Privacy Policy - The Idle Screen

Effective date: 1 August 2026

Last updated: 1 August 2026

1. Who we are

The Idle Screen ("we", "us", "our") runs the website theidlescreen.com (the "Service"). For the purposes of UK GDPR and the EU GDPR, the data controller is Matthew Needham. You can reach us at support@theidlescreen.com with any question about this policy or your data.

2. Using the Service without an account

You can use The Idle Screen without creating an account. If you do not sign in, your preferences are saved only on your own device and we do not hold an account for you. You only need an account if you want your settings saved to your profile and available across your devices.

3. What data we collect

We deliberately keep this to a minimum:

Account data: your email address and a securely hashed password, if you create an account.
Your preferences: the settings you choose (selected market instruments, data widgets, location, theme and sound choices), so we can save and restore your dashboard.
Location: an approximate location used to show your local time, weather and sunrise and sunset. This comes either from the location you set yourself, or, if you enable it, an approximate and non-precise location from your internet connection (IP address). We do not collect precise GPS location unless you explicitly allow it in your browser.
Technical and log data: standard information your browser sends, such as IP address, browser type and time of access, which our hosting provider processes to run and secure the Service.

We do not collect payment information from visitors, we do not sell your data, and we do not send you marketing.

4. How we use your data, and our legal bases

To provide the Service and save your dashboard preferences. Legal basis: performance of a contract and our legitimate interests in running the Service.
To create and secure your account. Legal basis: performance of a contract and our legitimate interests in security.
To show your local time, weather and related information. Legal basis: performance of a contract and legitimate interests.
To keep the Service secure and working, including logs and abuse prevention. Legal basis: legitimate interests.
To contact you about your account, such as password resets and important service notices. Legal basis: performance of a contract.

We do not carry out automated decision-making or profiling.

5. Featured Partners

At the foot of the screen we display the logos of Featured Partners, who pay to appear. This is not personalised, it does not use your personal data, and we do not share your data with partners or use advertising tracking cookies.

6. Cookies and local storage

We use only essential and functional storage needed to run the Service, for example keeping you signed in and remembering your preferences on your device (through cookies and browser local storage). We do not currently use analytics or advertising or tracking cookies. If we introduce analytics in future, we will update this policy and, where required, ask for your consent first.

7. Who we share data with (processors)

We use trusted third parties to run the Service. They process data on our instructions under appropriate agreements:

Base44: our application, hosting, authentication and database provider, which stores your account and preference data on our behalf.
Any email delivery provider we use to send account emails such as password resets.
Open-Meteo, for weather data: we send an approximate location to retrieve the weather, and we do not send your identity.

We keep this list up to date. We do not sell or rent your personal data to anyone.

8. International transfers

Your data may be processed on servers outside the UK and EEA by the providers above. Where that happens, we rely on appropriate safeguards, such as UK and EU approved transfer mechanisms, to protect your data.

9. How long we keep it

We keep your account and preference data for as long as your account is active. If you delete your account, we delete or anonymise your personal data within 30 days, except where we must keep limited records for legal or accounting reasons. Log data is kept only for a short period for security and troubleshooting.

10. Your rights

Under UK and EU GDPR you have the right to access your data, correct it, delete it (the "right to be forgotten"), restrict or object to processing, and receive a copy of it (portability). You can do most of this directly in your account settings, including deleting your account, or by emailing support@theidlescreen.com. We will respond within one month. Where we rely on your consent for anything, you can withdraw it at any time. You also have the right to complain to the UK regulator, the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk, or to your local data protection authority.

11. Security

We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect your data, including encryption in transit (HTTPS), secure password storage and access controls. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, but we work to protect your information and to notify you and the regulator of any breach where the law requires it.

12. Children

The Service is intended for people aged 16 and over. We do not knowingly collect data from children under this age. If you believe a child has given us their data, contact us and we will delete it.

13. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. We will post the new version here and update the "Last updated" date, and we will note significant changes in the app.

14. Contact

Questions or requests: support@theidlescreen.com.