Privacy Statement
The Golden Path Privacy Notice
Last updated: September 2026
Your privacy matters.
The Golden Path is a personal introduction service run by Ben Molyneux. Because the service is based on getting to know people as individuals, I may need to collect personal information about you. Some of that information may be private or sensitive.
This notice explains what information I collect, why I collect it, how I use it and the choices you have about your information.
Who is responsible for your information?
The Golden Path is operated by Ben Molyneux as a sole trader.
For the purposes of UK data protection law, Ben Molyneux is the data controller for personal information collected through The Golden Path.
If you have any questions about your information or this Privacy Notice, you can contact me using the contact details provided on this website.
Information I may collect
The information I collect will depend on your involvement with The Golden Path and may include:
• Your name, age or date of birth and contact details
• Your general location and willingness to travel
• Information about your lifestyle, interests, work and family circumstances
• Your relationship status and relationship history
• Your experiences of dating and relationships
• The type of person you are interested in meeting
• Your preferences, values, priorities and things that are important to you in a potential introduction
• Information you choose to share during conversations or consultations
• My own relevant notes from those conversations
• Information required to verify your identity before an introduction
• Records of introductions, communications and your involvement with The Golden Path
• Payment and transaction information if you use a paid service
I will only collect information that I reasonably believe is relevant to providing The Golden Path service.
Sensitive personal information
Some of the information that may naturally arise when discussing relationships and potential introductions is given additional protection under UK data protection law.
This can include information about your:
• Sexual orientation or sex life
• Political opinions
• Religious or philosophical beliefs
• Health
• Racial or ethnic origin
I may ask about some of these subjects where they are genuinely relevant to understanding you, your preferences or the people you may wish to meet.
I will not require you to disclose information that is unnecessary for the service.
Where I process special category personal information with your explicit consent, you may withdraw that consent at any time. This will not affect the lawfulness of processing that took place before you withdrew your consent.
If withdrawing consent means I can no longer hold information that is necessary to provide an appropriate introduction service, I may no longer be able to provide some or all of the service to you.
Why I use your information
I may use your information to:
• Get to know you and understand what you are looking for
• Assess whether The Golden Path is an appropriate service for you
• Maintain The Little Black Book
• Consider potential introductions
• Search for potential introductions where you have chosen a paid search service
• Decide whether I believe an introduction may be worthwhile for both people
• Contact you about a possible introduction
• Verify identity before making an introduction
• Keep your availability and preferences up to date
• Provide personal guidance or support where this forms part of your service
• Administer payments, invoices and your relationship with The Golden Path
• Keep appropriate business and financial records
• Protect members, prevent misuse of the service and deal with complaints or concerns
Your information will not be used to allow other members to browse or search for you.
There are no public member profiles.
My lawful basis for using your information
Depending on the circumstances, I may process ordinary personal information because it is necessary to provide a service you have requested, because I have a legitimate business interest in operating The Golden Path responsibly and safely, because I need to comply with a legal obligation, or because you have given consent.
Where special category information is required for the introduction service, I will identify an appropriate lawful basis and condition under UK data protection law. Where I rely on explicit consent, I will ask for that consent separately and clearly.
How introductions work
Being part of The Golden Path does not mean that your personal information is made available to other members.
If I identify somebody I believe may be worth introducing to you, I will contact you privately.
I will not simply hand another person your full consultation record, questionnaire or private notes.
Only information appropriate to considering or making an introduction will be shared, and I will take account of your wishes before identifiable or sensitive information is disclosed.
Both people must be willing to proceed with an introduction.
Paying for a Golden Path service does not give anyone access to another person’s private information or create any entitlement to an introduction.
The Little Black Book
The Little Black Book is private.
It is not a public directory, searchable database or member browsing service.
Being included means that I may consider you when I meet or work with somebody whom I believe you may be interested in meeting.
You can tell me at any time that you no longer wish to be considered for introductions.
Who I may share information with
I do not sell or trade your personal information.
I may use trusted third-party services where reasonably necessary to operate The Golden Path. These may include website hosting, email, payment or invoicing services, secure data storage and identity verification providers.
These organisations may process limited personal information on my behalf or as independent controllers where appropriate.
I may also disclose information where required by law or where reasonably necessary to establish, exercise or defend legal rights.
I will not provide your personal information to another Golden Path member simply because they are a paying client.
Identity verification
Before making an introduction, I may ask you to complete an identity verification process.
The information required and the provider used may vary according to the verification method available at the time.
Where a third-party verification provider is used, you will be given relevant information about that provider and its handling of your personal information before verification takes place.
I will only retain verification information that I reasonably need for the operation and protection of The Golden Path.
Keeping information accurate
Relationships and personal circumstances change.
Please let me know if information that is relevant to your participation in The Golden Path changes, particularly if you are no longer available or no longer wish to receive introductions.
I may contact you periodically to check that you would still like to be included and that important information remains current.
How long I keep your information
I will not keep personal information for longer than I reasonably need it.
How long information is retained will depend on why it was collected, whether you remain part of The Golden Path, whether you have an active paid service, and whether I need to retain particular records for legal, financial, safeguarding or dispute-resolution purposes.
I will periodically review information held about people who are no longer active and delete or anonymise information that is no longer required.
Certain financial and transactional records may need to be retained for longer where required by law.
Security
I take reasonable steps to protect the personal information entrusted to me and to limit access to people and services that genuinely need it.
Because The Golden Path is personally run, access to members’ consultation information and personal notes is kept as limited as reasonably possible.
No method of electronic storage or communication can be guaranteed to be completely secure, but the sensitivity of the information held will be taken into account when deciding how it is stored and protected.
Your rights
Depending on the circumstances, UK data protection law may give you rights over your personal information, including the right to:
• Ask what personal information I hold about you
• Receive a copy of your personal information
• Ask for inaccurate information to be corrected
• Ask for information to be deleted in certain circumstances
• Ask for processing to be restricted in certain circumstances
• Object to certain uses of your information
• Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent
• Request transfer of certain information where the right to data portability applies
These rights do not apply in exactly the same way in every circumstance, but you are always welcome to contact me about information I hold about you.
Leaving The Golden Path
You can ask to leave The Little Black Book or stop being considered for introductions at any time.
Where appropriate, I will delete information that is no longer required. I may retain limited information where there is a legitimate or legal reason to do so, for example financial records or records required to deal with an existing dispute or legal obligation.
Cookies and the website
The Golden Path currently operates through the benmolyneux.co.uk website.
The website may use cookies and similar technologies necessary for its operation and, depending on the settings and services enabled on the website, for analytics or other purposes.
Further information about cookies and website technologies should be provided through the website’s cookie settings or cookie notice.
Changes to this Privacy Notice
The Golden Path is a developing service and this Privacy Notice may occasionally be updated as the service, technology or legal requirements change.
The latest version will be published on this website with the date it was last updated.
Questions or concerns
If you have a question about your privacy or would like to exercise any of your data protection rights, please contact Ben Molyneux using the contact details provided on this website.
You also have the right to raise a concern with the Information Commissioner’s Office if you are unhappy with how your personal information has been handled.