Privacy Policy

Last updated: 4 September 2026

DESIGN-R ("we", "us", "our") is a sole trader business operated by James Venn, based in Brighton & Hove, United Kingdom. We build websites and provide AI-powered market intelligence services. This policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your personal data.

1. Who We Are

Business name: DESIGN-R
Contact: hello@design-r.ai
Website: design-r.ai

2. What Data We Collect

We collect data in the following ways:

• Contact form submissions: Your name, email address, website URL (if provided), and message content.
• Chat widget conversations: Messages exchanged through our on-site chat, including any information you choose to share about your business.
• Payment information: When you purchase a service, payment is processed by Stripe. We do not store your card details. Stripe's privacy policy applies to payment processing.
• Portal accounts: If you create a portal account, we store your email address, username, and service preferences.
• Analytics: We use Umami, a privacy-focused, self-hosted analytics platform. It collects anonymous usage data (pages visited, referral source, browser type, country). No cookies are used for analytics. No personal data is collected. No data is shared with third parties.
• Cookies: We use a single essential cookie to remember your cookie consent preference. No tracking cookies are used.

3. How We Use Your Data

• To respond to your enquiries and provide the services you request.
• To deliver market research, security scans, and intelligence reports you have ordered.
• To manage your portal account and provide ongoing service.
• To improve our website and services based on anonymous usage patterns.

We do not sell, rent, or share your personal data with third parties for marketing purposes.

4. AI Processing

Our services use AI (specifically, Anthropic's Claude) to assist with market research, content creation, competitor analysis, and security scans. When you use our services:

• Information you provide about your business may be processed by AI to deliver the service you requested.
• AI-generated outputs (reports, analysis, content) are reviewed by a human before delivery.
• Your data is not used to train AI models. Anthropic's usage policies prohibit training on API inputs.
• We are transparent about which parts of our work involve AI. You can ask at any time.

5. Data Storage and Security

• Your data is stored on servers located in Germany (Hetzner Online GmbH, Falkenstein).
• All connections are encrypted via TLS/HTTPS.
• Access to client data is restricted to James Venn and authorised AI instances operating under human oversight.
• We use self-hosted infrastructure wherever possible to minimise third-party data exposure.

6. Third-Party Services

We use the following third-party services:

• Stripe — payment processing. Stripe Privacy Policy
• Anthropic — AI processing (Claude API). Anthropic Privacy Policy
• Hetzner — server hosting (Germany). Hetzner Privacy Policy

No data is shared with advertising networks, data brokers, or social media platforms.

7. Your Rights

You have the right to:

• Access the personal data we hold about you.
• Correct inaccurate data.
• Delete your data ("right to be forgotten").
• Export your data in a portable format.
• Withdraw consent at any time.
• Object to processing of your data.

To exercise any of these rights, email hello@design-r.ai. We will respond within 30 days.

8. Data Retention

• Contact form data: Retained for 12 months after last contact, then deleted.
• Chat conversations: Retained for the duration of our business relationship, then deleted within 90 days.
• Portal accounts: Retained while your account is active. Deleted within 90 days of account closure.
• Payment records: Retained for 7 years as required by UK tax law.
• Analytics data: Anonymous and aggregated. No personal data to retain or delete.

9. Children

Our services are not directed at individuals under 18. We do not knowingly collect data from children.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated date. We will not reduce your rights under this policy without your consent.

11. Contact

If you have questions about this privacy policy or how we handle your data:
Email: hello@design-r.ai
Business: DESIGN-R, Brighton & Hove, United Kingdom