GOV.UK app testing privacy notice: how we use your data
Published 18 March 2025
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/govuk-app-testing-privacy-notice-how-we-use-your-data/govuk-app-testing-privacy-notice-how-we-use-your-data
The Government Digital Service (GDS) has invited users to sign up to test the new GOV.UK app. Feedback from this testing will be used to make improvements to the app.
The Government Digital Service (GDS) is part of the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology. The data controller for GDS is the Department for Science, Information and Technology - a data controller determines how and why personal data can be processed.
1. Data we collect from you
When you sign up to test the GOV.UK app, you’ll be asked to provide your email address so that we can contact you about taking part in further research.
You’ll also be asked what age bracket you’re in. This is so that we can understand the demographics and diversity of our user test group, which will help inform our decision about when to release the app to the general public.
You’ll also be asked whether you’re an iPhone or Android user. This is so we can direct iPhone users to the iPhone version of the app, and notify Android users when the Android version is released.
The legal basis for processing this data is your consent. If you do not give your consent, you will not be able to join the user test group. If you do give consent and change your mind, you can contact dataprotection@dsit.gov.uk and ask for your data to be deleted.
2. What we do with your data
The data we collect may be shared with other government departments, agencies and public bodies. It may also be shared with our technology suppliers, for example our hosting provider.
We will share your data if we’re required to do so by law – for example, by court order, or to prevent fraud or other crime.
We will not:
- sell or rent your data to third parties
- share your data with third parties for marketing purposes
3. How long we keep your data
We will only keep your personal data for as long as:
- the law requires us to
- we need for the purposes listed above
We’ll contact you once a year to ask if you consent to us keeping the data we collected when you signed up to test the app. We will keep this data for a maximum of 12 months before we contact you.
We will keep data we collect when you contact us for 1 year after the last message you send to us.
4. Where your data is processed and stored
We design, build and run our systems to make sure that your data is as safe as possible at any stage, both while it’s processed and when it’s stored.
Your personal data may be transferred outside the United Kingdom while being processed by GDS. If this happens, we’ll make sure you’re given the same level of technical and legal protection as you are within the United Kingdom.
5. Who we share your data with
As part of research into the GOV.UK app, we share your personal data with data processors who store data about users who are testing the app.