Privacy Policy

Last updated: January 15, 2026  ·  Effective from: February 1, 2026

Elite Singles SE ("Elite Singles," "we," "us," or "our") is committed to protecting your personal data and respecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use, disclose, retain, and safeguard your personal information when you use the Elite Singles website, mobile application, and all related services (the "Platform").

This policy is written in compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) (EU) 2016/679, the UK General Data Protection Regulation, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), and all other applicable data protection laws.

Data Controller: Elite Singles, Kohlfurter Strasse 41/43, 10999 Berlin, Germany.
Data Protection Officer: dpo@elite--singles.com

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Information You Provide Directly

When you register and use the Platform, you provide us with:

• Account information: name, email address, date of birth, gender, and location;
• Profile information: photographs, biographical text, occupation, education level, and relationship preferences;
• Personality assessment responses: your answers to the Big Five personality questionnaire (115 questions);
• Communications: messages you exchange with other members, and correspondence with our support team;
• Payment information: billing details processed securely through our payment providers (we do not store full card numbers).

1.2 Information We Collect Automatically

When you use the Platform, we automatically collect certain technical and usage data, including:

• IP address, device type, operating system, and browser type;
• Pages visited, features used, and time spent on the Platform;
• Match interactions — profiles viewed, likes sent, and messages initiated;
• Device identifiers and mobile advertising IDs (on the app);
• Approximate location, if permitted by your device settings.

1.3 Special Category Data

Certain information you provide — such as your sexual orientation (implied by gender preference selections) and personality traits — constitutes "special category" personal data under the GDPR. We process this data only on the basis of your explicit consent, given at registration, and solely for the purpose of providing the matchmaking service. You may withdraw this consent at any time, though doing so will prevent us from providing core functionality.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use your personal data for the following purposes and on the following legal bases:

• Providing the matchmaking service (contractual necessity): generating your personality profile, identifying compatible matches, and facilitating communication between members;
• Account management (contractual necessity): processing payments, sending service notifications, and responding to support enquiries;
• Platform safety and fraud prevention (legitimate interest): detecting and removing fake profiles, investigating abuse reports, and protecting members from harm;
• Service improvement (legitimate interest): analysing usage patterns to improve matching accuracy, app performance, and user experience;
• Legal compliance (legal obligation): retaining records as required by tax, financial, or other applicable law;
• Marketing communications (consent): sending newsletters, relationship advice content, and promotional offers — only where you have opted in. You may unsubscribe at any time.

3. Matching Algorithm and Automated Processing

Our personality-based matching system involves automated processing of your profile data, including your Big Five assessment results, to identify and rank compatible members. This constitutes automated decision-making as defined under Article 22 of the GDPR.

You have the right to request human review of any automated matching decision, to express your view, and to contest a decision you believe has significantly affected you. To exercise this right, please contact us at privacy@elite--singles.com.

4. Sharing Your Information

4.1 With Other Members

Your profile information — name, photographs, biographical details, and personality summary — is visible to other members as part of the matching experience. Your email address, full date of birth, and payment information are never visible to other members.

4.2 With Service Providers

We share data with trusted third-party service providers who assist us in operating the Platform, including cloud infrastructure providers, payment processors, email delivery services, and fraud detection tools. All service providers are bound by contractual data processing agreements that restrict their use of your data to the purposes for which it was shared.

4.3 Legal Requirements

We may disclose personal data where required by law, court order, or to protect the safety of members or the public. We will notify affected members of any such disclosure where legally permissible to do so.

4.4 Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of all or part of our business, member data may be transferred to the acquiring entity. We will notify members of any such transfer and ensure that data protection standards are maintained.

4.5 No Sale of Personal Data

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal data to third parties for their own marketing purposes. This commitment applies to all members, including California residents under the CCPA.

5. Data Retention

We retain your personal data for as long as your account is active. If you delete your account, we will delete or anonymise your personal data within 30 days, except where we are required by law to retain certain records for longer periods (for example, payment records, which may be retained for up to seven years for tax compliance purposes).

Anonymised and aggregated data — which cannot identify you — may be retained indefinitely for research and service improvement purposes.

6. Data Security

We implement a range of technical and organisational security measures to protect your personal data against unauthorised access, loss, or disclosure. These include:

• TLS/SSL encryption for all data transmitted between your device and our servers;
• Encryption at rest for sensitive data, including personality assessment results and messages;
• Access controls ensuring that only authorised personnel can access member data;
• Technical measures preventing member photos from being downloaded or shared outside the Platform;
• Regular security audits and penetration testing;
• Employee training on data protection and privacy obligations.

In the event of a data breach that poses a risk to your rights and freedoms, we will notify the relevant supervisory authority within 72 hours and affected members without undue delay, as required by the GDPR.

7. International Data Transfers

Elite Singles operates globally. Your data may be transferred to and processed in countries outside the European Economic Area (EEA) — including the United States — where data protection laws may differ. Where such transfers occur, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, including Standard Contractual Clauses approved by the European Commission, or reliance on adequacy decisions where applicable.

8. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies on the Platform for the following purposes:

• Strictly necessary cookies: required for the Platform to function (e.g., session authentication). These cannot be disabled.
• Functional cookies: remember your preferences and settings to improve your experience.
• Analytics cookies: help us understand how members use the Platform so we can improve it. We use anonymised data only.
• Marketing cookies: used to show you relevant content and measure the effectiveness of our campaigns — only with your consent.

You can manage your cookie preferences at any time through your account settings or your browser's cookie controls. Note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of the Platform.

9. Your Rights

Subject to applicable law, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:

• Right of access: request a copy of the personal data we hold about you;
• Right to rectification: correct any inaccurate or incomplete data;
• Right to erasure: request deletion of your data ("right to be forgotten");
• Right to restriction: request that we limit how we use your data in certain circumstances;
• Right to data portability: receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format;
• Right to object: object to processing based on legitimate interest, including direct marketing;
• Right to withdraw consent: withdraw any consent you have previously given, at any time, without affecting the lawfulness of processing prior to withdrawal.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact our Data Protection Officer at privacy@elite--singles.com or use our contact form with the subject "Privacy & Data." We will respond within 30 days. If you are dissatisfied with our response, you have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection supervisory authority.

10. Children's Privacy

The Platform is not directed to individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal data from anyone under 18. If we become aware that a person under 18 has provided us with personal data, we will delete it immediately. If you believe a child has provided us with their data, please contact us immediately.

11. Third-Party Links

The Platform may contain links to third-party websites or services — for example, in our Relationship Journal articles. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those third parties and encourage you to review their privacy policies before sharing any personal information with them.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, or applicable law. When we make material changes, we will notify you by email and via an in-platform notice at least 14 days before the changes take effect. The "Last updated" date at the top of this page will always reflect the most recent version.

13. Contact Us

For any questions, concerns, or requests relating to this Privacy Policy or the processing of your personal data, please contact:

• Data Protection Officer: dpo@elite--singles.com
• Privacy team: privacy@elite--singles.com
• Post: Data Protection Officer, Elite Singles, Kohlfurter Strasse 41/43, 10999 Berlin, Germany

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Berlin Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information (Berliner Beauftragte für Datenschutz und Informationsfreiheit), or the supervisory authority in your country of residence.