Question 1

Does OpenClaw send any data to external servers?

Accepted Answer

OpenClaw sends message text to LLM API endpoints (OpenAI, Anthropic, or local models) for response generation. The message content is processed and discarded by the API — it's not stored or used for training if you use API access (not consumer products). All other data — conversation logs, guest profiles, knowledge bases — stays on your server.

Question 2

Can I run OpenClaw with a fully local LLM to avoid any external API calls?

Accepted Answer

Yes. OpenClaw supports local LLMs through Ollama or vLLM. Response quality depends on the model you run, but for common STR messages (check-in info, parking questions, local recommendations), smaller local models perform well. This gives you 100% air-gapped data processing with zero external API dependencies.

Question 3

How do I handle a GDPR Subject Access Request with OpenClaw?

Accepted Answer

Because all data is in your server's database, you can query it directly. Search by guest name or email, export their data, and send it within the 30-day GDPR deadline. For deletion requests, remove the records from your database. No vendor support ticket required.

Question 4

What happens to my data if I stop using the managed service?

Accepted Answer

It's your server. The data stays there. We set up your OpenClaw instance and maintain it. If you cancel managed care, the server and all its data remain yours. We don't retain copies of your guest data. See our pricing page for details on managed care plans.

Question 5

Is self-hosted more secure than cloud-hosted?

Accepted Answer

It depends on implementation. A poorly configured VPS is less secure than a well-managed cloud platform. That's why the deployment includes security hardening: UFW firewall, fail2ban, encrypted connections, SSH key auth, automatic security updates. With proper configuration, self-hosted is more secure because the attack surface is smaller (1 server vs a multi-tenant platform with thousands of users).

Tag: Data Privacy