Legal

Privacy Policy

This policy explains what personal data we collect when you use our website and the Distraction app, why we collect it, and the choices you have.

Last updated: 4 November 2026

Who we are

Distraction Entertainment LTD (“Distraction”, “we”, “our” or “us”) is the controller of the personal data described in this policy. It covers our website, distractionhq.com, and the Distraction app (listed on the App Store and Google Play as “Distrax”).

Distraction Entertainment LTD, 167-169 Great Portland Street, 5th Floor, London W1W 5PF
Email: hello@distractionhq.com

Information we collect

Account information: your name, email address, phone number (optional), account number and profile details. If you sign in with Apple or Google, we receive your name and email from them. If you use Apple’s “Hide My Email”, we receive a private relay address.
Host verification: a photo of your passport or driving licence and a proof of address. We keep a scrambled fingerprint of your ID number, never the number itself, to make sure each person has only one host account.
Account recovery: if you ask us to recover an account you can’t get into, photos of your ID (front and back) and photos of your face, so we can confirm it’s you.
Event and booking data: the events you book, save or host, your tickets and door check-ins, refund requests, and payments made through the app.
Messages: what you write in event group chats, the hosts’ chat and support chats with us.
Reports and reviews: reviews you leave, and reports or blocks you make about other people.
Location: your location, if you allow it, to show events near you. We don’t keep a history of where you’ve been.
Device data: your device type and a notification token so we can send you push notifications.
Optional information: profile photo, bio, city, Instagram handle and date of birth if you choose to add them.
Website enquiries: your name, email and message when you contact us or join our mailing list.

How and why we use it

We use your data to:

create and run your account and let you discover, book and host events (performance of a contract);
verify hosts to protect users and prevent fraud (legitimate interests and legal obligations);
run event group chats and send you updates about events you have booked (performance of a contract);
keep the community safe, investigate reports and enforce our guidelines (legitimate interests);
improve the app and personalise what you see (legitimate interests);
send newsletters and offers, only where you have opted in (consent, which you can withdraw at any time).

We never sell your personal data.

We only share personal data with:

Stripe, our payment processor, which handles ticket payments and pays hosts;
OneSignal, which delivers push notifications;
Apple and Google, if you choose to sign in with them;
Google Maps, which helps hosts enter event addresses;
service providers that host our app, website, database and email on our behalf, under contracts that protect your data;
other users, limited to your profile details and what you post in event chats, and, for hosts, the guest list of their own events;
law enforcement or regulators where the law requires it.

International transfers

Some of our service providers may process data outside the UK. When that happens we make sure appropriate safeguards are in place, such as the UK International Data Transfer Agreement or an adequacy decision.

How long we keep it

We keep your account data while your account is active. When you delete your account, we remove or anonymise your personal data. We keep a small record (your account number, a scrambled fingerprint of your email and of any host ID, and the reason you gave for leaving) to prevent fraud and repeat abuse. We also keep payment records for as long as tax law requires. Host ID documents and account-recovery photos are kept only as long as needed to verify you and keep the community safe.

Keeping your data safe

We comply with UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. Access to personal data is restricted to people who need it, and we regularly review our security measures.

Your rights

You can download a copy of your data, change your details, or delete your account at any time from the app’s settings.

You have the right to access, correct or delete your personal data; to restrict or object to how we use it; to data portability; and to withdraw consent at any time. To exercise any of these rights, email hello@distractionhq.com. We will respond within one month.

If you are unhappy with how we have handled your data, you can complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office at ico.org.uk.

Cookies

Our website does not use advertising or tracking cookies. Our font provider (Google Fonts) may receive your IP address when it delivers fonts to your browser. If we introduce analytics in the future, we will ask for your consent first.

Children

Distraction is not intended for anyone under 16, and we do not knowingly collect data from children. Some events and games are strictly 18+.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. We will post the new version here and, for significant changes, let you know in the app or by email.

Contact us