Privacy policy

This Privacy Policy explains how FreelancerPeople ("FreelancerPeople", "the Platform", "we", "us", "our") collects, uses, shares and protects personal information when you use our marketplace. FreelancerPeople is operated from India and connects buyers with independent sellers who offer freelance services and digital products. This notice is written as a standalone, plain-language document: it stands on its own, and nothing in it depends on you reading any other page first. It is drafted to align with the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 and the other laws that apply to us.

We have tried to state only what we actually do. Where a limit or window can change over time, we point you to the place in the product where the current value is shown rather than printing a number here that could go stale. This policy sits alongside our Terms of Service, Cookie Policy and Payment Terms, which describe how the marketplace itself works.

1. Who we are and what this notice covers

FreelancerPeople is an online marketplace operated from India. Buyers purchase packaged services (SERVEs), custom fixed-price and hourly contracts, and digital products from independent sellers. The Platform acts as an intermediary: sellers are independent, contracts form between the buyer and the seller, and we do not initiate, select or modify the content sellers publish.

This policy covers everyone who interacts with FreelancerPeople: visitors who browse without an account, buyers, sellers, and users of our mobile applications. It covers the personal information we collect through our public pages, your account and workspace, messaging, checkout and wallet, seller payouts, identity verification, refunds and disputes, and our support channels.

It does not cover how buyers and sellers handle each other's information once they choose to work together, and it does not cover third-party websites that members may link to. We expect members to use information they receive on the Platform only to complete their engagement.

2. The information we collect

We collect information at specific moments, and we have itemized each one below. We do not collect information beyond what is listed here.

• When you create an account. Your full name, email address, a password (stored only as a one-way cryptographic hash, never in readable form), whether you are joining as a buyer or a seller, your country, an optional referral code, and a record of your consent to the Terms and this policy. We generate a username and an initials-based avatar for you, and we send a code to verify your email address. The IP address and browser details of your sign-up are recorded with your sign-in session for security.
• Your profile and portfolio. Sellers add a professional title, skills, work experience, education, certifications, availability and portfolio items; buyers may add a company name. Both can set an avatar, country, language and time zone. Information you place on your public profile is visible to other members and to visitors.
• Phone number (optional). You may add a phone number and verify it with a one-time code. Where your number appears in the product it is displayed in masked form.
• Identity verification (KYC). When you verify your identity, we collect your legal name, country, the type of identity document, images of the document, a live selfie with a short series of camera frames, and the document expiry date. The document number is retained only in masked form (last digits). This information is used only to verify your identity and meet our legal and anti-fraud obligations. It is stored separately from your public profile in private storage and is visible only to authorized staff, whose access is time-limited and logged.
• Billing details. When you save billing information or check out, we collect your billing name, email, address, whether you are buying as an individual or a business, an optional company name, and an optional tax identifier (such as a GSTIN or VAT ID) if you choose to provide one. A snapshot of these details is kept on each order so your receipts and invoices stay accurate.
• Orders, contracts and messages. We keep the content of your orders and contracts: requirements and briefs, deliverables and attachments, chat messages, reviews and ratings, refund requests and any evidence you attach, dispute records from the Resolution Center, and your support tickets and our replies.
• Wallet and transaction records. Your wallet balance and its ledgers, payments, escrow holds and releases, refunds, payout history, and the withdrawal method details you save (for example a bank account or payout service identifier). We do not collect or store card numbers on our own systems.
• Device and log data. IP address, browser and device type, language settings, the pages and listings you view, searches you run, sign-in session records, security and audit logs, and, on mobile, a push notification token for your device.
• Preferences. Settings such as theme, language, notification choices and saved views. Many of these are kept in your own browser rather than on our servers.

3. How we use your information

Each category above is used for the purposes listed with it here. We do not use your information for unrelated purposes without telling you.

