Manchester-based web data infrastructure platform Byteful (formerly Ping Proxies) has been awarded the EWDCI Trust Seal, the certification the Ethical Web Data Collection Initiative gives to web data companies that meet its standards for legality, ethics, ecosystem engagement, and social responsibility.
Founded in 2020 out of Spark, the University of Leeds' enterprise programme, and built without external funding, Byteful now handles 30 billion+ requests a month for 1,700+ customers from its Deansgate office - one of Manchester's fastest-growing technology startups.
What the Review Covered
Earning the seal meant a formal external review of company practices against the EWDCI Core Principles, taking in transparency, data handling, privacy safeguards, and accountability. Assessors looked at four areas: whether the business operates lawfully in the jurisdictions its network touches, how that network is sourced and how the company works with customers, how its traffic behaves towards the websites and infrastructure it reaches, and how it engages with civil society and governmental organisations.
Verification, Not Self-Description
The Manchester firm is already a member of the Internet Watch Foundation and holds Made in Britain certification for its software development, and it has been tightening its wider compliance programme, from stricter KYC checks at onboarding to firm enforcement of its Acceptable Use Policy. The Trust Seal puts independent verification on top of those existing commitments.
“There's a difference between us saying we run the network responsibly and an independent body checking how we actually operate. Anyone building on Byteful now has one more thing they don't have to take our word for,” said Timur Gok, Founder of Byteful.
Anyone wanting more detail on Byteful's sourcing or policies can contact support@byteful.com.
