Privacy
Privacy policy
The short version: the machine you buy sends nothing anywhere, so nothing you do with it reaches us. This policy is about the website and the buying process, which are the only places we handle your data at all.
The product itself
cato8 machines run models locally. There is no inference call to our servers, no telemetry on what you ask, and no account required to use the machine. Your prompts, documents and outputs never leave the device unless you deliberately send them somewhere. A physical switch on the back disconnects the network entirely, and the machine keeps working with it off.
Software updates are the one exception. When connected, the machine can check for signed system and model updates. That check tells us a machine of a given version asked for an update. It does not carry your data, and it can be disabled.
What the website collects
When you contact us
Your name, email address, and whatever you write in the message. We use it to reply, and we keep it while the conversation is live and for a reasonable period afterwards so we have context if you come back to us.
When you reserve a machine
The reservation form on our configurator asks for your name, email address and country, and optionally your phone number, company, city or postcode, and a note. It is stored with the build you chose on our own server, and used to confirm your reservation, send your deposit link, arrange installation and reply to you. If you tick the updates box we will also send occasional news about shipping and models; untick it or reply and we stop.
Your confirmation email is sent through our email provider, which processes your address only to deliver it. We do not store your IP address with a reservation; it is used for a few minutes only, to stop automated spam.
When you pay a deposit or place an order
Your name, contact details, delivery address and order details. Card details are handled by our payment processor and never reach our servers. We keep order records for as long as tax and accounting law requires. If you do not go ahead, we delete the reservation within twelve months unless you ask us to keep it.
Analytics
We keep this minimal and we do not use advertising trackers or sell data to anyone. If we add analytics we will name the provider here and ask for consent where consent is required.
What this website keeps in your browser
No cookies. Three small preferences are kept in your browser's own storage, never sent to us: whether you chose the light or dark theme, whether interface sounds are on, and, for the length of a visit, that you have already seen the opening animation. Clearing your browser data removes them.
Fonts and other files
Every font, image and script on this site is served from our own domain. We do not load fonts from Google or anyone else, so visiting a page does not tell a third party you were here.
Why we are allowed to hold it
For enquiries, because you asked us to get in touch and it is in both our interests that we reply. For orders, because we need it to perform the contract. For accounting records, because the law requires us to keep them. Where we rely on consent, you can withdraw it.
Who else sees it
Our payment processor, for taking payment. Our email and hosting providers, as a consequence of running a website and answering email. SetupMyAI engineers, where an installation is part of your order and they need to know where they are going and what they are configuring. We do not sell your data and we do not share it for advertising.
Your rights
You can ask what we hold, ask for a copy, ask us to correct it, ask us to delete it, object to how we are using it, and complain to a regulator. In the UK that is the Information Commissioner's Office. Write to us first and we will try to sort it out.
Contact
Email hello@cato8.com and put "privacy" in the subject line so it reaches the right person.