GDPR & Privacy
Hearth is run by people who care — as a personal project born out of experience and loss. We take your privacy seriously — especially given the sensitive nature of mental health support. This page explains how we comply with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.
Who is the data controller?
Alex Asplen-Taylor is the data controller for any personal data you share with us through this website, the Hearth app, or our research study. You can reach our Data Protection point of contact at alex@bastionconsultants.co.uk.
What data we collect
- Account & circle data: name (or chosen alias), email, the circles you join, and messages you choose to share with your group.
- Research study data (optional, opt-in): full name, email, phone, gender, and military / veteran / civilian affiliation, plus any anonymised survey responses you submit during the study.
- Technical data: minimal device, app version and crash diagnostics needed to keep the open beta stable.
Lawful bases for processing
- Consent — for joining the research study and for any optional communications.
- Contract — to provide the Hearth app and the circle you have joined.
- Legitimate interests — to keep the service secure, prevent abuse, and improve the product.
How long we keep your data
Account data is kept while your account is active. Research study data is retained for the duration of the study and analysis, then fully anonymised or deleted in line with our ethics approval. Server logs are retained for no longer than 30 days.
Your rights
Under UK GDPR you have the right to:
- Be informed about how we use your data
- Access a copy of the personal data we hold about you
- Have inaccurate data corrected
- Have your data erased (“right to be forgotten”)
- Restrict or object to processing
- Data portability
- Withdraw consent at any time
To exercise any of these rights, email alex@bastionconsultants.co.uk. We will respond within one month.
Sharing your data
We never sell your data. We share the minimum necessary data with vetted processors that help us run the service (hosting, authentication, email). Anonymised study data may be shared with our academic partners at King’s College London for the purposes of the research only.
Safeguarding & emergencies
Hearth is peer support — it is not a crisis service. If we have a genuine and immediate concern that you or someone else is at risk of serious harm, we may share the minimum information required with the emergency services. If you are in crisis right now, please call Samaritans on 116 123 or 999.
Complaints
If you are unhappy with how we have handled your data you can complain to the UK Information Commissioner’s Office at ico.org.uk.