Privacy Policy

The Lounge Community ("The Lounge", "we", "us", "our") is a private online community platform for administrative and executive support professionalsdministrative professionals. The Lounge is operated by Your Virtual Office Manager Ltd, a company registered in England and Wales.

Data Controller: Your Virtual Office Manager Ltd
Contact: hello@theloungecommunity.co.uk

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store and protect your personal data when you use theloungecommunity.co.uk. It applies to all members and visitors of The Lounge Community.

By creating an account and using The Lounge, you agree to the collection and use of your information as described in this policy.

Data you provide directly

When you create an account, we collect:

• Your email address
• Your chosen username
• Your timezone or location (optional)
• Your chosen avatar emoji
• Your password (stored in encrypted form — we never see it in plain text)

When you use the platform, we collect:

• Posts and replies you write
• Polls you create and votes you cast
• Events you submit or RSVP to
• Your likes and interactions

Data collected automatically

When you visit The Lounge, we may automatically collect your IP address, browser type and version, pages visited and time spent, and referring website. We use this data solely to keep the platform running securely and do not use it for advertising or tracking purposes.

We share your data only where necessary to operate the platform:

Supabase (supabase.com) — our database and authentication provider. GDPR compliant.

Vercel (vercel.com) — our hosting provider. GDPR compliant.

Resend (resend.com) — our email delivery provider, used only for transactional emails such as account verification and password resets.

We do not share your data with any other third parties, advertisers, data brokers, or analytics platforms.

The Lounge is a closed, approval-based community. Your posts, replies, and profile information are visible only to other approved members. Nothing you post is publicly accessible on the internet.

Your email address is never visible to other members.

When you delete your account, your personal information and all posts will be permanently deleted within 30 days.

To exercise any of these rights, email: hello@theloungecommunity.co.uk. We will respond within 30 days.

The Lounge uses only essential cookies required for the platform to function — specifically to keep you logged in between sessions. We do not use tracking cookies, advertising cookies, or any third-party analytics cookies.

• All data is transmitted over HTTPS (encrypted in transit)
• Passwords are hashed using bcrypt — we never store plain text passwords
• Database access is restricted using Row Level Security
• API keys and secrets are stored securely and never exposed publicly
• Access to the database is restricted to authorised personnel only

In the event of a personal data breach that is likely to result in a risk to your rights and freedoms, we will notify the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) within 72 hours and inform affected members without undue delay.

The Lounge is intended for adults (18+). We do not knowingly collect data from anyone under 18. If you believe a minor has created an account, please contact us and we will delete it promptly.

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make significant changes, we will notify members via the platform or by email.

You have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK's data protection authority:

Information Commissioner's Office (ICO)
Website: ico.org.uk
Helpline: 0303 123 1113

We would appreciate the opportunity to address your concerns directly first. Please email us at hello@theloungecommunity.co.uk.

Email: hello@theloungecommunity.co.uk
Website: theloungecommunity.co.uk
Company: Your Virtual Office Manager Ltd