Privacy Policy

Last updated: 18 June 2026 · Private beta

Fred ("we", "us") is a private-beta WhatsApp assistant operated by Crox that helps parents and carers manage family admin. This policy explains what we collect, why, who we share it with, and your rights. It reflects how the product actually works during the beta. This is a small, invite-only pilot; if anything here changes materially we will tell you in the chat before it takes effect.

Who we are

Crox is the data controller for the information you share with Fred. Contact: [email protected].

What we collect

• Your WhatsApp identity: your WhatsApp number (and the profile name WhatsApp shows us) — this is how we know it's you.
• Your messages to Fred and Fred's replies: the full text of your conversation, so Fred has context across messages.
• What you tell Fred about your family: e.g. family members' names, ages/birthdays, roles, schools, activities and notes — only what you choose to share. This can include information about children.
• Tasks and reminders you ask Fred to track, and their timing.
• If you connect Google (optional): a secure token that lets Fred access your Google account, your Google account email, and — only when you ask, and only the specific emails you have scoped to Fred (e.g. a "Fred" label) — those emails' sender, subject and a short preview; plus your upcoming calendar events and any events you ask Fred to create. Fred cannot read your whole inbox — access is restricted to the scope you set.
• Basic product analytics: counts of things like messages received, reminders sent, errors, and any feedback you give — to run and improve the beta.

Why we use it (legal basis)

We process this information to provide the service you've asked for (performing our agreement with you), and, for product analytics and improvement, on the basis of our legitimate interest in running a safe, useful beta. We rely on your consent for connecting your Google account, which you can withdraw at any time by disconnecting (see "Your choices").

Who we share it with

We do not sell your data and we do not share it with other families. To operate, your data is processed by a small number of service providers acting on our behalf:

• Meta / WhatsApp — delivers your messages (it's the chat channel).
• Anthropic — provides the AI ("Claude") that powers Fred; your messages are sent to Anthropic's API to generate replies. Anthropic does not use API data to train its models.
• Google — only if you connect it, and only for the calendar/email access described above.
• Our hosting and database providers — where the service runs.

A small Crox team may read your WhatsApp conversations with Fred to operate the beta, fix problems, and improve Fred. We treat this access seriously and keep it to what's needed. This does not extend to your Google data — see the Limited Use section below.

Google user data & Limited Use

Fred's use and transfer of information received from Google APIs adheres to the Google API Services User Data Policy, including its Limited Use requirements. Specifically, the Google data we access (your Google account email, the calendar events you ask about or ask Fred to create, and only the emails you have labelled for Fred) is used solely to provide and improve the Fred features you've enabled. We do not:

• sell this data, or transfer or use it for advertising, ad personalisation, or to train generalised AI/ML models;
• use it for any purpose other than providing and improving the Fred features you connected it for.

Processing of your Google data is automated (the calendar/email content Fred reads is handled by the AI to answer you). Humans do not read your Google data except in the limited cases the Limited Use policy permits: with your explicit consent, where necessary for security or to comply with the law, or to operate and fix the service — for example, where Google-derived detail appears in your Fred conversation, a small Crox team may see it while running the beta, on your behalf and never for any other purpose. You can disconnect Google at any time, which revokes Fred's access and deletes the stored token.

How we protect it

Your data is stored in our database, encrypted at rest, and is access-controlled — it is private to your account and not shared with other families. Any Google access token we hold is additionally encrypted in our database. No security is perfect, and this is an early beta; please share only what you're comfortable with.

Children's information

Fred is for adults (parents and carers) — it is not directed at children and children should not use it. Because it helps with family admin, you may choose to tell Fred about your children (e.g. a child's name, age, or school). You are responsible for the information you share about others in your family, and you can ask Fred to delete any of it at any time.

How long we keep it

We keep your information for as long as you use Fred during the beta. You can delete specific details or everything at any time (see below). If the beta ends or you stop using Fred, we will delete your data within a reasonable period.

Your choices and rights

• Ask Fred to forget things. Tell Fred to forget a particular person or to delete everything it holds about you — it will, and this is permanent.
• Disconnect Google at any time to revoke Fred's access to your calendar and email (and you can also remove access from your Google Account settings).
• Under UK GDPR you have rights to access, correct, delete, restrict or object to our use of your data, and to data portability. Email [email protected] to exercise any of these. You can also complain to the UK Information Commissioner's Office (ico.org.uk).

Where your data is processed

Some of our providers (e.g. Anthropic, Google, Meta) may process data outside the UK/EEA. Where they do, appropriate safeguards (such as standard contractual clauses) apply.

Changes

We'll update this policy as the product develops and tell you in the chat before any material change takes effect.

Questions? [email protected]