Privacy Policy

Herding Chickens (“we”, “us”, “our”) is committed to protecting your privacy. This policy explains what personal data we collect, why we collect it, who processes it, and what rights you have.

It covers:

• Our marketing website at herdingchickens.com
• Our Telegram accountability bot (early access / prototype), when you choose to use it

Herding Chickens is a productivity tool. It is not therapy, medical advice, or a medical device. Please do not use it as a substitute for professional care.

Who is responsible

Until a formal company entity is registered, the Herding Chickens founders act as joint controllers of personal data processed under this policy. Day-to-day privacy contact: contact@herdingchickens.com.

1. Marketing website

What data we collect

This marketing website collects only the data you actively submit:

• Newsletter email address — if you subscribe via the Resources or Contact page forms.
• Early-access registration — email address and optional name if you register interest before the app launches.
• Contact messages — your name, email address, subject (e.g. general enquiry, support, or partnership), and message text when you use the Contact form — including creator-partner applications sent from the Partner with us page.

We do not currently run any analytics scripts, advertising pixels, or tracking cookies on this website. We show an informational cookie notice at the bottom of the page; dismissing it stores a preference in your browser (see our Cookie Policy). If we add analytics or other non-essential tracking in future, we will update this policy and ask for consent before those scripts load.

Why we collect it and the legal basis

• Newsletter and early-access sign-ups — to send you the Herding Chickens newsletter, product updates, and (if you register interest) to notify you when early access opens. Legal basis: your explicit consent (UK GDPR Article 6(1)(a)), given when you tick the consent box and submit the form.
• Contact messages — to read and respond to your enquiry, including partnership applications. Legal basis: our legitimate interest in handling correspondence (Article 6(1)(f)), balanced against your rights. You may object to this processing by emailing us.

Where we store website data

Newsletter and early-access sign-ups are stored in a secure database on our server (SQLite). If configured, we also sync those contacts to Loops (our email marketing provider) to send campaigns and automated welcome messages.

Contact form submissions are delivered to our team by email via SMTP (secure email transport). We do not store contact messages in the website database; they are held in our email inbox unless we save them for follow-up.

How long we keep website data

• Newsletter and early-access emails — for as long as you remain subscribed or registered. You may unsubscribe at any time using the link in any newsletter email; we will delete your data within 30 days of unsubscribe or a deletion request.
• Contact messages — typically up to 12 months in our email inbox, then deleted unless we need to keep a thread longer to resolve an ongoing matter (e.g. a partnership discussion).

2. Telegram bot

If you message our Telegram bot, we process the data needed to run the accountability loop (capture tasks, today's main, nudges, streak, settings). Telegram also processes your messages under Telegram's Privacy Policy; this section is about what we store on our servers.

What we store

• Telegram chat ID — to know which chat the data belongs to (we do not ask for your phone number; Telegram may already hold it).
• Task text and related records— open/done tasks, area tags, today's main, optional step lists, completion times, and a short event log (e.g. check-ins answered) so nudges and streaks work.
• Preferences you set — timezone, nudge cadence, quiet hours, and that you have completed onboarding.

We do not ask for diagnoses or health information. Free-text tasks might still mention sensitive topics — please only write what you are comfortable storing with us. We design the product as productivity software, not a health app.

Why and legal basis

We process this data to provide the bot service you asked for: store your list, remind you about today's main, and keep settings/streaks accurate. Legal basis: steps necessary to provide that service (UK GDPR Article 6(1)(b)), and our legitimate interest in operating a reliable product (Article 6(1)(f)) where appropriate.

Where bot data is stored

Bot data is stored in a database on our application server / VPS. We aim to host in the UK or EU where practical. Access is limited to people who need it to run and support the service.

AI task breakdown (optional)

If you use Break into steps (or the equivalent command) and that feature is enabled, the text of that task is sent to our AI provider (currently Anthropic) to generate smaller steps. That is the only intentional egress of task content beyond Telegram and our server. If the feature is disabled, task text stays on our server (plus Telegram delivery).

How long we keep bot data

• While you use the bot, we keep your tasks and settings so the product works day to day.
• You can wipe your bot data at any time with Start fresh in Settings (two-tap confirmation). That permanently deletes your tasks, history, streak, and settings in our bot database.
• You can also email contact@herdingchickens.com to request deletion; we aim to complete erasure (including applicable backups where reasonably practicable) within 30 days.
• Deleting the Telegram chat alone does not delete our server copy — use Start fresh or email us.

Who we share bot data with

• Telegram — delivers messages between you and the bot.
• Hosting / VPS provider — stores the bot database and runs the service.
• Anthropic — only if you use AI step breakdown and the feature is enabled (task text in the prompt).

3. Who we share data with (summary)

Depending on which services you use, providers may include:

• Loops — newsletter and early-access list management and email delivery (when configured).
• SMTP email hosting — delivery of contact-form messages to our team and optional transactional emails.
• Hosting provider — runs the website and/or bot and stores related databases.
• Telegram — messaging platform for the bot.
• Anthropic — optional AI breakdown of a task you choose to split.

Loops and some AI providers may process data in the United States. Where personal data is transferred outside the UK, we rely on appropriate safeguards (such as the provider's data processing agreement and standard contractual clauses) as required by UK GDPR.

We do not sell your data to any third party and never will.

4. Your rights

Under UK GDPR you have the right to:

• Access the personal data we hold about you
• Correct inaccurate data
• Request deletion of your data
• Withdraw consent at any time (without affecting prior processing)
• Object to processing based on legitimate interests
• Lodge a complaint with the ICO (ico.org.uk)

To exercise any of these rights, email us at contact@herdingchickens.com. For bot data, you can also use Start fresh in the bot Settings.

5. Children

The bot and site are aimed at adults. Early access is intended for users aged 16+ (or the minimum age required for Telegram in your country, if higher). Do not use the service if you are under that age.

6. Contact

Herding Chickens · contact@herdingchickens.com