This Privacy Policy explains how Machine Valley collects, uses, shares and protects personal information when you visit our websites, use our services or otherwise interact with us. We are a global organisation, and we have written this policy to meet the expectations of privacy laws around the world, including the GDPR in Europe and the CCPA/CPRA in California.
1. Who we are
Machine Valley ("we", "us", "our") is the data controller responsible for the personal information described in this policy. Because our work crosses borders, we have appointed a data-protection lead who coordinates privacy matters across all of our regions. You can reach them at [email protected].
2. Information we collect
The information we collect depends on how you interact with us. It falls into three broad categories:
- Information you give us - your name, email address, company, role and the contents of any message you send us, whether through a form, an email or a newsletter sign-up.
- Information collected automatically - IP address, browser type, device information, pages viewed and referring URLs, gathered through cookies and similar technologies described in our cookie policy.
- Information from client engagements - data that our clients instruct us to process on their behalf while delivering an AI project. In those cases we act as a data processor and the client remains the controller.
We do not intentionally collect special categories of personal data such as health, biometric or political information through this website, and we ask that you do not send us such information without a clear, lawful reason and an appropriate agreement in place.
3. How we use your information
We use personal information only where we have a lawful basis to do so, and only for purposes that are clear and legitimate:
- To respond to your enquiries and provide the services you request;
- To operate, secure and improve our website and services;
- To send you information you have asked for, such as our newsletter, which you can unsubscribe from at any time;
- To meet our legal, accounting and regulatory obligations; and
- To understand, at an aggregate level, how visitors use our site so that we can make it better.
Where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time. Where we rely on legitimate interests - for example, keeping our systems secure - we balance those interests carefully against your rights.
4. Artificial intelligence and your data
Because we build AI systems, we apply extra care to the way data flows through them. Our principles are simple and non-negotiable:
- We do not use your personal data to train foundation models without a specific, documented and lawful agreement to do so;
- We do not sell personal data, and we do not share it with third parties for their own advertising;
- We apply data minimisation and, where possible, de-identification before information is used for analysis or improvement; and
- Decisions that significantly affect an individual are subject to human review, testing and documented safeguards.
5. Sharing your information
We share personal information only with parties who help us operate and who are bound by appropriate contracts. These include cloud-hosting providers, email and communication platforms, analytics providers, and professional advisers such as lawyers and accountants. Where required, we also share information with regulators or law-enforcement bodies in response to a valid legal request.
When we share information across borders, we put in place recognised transfer mechanisms - such as standard contractual clauses and supplementary technical measures - to ensure your data keeps the protection it is entitled to.
6. International transfers
Machine Valley operates across continents, so your information may be processed in a country other than the one in which you live. Regardless of where data is processed, we apply the same security standards and require our processors to do the same. Our data-protection lead maintains an up-to-date register of transfers and the safeguards applied to each.
Your rights
Depending on where you live, you may have the right to access, correct, delete, restrict or object to the processing of your personal information, to request a portable copy, and to withdraw consent. To exercise any of these rights, contact [email protected]. We will verify your identity and respond within the timeframe required by applicable law - generally within 30 days.
7. How long we keep information
We keep personal information only as long as necessary for the purposes described in this policy, or as required by law. Newsletter subscriptions are kept until you unsubscribe. Enquiry records are typically kept for up to three years so that we can pick up a relationship where it left off. Data processed on behalf of a client is retained according to that client's instructions and our agreement with them.
8. Security
We protect personal information with a combination of encryption in transit and at rest, access controls, least-privilege permissions, logging and regular review. We train our staff on data protection and require strong authentication across our systems. No method of transmission or storage is perfectly secure, but we work continuously to reduce risk and we will notify affected individuals and regulators without undue delay in the event of a breach.
9. Children's privacy
Our website is intended for a professional audience and is not directed at children. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children through this site. Where our education projects involve data relating to younger learners, that data is handled under a dedicated agreement with the school or institution and is protected far more strictly than in a typical consumer app.
10. Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services or in the law. When we do, we will revise the date at the top of this page and, for material changes, provide a more prominent notice. We encourage you to review this page periodically.
11. Contact us
If you have questions or concerns about this policy or about how we handle your information, please write to [email protected] or visit our contact page. If you are not satisfied with our response, you may have the right to complain to your local data-protection authority. You can also read our cookie policy and our copyright & legal notices.