• Account information is used to create and secure your account, verify your email, sign you in, and notify you about your account and orders.
• Profile and portfolio information is used to present you to other members, power search and category browsing, and let buyers and sellers evaluate one another.
• Phone numbers are used for verification codes and account-security checks.
• KYC information is used solely to verify identity before payouts and fund-releasing actions, and to meet legal and anti-fraud obligations. It is never shown to other members and never used for marketing.
• Billing details are used to compute applicable taxes, issue receipts and invoices, and keep accurate transaction records.
• Order, contract and message content is used to deliver the marketplace itself: running orders, holding and releasing escrow, handling revisions, refunds and disputes, enforcing our Community Guidelines and Prohibited Uses policy, and responding to your support requests.
• Wallet and transaction records are used to process payments, escrow, refunds and payouts, prevent fraud, and meet tax and accounting obligations.
• Device and log data is used to keep the Platform secure, detect and prevent fraud and abuse, alert you to new sign-ins, debug problems, and produce aggregate usage statistics.
• Preferences are used to remember your choices between visits.

Some content you submit passes through automated pattern checks (for example checks for contact details or prohibited terms in listings and messages), and flagged items are reviewed by our staff. These are rule-based checks combined with human review; decisions that affect your account are described in our Trust & Safety page.

4. Legal bases for processing

We process your personal information on the following grounds:

• Consent. You consent when you create an account, and separately for optional features such as analytics cookies and marketing emails. Your consent is specific to the purposes described in this notice, and you can withdraw it as easily as you gave it (see section 12).
• Performing our contract with you. Most processing is simply what it takes to provide the service you asked for: running your account, orders, wallet, escrow, refunds and payouts under our Terms of Service.
• Legal obligations. Some processing is required by law, including identity verification connected to payouts, tax and accounting records, retention of registration records after account closure, and responding to lawful orders from authorities.

5. Cookies and similar storage

We keep our use of cookies deliberately small. Our own server sets only one short-lived cookie, used to protect the sign-in handshake when you sign in with a social login provider. Your sign-in token and your preferences are kept in your browser's local storage rather than in cookies, and analytics runs only under the consent choice described in section 6.

A full list of what we store in your browser, what each item does and how to manage it is in our Cookie Policy. Clearing your browser storage signs you out and resets your saved preferences.

6. Analytics

We use Google Analytics to understand aggregate usage of the Platform: which pages are visited, how features perform, and where things break. Analytics storage is off by default and is enabled only if you accept it in the consent banner shown on your first visit. If you decline, no analytics cookies are set.

We also record our own first-party usage measurements, such as page views, search counts and listing impressions, to run marketplace features like seller statistics and search improvement. These measurements are used for operating and improving the Platform. We do not use analytics data for advertising, and we do not share it with advertising networks.

7. Who we share your information with

We do not sell personal data, and we do not share it for advertising. We share information only in the following situations:

• Members you transact with. When you place or receive an order, the other party sees what they need to complete the work: your display name and profile, the order requirements, messages and files you share, and reviews you post. Sellers do not see your email address, phone number or billing details.
• Service providers. We use providers for hosting and file storage, payment processing, email delivery, SMS delivery and push notification delivery. They process information on our behalf, only for the purposes we set.
• Translation. If you choose to translate a message in chat, the text of that message is sent to Google's translation service to produce the translation, and Google's own terms apply to that processing. Messages are never translated unless you ask.
• Lawful requests. Where an authorized government agency issues a lawful order, we provide the requested information within 72 hours of the order as the law requires. We may also disclose information where necessary to comply with a court order, enforce our policies, or protect the rights and safety of our members or the public.

8. Where your information is processed

FreelancerPeople is a global platform. Your information may be stored and processed in countries other than the one you live in, including by the service providers described above. Wherever your information is processed, it remains subject to the commitments in this policy, and we apply the same safeguards described in section 10.

9. How long we keep your information

• While your account is active, we keep the information described in section 2 so the Platform can work for you.
• After you close your account, we retain your registration information for 180 days as required by law, after which it is no longer needed for that purpose.
• Transaction, invoice and tax records are kept for the periods required by tax and accounting law, even after account closure.
• Order, message and dispute records may be retained after closure where they are needed to resolve disputes, prevent fraud, or meet legal obligations, because they are also part of the other party's transaction history.
• Some analytics and log data expires automatically: aggregate statistics, search logs and page-view records are capped and roll off on a schedule.

When you start account closure, you are given a short grace period, shown during the closure flow, in which signing back in cancels the closure. After the grace period your account is deactivated, your listings are removed from public view, and your sessions are signed out.

