Data protection & privacy
Privacy Policy
This policy explains what personal information we collect in connection with the Don Plates Plate Designer, why we use it, who we may share it with and the rights available to individuals.
1. Who We Are
This Privacy Policy explains how ShawByte Labs Limited, trading as Don Plates ("Don Plates", "we", "us" or "our") handles personal information in connection with the Don Plates Plate Designer, our website, subscriptions and related support services.
For personal information we use for our own business purposes, ShawByte Labs Limited is the data controller. Where we process personal information placed in the Software by a business customer solely on that customer's instructions, we may instead act as a data processor. Our Data Processing Addendum applies where appropriate.
2. Scope of This Policy
This policy applies to account holders, prospective customers, subscribers, support contacts and visitors using the Plate Designer and associated Don Plates web services.
The Plate Designer is intended primarily for business and professional use by number plate suppliers and related businesses.
3. Information We Collect
Depending on how you use the service, we may collect:
- Account information: your name, business name, email address, username and account identifiers.
- Business information: company or trading details, number plate supplier details and information supplied to verify eligibility for relevant features.
- Subscription information: licence status, subscription start and expiry information, order references and payment status. Payment card details may be handled by a payment provider rather than stored by us.
- Profile and production settings: supplier markings, postcode, saved settings, calibration values and other preferences used by the Plate Designer.
- Saved designs and uploaded content: designs, logos, badges, artwork and other files you choose to save or upload.
- Support communications: emails, messages and information you provide when requesting help.
- Technical information: IP address, browser/device information, timestamps, security and application logs, and information needed to diagnose faults or prevent abuse.
4. How We Use Personal Information
We may use personal information to:
- create, authenticate and administer Plate Designer accounts;
- provide the Software, saved designs, profiles and subscription features;
- process and administer purchases, renewals and account access;
- verify eligibility for restricted or Road Legal functionality where applicable;
- send service messages, password resets, security notices and subscription-related communications;
- provide customer support and investigate technical problems;
- secure the service, detect misuse, prevent fraud and maintain logs;
- maintain, troubleshoot and improve the Software;
- meet legal, regulatory, accounting and tax obligations; and
- establish, exercise or defend legal claims where necessary.
5. Our Lawful Bases
| Purpose | Typical lawful basis |
|---|---|
| Providing your account, subscription and contracted service | Performance of a contract, or steps requested before entering into a contract. |
| Security, fraud prevention, service administration and improvement | Our legitimate interests in operating, protecting and improving a secure commercial software service, balanced against your rights and interests. |
| Tax, accounting or other mandatory records | Compliance with a legal obligation where applicable. |
| Optional direct marketing | Consent where required, or legitimate interests where permitted by law and appropriate. |
Where we rely on legitimate interests, those interests generally include securing and administering the service, preventing misuse, supporting customers and improving our products.
6. Cookies, Sessions and Technical Logs
We may use cookies or similar browser storage that are necessary to keep you signed in, maintain your session, remember essential settings and protect the service. We may also maintain server and application logs for security, fault diagnosis and service administration.
If we introduce non-essential analytics, advertising or other optional tracking technologies, we will provide any additional information and consent controls required by applicable law.
7. Who We Share Information With
We do not sell personal information. We may share information with service providers where reasonably necessary to operate the Plate Designer, including providers of:
- website and server hosting;
- email delivery and transactional messaging;
- payment processing;
- backup, security or technical infrastructure; and
- professional services such as legal or accounting support where necessary.
We may also disclose information where required by law, to a regulator or competent authority, or where reasonably necessary to establish, exercise or defend legal rights.
8. International Transfers
Some service providers may process information outside the United Kingdom. Where personal information is transferred internationally, we will use an appropriate lawful transfer mechanism where required, such as applicable adequacy regulations or approved contractual safeguards.
Specific provider and transfer information may be updated as our infrastructure changes. You may contact us for further information about safeguards relevant to your data.
9. How Long We Keep Information
We keep personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, including providing the service, maintaining appropriate business and financial records, resolving disputes and meeting legal obligations.
Account and saved-design information may be retained for a reasonable period after subscription expiry to facilitate renewal or recovery, but we do not guarantee indefinite retention. Information may remain temporarily in protected backups until it is overwritten or removed through the normal backup cycle.
10. Security
We use reasonable technical and organisational measures designed to protect personal information against accidental or unlawful loss, alteration, unauthorised disclosure or access.
You are responsible for keeping your account credentials secure and for the security of the devices, networks and browsers you use to access the service. Please contact us promptly if you believe your account has been compromised.
11. Your Data Protection Rights
Depending on the circumstances, UK data protection law may give you rights including access to your personal information, correction of inaccurate information, erasure, restriction of processing, objection to certain processing and data portability.
Where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw that consent at any time without affecting processing that was lawful before withdrawal.
To exercise a right, contact us using the details below. We may need to verify your identity before acting on a request.
You also have the right to complain to the UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) if you are unhappy with how your personal information has been handled. We would appreciate the opportunity to address your concern first.
12. Marketing Communications
Service messages necessary for your account, security or subscription are not marketing messages.
Where we send optional marketing, you can unsubscribe using the method provided in the message or by contacting us. Opting out of marketing will not prevent us from sending necessary account or service communications.
13. Automated Decision-Making
We do not currently use personal information to make solely automated decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects on individuals.
Road Legal configuration checks within the Plate Designer analyse plate-design settings and are production aids; they are not automated decisions about an individual.
14. Information Processed for Our Customers
If a business customer uses the Software to process personal information for which that customer determines the purpose and means, the customer is normally responsible for that information as controller and Don Plates may act as processor only to the extent we process it on the customer's documented instructions.
Where this relationship applies, our Data Processing Addendum forms the relevant data-processing terms.
15. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this policy to reflect changes to the Software, our providers, our processing activities or applicable law. The current version will be published on this page and the date above will be updated.
Where a change materially affects how we use personal information, we will take reasonable steps to bring it to affected users' attention.