Privacy

Who we are

Virtual Postcards (“we”, “us”) is the controller of the personal data described here. You can reach us at privacy@virtualpostcard.net.

What we collect

If you have an account: your email address, the name you sign postcards with, and your settings (such as whether to show a postmark).

The postcards you make: the words, photos, voice notes, caption, handwriting font, postmark city, and who each one is for (their name, and their email address if you email it). If you schedule a card, we keep the time it's due.

Occasions you save for reminders: the person's name, the date and which reminders you want.

Group postcards: the title and who it's for, and for everyone who signs it, the name and message they add.

What happens to a card after it's sent: when it's opened, flipped, its voice note played, pinned to a Fridge and thanked. The sender can see whether their card was opened, pinned or thanked.

Payments: Stripe handles your card details; we never see your card number. We keep your Stripe customer reference, what you bought and your remaining stamps.

“Post one to yourself” on the homepage: the email address you enter and a scrambled (hashed) version of your IP address, so we can stop repeat sends.

Security: to stop abuse we briefly keep a hashed version of your IP address, and the email address used to request a sign-in link, as rate-limit records. Our sign-in provider also logs sign-in activity, including IP addresses, for security.

How we use it, and why we're allowed to

To provide the service you've asked for (our contract with you): running your account, delivering postcards by link or email, the Fridge, group cards, reminders you've switched on, and taking payment.

For our legitimate interests: keeping the service secure and free of abuse, telling a sender their card was opened or thanked, and emailing a recipient the postcard someone sent them.

To meet legal obligations: keeping payment records.

We do not sell your data, we don't send marketing emails, and we don't use advertising or analytics trackers.

If someone sends you a postcard

The sender gives us your name, and your email address if they email it to you. We use it only to deliver that postcard and keep it on your Fridge. You don't need an account. To have your details removed, email privacy@virtualpostcard.net.

Who can see a postcard

Anyone with a postcard's link can open it, so share it only with the person it's for. The same goes for a Fridge link and a group card's signing link. Links are long and random, and postcard, Fridge and account pages are hidden from search engines.

Postmarks

The postmark shows the city you type in. You can change it or hide it on any postcard, or turn it off by default in your account. We don't use your device's location.

Cookies and storage on your device

We only use what the service needs, so we don't ask for cookie consent:

Sign-in cookies, to keep you signed in. “vp_fridge”, so a recipient's browser remembers their Fridge (up to 5 years). “vp_signer”, so someone who signs a group card can update their line (up to 1 year).

In your browser's local storage: your light or dark theme, and a draft of the postcard you're writing, so it isn't lost while you sign in or pay. Both stay on your device.

No analytics or advertising cookies.

Who helps us run it

Supabase (database, sign-in and file storage), Stripe (payments), Resend (sending email) and Cloudflare (hosting). They process data only on our instructions.

Our pages load handwriting fonts from Google Fonts, which means Google receives your IP address when you visit. Sample pages show stock photos from Unsplash and Picsum.

Some of these companies process data outside the UK. Where they do, it's protected by safeguards approved under UK law, such as the UK International Data Transfer Addendum.

How long we keep it

Your account and postcards: until you delete your account.

Rate-limit records: 2 days. “Post one to yourself” sign-ups: 90 days.

Deleting your account (from your account page) removes your profile, the postcards you've sent (they disappear from your recipients' Fridges too), photos, voice notes, occasions, group cards, any Fridge kept for your email address, and your Stripe customer record. Stripe keeps records of past payments for as long as the law requires.

Your rights

You can ask to access, correct, export or delete your data, or object to how we use it. Email privacy@virtualpostcard.net and we'll respond within a month. You can delete your account yourself at any time.

If you're unhappy with how we've handled your data, you can complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ico.org.uk).

Children

Virtual Postcards isn't for children under 13, and we don't knowingly collect their data.

Changes

If we change how we use your data, we'll update this page and the date at the top.