Privacy Policy

Effective Date: June 4, 2026

1. Introduction

FreelanceConnect ("we", "our", or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our platform.

We operate in compliance with applicable data protection laws, including Republic Act No. 10173, otherwise known as the Data Privacy Act of 2012 (DPA) of the Philippines, under the regulatory oversight of the National Privacy Commission (NPC).

2. Information We Collect

We collect and process the following types of personal data based on your interactions with our platform:

  • Personal Information: Name, email address, phone number, profile photo, and professional details (such as resumes, skills, portfolio links, and work history) that you voluntarily provide during registration or profile creation.
  • Usage Data: Information about how you interact with our platform, including job applications, search queries, messages, connections, and time spent on specific features.
  • Device and Technical Information: IP address, browser type, operating system, log files, and unique device identifiers.
  • Cookies: We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your user experience, remember preferences, and analyze platform traffic.

3. How We Use Your Information

We process your personal data for legitimate business purposes, adhering to the core data privacy principles of Transparency, Legitimate Purpose, and Proportionality. Specifically, your information is used to:

  • Provide, maintain, and secure our services.
  • Facilitate authentic professional connections between freelancers and clients.
  • Process job applications, project postings, and user-to-user communications.
  • Improve platform functionality, algorithms, and overall user experience.
  • Send system notifications, account updates, and authorized promotional communications.
  • Detect, investigate, and prevent fraud, spam, intellectual property violations, and other security incidents.
  • Comply with statutory and legal obligations required by governing authorities.

4. Information Sharing and Disclosure

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for marketing purposes. We may share your information under the following limited circumstances:

  • Other Users: Profile information, portfolios, and job postings are visible to other registered members of the platform based on your customizable privacy and account settings.
  • Service Providers: We may share data with trusted third-party vendors and contractors who assist us in operating our platform (e.g., cloud hosting, data analytics, and payment processors) under strict confidentiality and data processing agreements.
  • Legal Requirements: We may disclose your information if required to do so by law, court order, or a lawful request by the National Privacy Commission or other regulatory bodies, or when necessary to protect the safety, rights, and property of FreelanceConnect and its users.

5. Data Security

We implement reasonable and appropriate organizational, physical, and technical security measures (including data encryption, restricted access controls, and regular systems auditing) to safeguard your personal data from unauthorized access, accidental loss, alteration, or disclosure. However, please note that no method of transmission over the internet or digital storage is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

6. Your Rights as a Data Subject

In accordance with the Data Privacy Act of 2012 (DPA) and international data protection standards, you are entitled to the following statutory rights regarding your personal data:

  • Right to be Informed: The right to know whether your personal data is being processed, collected, or stored.
  • Right to Access: The right to reasonable access to your personal data upon request.
  • Right to Rectification: The right to dispute and correct any inaccuracies or errors in your personal data.
  • Right to Erasure or Blocking: The right to suspend, withdraw, or order the removal/destruction of your personal data from our filing systems.
  • Right to Object: The right to object to the processing of your data, including processing for direct marketing purposes.
  • Right to Data Portability: The right to obtain a copy of your personal data in a secure, electronic, or structured format for your personal use.
  • Right to Lodge a Complaint: If you believe your data privacy rights have been violated or that we have failed to address your privacy concerns, you have the right to lodge a formal complaint before the National Privacy Commission (NPC) of the Philippines.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact our Data Protection Officer using the contact details provided in Section 11.

7. Data Retention and Disposal

We retain your personal data only for as long as your account remains active, as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy, or as required to comply with prevailing legal, tax, or accounting regulations. When your data is no longer required or upon a valid request for account deletion, it will be securely disposed of or anonymized in a manner that prevents further processing or recovery.

8. Cross-Border / International Transfers

Because FreelanceConnect facilitates international collaborations, your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in countries other than your own. We take all necessary steps and implement model contractual clauses to ensure that your data receives a comparable level of protection and safeguards wherever it is processed.

9. Children's Privacy

Our platform is built exclusively for professional networking and freelance services. It is not intended for individuals under 16 years of age. We do not knowingly collect or solicit personal data from anyone under the age of 16.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our legal obligations or operational practices. We will notify you of any significant changes by posting the revised policy on this page with an updated "Effective Date." We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed.

11. Contact Us & Data Protection Officer (DPO)

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns regarding this Privacy Policy, or if you wish to exercise your legal rights as a data subject, you may contact our designated Data Protection Officer (DPO):