Legal
Privacy Policy
1. Scope
This Privacy Policy applies to the Colony Counter website at colony-counter.net. It covers the free online colony counter, educational content, optional Lab Laps account sign-in, synced projects when signed in, and upgrade links to Lab Laps.
This website is operated as part of the Lab Laps product family. Account authentication and subscriptions are shared with lablaps.com. For broader Lab Laps processing (for example mobile app data, billing, or marketing on lablaps.com), also see the Lab Laps Privacy Policy.
This policy is intended to meet GDPR transparency requirements (Articles 12–14 GDPR) and also provides additional disclosures for users in other jurisdictions where applicable.
2. Controller and Contact
The controller for data processing on this website is Lab Laps. If you have questions about this policy or want to exercise privacy rights, contact us at support@lablaps.com.
If we designate a formal EU/EEA representative or data protection officer in the future, we will publish those details here.
3. Categories of Personal Data
- Technical request data: IP address, user agent, URL, referrer, date/time, and related request metadata needed to deliver and secure the site.
- Security and reliability logs: infrastructure and application logs used for abuse prevention, incident response, and stability. This includes short-term, IP-based rate-limiting of the colony counter to prevent automated abuse.
- Colony counter images and usage: if you use the online colony counter, the plate image you upload, choose, or capture, the counting parameters, and the resulting detection data. Images are processed only to generate a count when you actively request it.
- Account data (only if you sign in): your email address and authentication data handled by our authentication provider as part of your shared Lab Laps account.
- Signed-in projects and synced tool data (only if you sign in): colony counter projects, plate images stored in our cloud storage, detections, count areas, usage quotas (for example web AI count limits), subscription or entitlement metadata needed for Pro features, and related preferences. The website may also keep a local copy in your browser for faster access and offline resilience between syncs.
- Anti-abuse / bot-protection data: when you sign in, our captcha provider may process technical and interaction data (including IP address and device/browser signals) to distinguish humans from bots.
- Analytics data: aggregate page views, traffic metrics, and colony counter usage events (for example uploads and AI counts) via Vercel Analytics.
- Contact data: information you send us directly by email or similar channels.
4. Purposes and Legal Bases (Art. 6 GDPR)
- Website delivery and security (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR — legitimate interest): ensuring availability, integrity, and protection against misuse.
- Providing the colony counter (Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR — performance of a service you request, and Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR): processing the image you submit to generate a colony count and to enforce free-usage limits and prevent abuse.
- Account sign-in and authentication (Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR): creating and securing your Lab Laps account and keeping you signed in when you choose to use account features.
- Signed-in projects and cross-device sync (Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR): storing and syncing colony counter projects when you use signed-in features, including sync with the Lab Laps mobile app where supported.
- Subscription entitlements (Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR): checking whether your Lab Laps subscription unlocks Pro features such as unlimited AI counts. Billing and payment data are processed on lablaps.com.
- Bot and abuse protection (captcha) (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR — legitimate interest in preventing automated attacks and fraudulent sign-ups).
- Compliance and enforcement (Art. 6(1)(c) and 6(1)(f) GDPR): fulfilling legal obligations and defending legal claims.
- Analytics and performance measurement (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR — legitimate interest): measuring aggregate traffic and improving the website.
- Communication handling (Art. 6(1)(b) or 6(1)(f) GDPR): responding to inquiries and support requests.
5. Cookies, Local Storage, and Browser Storage
Strictly necessary cookies and storage. Some storage is technically required to provide a function you actively request and is therefore used without consent:
- Colony counter usage limit: for anonymous visitors, a signed cookie (
cc_net_quota) records how many free AI counts you have used. If you are signed in, the count is stored in your account preferences on our server so the limit applies across browsers and devices. These records store only a usage counter, not plate images. - Colony counter session: your current image, detections, and projects may be stored locally in your browser so your work is not lost if you reload. This data stays on your device until you clear site data or reset the tool.
- Authentication: if you sign in, our authentication provider sets cookies and storage needed to keep you securely signed in across Lab Laps websites and apps.
6. Analytics
We use Vercel Analytics to understand aggregate website traffic and colony counter usage (for example image uploads and AI counts). This helps us measure usage patterns and improve the service. Vercel Analytics is designed to collect anonymized, aggregate metrics rather than build individual user profiles.
7. Colony Counter (Image Processing)
The online colony counter lets you upload, select, or capture a plate image and run AI-assisted counting. When you click to count, the prepared image is sent through our backend to an image-analysis (inference) service that detects colonies and returns detection data. This happens only when you actively start a count.
We use the image to provide the count you requested and to operate and secure the feature. We do not use colony counter images for advertising. Anonymous visitors are not required to create an account. Please do not upload confidential, proprietary, regulated, or personal data unless you have the right to do so and are comfortable with the processing described here.
Images are processed transiently to return a result and are not used to build a public profile of you. Retention at the inference service is limited to what is needed to provide and secure the feature.
8. Signed-In Projects, Browser Storage, and Sync
When you use signed-in features, project data may be stored in your browser and synced to our backend (Supabase) so it can be available across sessions, browsers, and devices and with the Lab Laps app where supported. Plate images for synced projects are stored in cloud storage linked to your Lab Laps account.
Browser-side copies (for example local storage) can be cleared if you reset site data, use private browsing, or switch browsers. Sync depends on connectivity and service availability; conflicts or delays can occur. You are responsible for keeping backups of important data. Liability for data loss, sync failures, and tool accuracy is addressed in our Terms of Service.
9. Subscriptions and Lab Laps
Paid plans and billing are managed on lablaps.com. When you upgrade, we may receive subscription status and entitlement metadata (for example whether your plan is active) so we can unlock Pro features on this website. Payment card details and full billing records are processed on lablaps.com, not on colony-counter.net.
10. Recipients and Processors
We do not sell personal data. We may disclose data to processors that support website operation under contractual safeguards, including:
- Hosting / website delivery: Vercel.
- Image-analysis (inference) service: processes colony counter images to return counts.
- Supabase: backend, authentication, and storage used for sign-in and synced projects (shared Lab Laps project).
- hCaptcha (Intuition Machines, Inc.): bot and abuse protection on sign-in.
- Analytics: Vercel Analytics.
We may also disclose data where required by law, court order, or to protect rights, security, and service integrity.
11. International Data Transfers
Some providers may process data outside your country, including outside the EEA/UK. Where required, transfers rely on appropriate safeguards (for example Standard Contractual Clauses) and supplementary measures.
12. Retention Periods
We retain personal data only as long as needed for stated purposes, including security, service operation, legal compliance, and dispute handling.
- Server/security logs: typically short to medium retention, depending on security needs
- Colony counter images: processed transiently to return a count; not retained longer than needed to provide and secure the feature
- Colony counter anonymous usage-limit cookie: up to 12 months
- Signed-in colony counter usage counter: while your account is active
- Signed-in projects and synced tool data: while your account is active, subject to in-app deletion and account deletion requests
- Account data: while your Lab Laps account is active, then deleted or anonymized subject to legal retention
- Analytics data: according to provider retention settings
- Contact communications: as needed to handle your request and legal obligations
13. Your Rights Under GDPR
Subject to legal conditions, you may have rights to access, rectification, erasure, restriction, portability, objection, and withdrawal of consent.
You also have the right to lodge a complaint with a competent supervisory authority, especially in your habitual residence, place of work, or place of alleged infringement.
14. Data Security
We implement reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect personal data, including encryption in transit (HTTPS/TLS). However, no internet transmission or storage system is fully secure.
15. Contact
For privacy-related requests, contact us at support@lablaps.com. We may ask for verification before fulfilling requests.