1. Information We Collect

We may collect information about you in a variety of ways. The information we may collect on the Platform includes:

• 1.1. Personal Data You Provide to Us:

• • Registration Information:

  • When you register for an account, we collect your name, email address, and password. You will also indicate if you are an Employer or a Freelancer.

  • Verification Information:

  • To use certain features of the Platform, all users must undergo verification. This involves collecting your full name, CNIC (Computerized National Identity Card) or Passport number, a photograph of your CNIC/Passport, a photograph of yourself (potentially with your ID), and your phone number.

  • Profile Information (Freelancers & Employers):

  • You may provide additional information for your public profile, such as skills, professional experience, education, portfolio items, company details (for Employers), and address/general location for service delivery or offering. Users will have options to control the visibility of certain profile information.

  • Social Media Login Information:

  • If you choose to register or log in using social media credentials (e.g., Google, Facebook), we will collect information from your social media provider as permitted by that provider and your privacy settings, such as your name, email address, and profile picture.

  • Communications:

  • We collect information you provide when you communicate with us (e.g., customer support inquiries, feedback) or with other users through the Platform.

  • Payment Information:

  • For processing subscription fees, job posting fees, and transactions (handled securely via third-party payment providers).

• 1.2. Job-Related Information:

• When posting or applying for jobs, the following information may be collected:
  • Job Descriptions: Information related to job postings, including work scope and requirements.
  • Freelancer Profile Details: Including but not limited to work experience, qualifications, and portfolio.
  • Communication History: Any communication between freelancers and employers, including job offers and contract agreements.

• 1.3. Data Collected Automatically (Usage Data):

• • When you access the Platform, we may automatically collect information about your use of the Platform, such as your IP address, browser type, operating system, device information, access times, pages viewed, actions taken on the platform (e.g., bids placed, projects posted), and the referring URL.

  • Cookies and Tracking Technologies:

  • We use cookies, web beacons, and similar tracking technologies to collect information about your interaction with our Platform, remember your preferences, secure your account, and for analytics and marketing purposes. You can control cookie settings through your browser and our cookie consent banner.

• 1.4. Information from Public Records (for Verification):

• • We may, now or in the future (e.g., through NADRA integration), use publicly available records or third-party services to verify the information you provide, such as your identity and credentials.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for various purposes, including:

• To create and manage your Al Ujrat account.
• To operate, maintain, and improve the Platform and our services.
• To verify your identity and ensure the security of our Platform and users, including fraud prevention.
• To facilitate connections between Employers and Freelancers.
• To enable communication between users.
• To process payments and financial transactions between users and for platform fees (facilitated through our payment gateway partners).
• To provide customer support and respond to your inquiries.
• To send you technical notices, updates, security alerts, and administrative messages.
• To send you marketing and promotional communications. You may opt-out of receiving these communications by following the unsubscribe link or instructions provided in any email we send, or by adjusting your account preferences.
• To personalize your experience on the Platform.
• To monitor and analyze usage and trends to improve user experience and platform functionality.
• To enforce our Terms & Conditions, Refund & Return Policy, and other policies.
• To comply with legal obligations and assist law enforcement agencies as required by law.

Your personal information, particularly sensitive information like CNIC details, is primarily used for verification and security and is not displayed publicly unless you explicitly choose to display parts of your profile that might contain personal data you added there. Project details posted by Employers are visible to registered Freelancers (who may be on a subscription plan to view them) but not to other Employers or the general public, to maintain privacy.

3. How We Share Your Information

We may share information we have collected about you in certain situations:

• 3.1. With Other Users:

• • To facilitate Projects and Services, we share certain information between Employers and Freelancers. For example, a Freelancer’s profile (which may include their name, skills, reviews, and portfolio, depending on their visibility settings) is shared with Employers when they bid on a project or list a service. An Employer’s project details are shared with Freelancers.
  • Contact information or full identity details are typically only shared once an Employer hires a Freelancer or a service is formally engaged, to allow for the service to be performed. Users control the initial visibility of their profile information.

• 3.2. With Third-Party Service Providers:

• • We may share your information with third-party vendors, consultants, and other service providers who perform services on our behalf, such as payment processing (through our payment gateway partners), cloud hosting, data analytics, email delivery, customer service, and security operations. These providers are contractually obligated to protect your information and use it only for the services they are providing to us.

• 3.3. For Legal Reasons and Law Enforcement:

• • We may disclose your information if required to do so by law or in the good faith belief that such action is necessary to: (a) comply with a legal obligation, court order, or a request from law enforcement or other government officials; (b) protect and defend the rights or property of Al Ujrat; (c) prevent or investigate possible wrongdoing or illegal activities in connection with the Platform; (d) protect the personal safety of users of the Platform or the public; or (e) protect against legal liability. You will be notified if your data is shared with legal authorities for these reasons, unless we are prohibited by law from doing so.

