Privacy Policy - The Expat Freelancer

1. Introduction

At TheExpatFreelancer.com, we are deeply committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and lawful processing of your personal data. We appreciate the trust you place in us, and we are dedicated to upholding the principles of privacy and data protection as required by applicable legislation, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), and other relevant privacy frameworks. This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit or interact with our website, theexpatfreelancer.com.

2. Scope and Role of the Data Controller

This Privacy Policy applies to all personal data collected or processed through the website theexpatfreelancer.com. The data controller for your personal information is The Expat Freelancer, which determines the purposes and means of processing your personal data. If you have questions or concerns about our processing activities, you may contact us at [email protected].

This Policy does not apply to third-party websites, services, or applications that may be linked on or accessible from our website.

3. Categories of Personal Data We Process

We may collect, use, store, and transfer the following categories of personal data:

a. Usage Data
Information automatically collected as you interact with theexpatfreelancer.com. This includes IP address, browser type and version, time zone setting and location, browser plug-in types, referral URLs, pages visited, time spent on pages, and other diagnostic data.

b. Account Data
Information you provide when creating or managing an account, including your full name, physical address, email address, username, password, and contact telephone number.

c. Profile Data
Information generated or provided in connection with your profile, such as interests, feedback, purchasing behavior, saved searches, posts, comments, and other user-generated content.

d. Communication Data
Records of communications you exchange with us, including email correspondences, messages sent through onsite forms, support or contact inquiries, and customer service interactions.

e. Technical Data
Details related to your device and system configuration, such as operating system, device type, browser platform, hardware specifications, screen resolution, language settings, and network environment.

f. Transaction Data
Details related to transactions made through the site, including purchases, billing information, fulfillment details, payment method, card last four digits (if applicable), and transaction history.

g. Preference Data
Information about your preferences and interests as disclosed in profile settings or surveys, and data inferred from your interactions with content and marketing communications, including marketing consents and communication preferences.

4. Legal Bases for Processing Personal Data

We rely on one or more of the following lawful bases to process your personal data in accordance with Article 6 of the GDPR and as recognized under CCPA:

– Consent: For cases where you have explicitly given us permission to process your personal data for specific purposes (e.g., newsletters, optional cookies).
– Contractual Necessity: Where processing is necessary to perform a contract with you or to take pre-contractual steps at your request.
– Legal Obligation: Where processing is required for us to comply with applicable legal or regulatory obligations.
– Legitimate Interests: Where processing is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights and interests, such as maintaining site security, monitoring performance, and improving user experience.

5. Your Data Protection Rights

Where applicable under the GDPR and CCPA, you have the following rights:

– Right of Access: You may request a copy of the personal data we maintain about you.
– Right to Rectification: You may request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data.
– Right to Erasure (“Right to be Forgotten”): You may request deletion of your data, subject to legal and contractual limitations.
– Right to Restrict Processing: You may request that we restrict the processing of your data under certain conditions.
– Right to Data Portability: You may request to obtain your data in a structured, commonly used format or have it transferred to another controller.
– Right to Object: You may object to the processing of your data in certain circumstances.
– Right to Withdraw Consent: Where we rely on your consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

To exercise any of your rights, please write to us at [email protected]. We will respond in accordance with applicable laws.

6. Security Measures

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal data against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These include, but are not limited to:

– Encryption of data in transit via HTTPS (TLS)
– Access control mechanisms with role-based privileges
– Firewalls and intrusion detection systems
– Regular backups and integrity checks
– Employee training and access protocols regarding information security

While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your information, no method of transmission or storage is entirely secure, and we advise you to take care when accessing theexpatfreelancer.com over public networks.

7. International Data Transfers

Due to the global nature of our services, your personal data may be transferred to, and stored or processed in, countries outside your jurisdiction, including the United States. By using our website, you consent to such data transfers, provided they comply with applicable laws.

When we transfer data internationally, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, such as Standard Contractual Clauses approved by the European Commission or compliance with other recognized international data protection frameworks.

8. Data Retention

We retain your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, including for legal, accounting, or reporting obligations. Specific criteria we use for determining retention periods include:

– Account Data: Retained for the duration of the user relationship and up to 5 years after termination.
– Transaction Data: Retained for up to 7 years for financial and tax compliance.
– Communication Data: Retained for as long as needed to resolve inquiries or disputes, then securely deleted.
– Technical and Usage Data: Retained for up to 2 years for performance and analytics purposes.
– Marketing and Preference Data: Retained for 2 years post-consent or until consent is revoked.

9. Cookie Policy

We use cookies and similar technologies to enhance user experience, analyze usage patterns, and deliver customized content. Cookies are small files placed on your device when you access theexpatfreelancer.com.

We use the following types of cookies:

a. Essential Cookies – Necessary for the functionality and security of the website (e.g., log-in authentication).
b. Functional Cookies – Enable personalization and remembering of preferences.
c. Analytics Cookies – Collect information to improve site performance and understand user behavior (e.g., Google Analytics).
d. Performance Cookies – Measure and improve the loading speed and responsiveness of pages.

10. Cookie Management and Compliance

In compliance with GDPR and CCPA, users are presented with the opportunity to manage their cookie preferences upon their first visit through a cookie consent banner. You may adjust these choices at any time using our cookie settings tool or by configuring your browser to reject or delete cookies.

Additionally, under CCPA, California residents have the right to opt-out of the sale or sharing of their data. Although we do not sell personal data, we honor Do Not Sell or Share requests and global privacy control browser signals where applicable.

11. Children’s Privacy

Our services are not directed to children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from individuals under that age. If you believe we have inadvertently collected data from a child under 13, please contact us immediately at [email protected], and we will take prompt steps to delete it.

12. Policy Updates

We reserve the right to modify or update this Privacy Policy at any time to reflect changes in legal obligations, technological practices, or service offerings. When changes are made, we will revise this document. Where required by law, we will notify you of material changes and, if necessary, obtain your renewed consent.

We recommend reviewing this page periodically to stay informed of how we protect your data.

13. Contact Information

If you have any questions regarding this Privacy Policy, your rights, or the way your personal data is handled, please contact us:

Email: [email protected]
Website: https://theexpatfreelancer.com

We are committed to ensuring your privacy is respected and your data is handled responsibly.

Compliance Statement

We affirm our compliance with GDPR, CCPA, and other applicable privacy laws. For any inquiries, complaints, or concerns related to your personal data, please reach out to [email protected], and we will address your request promptly and transparently.