GDPR FAQs

In accordance with GDPR regulations, Freshchat (formerl has updated Terms of Service ("ToS") and Privacy Notice ("Notice"). This will be effective from 25th May, 2018. We encourage you to read them completely and let us know if you have any questions. Here's a quick look at what's changed and what's not.

With growing emphasis on data privacy practices and with the General Data Protection Regulation ("GDPR") set to become effective shortly, we have revamped our privacy notice. We have made a distinction between the different roles played by Freshworks (data controller vs. data processor), the types of data collected or processed by Freshworks and how such data is used. Further, in addition to our EU-US Privacy Shield certification, we are now self-certified under the Swiss-US Privacy Shield Framework. Some of the significant changes in the ToS revolve around data privacy such as – we have introduced a Data Processing Addendum – an online agreement to address our processor obligations with respect to EU personal data. 

Apart from this, you will find that we have, inter alia, included terms relating to our products Freshmarketer and Freshteam under this consolidated ToS. Please refer to FAQs below  for more details. Also, certain features in our products have been updated to comply with the requirements under GDPR. You can find more information on the new and improved features on our GDPR microsite.

Integrations and Apps

All integrations, apps and custom apps that you use along with Freshworks products, are governed by their own terms and privacy policies. Freshworks does not provide any warranty for these services you may use. 

All related practices by these integrations and apps including data hosting, data transfer, etc., are the sole responsibility of the apps and services themselves and are not governed by Freshworks. 

FAQs

1. What are the main changes to the ToS?

You will find that we have, inter alia,

a) introduced a Data Processing Addendum – an online agreement to address our processor obligations with respect to EU personal data;

b) included terms relating to our products "Freshmarketer" and "Freshteam" under this consolidated ToS;

c) introduced a new section to address product/feature specific clauses supplemental to the ToS. This way, only the terms that are relevant to the Freshworks product(s)/feature(s) you have subscribed to, will apply to you;

d) included a new clause on Anti-Corruption.

2. Are there any changes to the product or service?

Certain features in our products have been updated to comply with the requirements under GDPR. You can find more information on the new and improved features on our GDPR microsite. Otherwise, we still offer the same service and will continue to add amazing new features to improve the customer support experience.

3. Are there any changes to the pricing and payment terms?

No, your pricing and payment terms do not change.

4. Is the free plan still free?

Yes it is. We are proud of the thousands of startups that use our products to support their customers and we will continue to support this cause.

5. I have signed a custom contract with Freshworks. Does this update apply to me?

The changes made to our ToS do not apply to you. You will continue to be governed by the custom contract you have signed with us.

6. What happens when I have an issue/clarification regarding an app, integration or custom app that is listed on the marketplace or integrations page?

You can directly reach out to the Partner using the support URL mentioned in the app listing, or on the partner's Contact-us page.

• Introduced Data Processing Addendum (DPA)
• Updated Terms of Service and Privacy Policy to include GDPR provisions
• Introduced new features in Freshchat to comply with the requirements under GDPR
• Undertook security measures to be GDPR complaint
• Option to host customer data in the EU data center for EU customers

As a GDPR-compliant business, Freshchat offers several options to help you, our customers with GDPR compliance. Account admins will have the option to:

• Not store IPs

If you select this, Freshchat won't be able to identify the user location.

• Turn-off social profile enrichment

Any user information that we add automatically through our enrichment tools will no longer be available.

• Opt out of analytics

Freshchat will stop sending any data to third party analytics tools.

To set up the above options,

1. Go to Admin > GDPR under Security & Compliance
   
   
   

   Make the required changes in General Settings. This will be applicable at the account level.

   
   

For individual users, you will be able to:

• Delete users
• Export user data and
• Turn-off events timeline

You will also have the option to:

• Delete an agent
  Contact the Freshchat team at [email protected] to delete a agent. We will delete the data but the name will be retained to get context on the conversations the member has had.
  
  
• Delete your account

           Contact the Freshchat team at [email protected] to delete your account.

The web messenger in Freshchat also known as the conversations widget, is used to deliver a convenient and contextual conversational messaging experience for customers. If you wish to get user consent for collecting their data or storing any cookies on Freshchat we recommend that you do NOT load the web messenger / conversations widget or the self-service widget (learn more about the differences here) until your users accept your policy.

We recommend you add the following privacy notice where you would like to inform your visitors and customers about processes in the context of Freshchat (a product of Freshworks Inc) — formerly known as Freshchat.

"We use third party service providers, like Freshworks Inc ("Freshworks") to enable interaction with you on our website and/or our product. As a data processor acting on our behalf, Freshworks automatically receives and records certain information of yours like device model, IP address, the type of browser being used and usage pattern through cookies and browser settings. Freshworks performs analytics on such data on our behalf which helps us improve our service to you. You can read about the cookies Freshworks' sets in their cookie policy here."

(While we suggest you include the above in your privacy notice, please note that this is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal advise or to determine how GDPR might apply to you and/or your organization. We encourage you to obtain independent professional advice, before taking or refraining from any action on the basis of the information provided here.)

If a visitor or a customer on your website has “accepted” your cookie policy, you have the consent from them on collecting their data, and the Freshchat web messenger (also referred to as the conversations widget) can be displayed on all pages of your website. In case the cookie policy has “not been accepted” or been “denied”, we recommend you don’t display the Freshchat messenger on your website.

To achieve this, we recommend you don’t use window.fcSettings to initialise the widgetconfig. Instead use window.fcWidget.init({}) to pass the widget config which allows the website / application to decide to load the widget based on whether the user accepts / declines cookies. Once the user accepts and allowed permission callwindow.fcWidget.init() method to initialize the widget.

Yes, you can delete personal data of your users and customers on Freshchat . We will support and handle your users’ right to be forgotten?  Follow the steps below:

1. Go to Admin > GDPR under Security and Compliance > Users
2. In the search bar, search for an user by their name, email address, or other identifiers
3. Click Forget User

User details like user properties, user information, conversations with the users, and their events timeline / website navigation path will be deleted.

1. Go to Admin > GDPR under Security and Compliance > Users > Search for a user by their name, email address, or other identifiers > Request Data

Once requested, we'll get back to you with an email carrying an export of the user’s data.

Note: User Data can be passed into your CRM or Freshsales or Freshdesk via integration and reported/exported. We do not allow direct User Data export from Freshchat 

Send an email from your account admin ID to [email protected] to delete your account.

In case your customers / site visitors do not want to be tracked on your website, you need to modify the embed code of the Freshchat conversations widget, also known as the web messenger, that you have used on your website.

This changes based on what is permitted by your customer / site visitor.

• Adding the Freshchat web messenger code below will allow apps to block all the 

i)  page transitions events (this is triggered when a webpage from the same website is visited) and 

ii) all custom events

window.fcSettings = {config: {

disableEvents: true}

}

• Adding the Freshchat web messenger code below will allow apps to block only page transition events

window.fcSettings = {

config: {disablePageTransition: true

}}

GDPR does not require EU personal data to stay in the EU, nor does it place any new Requested Data restrictions on transfer of personal data outside the EU. GDPR only mandates that such transfers be legitimised through any of the mechanisms provided in the regulation. Some ways of legitimising transfers are through EU-US Privacy ShieldCertification and Model Contractual Clauses. Freshworks is certified under EU-US and Swiss-US Privacy Shield.