Request of having personal info deteled
I have submitted a formal request, but I am posting this here too as it may be helpful for other people as well.
A few months ago, I was asked by my therapist to provide my phone number and address, as he had at the time serious concerns over my safety. I gave these info to him, and they have been stored on the 7Cups databank since then. They have been used once back in June, to ensure I was indeed safe. I am grateful for this.
Five months later, I would like now to have them removed, whilst remaining available to provide them again should the need arise.
My therapist says it is not possible. If this is right, I would suggest you to somehow make it clearer on your Policy that once we give those very sensitive details, there is no coming back...
According to 7Cups policy:
We take reasonable steps to ensure that your Personal Information is accurate, complete, and up to date. You have the right to access, correct, or delete the Personal Information that we collect. You are also entitled to restrict or object, at any time, to the further processing of your Personal Information. You have the right to receive your Personal Information in a structured and standard format and, where technically and legally feasible, the right to have your Personal Information transmitted directly to a third party. You may lodge a complaint with the competent data protection authority regarding the processing of your Personal Information.
If you would like to exercise your rights under applicable law, please contact us at the 7 Cups Help Center. We may seek to verify your identity when we receive an individual rights request from you to ensure the security of your personal information. We may limit your individual rights requests (a) where denial of access is required or authorized by law; (b) when granting access would have a negative impact on other's privacy; (c) to protect our rights and properties; or (4) where the request is frivolous or burdensome.
@7CupsCommunity
@LisaDeRegtMBPsS
@admaiorasemper
Hello there admaiorasemper,
Thank you for bringing this to our attention. I hope you are well. Yes, you can email support@7cups.com to have your personal information deleted as you do have a right under the GDPR laws to decide what happens with this. Although, all online therapy users do have to provide us with contact information which is only ever used in a crisis situation and to keep members safe on the platform.
If you have any other concerns please email us using the above email address and 7 Cups will assist you. I hope this helps!
@LisaDeRegtMBPsS
Hi Lisa, thank you for your reply. I am ok, hope you are as well. Happy Thanksgiving!
I have one more question.
If all those in therapy need do provide such details, why were they asked me three months after my subscription and via my therapist, in a moment of concern, instead of it happening at the moment I registered for the service? Why this doesn't appear on your policy? Since it doesn't appear, it is my understanding that you have no right to keep such details.
In your policy, there is written:
If you purchase paid services, such as therapy, other Personal Information such as name, address and credit card payment information will be collected to process payment.
This happened at the time, of course. To buy anything online, you give your name and the credit card number. My address was not required. And the same goes for the phone number, which is not even mentioned on your policy.
In your policy, there is also written:
Therapists are mandated reporters. Because of their profession, they have a legal obligation to report to authorities any signs of child abuse or vulnerable adult abuse. However, members cannot be forced to give any Personal Information. Adults who are in therapy provide Personal Information which will only be disclosed to the therapist if they or someone else is in imminent danger.
This means that 7Cups can give to my therapist those infos that were collected when I signed up (name, email adress, credit card number if relevant). It doesn't mean that my therapist can ask me for additional details. Which, moreover, I am free to refuse. Now, I was ok in providing my phone number and private address at the time. I knew it was in my best interest. Time has passed and things have changed. Since it is currently stated nowhere that you have the right to keep these sensitive infos during therapy services, I would very much like to have these details removed from your database.
@admaiorasemper
Hi Admaiorasemper,
Please send us an email: support@7cups.com and we will move this forward for you.
Thank you!
@LisaDeRegtMBPsS
I did send an email last week but I havent heard anything back. I will send another then. Thank you!
@admaiorasemper
I will look out for this for you and I hope you have a lovely weekend.
@LisaDeRegtMBPsS
Hi Lisa, I hope you are ok and had a lovely weekend!
I am sorry to bother you again, but I sent another email and I am still waiting for a feedback. This is getting really frustrating. If the only way to have those details deleted is (incredibily) to stop having therapy, I am happy to go that way. Just let me know, as my subscription will get automatically renovated in a few days. Thank you.
@7CupsCommunity
@GlenM
@admaiorasemper
Hi Admaiorasemper,
I hope you had a lovely weekend too! I have received your email and I'm sending over my response now. I do apologise for the delay and I'll explain this to you in the email.