TRP Surveys and contacting us
TRP Surveys is a market research panel run by TRP Research Ltd. We work with a wide range of companies to help them gain an understanding of their audience. We specialise in media research, but may also provide research for other industries, so our surveys will be about a broad range of topics.
Our registered address is Wellington House, Queen Street, Taunton, Somerset, TA1 3UF and we can be contacted at info@trpsurveys.com.
Keeping your data safe – our privacy promise to you
TRP Surveys takes great care to keep all the personal data that you have provided safe. We follow the Data Protection Act 2018 and the UK GDPR. In addition, we also follow the Market Research Society Code of Conduct. We are the controller and are responsible for your personal data.
This Privacy Notice explains how we collect, store, use, share and protect your personal data when you sign up for TRP Surveys and take part in our surveys or register your community group. It also explains the Privacy Rights that you have in relation to your personal data.
The Privacy Notice should be read with the Terms and Conditions and the Cookie Notice. By joining TRP Surveys you confirm that you have read, understood and agree to this Privacy Notice as well as the Cookie Notice and Terms and Conditions. In addition, by taking part in our surveys you are giving us your consent to collect, store and use your personal data and survey responses as outlined in this Notice. If you do not agree to the Privacy and Cookie Notices and the Terms and Conditions, do not sign up for TRP Surveys.
Lawful basis for processing your personal data
Personal data means any information about an individual which allows you to be identified. It may also include special categories of personal data, such as ethnicity, national identity and health information which are considered more sensitive.
We use consent as our lawful basis for collecting and using any personal data.
- We ask for your consent to collect and use your personal data when you sign up for TRP Surveys. This consent allows us to send you surveys, collect your responses from surveys, report findings on different groups to our clients and make sure that TRP Surveys represents the population of the UK. It also means that we can send you rewards and communicate with you about TRP Surveys.
- Each time you refer a friend for TRP Surveys we ask for your consent so that we can send your friend an email including your name inviting them to join TRP Surveys.
- We ask for your explicit consent to collect and use special categories of personal data, such as data relating to ethnicity, national identity and links to other countries. See the section titled “Special Categories of Personal Data” to find out more about how this data is used.
- We may want to collect other personal information from you that isn’t covered by the above, for example information on your health. If we do this we will ask for your consent to collect this information and provide you with all the details you need at the time we ask about this. See the sections titled “Personal Data” and “Special Categories of Personal Data” below for more information on this.
Personal data
We collect personal data such as your name and address when you sign up for TRP Surveys and we ask for your consent to collect and use this data. This data is collected through an online or paper survey, depending on how you sign up for TRP Surveys. We will let you know why we need each piece of personal data when you sign up for TRP Surveys. If you don’t provide us with this data then you will not be able to join TRP Surveys. We also collect some personal data as part of our follow up survey, such as data relating to your working status/job, ethnicity and national identity. Again, we will let you know why we ask for each piece of personal data at the time you fill in the survey. You do not need to fill in the follow up survey or complete every question of it to remain a member of TRP Surveys. From time to time we may ask for other personal data from you as part of our surveys. If we do this we will always provide you with all the details you need at the time, so you can decide if you are happy to provide this and we will ask for your consent as appropriate.
We collect and use your personal data in the following ways using “consent” as our lawful basis for processing. If we want to use the information you have provided for any other purpose or want to collect further personal data from you we will ask for your consent again.
- We use your name, postal address, email address and telephone number to send you surveys, rewards and to communicate with you about TRP Surveys. Your contact details will also be used to let you know if you have won one of our prize draws. We will only use the contact details provided for this purpose and will seek further consent from you before using your contact details for any other purpose. If you have said that you would be interested in taking part in other surveys or research run by TRP Research, then we may contact you about these using the contact details provided. You can change your mind at any time by emailing info@trpsurveys.com.
Communicating with you about TRP Surveys
Email address: We will use your email address to communicate with you most of the time as this is how we send our surveys and rewards to you.
Phone number: We may text or call you from time to time to let you know about our surveys, TRP Surveys and any special rewards / prize draws. All our text messages include the option to opt out if you do not want to receive further texts from us. If you would like to opt out from phone calls let us know by emailing info@trpsurveys.com or tell our representative on the phone.
Postal address: We may contact you by using your postal address from time to time to let you know about our surveys, TRP Surveys and any special rewards / prize draws. If you do not want us to contact you by post for any reason let us know by emailing info@trpsurveys.com.
You can change your communication preferences at any time by emailing info@trpsurveys.com. Note that you are not able to opt out of communications by emails unless you unsubscribe.
- We use the information collected from you as part of the sign up form to make sure you meet the criteria for joining TRP Surveys and to help check the quality of our members. For example, to make sure you have a valid UK postal address we may use the Royal Mail postcode finder to make sure that your address exists. We may also use other data collected from you during our surveys to detect fraudulent activity.
