Privacy Policy
What personal data DeskWink collects, why, how long we keep it, where it goes, and your rights under UK GDPR and EU GDPR.
The short version: we collect what we need to run your account and show you what your AI did. We never collect or store the contents of your files, the differences between versions, or the output of commands.
1. Who we are
The controller of your personal data is Viva Essence Ltd, a company registered in England and Wales (company number 16065477), with its registered office at 82a James Carter Road, Mildenhall, Bury St Edmunds, England, IP28 7DE. You can reach us about privacy at [email protected]. We have not appointed a data protection officer.
This policy covers the DeskWink website, console, cloud service and command-line program (the “Service”). It is written for the UK GDPR and the EU GDPR.
2. What we collect
| Data | Details | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Account | Email address, name, and the ID given by your sign-in provider (for example Google). | You, and your sign-in provider |
| Your computers | The name you give each computer, its operating system, the DeskWink version, the computer’s public key, and when it was last connected. | Your computer |
| Shared folders | The names and paths of the folders you share, and whether each is read-only or allows changes. | Your computer |
| AI connections | Which AI apps you connected, and which computers and abilities you allowed them. | You |
| Activity records | For each request from an AI app: the tool used, the path of the file inside a shared folder, the time, and the result (such as done, refused or waiting for approval). | Generated by the Service |
| Security events | Events such as sign-ins, pairing a computer, revoking access, emergency disconnects, and requests that were blocked. | Generated by the Service |
| Technical data | Like any online service, our servers and our network provider process your IP address and basic request details (such as browser type) when you use the website or console or connect a computer. | Your devices |
| Messages to us | What you write if you email us, and any diagnostic report you choose to send. | You |
What we do not collect. We do not collect or store the contents of your files, the differences between versions of a file, the text or output of commands, or screenshots. We never receive your Google password. Paid plans are not available yet; when they are, payment details will be handled by our payment provider (see Subprocessors).
Cookies. We use only strictly necessary cookies for sign-in and security, and no analytics or advertising cookies. See the Cookie Policy.
3. Your files while the Service is running
When your AI app reads or changes a file, the content passes through DeskWink’s servers and network in transit between your computer and the AI app. It is not written to our database, logs or backups. The AI app you chose then handles the content under its own terms and privacy policy; that company decides what it does with it, not us.
4. Why we use your data
| Purpose | Legal basis |
|---|---|
| Create and run your account, connect your computers and AI apps, and provide the Service you asked for | Performing our contract with you (Article 6(1)(b)) |
| Show you a record of what your AI apps did, so you can check and control them | Performing our contract with you (Article 6(1)(b)) |
| Keep the Service secure, prevent abuse and fraud, investigate problems, and enforce our terms | Our legitimate interest in a safe and reliable service (Article 6(1)(f)) |
| Send you service emails such as sign-in links and security notices | Performing our contract with you, and our legitimate interest in keeping your account safe |
| Answer your questions and requests | Our legitimate interest in supporting you, or performing our contract |
| Keep accounting and legal records, and respond to lawful requests | Legal obligation (Article 6(1)(c)) |
We do not send marketing emails unless you ask us to. We do not sell personal data. We do not use it for advertising, and we do not make decisions about you by automated means that have legal or similarly significant effects.
5. Who receives your data
We use a small number of service providers (“subprocessors”) to run DeskWink. The current list, with what each does and where, is on the Subprocessors page: hosting, network and DNS, sign-in, and (planned) email and payments. They may only use your data to provide their service to us.
We may also share data:
- with the AI apps you connect, to the extent your requests involve them, as described above;
- with professional advisers, where needed;
- with authorities, courts or others when the law requires it or to protect rights and safety; and
- with a buyer or successor if the business or its assets are transferred, with the protection of this policy continuing to apply.
6. Transfers outside the UK and EEA
Our servers are hosted in the United States (Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, west region), so your personal data is transferred there. Some of our providers also operate in the United States and in other countries. Where UK GDPR or EU GDPR requires it, we rely on an approved safeguard for the transfer, such as an adequacy arrangement for certified US providers (for example the UK–US data bridge or the EU–US Data Privacy Framework) or standard contractual clauses with the UK addendum. You can ask us for details at [email protected].
7. How long we keep it
| Data | How long |
|---|---|
| Account, computers, shared folders and AI connections | While your account is open. Deleted within 30 days after you delete your account. |
| Activity records | 30 days on the Free plan and 90 days on the Pro plan, then deleted automatically. |
| Security events | 1 year. |
| Messages to us | As long as needed to help you and to deal with follow-up questions. |
| Operational logs on our servers | Only as long as needed to run and secure the Service. They hold no file contents. |
| Accounting records (once paid plans exist) | As long as the law requires; in the UK this is generally up to six years. |
Deleted data can remain in routine database backups until those backups expire. Backups never contain file contents. Some data stays on your computer, under your control: logs for 14 days, and backups of files DeskWink changed for 7 days.
8. Your rights
You have the right to:
- be told about, and get a copy of, the personal data we hold about you;
- have inaccurate data corrected;
- have your data erased in the circumstances the law sets out;
- restrict or object to some uses, including uses based on our legitimate interests;
- receive data you gave us in a portable format, where the law gives you that right; and
- withdraw consent at any time, where we rely on consent.
To use any of these rights, write to [email protected]. We may need to check it is you. We will respond within the time the law requires, which is normally one month.
If you are unhappy with how we handle your data, please tell us first so we can try to put it right. You can also complain to the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ico.org.uk), or to the data protection authority in your own country if you live in the EU.
9. How we protect your data
DeskWink is designed so that the most sensitive data, your file contents, is not stored. Connections are encrypted, your computer connects out and opens no inbound port, and sign-in credentials, computer keys and AI app permissions are kept separate. Read more in the security model and on the security page. No system is perfectly secure; if there is a data breach that affects you, we will tell you and the regulator as the law requires.
10. Children
DeskWink is not for people under 18, and we do not knowingly collect their data. If you think a child has given us data, write to us and we will delete it.
11. Changes to this policy
We will update this policy when our practices change, for example when we add paid plans and email providers. The “Last updated” date shows the latest version, and we will give notice of material changes by email or in the Service.
12. Contact
Viva Essence Ltd, 82a James Carter Road, Mildenhall, Bury St Edmunds, England, IP28 7DE. Email [email protected] for privacy questions and requests, or [email protected] for security issues.