Plain-English summary
GateCode uses personal data to run accounts, create and verify temporary authorisations, secure the service, support customers and meet legal obligations. We do not build the collector journey around permanent accounts. Where an organisation uses GateCode to manage its own pupils, staff, customers or authorised collections, that organisation will often decide the purpose of that processing and GateCode will process the data on its instructions.
1. Who this notice covers
This notice applies to GateCode account holders, organisation staff, people named as temporary collectors, people or assets referenced in an authorisation, school-module records, support contacts and visitors to our public service.
Service operator: GateCode, United Kingdom. Privacy contact: support@gatecode.co.uk.
2. Controller and processor roles
GateCode acts as a controller for data used to create and secure GateCode accounts, operate the platform, prevent abuse, manage support and meet our own legal obligations. When a school, business, care provider or other customer determines why temporary-authorisation data is processed and GateCode handles that data on the customer's documented instructions, GateCode acts as a processor for that processing.
The legal role depends on the real processing activity, not simply the label used in a contract. Our Data Processing Addendum sets out the processor commitments available to organisation customers.
3. Information we process
| Category | Examples | Why it is used |
|---|---|---|
| Account data | Name, email, account type, password hash | Create and secure accounts, authenticate users and communicate about the service. |
| Organisation data | Organisation name, staff membership, role, site or enterprise relationship | Enforce access boundaries and support organisation administration. |
| Temporary authorisation data | Collector name, child/person/item description, reference, validity window, receiving organisation | Create and verify the specific temporary permission requested by the authoriser. |
| School-module data | Child, class/year, guardian relationship and pickup links | Support school pickup workflows where the school and authorised users choose to use the module. |
| Security and audit data | Session records, verification events, security events, user agent, administrative activity | Protect accounts, investigate abuse, maintain auditability and operate the service securely. |
| Support data | Messages, issue details and troubleshooting context | Respond to support and service requests. |
4. Lawful bases
Depending on the processing, GateCode may rely on performance of a contract, legitimate interests in operating and securing the service, compliance with legal obligations, or consent where consent is the appropriate basis. Organisation customers are responsible for identifying the lawful basis that applies to personal data they control and submit to GateCode.
For children's information used in school workflows, GateCode is designed around data minimisation and customer-controlled operational purposes. Schools and other controllers remain responsible for their own lawful basis, safeguarding obligations and transparency to families.
5. How information is used
- To create, share, open, verify, revoke and expire GateCodes.
- To provide dashboards, school, organisation, enterprise and reporting functions.
- To authenticate users and maintain secure sessions.
- To detect abuse, investigate incidents and enforce platform security.
- To provide support and operational communications.
- To produce aggregated service metrics after detailed temporary-authorisation data has been minimised.
- To meet legal, regulatory and contractual obligations.
6. Sharing and service providers
GateCode may use carefully selected hosting, infrastructure, email, messaging, payment and support providers where needed to operate the service. Providers receive only the access required for their role and are subject to appropriate contractual and security controls. We may also disclose information where required by law or where necessary to protect users, customers or the security of the service.
GateCode does not sell personal data.
7. International transfers
If a supplier processes personal data outside the United Kingdom, GateCode uses an appropriate transfer mechanism and safeguards required by UK data-protection law. Customer contracts can include relevant transfer information where applicable.
8. Retention and minimisation
GateCode applies a defined retention schedule rather than keeping temporary authorisation detail indefinitely. Expired share tokens are cleaned up, old operational authorisation detail is minimised, and long-term reporting can rely on aggregated metrics instead of collector or subject names. Full details are published in our Data Retention Standard.
9. Your rights
Depending on the circumstances, UK data-protection law may give you rights of access, rectification, erasure, restriction, objection and data portability, as well as rights relating to consent and automated decision-making. Signed-in users can use the GateCode Account & Privacy centre to download an account data export or submit an account-deletion request.
You may also contact support@gatecode.co.uk. You have the right to raise a concern with the UK Information Commissioner's Office.
10. Automated decisions
GateCode's core verification process evaluates the current state of a temporary authorisation—such as validity time, revocation state and organisation match. It is not designed to make automated decisions about a person that produce legal or similarly significant effects. The receiving organisation remains responsible for its real-world release, safeguarding and handover procedures.
11. Changes to this notice
We review this notice as GateCode develops. Material changes that affect how personal data is used will be reflected here and, where required, brought to users' attention through the service.