- We may use the demographic information (e.g. age, gender, address, ethnicity etc.) you provide so we can decide if you qualify for a survey.
- We use your age, gender, postcode and online TV services used to make sure that TRP Surveys represents the population of the UK and to set quotas to limit the number of responses from different groups if needed. We also use this information so we can report findings from our surveys on different groups and send you relevant surveys. Our reporting is based on broader categories with age being reported as an age bracket (e.g. 16-24) and postcode being converted into large areas (e.g. London).
- We use your household’s annual income so we can give you a social grade. This allows us to make sure that TRP Surveys represents the population of the UK and to set quotas to limit the number of responses from different groups if needed. We also use this information so we can report findings from our surveys on different groups and send you relevant surveys.
Special categories of personal data
We ask about your ethnicity, national identity and links to other countries as part of our follow up questions once you are a member of TRP Surveys. This data allows us to send you extra surveys from our clients who want to know how different cultures behave, or where they have links to a specific cultural background. It also allows us to report findings from our surveys on different groups. This information is considered “special category data” and we only collect it where you have given your explicit consent. We therefore use “explicit consent” as our lawful basis for processing this data.
We may want to collect further “special category data” from you in our surveys, for example information on your health. If we do this we will use “explicit consent” as our lawful basis for processing the data and will always let you know why we are collecting this information from you at the time we ask about it.
If you are not happy for us to collect and use the different types of special category data, you do not have to answer these questions and you can still be a member. In addition, these questions will always include a “prefer not to say” option. If you do provide us with this special category data but no longer want us to hold this data, let us know and we will remove it from your record.
Surveys
We will send you surveys once they are available unless you choose to leave TRP Surveys or let us know that you do not want us to send you the survey. The responses you provide to our surveys are voluntary and it is your choice whether you want to take part in the surveys we send you. We use “consent” as our lawful basis for processing to send you surveys, collect your responses and report findings on different groups to our clients. Your individual survey responses will be collected and stored on our secure servers in the UK once the survey has closed and in Tivian. This information is never passed on to our clients. Your data will then be combined with data from other members so we can help our clients understand what it means and answer their questions. Once this has taken place it will not be possible to identify you through your survey responses.
Sometimes our surveys include free text fields, for example to ask for your opinion on a new TV show. The answers to these questions are passed directly on to our clients. We will never ask you for any personal information in these questions and we ask you to make sure that you do not include anything that might identify you personally in these free text fields.
Referring a friend
If you decide to refer a friend for TRP Surveys you will need to provide us with your friend’s name and email address so we can send them an email inviting them to join TRP Surveys. You should only refer your friends if they are happy for you to give us their name and email address. Your friend’s name and email address will be treated in the same way as any other personal data and is subject to the same Privacy Rights as a TRP Surveys member. Your friend’s details will be kept on record until the project ends so that we know who we have sent an invitation to, so we don’t send them multiple invites.
Where needed we will also ask for your name and email address as part of the refer a friend survey so that we can link the referral back to you and reward you with the extra referral credits/reward. In addition, your name will be included in the email inviting your friend to join TRP Surveys. We ask for your consent each time you refer a friend and therefore use “consent” as our lawful basis for processing the data.
If you do not agree to this do not use the Refer a Friend Scheme to refer your friends for TRP Surveys.
Children
You need to be over the age of 16 to be able to sign up for TRP Surveys and take part in our surveys. We will not knowingly collect data from any child under the age of 16 without consent from their parent(s) or legal guardian(s). If you are a parent or legal guardian and find out that your child has given personal data to us that you did not agree to, let us know by emailing info@trpsurveys.com and we will delete any information that we hold on them.
Data storage and protection
We know how important it is to keep the personal data that you have provided safe.
- Once you are a member of TRP Surveys your personal data will be stored and processed on our secure servers in the UK, in Tivian and in the Sendmode system. See section titled “Sharing Your Personal Data” below for more information about these companies, what data is shared with them and why it’s shared.
- If you signed up for TRP Surveys using a paper form at an event your paper sign up form will be stored securely in our offices.
- Your personal data will only be accessed by our employees who need access to it to carry out their job responsibilities, for example to input your data, send you surveys and answer your questions.
- Your personal data will be stored and processed while you are a member of TRP Surveys or until the project ends. If you choose to unsubscribe from TRP Surveys we will keep a record of your personal data unless you ask for it to be deleted (see “The right to erasure” under the section titled “Your Privacy Rights”). The reason for this is to help prevent fraud and to make sure that you are not contacted again (e.g. via a friend referral).
