Last updated: 7.09.2026
This policy explains what happens to your information when you visit TheVirtualCompanion (“we”, “us”, “this Site”). We publish reviews and comparisons of AI companion services and earn commission through referral links. We do not operate any of the services we write about, and this policy covers only our own site. Also check our terms and conditions and cookie policy and 2257 page.
This Site is intended for adults aged 18 and over.
Who Is Responsible
Strategic Growths AZ LTD is the data controller for information collected here. Contact: contact@thevirtualcompanion.ai
What We Collect
Automatically, when you browse:
- IP address and approximate location (country or city level)
- Browser type, operating system, device category, and screen size
- Pages viewed, time on page, and the site or search that sent you
- Clicks on outbound referral links
Only when you give it to us:
- Your email address, if you subscribe to updates
- Your name, email, and message, if you use a contact form
We do not ask for payment details, and no payment ever passes through this Site. When you subscribe to a service we review, you transact directly with that company under its own privacy policy.
Why We Process It
| Purpose | Legal basis (GDPR) |
|---|---|
| Keeping the site secure and functioning | Legitimate interest |
| Understanding which content is read and where visitors come from | Consent (analytics cookies) |
| Attributing referral commissions to us | Legitimate interest / consent, depending on the network |
| Replying to messages you send | Legitimate interest |
| Sending newsletters | Consent |
| Meeting legal and tax obligations | Legal obligation |
Cookies and Tracking
Essential cookies keep the site working and cannot be switched off. Analytics cookies measure traffic and are set only after you consent through our cookie banner. Affiliate cookies are placed by partner networks when you click through to a reviewed service; they record that the visit came from us so commission can be attributed. They typically last between 30 and 90 days depending on the network.
You can withdraw or change your cookie consent at any time through the banner, and you can block or delete cookies in your browser settings. Blocking analytics and affiliate cookies will not affect your ability to read anything here.
Who Receives Your Data
We share data only with providers who help us run the Site:
- Web hosting and CDN: [PROVIDER]
- Analytics: [PROVIDER]
- Email delivery: [PROVIDER]
- Affiliate networks: the partner programmes of the services we review
Each of these processes data under its own agreement with us. We do not sell your personal information, and we do not share it with advertisers for their own purposes.
Transfers Outside the EEA
Some providers are based outside the European Economic Area. Where that happens, transfers rely on Standard Contractual Clauses approved by the European Commission or an adequacy decision covering the destination country.
How Long We Keep It
Analytics data is retained for 30 days. Newsletter subscriptions are kept until you unsubscribe. Contact form messages are deleted after the conversation ends. Server logs are cleared also.
Your Rights
If you are in the EU or UK, you can ask us to give you a copy of your data, correct it, delete it, restrict how we use it, or transfer it elsewhere. You can object to processing based on legitimate interest, and withdraw consent at any time without affecting what happened before.
Write to contact@thevirtualcompanion.ai and we will respond within one month. If you are unhappy with our response, you may complain to your national data protection authority.
Depending on where you live, other laws may give you additional rights — including, under California law, the right to know what is collected and to opt out of any sale or sharing of personal information. We do not sell personal information.
Age Restriction
This Site is not directed at anyone under 18. We do not knowingly collect information from minors. If you believe a minor has submitted information to us, contact contact@thevirtualcompanion.ai and we will delete it.
Security
We use HTTPS across the Site and restrict internal access to submitted information. No system is perfectly secure, and we cannot guarantee against every possible breach, but we will notify affected users and the relevant authority where the law requires it.
Changes
We may update this policy as the Site changes. The date at the top always reflects the current version. Material changes will be announced on the Site.
Contact
Questions about this policy, or about your data: contact@thevirtualcompanion.ai