Privacy Policy
Privacy Policy
This policy explains what personal data Sonarch Sounds Ltd ("we", "us") collects when you visit this website, contact us or buy sonarch, why we collect it, how long we keep it and the rights you have. We process personal data in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.
The short version: we collect the minimum needed to deliver your software and keep lawful business records. We do not sell, rent or share your personal data with third parties for their own purposes, and sonarch itself runs entirely on your computer and sends us nothing.
1. What data we collect
When you buy sonarch
- Name and email address, so we can deliver your download and licence and identify your order if you contact us.
- Payment reference (order number, transaction ID, amount, currency, date and the country used for tax purposes). Card payments are handled by our payment processor; we never see or store your full card number.
- Licence details generated for your purchase, such as your licence key and the version purchased.
When you contact us
- Your name, email address and the contents of your message, including any technical details you choose to include.
- If you use the "Notify me" link on our website, your email app opens a message to us. We hold the email address you send from so that we can let you know when sonarch is released.
When you visit this website
- This website sets no cookies and uses no analytics, advertising or tracking scripts.
- Our web host may record standard server logs (IP address, browser type, pages requested, timestamps) for security and to keep the site running. These are kept for a short period and are not used to identify you.
- Headings on this site use a typeface loaded from Google Fonts. When the page loads, your browser requests the font files from Google's servers, which means Google receives your IP address. See Google's Privacy Policy for details.
What we do not collect
The sonarch application does not collect or transmit any data. The descriptions you type, the sounds you create and your usage of the software stay on your computer. The software requires no account and no internet connection to run.
2. Why we collect it and our lawful basis
- To deliver your purchase: sending your download link and licence, and verifying your licence if you need it re-issued. Lawful basis: performance of a contract with you.
- To keep accounting records: maintaining sales and tax records in our accounting system (currently QuickBooks). Lawful basis: compliance with our legal obligations under UK company and tax law.
- To provide support and reply to enquiries: answering your emails and resolving technical or licence problems. Lawful basis: performance of a contract, or our legitimate interest in responding to people who contact us.
- To notify you of the release if you have asked us to. Lawful basis: your consent, which you can withdraw at any time by emailing us.
- To keep the website secure: server logs. Lawful basis: our legitimate interest in preventing abuse and keeping the service available.
We do not use your data for automated decision-making or profiling, and we do not send marketing emails unless you have explicitly asked us to.
3. Who we share it with
We do not sell or share your personal data with third parties for their own use. We only use a small number of service providers who process data on our behalf and under our instructions:
- Payment processor: to take your payment securely. They process your payment details under their own privacy policy, which will be shown to you at checkout.
- Email provider: to send and receive email, including your download and licence details.
- Accounting software (QuickBooks): to store the sales record required for our accounts.
- Web hosting provider: to serve this website.
Some providers may store data outside the United Kingdom. Where that happens, we rely on the UK's adequacy regulations or the International Data Transfer Agreement / Addendum to ensure your data is protected to UK standards.
We may also disclose personal data where required by law, court order or a regulator, or to protect our legal rights.
4. How long we keep it
- Purchase and licence records: for as long as your licence is valid, so that we can re-issue it if you lose it, and in any case for at least 6 years after the end of the financial year in which the sale took place, as required by UK tax law.
- Support correspondence: for up to 2 years after the matter is closed, so that we can refer to it if the same issue comes up again.
- Release-notification requests: until we have sent the notification, or until you ask us to remove you, whichever is sooner.
- Server logs: typically no more than 30 days.
5. How we keep it secure
We use reputable providers with encryption in transit, restrict access to personal data to those who need it, and use strong authentication on the accounts that hold it. No system is perfectly secure; if we ever become aware of a breach that puts your rights at risk, we will notify you and the Information Commissioner's Office as required by law.
6. Your rights
Under UK GDPR you have the right to:
- Access the personal data we hold about you
- Rectify data that is inaccurate or incomplete
- Erase your data, where we no longer have a lawful reason to keep it (note that we must retain accounting records for the period required by law)
- Restrict or object to certain processing, including any processing based on legitimate interests
- Portability: receive the data you gave us in a common, machine-readable format
- Withdraw consent at any time where consent is our lawful basis
To exercise any of these rights, email hello@sonarchsounds.com. We will respond within one month. We may need to confirm your identity first.
If you are unhappy with how we have handled your data, you have the right to complain to the UK supervisory authority, the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO): ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint, or by telephone on 0303 123 1113. We would appreciate the chance to resolve your concern first.
7. Children
Our products and website are not directed at children under 16, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from them. If you believe a child has provided us with personal data, please contact us and we will delete it.
8. Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time. The "last updated" date at the top shows when it last changed. If a change materially affects how we use your data, we will let existing customers know by email where we are able to.
9. Contact
Sonarch Sounds Ltd
128 City Road, London EC1V 2NX, United Kingdom
hello@sonarchsounds.com
See also our Terms of Service and Refund Policy.