Sharing your personal data
TRP Surveys guarantees that your personal data will be kept confidential and secure. We keep a record of the personal data you have provided in our files but information that personally identifies you will not be shared with our clients or used in our reporting unless we ask for additional consent to do this. If this happens we will always give you all the information that you need to be able to decide if you are happy to share your data in this way and you do not need to agree to this to remain a member of TRP Surveys. We won’t pass on any personal details to any third parties for selling, marketing or any other purposes not stated in our Privacy Notice. In addition, your personal data will never be shared with the community groups or charities with whom we work.
We will never share your personal data with third parties apart from our service providers listed below and for the reasons given. They will only be given access to the least amount of personal data that is needed to be able to provide the specific service to us. In addition, we have written agreements with them to make sure they do not disclose your data to any other party or use it for any other purpose.
Tivian – surveys:
All our surveys (including any surveys / sign ups completed over the phone) are created and sent through our Survey tool provider provided by Tivian. Personal data such as your name and email address are stored in Tivian’s Survey tool so we can send you surveys and collect your responses. Your personal data is also stored in Tivian’s Survey tool for a short time while you sign up for TRP Surveys or while your paper sign up form is entered. Personal data is deleted from the system when it is no longer needed or after 6 months, whichever is sooner. Personal data stored in Tivian’s Survey tool will be kept in their data centre in the EEA.
Tivian is a Data Processor and is therefore required to safeguard your data. If you would like to see a copy of Tivian’s Privacy Notice please visit www.questback.com. If you are at an event ask one of our recruiters to see a copy of Tivian’s Privacy Notice.
Sendmode Business Messaging – sending texts:
We may sometimes send you text messages about TRP Surveys through Sendmode Business Messaging. Personal data such as your name and phone number will be stored in the Sendmode system so this can happen. Your details are deleted from the system when they are no longer needed. Each text message will include the option to opt out if you no longer want to receive texts from us. If you choose to opt out your name and phone number will be stored in Sendmode to make sure that you do not receive any more texts from us. Personal data stored in Sendmode will be kept in their UK data centre.
Sendmode is a Data Processor and is required to safeguard your data. If you would like to see a copy of Sendmode’s Privacy Notice please visit www.sendmode.co.uk. If you are at an event ask one of our recruiters to see a copy of Sendmode’s Privacy Notice.
Data transfers outside the EEA
Your personal data will be transferred between the UK and the European Economic Area (EEA) as per this Privacy Notice but will not be transferred elsewhere.
Cookies
Please see our Cookie Notice for details on the Cookies that are used for TRP Surveys and why they are needed.
Your privacy rights
The right to be informed: You have the right to know how TRP Research collects and uses your personal data. Please see the section titled “Personal Data” above for details on this.
The right of access: You have a right to access the personal data that we hold on you, should you wish to access this please email us at info@trpsurveys.com confirming which information you wish to see.
The right to rectification: We want to make sure that your personal data is accurate and up to date. If there are any details that need updating please email info@trpsurveys.com to let us know and we will amend our records. We may contact you via an email, text, letter or phone-call to check that the details you have provided to us are correct.
The right to erasure: You have the right to request that we delete all your personal data. If you choose to do this you will no longer be able to take part in TRP Surveys and will no longer receive surveys, credits or rewards from us. If you would like us to delete your personal data please contact us by email at info@trpsurveys.com to let us know. If your personal data is deleted there is a chance that we may contact you again in the future, e.g. via a friend referral as we will no longer have a record of who you are.
The right to restrict processing: If you have any concerns over the personal data that we hold on you or the way in which it has been processed you have a right to request the restriction of processing of your data. If you would like to do this please email us at info@trpsurveys.com to let us know.
The right to data portability: You have the right to move your personal data to another research panel. If you would like to do this please let us know by contacting us at info@trpsurveys.com and we can arrange for it to happen.
The right to object: You have the right to object to the processing of your personal data in certain circumstances. If you object to the processing of your data please email us at info@trpsurveys.com or unsubscribe (please see the section titled “Leaving TRP Surveys”).
Rights related to automated decision making and profiling: Automated decision making and profiling involves making a decision using technology with no human involvement. TRP Surveys does not use automated decision making or profiling.
Leaving TRP Surveys
You can leave TRP Surveys at any time by emailing info@trpsurveys.com. Requests to unsubscribe will be completed within 7 days and once actioned you will not be contacted again. We will keep a record of your personal data for the purpose of preventing fraud and to make sure that you are not contacted again (e.g. via a friend referral). See section titled “Data Storage and Protection” for more details on this.
We reserve the right to end your membership with TRP Surveys at any time – see our Terms and Conditions for more information on why we might need to do this.
Further information
If you need any further information or wish to lodge a complaint please contact us at info@trpsurveys.com. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Market Research Society at mrs.org.uk/standards/complaint-handling/tab/how_to_complain or the ICO at www.ico.org.uk/concerns.
For more information on the survey, rewards, TRP Surveys news or FAQs please visit our website trpsurveys.com.
We keep our Privacy Notice under regular review; the notice was last updated on 16/11/2022.