Privacy Policy

1. Who we are

The data controller for this website is MockTheory (mocktheory.uk). You can contact us about privacy at any time through our contact page.

We comply with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the Data Protection Act 2018 and the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR).

2. The short version

• You can use every test on MockTheory without creating an account or giving us your name or email.
• Your test scores are saved only in your own browser. We never receive them.
• The site shows adverts from Google AdSense and may use Google Analytics. These use cookies, which we only set for analytics or personalised advertising if you agree.
• If you contact us, we use your details only to reply.
• We never sell your personal data.

3. Data we collect

Information you give us

When you use our contact form, we collect your name, email address and the content of your message, plus any other details you choose to include.

Information collected automatically

When you visit the site, our web server and the third-party services described below may collect technical information such as your IP address, browser type, device type, operating system, the pages you visit, the time of your visit and the website that referred you. Some of this is collected through cookies and similar technologies – see our cookie policy.

Information stored only on your device

Our quizzes and mock tests use your browser's local storage (localStorage) to remember your last and best scores, using keys that start with mt:. This information stays on your device and is never sent to us. You can delete it at any time by clearing your browser's site data for mocktheory.uk.

4. How we use your data and our lawful bases

Where we rely on consent, you can withdraw it at any time through the cookie settings on our site. This won't affect anything we did before you withdrew it.

5. Google AdSense (advertising)

We use Google AdSense to show adverts, which keeps MockTheory free. Google and its partners may use cookies and similar technologies to show ads based on your visits to this and other websites, to limit how often you see an ad and to detect fraud. If you don't consent to personalised advertising, Google may still show non-personalised ads based on general information such as the page you're reading and your approximate location.

For some of this processing Google acts as an independent controller. You can learn more in how Google uses information from sites that use its services, and you can manage personalised ads in Google's My Ad Center.

6. Google Analytics

We may use Google Analytics to understand how visitors use the site – for example, which tests are most popular and where people leave. Google Analytics uses cookies to tell visits apart and only runs if you consent. Google states that Google Analytics 4 does not log or store IP addresses. If we use Google Analytics, we keep its data for no longer than 14 months. You can also block Google Analytics on all websites with Google's opt-out browser add-on.

7. Who we share data with

We only share personal data with:

• Service providers who help us run the site, such as our web hosting and email providers, under contracts that require them to protect your data;
• Google, for advertising and analytics as described above;
• Authorities, where the law requires it or to protect our rights and users' safety;
• A future owner of the site, if MockTheory is ever sold or transferred, under the terms of this policy.

We never sell your personal data.

8. International transfers

Some of our providers, including Google, may process data outside the UK, for example in the United States. Where this happens, the transfer is protected by safeguards recognised under UK law, such as UK adequacy regulations (including the UK Extension to the EU-US Data Privacy Framework) or the UK International Data Transfer Agreement or Addendum.

9. How long we keep data

• Contact form messages: up to 12 months after our last reply, then deleted, unless we need them longer to deal with a complaint or legal claim.
• Analytics data: no longer than 14 months.
• Advertising cookies: for the periods set by Google, explained in our cookie policy.
• Scores in local storage: until you clear them from your browser.

10. Your rights

Under UK GDPR you have the right to:

• be informed about how we use your personal data;
• access the personal data we hold about you;
• have inaccurate data corrected;
• have your data deleted;
• restrict how we use your data;
• object to processing based on legitimate interests, and to direct marketing at any time;
• data portability, where it applies;
• withdraw your consent at any time, where we rely on consent.

We don't make decisions about you based solely on automated processing that have legal or similarly significant effects. To use any of your rights, contact us through our contact page. We'll reply within one month. We may need to ask for information to confirm your identity.

11. Children

MockTheory is designed for people preparing for UK driving tests, who are usually 16 or older. We don't knowingly collect personal data from children under 13. If you believe a child has sent us personal data, please contact us and we'll delete it.

12. Security

The site is served over an encrypted (HTTPS) connection, and we limit access to any personal data we hold to those who need it. No website can be completely secure, so please don't send sensitive information, such as your driving licence number, through our contact form.

13. Links to other websites

We link to other websites, including GOV.UK and nidirect. We're not responsible for how those sites handle your data, so please read their privacy policies.

14. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. The date at the top shows when it was last changed. If we make significant changes, we'll make that clear on the site.

15. Complaints

If you're unhappy with how we've handled your data, please contact us first so we can try to put it right. You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the UK's data protection regulator, at ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint or by calling 0303 123 1113.