Join for free

Privacy Policy

Last updated September 2026

Who we are

In Real Life ("we", "us", "our") is a London culture digest delivered via WhatsApp. It is operated by Maximilian Deacon, a sole trader registered in England.

If you have questions about this policy or your data, contact us at hello@inreallife.chat.

What data we collect

When you use In Real Life, we collect and process:

  • Phone number. Required to deliver the service via WhatsApp.
  • Preference and profile data. Information you share with us about your interests, tastes, location preferences, and cultural habits — either through onboarding or ongoing conversation.
  • Interaction data. Your messages to us, including replies, reactions, and requests, along with timestamps and delivery status.
  • Technical identifiers. WhatsApp user IDs and message metadata provided by the WhatsApp Business API.

We do not collect payment or financial information. We do not knowingly collect data from anyone under 16.

How we use your data

We use your data to:

  • Deliver personalised culture recommendations to you via WhatsApp.
  • Build and refine your preference profile so recommendations improve over time.
  • Operate, maintain, and improve the service, including training and evaluating our recommendation systems.
  • Communicate with you about the service, including operational messages and occasional updates.
  • Comply with legal obligations.

Lawful basis for processing

Under UK GDPR, we rely on the following lawful bases:

  • Contract. Processing your phone number, preferences, and interaction data is necessary to deliver the service you have signed up for.
  • Legitimate interests. We process aggregated and anonymised usage data to improve the service. We balance this against your rights and do not use it in ways that would have a significant impact on you.
  • Consent. Where we send you marketing or promotional content beyond the core service, we will ask for your consent first. You can withdraw consent at any time by messaging us.

How AI processes your data

In Real Life uses automated systems, including AI agents, to curate recommendations and build your preference profile. No human reviews your individual messages or profile unless you contact us with a support request or complaint. Automated processing does not produce decisions with legal or similarly significant effects on you.

Who we share your data with

We share your data only with the service providers we need to run the platform:

  • Twilio — delivers messages via the WhatsApp Business API.
  • Supabase — hosts our database.
  • Railway — hosts our application infrastructure.
  • OpenAI / Anthropic — AI services used to generate and personalise recommendations.

These providers act as data processors on our behalf. We do not sell your data. We do not share it with advertisers.

If we introduce affiliate links or venue partnerships, any data shared with partners will be limited to aggregated, non-identifiable information unless we obtain your explicit consent.

Where your data is stored

Your data may be transferred to and processed in countries outside the UK, including the United States, where our service providers operate. Where this happens, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, including standard contractual clauses and adequacy decisions recognised by the UK.

How long we keep your data

We keep your data for as long as you use the service. If you unsubscribe or ask us to delete your data, we will delete your personal data within 30 days, except where we are required by law to retain it.

Aggregated, anonymised data that cannot identify you may be retained indefinitely.

Your rights

Under UK GDPR, you have the right to:

  • Access the personal data we hold about you.
  • Correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
  • Delete your data ("right to be forgotten").
  • Restrict or object to processing in certain circumstances.
  • Data portability — receive your data in a structured, commonly used format.
  • Withdraw consent at any time where processing is based on consent.

To exercise any of these rights, message us on WhatsApp or email hello@inreallife.chat. We will respond within 30 days.

If you are not satisfied with how we handle your request, you have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk.

Cookies and tracking

In Real Life is delivered via WhatsApp. Our website at inreallife.chat does not use tracking cookies or analytics that identify you. If this changes, we will update this policy.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. If we make material changes, we will notify you via WhatsApp before the changes take effect. The "last updated" date at the top of this page reflects the most recent revision.