Legal & Policies - Film Buddy AI

Film Buddy AI — LEGAL & POLICY DOCUMENT

Version 1.1 – Updated on 13.11.25 for Safety, Accuracy & Compliance.

Operated by Film Buddy Ltd

Commitment to respnsible AI

Film Buddy Ltd follows the guidance of the ICO, BFI and ScreenSkills to ensure that FILM BUDDY AI is transparent, safe and ethical.

The service supports employability and industry understanding.

It does not replace human support, mentoring or professional advice.

1. Overview

FILM BUDDY AI provides general, verified career information for the UK film, TV and screen industries.

We operate under UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

2. Purpose

FILM BUDDY AI offers non-creative, industry-curated information about:

career pathways
entry routes
industry roles
verified work-experience opportunities
CV refinement (not full creation)
employability principles
professional behaviour
networking awareness

It does not generate scripts, treatments, story ideas or creative work.

3. Terms of Use

Eligibility

Users aged 18+ may use the service independently.
Users aged 16–17 may only use FILM BUDDY AI through a school, college or university licence and with staff supervision.

Acceptable Use

Users must not:

request wellbeing, emotional or mental-health advice
request HR, bullying, burnout or workplace-conflict guidance
request legal, tax, financial or medical advice
expect decisions about accepting/leaving jobs
request creative content
input personal, sensitive or confidential information
attempt to bypass AI restrictions

AI Disclaimer

FILM BUDDY AI provides general educational guidance only.

Users must check important information independently.

Intellectual Property

All FILM BUDDY AI content is owned by Film Buddy Ltd or licensed contributors.

Governing Law

England & Wales.

4. Data Collection

We collect only what is necessary:

name, email and institution (via MemberSpace onboarding)
optional onboarding questions
essential cookies for site operation
optional analytics cookies (only activated after consent)

We do not collect or store:

financial data
biometric data
sensitive personal data
identifiable chat transcripts

FILM BUDDY AI cannot process personal or sensitive information typed into the chat.

5. Lawful Basis for Processing

Legitimate Interest (to deliver safe careers guidance)
Contract (providing member access)
Consent (analytics and communications)

6. Chat Review & Retention

Anonymous chat logs are kept for a maximum of 30 days
Used only for quality assurance, safeguarding and compliance
Never linked to user identity
Never used for training AI models
Automatically deleted after 30 days

7. Human Oversight

Anonymised interactions are reviewed by Film Buddy’s editorial team to ensure accuracy, safety and industry alignment.

This meets ICO expectations for human-in-the-loop AI practice.

8. Third-Party Processors

FILM BUDDY AI uses the following GDPR-compliant services:

Squarespace (website hosting and analytics)
MemberSpace (membership onboarding and access control)
Chatbase / Google Cloud (AI delivery)

Where technical data is processed outside the UK (for example, by Google Cloud), Film Buddy Ltd relies on the UK–US Data Bridge and the International Data Transfer Agreement (IDTA).

9. Security & Retention

Data encrypted in transit and at rest
Hosted on secure UK/EU servers
Access strictly limited to authorised staff
Account data retained for membership duration + 12 months
Securely deleted thereafter

9a. Transparency & AI Use

FILM BUDDY AI uses artificial intelligence only to format and present verified Film Buddy content.

It does not generate original or creative ideas.

Film Buddy retains full editorial control of all information.

Guidance is educational only and must not be treated as professional advice.

9b. User Responsibility & Misuse

FILM BUDDY AI is for career learning only.

Users must not ask for, or rely on, Film Buddy AI for:

personal or emotional wellbeing
workplace conflict, bullying or HR matters
legal/tax/financial decisions
medical or mental-health advice
creative material
any content involving sensitive personal data

Film Buddy Ltd cannot accept liability for how users interpret or act on AI responses.

Repeated misuse may result in access being restricted.

10. Cookies

Essential cookies always active
Analytics only activated after explicit consent
No advertising or tracking cookies
Users can change cookie settings at any time

11. Data Subject Rights

Users may:

request access
request correction
request deletion
withdraw consent
object to processing

Contact: hello@filmbuddy.uk

ICO: www.ico.org.uk

12. Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA)

A detailed DPIA has been completed covering data flows, risks and mitigations.

It is reviewed annually and whenever significant changes occur.

13. BFI & ScreenSkills Alignment

FILM BUDDY AI follows:

BFI Diversity Standards
ScreenSkills Code of Conduct
UK Government Responsible AI Principles

Our purpose is to strengthen — not replace — human careers support.

14. Film Buddy Alignment Framework v2.0

The AI operates under our ethical principles:

Transparency
Inclusion
Employability-first
Sustainability
Accountability

15. Diversity & Inclusion

Language and examples are reviewed to ensure fairness and accessibility.

Feedback is welcome at hello@filmbuddy.uk.

16. Safeguarding & Under-18 Users

Access Rules

FILM BUDDY AI is designed for 18+.

Users aged 16–17 may only use Film Buddy AI with institutional consent and supervision.

Safety Restrictions

The AI must not provide:

wellbeing or mental-health guidance
emotional support
coping strategies or behavioural advice
HR guidance, workplace conflict support or decisions
medical, tax, legal or financial advice
creative work
sensitive communications such as drafts of complaints, resignations or disclosures

Personal Data Safety

If a user enters personal or sensitive information:

The AI will warn them not to share such information
If repeated, the AI will end the session
The user will be directed to their college safeguarding team

Distress Protocol

If distress is expressed, the AI will respond only with:

“I can’t offer personal or wellbeing advice.

For support you can contact the Film & TV Charity, Mind, or Samaritans (116 123),

or speak to your college safeguarding team.”

No further conversation about wellbeing is permitted.

17. Accessibility

FILM BUDDY AI aims to meet WCAG 2.1 AA standards.

Alternative formats available via hello@filmbuddy.uk.

18. Notice & Takedown

If content appears harmful or inaccurate, contact hello@filmbuddy.uk.

We respond within 5 working days.

19. Liability & Governing Law

Film Buddy Ltd is not liable for actions taken based on AI output.

These policies are governed by the laws of England & Wales.

20. Feedback & Continuous Improvement

Feedback is welcomed at hello@filmbuddy.uk.

All suggestions form part of our ongoing ethical review.

Transparency Statement

FILM BUDDY AI processes minimal data, retains anonymised logs only for 30 days, and operates under strict human oversight.

The service aligns with ICO, BFI and ScreenSkills expectations for safe educational AI.

DPIA Summary

Minimal data collected
No sensitive data processed
Strong encryption
GDPR-compliant processors
Low residual risk
Annual review