Fineprint
Fastmail
fastmail.comThere were no red flags found. A few things need caution: if you have a dispute, you must go to courts in Victoria, Australia, Fastmail can keep some of your data longer than usual for legal reasons, and the company can change its terms without asking for your agreement again. Four issues could not be fully checked. On the bright side, Fastmail does not sell your data, does not use your content to train AI, and does not collect biometric data.
Content licenseNot sure›
We could not determine this from the documents, so we are not guessing.
AI training on your contentFastmail explicitly connects to Anthropic API with model training switched off, so no AI training on your content.Clear›
… made available via our platform, for customer use, our customers may choose, however are not required, to enter in PII such as their name, and email address, if they feel this will assist them in resolving their query. To ensure the safety of their data, Fastmail only allows connections via the Anthropic API with model training switched off. You can read more about the Anthropic DPA and Privacy Policy and how they process and handle PII via this link. Contact us If you have any questions or concerns about this policy or how we handle your Personal …
In plain termsIt is like a tutor who never opens your notebook unless you hand it over and clearly say yes.
View in the source →Selling or sharing your dataSharing is limited to law enforcement/legal compliance. No sale or third-party advertising sharing is mentioned.Clear›
… of Fastmail’s right to comply with governmental, court, and law enforcement requests or requirements relating to your use of the Services or information provided to or gathered by Fastmail with respect to such use. Fastmail may provide information in connection with a reasonable law enforcement request. Any Term that is invalid must be read down to the minimum extent necessary to achieve its validity (if applicable) and be severed from these Terms in any other case, without invalidating or affecting the remaining …
In plain termsIt is like the store keeping your list to itself and only showing the card processor enough to ring you up.
View in the source →Right to sueNo forced arbitration or class waiver, but disputes must go to Victoria, Australia courts exclusively.Caution›
… to provide Services to you after the effective date of any variation. 14. General These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Victoria Australia, without regard to the conflict or choice of law rules thereof. The courts sitting in the State of Victoria, Australia shall have exclusive jurisdiction over any dispute arising hereunder. Use of the Services are unauthorised in any jurisdiction that does not give effect to all provisions of these Terms, including without limitation this paragraph. You agree that no joint venture, partnership, …
In plain termsIt is like a private-referee clause you can escape if you mail an opt-out in time, or just a faraway court they picked.
View in the source →Changes to the termsSubstantial changes get advance notice via website, pop-ups, or email, but no affirmative re-consent is required.Most services we've read say thisCaution›
… We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in legal requirements, our operations, or our services. Any updates will be posted on this webpage, so we encourage you to review it periodically. If we make substantial changes, we will take reasonable steps to inform you, such as through notices on our website, pop-ups, or email, where appropriate. We are committed to handling your personal information responsibly and will always endeavour to act in your best interests when updating this policy. We will not make changes that materially reduce your rights under …
In plain termsIt is like a landlord who can change the lease but has to warn you first, by mail or a posted notice, before it kicks in.
View in the source →TerminationNot sure›
We could not determine this from the documents, so we are not guessing.
Biometric and locationOnly IP address (coarse location) and standard technical data collected; no biometric data mentioned or implied.Clear›
… or service providers, we may also collect information to help us work together effectively. The types of information we collect and how we use it depend on how you use our services. Personal Information we collect When you sign up for or use our services, such as Fastmail or Topicbox, we collect Personal Information such as your name, primary username - Fastmail email, billing and contact details, organization and domain names, and technical data like your IP address and browser type. We will also keep records of your communications with us. We also collect tokenized payment information to Process transactions securely. Our help pages explain how your data is deleted if you don’t continue after a …
In plain termsIt is like them never scanning your face and, at most, knowing your rough city rather than your exact spot.
View in the source →Data kept after you deleteMost data has stated periods (up to 12 months), but an open-ended clause allows longer retention for legal/dispute purposes.Caution›
… reasonable steps to ensure it is also deleted or anonymised within this period. Account Deletion Requests: Account data is deleted within seven days after closure, with a short archive period to allow for recovery. In some cases, we may store data longer if required for legal, regulatory, or dispute resolution purposes. Children’s data We do not knowingly collect data from children under the age required for parental consent in your jurisdiction, as all Account Holders are required to be 18+. We will delete any Personal Information …
In plain termsIt is like a gym that shreds your file after a set wait, or holds it for reasons it names but never says for how long.
View in the source →Auto-renew and cancelingNot sure›
We could not determine this from the documents, so we are not guessing.
If something goes wrongNot sure›
We could not determine this from the documents, so we are not guessing.