HelloBeck Privacy Policy

Effective date: 17 December 2025

This Privacy Policy explains how Blue Beck Limited (“Blue Beck”, “we”, “us”) handles personal data in relation to the HelloBeck desktop application (“HelloBeck”, the “App”) and our related websites/pages (together, the “Services”).

HelloBeck is designed to run Large Language Models (LLMs) locally. In Local Mode, the App does not upload your prompts, chat logs, documents, or model outputs to Blue Beck over the internet; they are stored on your computer.

1) Who we are

Controller (UK GDPR): Blue Beck Limited (UK)

Contact: hello@bluebeck.co.uk (or via the contact method on our website)

The UK supervisory authority is the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). For users in the EU, their respective supervisory authorities also have jurisdiction.

2) What this policy covers

This policy covers:

• Use of the HelloBeck desktop App (including “Experimental” features);
  
• Our web pages that describe or support HelloBeck (for example, user guidance pages).
  

It does not replace the privacy policies of third parties you choose to use (for example, cloud LLM API providers, RSS publishers, or MCP servers).

3) How HelloBeck typically works (Local Mode)

In Local Mode, LLM inference happens on your device. The App is intended to let you download, manage, and chat with models without needing an internet connection for the actual processing.

Data stored locally (on your computer)

Depending on how you use the App, HelloBeck may store the following on your device:

• Model files you download (large files stored on disk).
  
• Your prompts, chat text, and outputs (only if you choose features that save them, such as Memory or Save/Load).
  
• Knowledge base content you add (files/folders) and the resulting local index/embeddings used for retrieval (RAG).
  
• Configuration data (e.g., system prompt, context settings).
  
• API keys for Cloud Mode are stored locally in a hidden file named .apikey (as described in the user documentation).
  

We do not receive these local files or chat logs from the App in Local Mode.

4) When the App may access the internet

HelloBeck is privacy-forward, but some features require network access:

(A) Downloading models and components

When you download models (or embeddings/Whisper models), your device will contact the relevant hosting/source. Those third parties will typically receive standard connection data, such as your IP address and download request metadata.

(B) Real-time knowledge bases (RSS)

If you enable “Realtime” knowledge bases, the App fetches and indexes public RSS feed titles, descriptions and content from selected publishers.

(C) Cloud Mode (important)

If you enable Cloud Mode, your queries and relevant context (including knowledge base snippets) are sent to the API provider you select (e.g., AWS Bedrock, Anthropic, DeepInfra). This is explicitly warned about in the documentation.

In Cloud Mode:

• Those providers will process your content under their terms and privacy notices;
  
• You should assume content may be transferred and processed outside the UK.
  

(D) MCP servers (advanced users)

If you configure MCP (Model Context Protocol) tools/resources, the App may exchange data with the MCP server(s) you specify. MCP tools can be configured to interact with external services, so you should only connect to servers you trust.

5) What personal data do we process (and why)

Because HelloBeck is primarily local-first, our own processing of personal data is usually limited to:

(A) Support and enquiries

If you contact us (e.g., by email), we process:

• Your contact details (name, email);
  
• The content of your message;
  
• Any diagnostics you choose to share.
  

Purpose: respond to enquiries, provide support, and improve the App.

Lawful basis (UK GDPR): legitimate interests and/or performance of a contract (depending on context). UK GDPR requires processing to be lawful, fair, and transparent.

(B) Website usage (if applicable)

Our website may process standard web server logs and basic analytics/cookie data (where used). Website processing is separate from the App’s Local Mode behaviour.

6) Data minimisation and retention

We aim to keep data use proportionate to what we need for the purposes above, consistent with UK GDPR principles (including minimisation and storage limitation).

Local App data (on your device): retained until you delete it (e.g., delete models, delete saved conversations/memory files, remove knowledge bases, delete .apikey, or uninstall the App).

Support communications: retained for as long as reasonably necessary to handle your request and maintain appropriate records.

7) Security

Local content is stored on your computer and protected primarily by your device and operating system controls. We recommend:

• Keeping your OS up to date.
  
• Using a strong login/password and device encryption (where available);
  
• Treating Cloud Mode and MCP as sharing mechanisms and using them deliberately.
  

8) Sharing and international transfers

Local Mode

We do not share your Local Mode chat logs, prompts, or documents because we do not receive them.

Cloud Mode / Third parties you choose

If you use Cloud Mode or connect external services (RSS publishers, MCP servers), data is shared with those providers as part of the feature you enabled.

Those providers may be outside the UK; their own transfer mechanisms and privacy terms apply.

9) Your rights (UK GDPR)

Where we process your personal data (for example, support emails), you may have rights including:

• Access, rectification, erasure;
  
• Restriction and objection;
  
• Data portability (where applicable).
  

You can also complain to the ICO or equivalent regulators in your country of residence if applicable. 

10) Changes to this policy

We may update this policy to reflect product changes (for example, new connectivity features). We will post the updated version on our website and update the effective date.

11) Contact

For privacy questions or requests: hello@bluebeck.co.uk

This policy is provided for transparency and does not constitute legal advice.

Where any matter is not expressly addressed in this HelloBeck Privacy Policy, it shall be governed by Blue Beck’s general Privacy Policy (available at https://www.bluebeck.co.uk/privacy/) only to the extent necessary to cover that specific gap (for example, our corporate website); nothing in Blue Beck’s general Privacy Policy shall override, vary, or extend this HelloBeck Privacy Policy in relation to your use of the HelloBeck App, and if there is any inconsistency between the two policies, this HelloBeck Privacy Policy shall prevail.