Children's Privacy Notice
Last updated: September 2026
This notice explains, in plain language, how we look after the personal information of members under 18. It sits alongside our main Privacy Policy and reflects the principles of the UK GDPR and the ICO's Age Appropriate Design Code (the Children's Code). This is a working draft and must be reviewed and approved by our Data Protection Officer before publication.
Who this is for
This notice is written for young members and for the parents and guardians who help look after them. If you are under 18, you can ask a parent, guardian or trusted adult to read this with you.
If you are under 13, you can only use WFN if a parent or guardian has given their permission. We ask for their details when you sign up and email them a link to confirm.
What we collect and why
When you join we ask for your name, email, a password and your date of birth. We use your date of birth to work out which safety protections to apply — we don't show it on your profile.
If you build a profile, you choose what to add (for example your position, club and a photo). We only collect what you give us, and younger members' profiles are private by default.
We collect a small amount of technical information needed to keep the service secure and working. We do not run non-essential advertising or analytics tracking on under-18s, and we never add under-18s to marketing.
How we keep younger members safe
Under-18 profiles start as members-only, with location and social links hidden. You can change some of these settings as you get older, but the most protective options stay in place while you're a minor.
Adults cannot message you unless you contact them first. You can block anyone, and you can report anything that makes you uncomfortable using the Report option on a profile or conversation.
The best interests of the child come first in how we design and run WFN. Where a feature could affect a young member's wellbeing, we default to the safer option.
Your rights and choices
You (or your parent/guardian) can ask to see the information we hold about you, correct it, download it, or delete your account and data. You can start this from your profile settings or by emailing us.
You can withdraw consent for anything that relies on consent at any time, without it affecting your ability to use the core service.
Age assurance
Right now, age is based on the date of birth you tell us at sign-up. This is self-declared and is not a verified age check. We are reviewing proportionate age-assurance options with our Data Protection Officer, and this notice will be updated when a method is chosen.
Getting in touch
For anything about a young member's privacy or safety, email safeguarding@womensfootballnetwork.co.uk. If a child is in immediate danger, always call 999.
Questions about this policy? Reach us at hello@plyrmedia.co.uk.