Last updated: November 2026
This notice explains what information our WhatsApp game bot holds about you, why, and what you can do about it. The bot lets approved members start, stop and check our private family game servers.
Who runs it
The bot and the game servers are run by a private individual, a parent in our household, for family and friends. It is not a business and nothing is sold. You can contact us at games@hutchway.com.
What we hold
- Your WhatsApp phone number.
- The display name you give when you ask to join.
- Your role (member or admin) and which servers you are allowed to start, stop or check.
- A short log of commands sent to the bot: who sent it, what it was and when.
We do not keep the content of other messages, and we do not ask for your age, address, school or anything else. Admins who approve join requests see your chosen name and only the last three digits of your number.
Why we hold it
Only to run the game servers: to know who is allowed to use the bot, to reply to you, to tell you when a server is ready or has stopped, and to see who started or stopped a server if something goes wrong. We rely on our legitimate interest in running a private game server safely for invited friends. We never use your information for advertising and never sell or share it with anyone else.
Who else is involved
- WhatsApp (Meta) carries the messages between you and the bot, under WhatsApp’s own terms and privacy policy.
- DigitalOcean hosts the bot and the game servers in London. The member list is stored there, encrypted.
- GitHub runs the jobs that start and stop servers. It is only told which server to start and a member code, never your name or phone number.
How long we keep it
Your membership details are kept while you are a member, and deleted straight away when you leave or are removed. The command log is deleted after 90 days. Join requests that are not approved are deleted within 30 days.
Age
WhatsApp is only for people aged 13 and over, so the bot is too. If you are a parent or carer of a member and want to know what we hold about them, or want them removed, email us and we will sort it out.
Your choices
- Send leave to the bot at any time to remove yourself.
- Send mydata to the bot to see what it holds about you.
- Email us to ask for a copy, a correction or deletion, or with any question or complaint.
If you are unhappy with how we have handled your information, you can also contact the Information Commissioner’s Office at ico.org.uk.