Spectrum Alpha operates a beta programme supporting families of neurodiverse teens. Because our users include young people aged 13 to 18, we take privacy seriously. This policy explains what we collect, how we use it, how long we keep it, and your rights.
Spectrum Alpha Ltd is a UK-registered social enterprise (Company Number 16947569) based at St John's Innovation Centre, Cowley Road, Cambridge CB4 0WS, United Kingdom. We are the data controller for personal information processed through our website and our Alfie messaging service.
We only collect what we need to provide the service. Specifically:
We do not collect location data, browsing history, or any information beyond what is shared through the registration form and WhatsApp conversations.
Your data is used to:
We do not use your data to advertise to you, and we do not profile your child in any way that produces decisions with legal or similarly significant effects.
Under UK GDPR, we rely on the following lawful bases:
Alfie remembers context across conversations so the support becomes more relevant over time. What Alfie remembers is limited to: first names, ages, topics you have discussed, summaries of recent exchanges, and notes on wins or concerns worth tracking.
Parent conversations and teen conversations are stored separately. A parent cannot see what their teen has shared with Alfie for Teens, and a teen cannot see what their parent has shared with Alfie for Parents. This separation is enforced at the system level.
You can ask Alfie to forget a specific topic at any time by sending the keyword FORGET followed by a short description. You can also request full deletion of your memory at any time by emailing support@spectrumalpha.org.
Spectrum Alpha is designed for young people aged 13 to 18. We comply with the UK Children's Code (Age Appropriate Design Code), the UK GDPR, and the US Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) where applicable.
Key commitments for young users:
We do not sell personal data, and we do not share it with third parties for marketing. We do use a small set of trusted service providers to operate the service:
We may share data where legally required, or where we have a duty to do so to protect the safety of a child or adult at risk.
We keep personal data only for as long as it is needed:
You can request deletion at any time by emailing support@spectrumalpha.org.
Spectrum Alpha takes safeguarding seriously. Alfie is trained to recognise signs of distress, self-harm, abuse, or risk to others. When such signals are detected, Alfie will:
Our internal team reviews the safeguarding log on a weekly basis. Where a concern indicates risk of serious harm, we reserve the right to contact the parent or guardian, and in rare and serious cases, to notify relevant authorities in line with our legal and moral obligations.
For the full policy, including how Alfie responds to specific issues (self-harm, grooming, bullying, home safety, eating difficulties, and others), the escalation pathway, and parent notification criteria, see the Spectrum Alpha Safeguarding Policy.
If you or your teen are in immediate danger, please contact emergency services in your country. Alfie is not a crisis line.
We protect your data using industry-standard measures: encryption in transit, access controls on our data stores, restricted administrative access, and review of our supply chain. No system is perfectly secure, but we commit to notifying affected users without undue delay in the event of a personal data breach, as required by law.
Under UK GDPR you have the right to:
To exercise any of these rights, email support@spectrumalpha.org. We will respond within 30 days.
Our website (spectrumalpha.org) uses only essential cookies required for the site to function. We do not use advertising cookies, tracking pixels, or third-party analytics that identify individual visitors. Cloudflare, our hosting provider, may use minimal technical cookies for security and performance as set out in its own policies.
We may update this policy from time to time. Where changes are material, we will notify registered families by email and through the service. The "last updated" date at the top of this page reflects the most recent revision.
For any question about this policy, your data, or your rights, please contact:
Spectrum Alpha Ltd
St John's Innovation Centre
Cowley Road
Cambridge, CB4 0WS, United Kingdom
Email: support@spectrumalpha.org
Telephone: +44 1223 931 172