect the safety of our users or the public.

6. International data transfers

Your data may be transferred to and processed in countries outside the European Economic Area (EEA). When this happens, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, such as Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) approved by the European Commission, or transfers to countries with an adequacy decision.

7. Data retention

We retain your personal data for as long as your account is active. After you delete your account, we will remove your personal data within 30 days, except where we are required by law to retain certain information (e.g., transaction records for tax purposes, which may be retained for up to 7 years). Anonymised and aggregated data may be kept indefinitely for analytics purposes.

8. Your rights under GDPR

As a data subject, you have the following rights:

• Right of access: request a copy of your personal data.
• Right to rectification: correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
• Right to erasure: request deletion of your data (“right to be forgotten”).
• Right to restriction: restrict the processing of your data in certain circumstances.
• Right to data portability: receive 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, without affecting the lawfulness of prior processing.
• Right to lodge a complaint: file a complaint with the Dutch Data Protection Authority (Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens) or your local supervisory authority.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at info@universal-dating.com. We will respond within 30 days.

9. Cookies and tracking

We use cookies and similar technologies for essential site functionality, analytics, and personalisation. You can manage your cookie preferences through your browser settings. For more details, please refer to our cookie banner and settings on the platform.

10. Security

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data, including encryption in transit and at rest, access controls, and regular security assessments. While we take all reasonable steps to protect your data, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure.

11. Children

Universal Dating is intended for users aged 18 and over. We do not knowingly collect personal data from anyone under the age of 18. If we become aware that we have collected data from a minor, we will promptly delete it.

12. Changes to this policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time. We will notify you of significant changes by email or through the platform. The “last updated” date at the top indicates when this policy was last revised.