Trustie collects personal data as part of the review and testimonial process. This article explains what data is stored, how erasure and export work, and what you should cover in your privacy policy.
What Data Does Trustie Store?
Trustie stores data submitted by reviewers and testimonial authors:
- Reviews — author name, email address, IP address, user agent string, review content, star ratings, and uploaded photos
- Testimonials — author name, company name, role/title, and testimonial content
This data is collected when someone submits a review or testimonial through your store.
How Erasure Works
Trustie integrates with the standard WordPress personal data erasure flow:
- Go to Tools > Erase Personal Data
- Enter the reviewer’s email address
- WordPress sends a confirmation email to the person
- Once confirmed, WordPress runs all registered erasers — including Trustie’s
What Happens During Erasure
Reviews and testimonials are anonymised, not deleted. Here’s why: a review describes a product, not a person. Deleting the review content would remove legitimate product feedback that other customers rely on.
What gets removed:
- Author name (set to “Anonymous”)
- Email address
- IP address
- User agent string
What stays:
- Review content and star rating
- Review date
- Uploaded photos (these live in the WordPress media library and can be deleted separately if needed)
- Testimonial content (author name, company, and role are removed)
This approach balances the individual’s right to erasure with the integrity of your product reviews.
Data Export
Trustie integrates with WordPress’s data export tool:
- Go to Tools > Export Personal Data
- Enter the reviewer’s email address
- WordPress generates a ZIP file with their data
Trustie exports review details including the review type, associated product, star rating, title, content, and submission date.
Automatic Cleanup
When a WordPress user account is deleted, the same anonymisation process runs automatically. Reviews are anonymised, not removed.
What to Include in Your Privacy Policy
Your privacy policy should mention:
- Data collected during review submission — name, email address, and IP address are stored when someone leaves a review
- Photos — uploaded review photos are stored in your WordPress media library and may be displayed publicly alongside the review
- Public display — reviews and testimonials may be shown on product pages, review widgets, and your reviews page
- Anonymisation on erasure — explain that review content is kept but personal details are removed upon request
Your Data Stays on Your Server
All review and testimonial data is stored in your WordPress database on your own server. Nothing is sent to Trustie, Appsero, or any external service. You have full control over your customers’ data at all times.