Using your information

All the services we bring you are made possible with data, so we believe it’s important for you to know how we go about using it and how it makes your O2 experience better.

1) We look after your data

We handle your data ethically, that means we’ll always do the right thing by you. We put security measures in place to help prevent your data from being misused accidentally or intentionally. And we won’t ever sell your personal data either.

2) We use your data to benefit you

A mobile network by nature needs to know your location – it’s how your calls, texts and data can reach you. And this kind of information can also help us make your O2 experience better, like connecting you to nearby O2 WiFi hotspots to save your data or giving you a heads up on Priority offers right around the corner.

3) We’re open with how we use your data

We’ll only collect, use or share your data if you’ve given us your ‘OK’ first, if it’s required by law or if it’s part and parcel of making your service possible. We make sure you’re always clear on how we use data, too. Whether it’s to understand what you like so we can ping you Priority offers you’ll love, or using anonymous location data so we can see how many customers are rocking out at The O2.

4) We put you in control of your data

We make it easy for you to call the shots on if, and how, we use your data for our marketing. You can change this at any time for any channel – it’s your right. And if you ever have any questions about your rights, we’ll be happy to talk you through them.

5) We use data to inspire good business

We create products powered by crowd data, measuring things like crowd sizes at a particular time and place. This information can help businesses deliver better customer service, like transport companies increasing services when we need them most. Crowd data is anonymous, so it can’t be used to identify you as an individual.

Want to know more? Head to our Privacy Policy.

We update our Privacy Policy from time to time to make sure it’s kept up to date and easy to understand. We want to tell you about what data we collect about you, how we use it, who we share it with and your rights.

You may know that VMED O2 UK Limited now owns O2 and Virgin Media which means that O2 and Virgin Media are now part of a joint venture that can offer you more products, services and benefits. To enable us to operate our business and the joint venture, and so that we can manage our relationship with you we may share your data between the other members of the joint venture.

O2 and Virgin Media are each still separate Data Controllers however. So, if you have any questions or wish to exercise any of your rights in relation to the data we process you can continue to get in touch with us using the contact information set out in our Privacy Policy.

If you have any questions in relation to data that Virgin Media process you can find the Virgin Media Privacy Policy here.  

You can find information on how we collect and use your data in our Privacy Policy. In all cases, we only process data because we either: have your consent, it’s in our legitimate interests as a business, we have a contract with you and we need to process the information so we can meet our contractual obligations or because we have other legal obligations.

You can exercise a number of rights to control your data, which are set out in our Privacy Policy and here, in the Data Hub under “Exercising your data rights”

Access to your data means we can:

• Collect information to help us manage your account

• Deliver products and services relevant to you (whether we provide them or not)

• Improve our products and services and develop new ones
  

We set out the type of data we collect and use in our Privacy Policy. But some examples are:

• Your name and address

• How you use our services (for example records for calling, texting, fixed billing etc.)

• Where you use our network

• Your interests and preferences (for example the O2 apps you use)

We don’t look at the content of your messages or listen to your calls (unless of course, you’re calling us and talking to one of our customer service advisors and we are record the conversation for quality and monitoring purposes).

We set out the type of data we collect and use in our Privacy Policy, but some examples of how we use your data are to:

• Manage your account and to help you to manage your account

• Keep you updated with information or offers we think you’ll like (but only if you’ve said it’s okay to do so)

• Research and learn more about our customers and find new customers who have similar tastes

• Keep things secure and prevent crime and fraud

• Manage our network and your use of our network

• Look into any questions or complaints you may have

We use two types of location data – network location and GPS location. We use these to keep you connected to our network and to make our services more relevant to you.

Network location

• Our phone masts give us your general location so we can put calls through or connect you to the internet

• We can also use location data to make services and offers more relevant for you. So if you’ve signed up for Priority, we can let you know about new offers near you – like 10% off at a restaurant just round the corner. 

• If you don't want us to use your network location for some of your services, get in touch. We’ll still need to use your location in order to provide services to you. 

GPS location

• GPS location is different. It’s not collected by our network

• GPS uses satellites to know where you are and it’s set up on the phone itself

• You can go into your phone's settings to turn it on and off

• Remember, if you turn it off, you may not be able to use services or apps that can help you find your way

Your right to object to O2 processing your data is not absolute. If, for example, you’re using our products or services we need to use your data to keep your services up and running and help you manage your account and help us answer any questions or complaints you may have. Even if you’ve left us, we may still  have a legal obligation to collect and store some of your data.

You can, however, object to receiving marketing from us and change your marketing preferences at any time.

You can also object to certain types of processing activity, like profiling or automated-decision making, if your interests outweigh our legitimate interests in carrying out that activity. To raise an objection for this reason follow the instructions on how to exercise your Data Rights.

We take the security of your data seriously and we invest in having the right sort of security in place. We also make sure that any third parties we work with have the right level of security too and can only use your data for the specific purposes stated in our contract with them.

You don’t need to do anything. This is just about us providing you with more information about how we use your data. If you’d like to, though, you can check your marketing preferences.

Lots of people buy phones and services for members of their family or friends. If we know you’re an end user, rather than the account holder, you can then set up and manage your own data, separately from the account holder, like setting your own marketing preferences and consents. If the end user is a child (12 years or younger), we need a parent or guardian to  make decisions about which consents and marketing permissions to apply on a child’s behalf.

Marketing preferences are set on an individual basis, so people have the opportunity to set their own marketing permissions.

You can change your marketing preferences at any time.

You can read our full Privacy Policy.