Who we are
useful is run by Useful Software Ltd (“we”, “us”), a company registered in England and Wales with company number 16352620. Our registered office is at 1 Tape Street, Cheadle, Stoke-On-Trent, Staffordshire, England, ST10 1BB. We are the data controller for personal data collected through this website.
For anything in this notice, write to security@useful.software.
What we collect, and why
When you email us
If you write to us, we use your email address and what you send us to reply to you. We do not add you to a marketing list, and we do not sell your details to anyone.
Our lawful basis is our legitimate interest in replying to people who contact us, or taking steps at your request before entering a contract if you ask about using useful.
Analytics
With your consent, we use Google Analytics 4 to understand how people find and use this site — which pages are read, which links are followed, roughly where in the world visitors are, and what kind of device they use. This sets cookies on your device.
Our lawful basis is consent. We ask before we set these cookies, and nothing is stored on your device if you decline. You can change your mind at any time — see “Your cookie choices” below.
If you decline, your browser still sends Google a basic record of each page visit, with no cookies and nothing that identifies your device from one visit to the next. Google uses these to estimate the overall numbers. Our lawful basis for this is our legitimate interest in knowing how the site is used.
Advertising
With your consent, we use Google Ads conversion tracking to see which adverts lead people to get in touch with us. This tells us that an advert worked. It does not tell us who you are.
Our lawful basis is consent. If you decline, we still count the conversion in a form that cannot be linked back to a device, and Google estimates the rest statistically.
Server logs
This site is served by Firebase Hosting, which records standard request logs including IP addresses. We use these to keep the service running and secure. Our lawful basis is our legitimate interest in operating the site.
Cookies and similar storage
| What | Purpose | Consent needed |
|---|---|---|
cookie-consent | Remembers your choice, so we do not ask again | No — strictly necessary |
_ga, _ga_* | Google Analytics | Yes |
| Google Ads cookies | Measuring which advert led someone to get in touch | Yes |
Your cookie choices
We ask before setting any cookie that is not strictly necessary. Until you accept, analytics and advertising run without storing anything on your device.
To change your choice, clear this site’s data in your browser settings. The banner will then appear again on your next visit.
Who we share data with
We do not sell personal data, and we do not share it for anyone else’s marketing. We use these providers to run the site:
- Google — Firebase Hosting, Google Analytics and Google Ads.
Google may process data in the United States. Where personal data leaves the UK or the European Economic Area, the transfer is covered by the UK International Data Transfer Addendum or the European Commission’s Standard Contractual Clauses.
How long we keep it
- Emails to us — up to 24 months from your last contact with us, then deleted.
- Analytics — up to 14 months, then deleted automatically by Google.
- Server logs — as retained by Firebase Hosting in the ordinary course.
Your rights
Under UK and EU data protection law you have the right to ask us for a copy of your personal data, to correct it, to delete it, to restrict or object to how we use it, and to receive it in a portable form. Where we rely on consent, you can withdraw it at any time — this does not affect anything done before you withdrew it.
To exercise any of these, write to security@useful.software. We will respond within one month.
If you are unhappy with how we have handled your data, you can complain to the UK Information Commissioner’s Office at ico.org.uk, or to your local supervisory authority in the EEA. We would rather you told us first, so we can put it right.
Changes to this notice
If we change how we handle personal data on this site, we update this page and change the date at the top.