Privacy Policy

KnetMiner - Privacy Policy

Last Update: 19/06/2025

1. Introduction

KnetMiner Limited ("KnetMiner", "We", "Us", "Our") is committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains what personal data we collect from you, or that you provide to us, when you use our KnetMiner software-as-a-service platform and related services (collectively, the "Services"), how it will be processed, and your rights in relation to that data.

This policy applies to users of our Services. KnetMiner Limited is the data controller responsible for your personal data under applicable data protection laws (including the UK General Data Protection Regulation - UK GDPR).

2. Information We Collect

We collect and process the following types of data about you:

• Account and Contact Information:
  
  • Full name
  • Email address
  • Organisation name
• Technical Information:
  
  • IP address
  • Device ID
  • Browser type and version
  • Operating system information
• Usage and Activity Information:
  
  • Activity logs (e.g., resources viewed, species selected, pages visited)
  • Interaction history with specific features or APIs
  • Usage frequency for specific features or APIs
  • Technical event logs (e.g., API calls, system performance data)
• Outputs Saved to Workspace:
  
  • When you save outputs generated by the Services (such as gene subgraphs or literature reviews) to your personal KnetMiner workspace, we store this information to allow you to access it later. We do not analyse or share the specific content of these saved outputs.

We collect information directly from you when you provide it to us (e.g., during registration) and automatically as you navigate and interact with the Services (e.g., technical and usage data).

Importantly, we do not collect the specific content of your searches, such as individual keywords, gene names, or other specific search terms entered into the main search functions. We only track the types of searches performed (e.g., "gene search", "region search", "keyword search") to understand overall feature usage patterns and improve the Service.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

• Service Provision: To operate the Services, provide you with access, authenticate users, allow you to save and manage Outputs in your workspace, and fulfill our contractual obligations to you. (Uses: Account/Contact, Technical, Usage/Activity, Saved Outputs)
• Service Improvement: To understand how our Services are used, identify areas for improvement, develop new features, and enhance user experience. (Uses: Technical, Usage/Activity)
• Analytics and Reporting: To monitor service performance, generate aggregated usage statistics, and understand trends. (Uses: Technical, Usage/Activity)
• Communication: To send you important service-related notices, updates, security alerts, and support messages. (Uses: Account/Contact)
• Support: To respond to your inquiries and provide technical or other support. (Uses: Account/Contact, Technical, Usage/Activity, Saved Outputs)
• Security and Compliance: To maintain the security of our Services, prevent fraud, enforce our Terms and Conditions, and comply with legal obligations. (Uses: Account/Contact, Technical, Usage/Activity, Saved Outputs)

We do not sell or otherwise provide your personal data to third parties.

4. Legal Basis for Processing

We process your personal data based on the following legal grounds under UK GDPR:

• Performance of a Contract: We process data necessary to provide the Services you have requested under our Terms and Conditions, including storing Outputs you save to your workspace.
• Legitimate Interests: We process data for our legitimate interests, such as improving the Services, conducting analytics, ensuring security, and communicating important service information, provided these interests are not overridden by your data protection rights.
• Consent: Where required by law, we will obtain your explicit consent before processing your data for that (for example, for sending marketing communications) specific purpose. You can withdraw your consent at any time in your Profile settings. 
• Legal Obligation: We may process data where necessary to comply with a legal or regulatory obligation.

5. How We Share Your Information

We may share your information with third-party service providers who process data on our behalf to help us operate the Services. These include:

• Email Communications: We use services like Mailchimp and Mandrill to send service-related emails (and marketing emails, if you have consented). We share necessary contact information (like name and email address) with Mailchimp for this purpose. Mandrill is used solely as an email dispatch system and does not store user contact information. We encourage you to review Mailchimp and Mandrill’s privacy policies.
• Feature Functionality (Literature Review & Other AI Functions): To provide the Literature Review feature, we utilize services provided by OpenAI (and in future, other Model providers). When you use this feature, the data you submit (e.g., search queries and query-related subgraphs) is sent and processed by OpenAI to generate the review. KnetMiner does not control OpenAI's data processing beyond this integration. We encourage you to review OpenAI's privacy policies. Should you wish to disable the Literature Review feature for yourself or team, you can do so by contacting us, and soon, via your Subscription Settings.
• Usage Analytics: We use services like Mixpanel to help us understand service usage and generate statistics. We share technical and usage data (often pseudonymized or aggregated) with them for analytics purposes. This data aids us in future feature development.

These third parties are authorized to use your personal information only as necessary to provide these services to us and are obligated to protect your data.  

We may also disclose your information:

• If required by law, regulation, or legal process.
• To enforce our rights, prevent fraud, or protect the security of KnetMiner or others.
• In connection with a business transfer, such as a merger, sale of assets, or acquisition. 

6. Data Storage and Security

We implement appropriate technical and organisational security measures to protect your personal data against accidental or unlawful destruction, loss, alteration, unauthorised disclosure, or access. Your personal data, including KnetMiner databases and any Outputs you save to your workspace, are primarily encrypted, stored and processed on secure servers located in Ireland and London. While we strive to protect your data, no security system is impenetrable.

7. Data Retention

We retain your personal data for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes outlined in this policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law. This typically means we keep your account information and related usage data for as long as your account is active and for a reasonable period thereafter for archival, audit, or legal purposes. Outputs saved to your workspace will generally be retained for as long as your account remains active, unless you choose to delete them earlier or upon account termination according to our standard procedures. You can also contact us at (see Section 12 below) to request earlier deletion of your data, unless we are legally required to retain it. Data processed for analytics may be retained in an aggregated or anonymized form for longer periods.  

8. Your Data Protection Rights

Under UK data protection law, you have rights including:

• Right to Access: You can request copies of your personal data.  
• Right to Rectification: You can ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete data.  
• Right to Erasure: You can ask us to delete your personal data in certain circumstances.  
• Right to Restrict Processing: You can ask us to limit the processing of your data in certain circumstances.  
• Right to Data Portability: You can ask for your data to be transferred to you or another organisation in a structured, commonly used, machine-readable format (where applicable).
• Right to Object: You can object to the processing of your data based on our legitimate interests.
• Right to Withdraw Consent: Where processing is based on consent, you can withdraw it at any time.
• Right to Complain: You have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details provided in Section 12.

9. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies (such as local browser storage and those employed by our analytics providers like Mixpanel) to enable service functionality, analyze usage, and improve user experience. You can manage your cookie preferences through your browser settings.

10. International Data Transfers

While KnetMiner primarily stores your data within Ireland and London, certain third-party service providers we use (such as Mailchimp, OpenAI, Mixpanel) may process data in countries outside the UK or EU. Where we transfer your personal data outside the UK/EU through these providers, we ensure a similar degree of protection is afforded to it by ensuring that appropriate safeguards are implemented, such as relying on UK Adequacy Regulations or using specific contracts approved for use in the UK (like the UK Addendum to the EU Standard Contractual Clauses or the International Data Transfer Agreement).  

11. Data Protection Officer

KnetMiner has voluntarily appointed a Data Protection Officer (DPO) to oversee our data protection practices. The DPO is responsible for matters relating to privacy and data protection. You can contact our Data Protection Officer at: dpo@knetminer.com. We recommend using this direct email address for DPO-related communications to ensure confidentiality and efficient handling.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any significant changes by posting the new policy on our website or by sending you an email notification. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.  

13. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, or if you wish to exercise your data protection rights, please contact us at:  

• Email: hello@knetminer.com  
• Address: KnetMiner Ltd, Rothamsted, Harpenden, AL5 2JQ, United Kingdom