Privacy Policy

Effective Date: November 23, 2025
Last Updated: November 23, 2025

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Information You Provide Directly

We may collect personal information that you voluntarily provide when you:

• Use our Metabolic Calculator (age, weight, height, sex, activity level)
• Opt-in to SMS notifications (mobile number, your chosen fast length, and a record of your consent: the exact wording you agreed to, its version, the date and time, the page you gave it on, and a truncated form of your IP address showing the network it came from rather than the full address)
• Submit testimonials (name, email, experience)
• Contact us via email or forms
• Join our Facebook community (via Facebook's platform, not directly collected by us)

Legal Basis: Consent (Article 6(1)(a) UK GDPR) - You explicitly agree to provide this information

1.2 Information Collected Automatically

When you visit our website, we automatically collect certain information about your device and browsing activity:

• Log Data: IP address, browser type, operating system, referring URLs, pages viewed, time spent on pages
• Cookies and Tracking Technologies: We use cookies to enhance your experience (see Section 3 below)
• Analytics Data: Via Google Analytics (anonymized data about user behavior, demographics, interests)

Legal Basis: Legitimate interests (Article 6(1)(f) UK GDPR) - To improve website functionality and user experience

1.3 Information We Do NOT Collect

We do NOT collect:

• Medical records, diagnoses, or anything from a healthcare provider
• Financial information (all purchases are processed through Amazon)
• Race, religion, political opinions, sex life, trade union membership, genetics or biometrics

1.4 Anonymous usage statistics

If — and only if — you accept optional cookies, we keep anonymous records of how the calculator, the AI Fasting Coach and the site's pages are used, so we can see what people find difficult and write better content. These records carry no name, no email address, no phone number, no postal address, no account and no IP address.

• Calculator: the figures you entered and the results produced, so we can analyse them accurately.
• Coach: the question you asked and the answer given, so we can turn common questions into proper pages and an FAQ. Email addresses, phone numbers, postcodes and long numbers are stripped out automatically before anything is written.
• Pages: which pages you opened, in what order, and how long each was open.
• Safety check: if a message triggers our safety check, we record only that it happened — never what you wrote. That text is not stored anywhere and is not sent to any AI provider.

How the records connect. A first-party cookie holds a random string so that a calculator run, a conversation and a page view from the same visit can be counted as one journey. It means nothing outside this website and expires after 30 days. We do not use your IP address to connect your activity, and we never write your IP address to any file, log or record. It is used only in memory, for a fraction of a second, to keep a single visit joined together, and is discarded immediately.

How long we keep it: these usage records are deleted automatically after 180 days.

How to opt out: decline optional cookies in the banner, or clear your cookies. Everything on the site keeps working exactly as before — we simply stop recording.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use collected information for the following purposes:

2.1 To Provide Services

• Calculate personalized metabolic data (BMR, TDEE, weight loss projections)
• Store calculator results temporarily in your browser (localStorage)
• Recommend appropriate supplements based on your inputs

2.2 To Communicate With You

• Send daily motivational SMS messages (if you opt-in via Twilio)
• Respond to your inquiries and support requests
• Provide updates about the protocol or community (with consent)

2.3 To Improve Our Website

• Analyze user behavior to optimize content and functionality
• Review banded calculator statistics and coach questions (see 1.4) to find the topics people ask about most, and write pages and FAQ entries that answer them
• Monitor website performance and fix technical issues
• Conduct A/B testing for improved user experience

2.4 For Legal Compliance

• Comply with UK advertising regulations (ASA, DMCC Act)
• Respond to legal requests or prevent fraud
• Enforce our terms and conditions

3. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

3.1 What Are Cookies?

Cookies are small text files stored on your device that help websites remember your preferences and track activity. We use both session cookies (deleted when you close your browser) and persistent cookies (remain until deleted or expired).

