1. Introduction

FastCow Hosting Limited, trading as FastCow ("we", "us", "our"), is committed to protecting your privacy and personal data. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website at fastcow.com ("Website") or use our services ("Services").

We are registered in England and Wales (company number 15734234) and act as the data controller for the personal data we process in connection with our Services.

Please read this Privacy Policy carefully. By using our Website or Services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy.

2. INFORMATION WE COLLECT

1. Information You Provide Directly

We collect information that you provide directly to us, including:

• Account Information: Name, email address, postal address, phone number, company name, and billing information when you create an account or purchase Services
• Payment Information: Credit card details and billing addresses (processed securely through our payment processors)
• Communications: Information you provide when you contact us for support, submit feedback, or communicate with us through any channel
• Content Data: Files, databases, websites, emails, and other content you upload to or store on our servers

2. Information Collected Automatically

When you access our Website or use our Services, we automatically collect certain information:

• Log Data: IP addresses, browser type and version, operating system, access times, pages viewed, and referring URLs
• Device Information: Device identifiers, hardware model, and network information
• Usage Data: Information about how you use our Services, including server resource usage, bandwidth consumption, and service configuration
• Cookies and Tracking Technologies: We use cookies, web beacons, and similar technologies to collect information about your browsing activities

3. Information from Third Parties

We may receive information about you from third-party sources, including payment processors, fraud prevention services, and marketing partners, to the extent permitted by law.

3. HOW WE USE YOUR INFORMATION

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

4. Providing Services

• To create and manage your account
• To provision, maintain, and support our Services
• To process payments and send billing notifications
• To perform migrations and technical services you request

5. Communications

• To respond to your inquiries and provide customer support
• To send service-related notices, including maintenance alerts and security notifications
• To send marketing communications about our Services (with your consent where required)

6. Security and Fraud Prevention

• To detect, prevent, and address fraud, security incidents, and illegal activities
• To monitor system security and protect our infrastructure
• To verify identity and prevent unauthorized access

7. Service Improvement and Analytics

• To analyze usage patterns and improve our Services
• To develop new features and functionality
• To conduct research and generate aggregated, anonymized statistics

8. Legal Compliance

• To comply with legal obligations and regulatory requirements
• To respond to lawful requests from public authorities
• To enforce our Terms of Service and protect our legal rights

4. LEGAL BASIS FOR PROCESSING (UK GDPR)

Under UK GDPR, we process your personal data based on the following legal grounds:

• Contractual Necessity: Processing is necessary to perform our contract with you (providing hosting services)
• Legitimate Interests: Processing is necessary for our legitimate interests in operating our business, improving services, preventing fraud, and ensuring security
• Legal Obligation: Processing is necessary to comply with legal and regulatory requirements
• Consent: Where we have obtained your explicit consent for specific processing activities (e.g., marketing communications)

5. HOW WE SHARE YOUR INFORMATION

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal data. We may share your information in the following circumstances:

9. Service Providers

We share information with third-party service providers who perform services on our behalf, including:

• Payment processors (for billing and payment processing)
• Data center and infrastructure providers
• Customer support and communication platforms
• Security and fraud prevention services
• Analytics providers

10. Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required to do so by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities (e.g., court orders, subpoenas, or regulatory inquiries).

11. Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, reorganization, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred to the successor entity.

12. Protection of Rights

We may disclose information to protect our rights, property, or safety.

13. With Your Consent

We may share information for any other purpose with your explicit consent.

6. DATA RETENTION

We retain your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, including to satisfy legal, accounting, or reporting requirements.

• Active Accounts: We retain account information and service data for the duration of your active subscription
• Cancelled Accounts: Following account cancellation, we may retain certain information in backup systems for up to 30 days, after which it is permanently deleted
• Legal Requirements: We may retain certain information longer if required by law or for legitimate business purposes (e.g., tax records for 7 years)
• Aggregated Data: We may retain anonymized and aggregated data indefinitely for analytical purposes

7. DATA SECURITY

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal data against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. Our security measures include:

• Encryption of data in transit using TLS/SSL protocols
• Secure data centers with physical access controls
• Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments
• Access controls and authentication mechanisms
• Employee training on data protection and confidentiality
• Regular backups and disaster recovery procedures

However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is completely secure. While we strive to protect your data, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

8. YOUR DATA PROTECTION RIGHTS

• 14. Right of Access:You have the right to request copies of your personal data. We may charge a reasonable fee for additional copies.
• 15. Right to Rectification: You have the right to request correction of any inaccurate or incomplete personal data.
• 16. Right to Erasure: You have the right to request deletion of your personal data in certain circumstances, subject to legal retention requirements.
• 17. Right to Restrict Processing : You have the right to request restriction of processing your personal data in certain circumstances.
• 18. Right to Data Portability: You have the right to request transfer of your personal data to another service provider in a structured, commonly used, machine-readable format.
• 19. Right to Object : You have the right to object to processing of your personal data based on legitimate interests or for direct marketing purposes.
• 20. Right to Withdraw Consent: Where we rely on consent to process your data, you have the right to withdraw consent at any time.
• 21. Exercising Your Rights To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at [email protected]. We will respond to your request within one month, though this period may be extended by two additional months in complex cases.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the UK supervisory authority for data protection issues (www.ico.org.uk).

9. COOKIES AND TRACKING TECHNOLOGIES

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to collect and track information about your use of our Website and Services.

22. Types of Cookies We Use

• Essential Cookies: Necessary for the Website to function properly and cannot be disabled
• Performance Cookies: Help us understand how visitors interact with our Website by collecting anonymous information
• Functional Cookies: Enable enhanced functionality and personalization
• Marketing Cookies: Track your browsing activity to deliver relevant advertising (used only with your consent)

23. Managing Cookies

You can control and manage cookies through your browser settings. Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of our Website. Most browsers allow you to refuse cookies or delete existing cookies.

10. INTERNATIONAL DATA TRANSFERS

Your personal data is primarily stored and processed in the United Kingdom. Our servers are located at Telehouse East in London, England.

In some cases, we may transfer personal data to third-party service providers located outside the UK. When we do so, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, including:

• Standard Contractual Clauses approved by the UK authorities
• Adequacy decisions recognizing equivalent data protection standards
• Other appropriate safeguards as required by UK GDPR

11. CHILDREN'S PRIVACY

Our Services are not intended for individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a child, please contact us immediately at [email protected], and we will promptly delete such information.

12. THIRD-PARTY WEBSITES

Our Website may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of these external sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party websites you visit.

13. CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or for other operational reasons. We will notify you of any material changes by:

• Posting the updated Privacy Policy on our Website with a revised "Last Updated" date
• Sending you an email notification (for significant changes)

Your continued use of our Services after changes become effective constitutes acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.

14. CONTACT INFORMATION

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

FastCow Hosting Limited

Trading as FastCow
Company Number: 15734234
Registered in England and Wales

Email: [email protected]
Website: fastcow.com

For data protection inquiries specifically, you may also contact our data protection team at [email protected].