10. How we protect your information

We use reasonable security safeguards appropriate to the data we hold:

• Encrypted connections (HTTPS) for all traffic between your device and our servers.
• Passwords stored only as one-way hashes; we cannot read your password.
• Optional two-factor authentication, new sign-in email alerts, and an active-sessions view where you can sign out other devices.
• Role-based access controls for our staff: sensitive records such as identity documents are visible only to staff with specific permission, through time-limited access, and staff actions are recorded in audit logs.
• Identity documents and paid product files are kept in private storage and are never served from public links.

Authorized staff may access an account where needed for support, moderation or legal compliance; that access is permission-gated and logged. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, and we do not claim otherwise. We do not hold third-party security certifications, and we do not claim any. You can help by using a strong, unique password, enabling two-factor authentication, and contacting us immediately through the Support page if you believe your account has been accessed without your permission.

11. If a data breach happens

If a breach of personal data affects you, we will notify you within 72 hours of becoming aware of it, in plain language, describing what happened, what information was involved and what you can do. We will also notify the authorities where the law requires it.

12. Your rights and choices

You have the following rights over your personal information. Exercising them is free.

• Access. You can request a summary of the personal information we hold about you and how it is being processed by contacting us through the Support page.
• Correction and updating. You can correct and update most of your information directly in your account settings at any time, including your profile, billing details and preferences. For anything you cannot edit yourself, contact us.
• Erasure and account closure. You can close your account from your account settings. Your wallet must be settled first: funds in escrow, clearing or available balance need to be resolved, spent or withdrawn before closure completes. After closure we delete or stop using your information except for the records we are required to keep (see section 9).
• Withdrawing consent. You can withdraw any consent you have given as easily as you gave it: analytics through the cookie choice, marketing through notification settings, and account consent by closing your account. Withdrawal does not affect processing that already happened.
• Nomination. You may nominate another person to exercise these rights on your behalf if you are unable to do so. Contact us through the Support page to record a nomination.
• Grievance redressal. If you believe we have mishandled your information, raise it with our Grievance Officer (section 16). We acknowledge within 24 hours and resolve within 15 days, and you receive a ticket number to track your complaint.
• Escalation. If you are not satisfied with our response, you have the right to complain to the Data Protection Board of India.

When you exercise a right, we may need to verify that the request really comes from you before acting on it. Please also use these rights responsibly: provide accurate information and do not impersonate anyone or file false grievances.

13. Children and age requirements

FreelancerPeople is for adults only. You must be at least 18 years old to create an account, and the Platform is not directed to children. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18, we do not track children or direct behavioural advertising at them, and in fact we do not serve targeted advertising to anyone at all.

If we learn that an account belongs to someone under 18, we will close it, and the associated information is handled under the retention rules in section 9. If you believe a minor is using the Platform, please tell us through the Support page.

14. Marketing communications

Marketing emails are optional. You can turn them off at any time in your notification settings, and turning them off does not affect your account. We will still send you non-marketing messages that the service needs, such as order updates, security alerts and policy notices, because the Platform cannot operate without them.

15. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy as our services or legal obligations change. When we do, we will update the "Last updated" date on this page, and if a change meaningfully affects your rights we will give you clearer notice, such as an email or an in-product message, before it takes effect. The current version of this page always applies.

16. Grievance Officer, questions and contact

Our Grievance Officer is the designated contact for complaints and questions about personal data, content on the Platform, and this policy. You can reach the Grievance Officer at support@freelancerpeople.com or through the in-app Support page.

• Every complaint is acknowledged within 24 hours and given a ticket number you can use to track it.
• We resolve complaints within 15 days.
• Complaints about non-consensual intimate imagery are acted on within 24 hours of receipt, including removal of the content.
• Other complaints about unlawful content are acted on within 72 hours where the law requires it.

This policy is governed by the laws of India, and the courts in India have jurisdiction over disputes arising from it. Nothing in this policy limits rights you have under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 or any other law that cannot be excluded. For how the marketplace itself works, see our Terms of Service, Payment Terms, Refund & Cancellation Policy and Trust & Safety pages.