Privacy Policy

Last updated: March 19, 2024

1. Introduction

Welcome to AfterQuery. This Privacy Policy explains in detail how we collect, use, and protect your personal information. We are committed to ensuring the privacy and security of our users, including experts, clients, and visitors to our platform.

This policy applies to all services offered through our platform, including our website, mobile applications, and related services. By using our platform, you consent to the collection and use of information as described in this policy.

We comply with applicable data protection laws, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), and other relevant privacy laws. This policy is designed to meet our legal obligations and protect your privacy rights.

2. Definitions

For the purposes of this Privacy Policy:

  • "Platform" refers to AfterQuery's website, applications, and services
  • "Personal Data" means any information relating to an identified or identifiable individual as defined under GDPR Article 4(1)
  • "User" means any individual who accesses or uses our Platform
  • "Expert" refers to individuals who provide knowledge work services through our Platform
  • "Client" means individuals or organizations who seek expert services through our Platform
  • "Services" refers to any services provided through our Platform
  • "Data Controller" means AfterQuery, which determines the purposes and means of processing personal data
  • "Data Processor" means any entity that processes personal data on behalf of AfterQuery

3. Information We Collect

3.1 Personal Information

We collect the following categories of personal information:

  • Identity Information: Full name, username, profile picture, date of birth, gender, nationality, government-issued ID
  • Contact Information: Email address, phone number, mailing address, professional social media profiles
  • Professional Information: Education history, work experience, certifications, skills, portfolio materials, professional references, work samples
  • Financial Information: Bank account details, payment card information, transaction history, billing address, tax information
  • Verification Information: Government-issued ID, proof of address, professional credentials, background check information
  • Communication Preferences: Marketing preferences, notification settings, language preferences

3.2 Automatically Collected Information

When you use our Platform, we automatically collect:

  • Device Information: IP address, browser type and version, operating system, device identifiers, unique device tokens
  • Usage Data: Access times, pages viewed, links clicked, features used, search history, platform preferences, session duration
  • Location Data: Approximate location based on IP address, time zone, GPS coordinates (if enabled)
  • Communication Data: Messages, comments, feedback submitted through our platform, support tickets
  • Analytics Data: Performance metrics, interaction patterns, traffic sources, conversion rates
  • Security Data: Login attempts, security alerts, suspicious activity reports

4. How We Use Your Information

4.1 Primary Purposes

  • Verifying your identity and eligibility to use our services
  • Processing your registration and maintaining your account
  • Matching experts with relevant projects based on skills and experience
  • Facilitating payments and managing financial transactions
  • Providing customer support and responding to inquiries
  • Sending important service updates and notifications
  • Ensuring platform security and preventing fraud
  • Compliance with legal obligations and regulatory requirements

4.2 Additional Uses

  • Improving and optimizing our Platform and services
  • Conducting research and analysis to enhance user experience
  • Preventing fraud and ensuring platform security
  • Complying with legal obligations and enforcing our terms
  • Marketing our services (with your consent where required)
  • Training and improving our AI/ML models (with appropriate safeguards)
  • Conducting background checks and verification processes
  • Generating aggregated statistics and analytics

5. Information Sharing and Disclosure

5.1 Service Providers

We share information with trusted service providers who assist us in:

  • Payment processing and financial services
  • Identity verification and background checks
  • Cloud hosting and data storage
  • Analytics and performance monitoring
  • Customer support and communication services
  • AI/ML model training and improvement
  • Security and fraud prevention
  • Legal and compliance services

All service providers are contractually obligated to protect your information and may only use it for specified purposes.

5.2 Legal Requirements

We may disclose information if required to do so by law or in good faith belief that such action is necessary to:

  • Comply with legal obligations and regulatory requirements
  • Protect and defend our rights or property
  • Prevent or investigate possible wrongdoing
  • Protect personal safety of users or the public
  • Protect against legal liability
  • Respond to subpoenas, court orders, or legal process
  • Cooperate with law enforcement investigations

6. Data Security

We implement robust security measures including:

  • End-to-end encryption for sensitive data
  • Regular security assessments and penetration testing
  • Access controls and authentication requirements
  • Continuous monitoring for suspicious activities
  • Regular backup and recovery procedures
  • Employee security training and awareness programs
  • Incident response and breach notification procedures
  • Physical and environmental security controls
  • Network security and firewalls
  • Regular security audits and compliance checks

7. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to:

  • Provide our services to you
  • Comply with legal obligations
  • Resolve disputes
  • Enforce our agreements
  • Protect our legal rights

Specific retention periods vary based on the type of data and legal requirements. We regularly review and delete data that is no longer necessary for these purposes.

8. Your Data Rights

8.1 Access Rights

Under applicable data protection laws, you have the right to:

  • Access your personal information (Right to Access)
  • Request correction of inaccurate data (Right to Rectification)
  • Request deletion of your data (Right to Erasure)
  • Object to certain data processing (Right to Object)
  • Request data portability (Right to Portability)
  • Withdraw consent for optional processing
  • Request restriction of processing
  • Lodge a complaint with supervisory authorities

8.2 Exercise Your Rights

To exercise these rights:

  • Log into your account settings
  • Contact our Data Protection Officer
  • Submit a request through our privacy portal
  • Email us at talent@afterquery.com

We will respond to your requests within 30 days as required by law. We may need to verify your identity before processing certain requests.

9. International Data Transfers

We operate globally and may transfer your information to countries other than your country of residence. We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place through:

  • Standard contractual clauses (SCCs) approved by the European Commission
  • Binding Corporate Rules (BCRs) for transfers within our corporate group
  • Adequacy decisions where applicable
  • Data processing agreements with all service providers
  • Regular assessment of third-party security measures

10. Children's Privacy

Our Platform is not intended for individuals under 18 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you become aware that a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately at talent@afterquery.com.

If we learn that we have collected personal information from a child without parental consent, we will take steps to delete that information as soon as possible.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. We will notify you of any material changes through:

  • Email notifications at least 30 days before changes take effect
  • Platform announcements
  • Website notifications
  • Updates to the "Last updated" date at the top of this policy

Continued use of our Platform after such changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy. If you disagree with any changes, you should stop using our services and contact us to request deletion of your account.

12. Contact Us

For questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact our Data Protection Officer:

Email: talent@afterquery.com

We strive to respond to all inquiries within 48 hours. For urgent privacy concerns, please mark your email as "URGENT" in the subject line.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority if you believe our processing of your personal data violates applicable data protection laws.