# Is it safe to connect your ad account to Slack?

> Before an ad tool's bot joins your Slack, check what it can change, who can trigger it, how accounts are linked, how long it keeps chats and shared channels.
- **Author**: Marxx
- **Published**: 2026-11-07
- **Category**: AI
- **URL**: https://marxx.ai/library-guides/is-it-safe-to-connect-your-ad-account-to-slack

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It can be, if you check six things first: whether the tool can change ads, who can trigger it, how Slack people are tied to tool accounts, how long it keeps questions and answers, what happens in shared channels, and how to switch it off. Ask every vendor the same six questions and get the answers in writing.

## The six checks

1. **Read or write.** Can the bot only read your ad account, or can it pause, launch or change budgets? Who can switch writing on?
2. **Who can trigger it.** Can anyone in the channel ask, including guests and people from other companies?
3. **Account linking.** When someone presses a button in Slack, does the tool know which of its users they are? Actions should run as that person, with that person's access.
4. **Retention.** How long does the tool keep the questions and answers? What happens when you disconnect?
5. **Shared channels.** If your Slack has [Slack Connect](/glossary/slack-connect) channels with clients, does the bot answer there? Who sees the answer?
6. **Switching off.** Can you unlink one person, or remove the tool from Slack, in one step?

These are habits and settings, not legal advice. If your contracts say how client data must be handled, check them with whoever owns those contracts.

## How Marxx answers the six

We make Marxx. Here is how Marxx in Slack handles each check.

| Check | Marxx in Slack |
|---|---|
| Read or write | Never changes ads from Slack. With ad changes switched on for a client, it can prepare a draft you review in Marxx |
| Who can trigger | Anyone in a client's own channel can ask. Answers use only what the asker can see in Marxx |
| Account linking | The first button click shows only you a **Link your Slack account** message. You confirm your Slack name, workspace and Marxx email. After that, actions are done as you, and only for clients you can open |
| Retention | Keeps the question and answer for 7 days after the thread's last message, then deletes them. Also deleted if Slack is disconnected |
| Shared channels | Does not answer in channels shared with other companies. People from other companies cannot use Marxx buttons |
| Switching off | Unlink: Settings -> Integrations -> Slack -> Manage -> Your Slack account -> Unlink. **Disconnect** removes Slack |

Lead messages are also a privacy choice. By default they hide contact details. **Include name and contact details** is off unless you turn it on, and then everyone in the channel sees them. See [how to get Facebook lead notifications in Slack](/guides/how-to-get-facebook-lead-notifications-in-slack).

## What other vendors say

- **Runneth** is "read-only by default". It cannot launch, pause or edit ads until an owner or admin turns on ad launching. It is not available to Slack guests. Its site lists SOC 2 Type I, with Type II in progress. See [Runneth vs Marxx](/compare/runneth-vs-marxx).
- **Polar Operator** holds "any action that changes something outside Polar" for human confirmation.
- **Markifact** says its data is stored in the EU, and that "nothing goes live without you".
- **Slack AI** says on [slack.com/ai](https://slack.com/ai): "We do not train large language models (LLMs) on customer data."

## A quick test before you roll out

Say you run ads for Northwind Escapes and Wanderlast Holidays. Spend 15 minutes on this:

1. Ask the bot about Northwind from Wanderlast's channel. It should refuse or stay on Wanderlast.
2. Ask from a direct message. Note what happens.
3. Ask a teammate without access to Northwind to ask about it. The answer should not show Northwind's numbers.
4. Look for any button that changes an ad. Find out who can press it.

The wider channel setup is in [how to set up Slack for an ad agency](/guides/how-to-set-up-slack-for-an-ad-agency).

## FAQ

### Can a client in a shared channel ask Marxx about my other clients?

No. Marxx does not answer in channels shared with other companies, and people from other companies cannot use its buttons.

### Does Marxx keep my Slack questions forever?

No. It deletes the question and answer 7 days after the thread's last message. They are also deleted if Slack is disconnected.

### Is read-only access enough to be safe?

It removes the risk of unwanted changes. You still need to control who can see the answers, because read-only answers can show spend and results.

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