3.2 Types of Cookies We Use

3.3 Managing Cookies

You have full control over cookies:

• Cookie Consent Banner: Accept or decline optional cookies when you first visit
• Browser Settings: Configure your browser to block or delete cookies (may affect functionality)
• Opt-Out Tools: Use Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on

4. Third-Party Services and Data Sharing

4.1 Amazon Associates Programme

• Purpose: Affiliate tracking for product recommendations
• Data Shared: Referral information (which link you clicked)
• Privacy Policy: Amazon UK Privacy Notice

4.2 Google Analytics

• Purpose: Website traffic analysis and user behavior insights
• Data Shared: Anonymized browsing data, demographics, device info
• Data Retention: 26 months (automatically deleted after)
• Privacy Policy: Google Privacy Policy

4.3 Tidio (Chat Widget) - If Active

• Purpose: Live chat support and AI-powered assistance
• Data Shared: Chat messages, email (if you provide), browsing context
• Privacy Policy: Tidio Privacy Policy

4.4 Twilio (SMS Service) - If Active

• Purpose: Daily motivational SMS messages (opt-in only)
• Data Shared: Your mobile number and your chosen fast length. We do not ask for your name.
• Privacy Policy: Twilio Privacy Policy

4.5 AI Fasting Coach - the model providers

• Purpose: Generating answers in the on-site chat assistant.
• Who receives it: Groq first, and Cerebras if Groq is unavailable. Both are in the United States.
• Data Shared: The message you type, and the recent messages in that conversation so the reply makes sense in context. Nothing else - no name, no email, no account.
• Why these two: both state that they do not train on the text sent to them, and that they do not retain it by default. That is why they were chosen over free tiers that reserve the right to train on submissions.
• What we do not send them: if your message trips the safety check - symptoms, or anything about self-harm or disordered eating - it is answered on our own server from a fixed script and is never sent to any model at all.
• Please still be careful: this is a chat box on a website, not a medical record. Do not type anything into it you would not want handled by a third party, and do not rely on it to assess a symptom.

4.6 Data Sharing with Third Parties

We do NOT sell your personal data. We only share data with:

• Service providers (as listed above) necessary to operate the website
• Legal authorities if required by law
• Professional advisors (accountants, lawyers) under confidentiality agreements

5. Data Retention

We retain your personal data only as long as necessary:

• Calculator Data: Stored locally in your browser (you can clear anytime)
• SMS Opt-in Data: Until you unsubscribe or 12 months of inactivity
• Testimonials: Indefinitely (with your consent) unless you request removal
• Analytics Data: 26 months (Google Analytics auto-deletion)
• Contact Inquiries: 2 years from last contact

6. Your Rights Under UK GDPR

As a UK resident, you have the following rights:

How to Exercise Your Rights

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at:

Email: support@autophagylabs.co.uk (please put "Data protection request" in the subject line)
Response Time: We will respond within 30 days as required by UK GDPR

7. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal data:

• Encryption: HTTPS/SSL encryption for all data transmission
• Secure Hosting: Website hosted on secure servers with regular backups
• Access Controls: Limited access to personal data (need-to-know basis)
• Regular Audits: Security reviews and vulnerability assessments

Important: No method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your data, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

8. Children's Privacy

This website is not intended for individuals under 18 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. Extended fasting is contraindicated for anyone under 18 (see Contraindications).

If we become aware that we have collected data from a child under 18, we will delete it immediately.

9. International Data Transfers

Your data may be transferred to and processed in countries outside the UK (e.g., USA for Google Analytics, Twilio). We ensure adequate safeguards are in place:

• Standard Contractual Clauses: EU-approved data transfer mechanisms
• Privacy Shield (where applicable): US companies certified under EU-US frameworks
• Service Provider Agreements: Contractual obligations to protect your data

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. We will:

• Post the updated policy on this page with a new "Last Updated" date
• Notify you via prominent website banner if changes are material
• Request fresh consent for processing if required by law

Your continued use of the website after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

11. Contact Information

For questions, concerns, or to exercise your data protection rights, contact us:

12. Consent Withdrawal

SMS Messages: Text "STOP" to unsubscribe instantly

Analytics Cookies: Use cookie consent banner or browser settings

Testimonials: Email us to request removal

Last Updated: November 23, 2025
Effective Date: November 23, 2025
Version: 1.0

Contact: support@autophagylabs.co.uk