Privacy Policy

FreelancIA ("we", "us", "our") connects students who need tasks done with students who want to do them. This policy explains what information we collect when you use the platform, why we collect it, and the choices you have. By creating an account or using FreelancIA, you agree to the practices described here.

1. Information we collect

We collect information you provide directly, and a small amount generated by using the platform:

• Account information: username, email address, and password (stored as a salted hash — we never see or store your plain-text password). If you sign in with Google, we receive your name, email address, and profile picture from Google instead.
• Profile information: anything you choose to add, such as a bio or a profile picture.
• Payout details (freelancers only): bank name, account number, and the resolved account name, used solely to pay you for completed work via our payment processor, Paystack.
• Task and marketplace activity: tasks you post or accept, chat messages and attachments exchanged with the other party on a task, proof-of-work submissions, ratings, and reports you file.
• Technical information: a session token used to keep you signed in (see our Cookie Policy).

2. How we use your information

• To create and secure your account, and confirm you're a real person with a real email address.
• To operate the marketplace: showing tasks, connecting clients with freelancers, and enabling chat once a task is accepted.
• To process payments — funding escrow, calculating the platform fee, and paying out freelancers.
• To send you account-related notices (e.g. a task was accepted, a message arrived, a payment was released).
• To review reports of rule-breaking behavior and keep the platform safe.

We do not sell your personal information, and we do not use it for third-party advertising.

3. Protecting client identity

When you browse or accept a task, the client's real name is hidden and shown as "Anonymous Client." It's only revealed once you've accepted the task and opened the chat with them — this is a deliberate privacy feature, not a bug, and it applies the same way to every task on the platform.

4. Who we share information with

We share the minimum necessary information with the service providers that make FreelancIA work:

• Paystack — processes payments and payouts. Paystack receives what's needed to fund escrow and pay freelancers (your email for the payer, and bank details for the payee).
• Cloudinary — hosts images, videos, and documents you upload (profile pictures, chat attachments, proof-of-work files).
• Google — only if you choose "Sign in with Google," to verify your identity.
• Other users of the platform see what the marketplace is designed to show them: your username and rating on tasks and in chat, task and chat content relevant to a task you're both party to, and reviews you've received.

We don't share your data with anyone else except where required by law.

5. Data retention

We keep your account and activity data for as long as your account is active, plus a reasonable period afterward for record-keeping (particularly financial records related to payments). You can request deletion at any time — see Section 7.

6. Security

Passwords are hashed, not stored in plain text. Payment processing happens through Paystack's PCI-compliant infrastructure — we never see or store your card details. Access to the underlying database is restricted. That said, no system is perfectly secure, and you're responsible for keeping your own password confidential.

7. Your rights

You can access, correct, or delete most of your profile information directly from your Profile page. To request a copy of your data, or full account deletion, use the in-app Report / contact option, or reach out to the FreelancIA team directly. We'll respond within a reasonable time.

8. Children's privacy

FreelancIA involves real money and binding task agreements, so you must be at least 18 years old to create an account. We don't knowingly collect information from anyone under 18.

9. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy as the platform evolves. We'll update the "Last updated" date above when we do. Material changes will be communicated in-app.

10. Contact

Questions about this policy or your data can be sent through the Report button in the app, or to the FreelancIA team directly.