• 3.4. Business Transfers:

• • In the event of a merger, acquisition, reorganization, bankruptcy, or sale of all or a portion of our assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. You will be notified via email or a prominent notice on our Platform of any change in ownership or uses of your personal information, as well as any choices you may have regarding your personal information.

Al Ujrat does not sell your personal information to third parties.

4. Data Storage, Security, and Retention

• 4.1. Storage:

• Your personal information is stored on secure cloud servers. [Placeholder: Specify region if you decide on one, e.g., “These servers may be located in various regions.”].

• 4.2. Security:

• Al Ujrat implements reasonable and appropriate administrative, technical, and physical security measures designed to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, use, alteration, and disclosure. These measures include data encryption for sensitive information (such as CNIC details), secure socket layer (SSL) technology for data in transit, strict access controls, and regular review of our security practices. While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your Personal Data, we cannot guarantee its absolute security, as no method of transmission over the Internet or method of electronic storage is 100% secure.

• 4.3. Data Retention:

• • We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active to provide you with our services and for a reasonable period thereafter to allow you to reactivate your account.
  • Notwithstanding the above, even after your account is closed or you request deletion of your data, Al Ujrat will retain your personal information indefinitely. This extended retention is deemed necessary by Al Ujrat for purposes including, but not limited to:
    • Complying with ongoing and future legal and regulatory obligations.
    • Assisting with law enforcement investigations and responding to lawful requests from government authorities.
    • Resolving disputes or enforcing our agreements.
    • Maintaining the security, integrity, and fraud prevention capabilities of the Platform.
    • For archival, auditing, and statistical purposes where data is aggregated or anonymized if feasible for such purposes.
  • You acknowledge and agree to this indefinite retention period upon using the Platform.

5. Your Data Rights and Choices

Al Ujrat provides you with the ability to exercise certain choices and rights regarding your personal information:

• 5.1. Access and Correction:

• You can access and update most of your personal information (such as profile details and verification information) through your account settings and profile pages on the Platform. If you require access to other information or assistance with correction, please contact us.

• 5.2. Account Deletion Request:

• You may request to close your account by contacting Al Ujrat support. Please note that, as stated in Section 4.3, your personal information will be retained by Al Ujrat indefinitely even after your account is closed, for the reasons specified therein. An account closure will terminate your access to the Platform and cease active use of your data for service provision.

• 5.3. Opt-Out of Marketing Communications:

• You can opt-out of receiving promotional emails from us by following the unsubscribe instructions in those emails or by changing your notification settings in your account (if available). Even if you opt-out of marketing communications, we may still send you non-promotional communications, such as those about your account or our ongoing business relations.

• 5.4. Cookies and Tracking Technologies:

• You can manage your cookie preferences through your browser settings and our cookie consent banner. Disabling certain cookies may affect your ability to use some features of the Platform.

• 5.5. Other Rights (Objection to Processing, Data Portability):

• Al Ujrat is committed to complying with applicable privacy laws. Currently, the Platform does not offer specific automated features for users to formally object to certain types of data processing beyond an account closure or to request data portability in a standardized machine-readable format. If you have specific concerns about the processing of your data, please contact us to discuss your situation.

6. Policy Towards Children

Al Ujrat is not intended for unsupervised use by individuals under the age of 18.

• Freelancers:

• Must be 18 years of age or older.

• Employers:

• Must generally be 18 years of age or older. Minors (e.g., 13 years or older) may use the platform to post suitable tasks only under the direct supervision and with the explicit consent of a parent or legal guardian who agrees to be bound by our Terms & Conditions and this Privacy Policy on behalf of the minor. The supervising adult is responsible for all actions and data provided for the minor. We do not knowingly collect personal information from unsupervised children under 18. If a parent or guardian becomes aware that their child (for whom they are not supervising on the platform) has provided us with Personal Data without their consent, they should contact us. If we become aware that an unsupervised child under 18 has provided us with Personal Data, we will take steps to delete such information and terminate the child’s account.

7. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or for other operational reasons. We will notify you of any material changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on the Platform, updating the “Last Updated” date, and, where appropriate, through other means such as email or platform notifications. You are advised to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes. Your continued use of the Platform after such modifications will constitute your acknowledgment of the modified Policy and agreement to abide and be bound by it.

8. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or complaints about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us at: Email: support@alujrat.com or privacy@alujrat.com