Privacy Policy

Overview

This Privacy Policy explains how ProjectBist Ltd ("ProjectBist", "we", "us", or "our") collects, uses, stores, and protects your personal data when you use the ProjectBist platform. By registering or using ProjectBist, you agree to the practices described in this Policy.

1. Who This Policy Applies To

This Policy applies to all individuals who interact with the ProjectBist platform, including registered clients, registered researchers, and unregistered visitors who browse publicly accessible content.

2. Our Role: Data Controller and Data Processor

ProjectBist acts in two distinct capacities depending on the data involved:

• Data Controller — For account data, profile data, and platform activity, ProjectBist determines the purposes and means of processing. We are the data controller for this information.
• Data Processor — For messages and files exchanged privately between users, ProjectBist stores and transmits this content solely to deliver the platform's communication features. We do not access, analyse, or use this content for any other purpose. Users retain responsibility for the content they exchange.

3. What Data We Collect

• Identity and Account Data — name, email address, and encrypted password provided at registration.
• Profile Data — professional credentials, qualifications, portfolio materials, biography, and profile image.
• Communications Data — messages exchanged through the platform's messaging system.
• Activity Data — project posts, job applications, ratings you submit, and reviews you give or receive.
• Uploaded Content — files and documents uploaded in connection with a project or profile.
• Technical Data — session data and authentication cookies necessary for the platform to function.

4. Data Visibility — What Is Public, Platform‑Only, and Private

ProjectBist operates with three tiers of data visibility:

• Publicly Visible — Accessible to Registered and Unregistered Users: Your profile, including your name, profile image, professional credentials, portfolio, ratings, and reviews, is visible to all visitors. This visibility is core to ProjectBist’s function as a discovery platform. By submitting this information, you acknowledge and consent to it being publicly accessible.
• Platform‑Visible — Accessible to Registered Users Only: Certain activity data, such as project applications and detailed engagement history, is visible only to registered users who are directly involved in or evaluating a relevant engagement.
• Private — Never Publicly Accessible: Direct messages between users and uploaded project files are private and accessible only to the parties involved in that conversation or project. ProjectBist does not make this content visible to other users or third parties except as required by law.

5. How We Use Your Data

• Create and maintain your account;
• Display your profile to registered and unregistered users as described in Section 4;
• Enable direct messaging between clients and researchers;
• Facilitate project applications and collaborations;
• Send transactional communications, including account verification, project updates, and security alerts;
• Maintain platform safety, detect fraud, and enforce our Terms and Conditions;
• Improve and develop platform features.

We do not use your data for behavioural profiling, or sell it to any third party.

6. Transactional vs. Marketing Communications

Transactional communications are messages necessary to deliver the service, including account verification emails, password resets, project notifications, and security alerts. These are sent as part of the platform’s core function and cannot be opted out of while your account is active.

7. User‑Generated Content — Ratings and Reviews

• Ownership — Reviews are owned by the user who submitted them. By submitting a review, you grant ProjectBist a non‑exclusive, royalty‑free license to display that review on the platform and in platform‑related communications.
• Visibility — Reviews are publicly visible as part of the reviewed user's profile.
• Self‑removal — A user cannot remove a review submitted about them by another user. Only the user who submitted the review may request its removal, subject to ProjectBist’s review of that request.
• Account deletion — If the account of a reviewer is deleted, their submitted reviews may be retained in anonymized form to preserve the integrity of the reviewed user’s profile record.
• Disputed reviews — Users who believe a review is false, defamatory, or in violation of platform rules may report it to support@projectbist.com. ProjectBist will assess reported reviews and may remove those that violate platform standards but is under no obligation to do so.

8. Legal Basis for Processing

Where users are located in the European Union or United Kingdom, we process personal data on the following legal bases under GDPR and UK GDPR:

• Contract performance — processing necessary to provide the platform services you have registered for;
• Legitimate interests — platform security, fraud prevention, and service improvement;
• Consent — where you have opted in to specific communications or features;
• Legal obligation — where applicable law requires us to retain or disclose data.

Where both local and international data protection frameworks apply, we apply the higher standard. Users outside these jurisdictions are afforded the same data protections as a matter of our standard practice.

9. Cookies and Tracking

ProjectBist uses cookies and similar technologies to operate the platform. We currently use only:

• Strictly Necessary Cookies — session cookies required to authenticate your login, maintain your session, and ensure platform security. These cannot be disabled as they are essential to platform function.

We do not use analytics cookies, advertising cookies, or any third‑party tracking technologies. If we introduce additional cookie types in future, we will update this Policy and, where required by law, seek your consent before doing so. You may configure your browser to block or delete cookies, but doing so may affect your ability to use certain platform features, including logging in.

10. Data Sharing

ProjectBist does not sell, rent, or trade your personal data. We do not currently share your data with third‑party processors or analytics providers.

We may disclose your data only where:

• Required to comply with a valid legal obligation, court order, or regulatory requirement;
• Necessary to protect the rights, safety, or property of ProjectBist, its users, or the public;
• In connection with a merger, acquisition, or transfer of assets, in which case affected users will be notified in advance.

11. Data Security

We implement technical and operational measures to protect your personal data, including encrypted password storage and access controls. In the event of a data breach that is likely to result in risk to your rights or freedoms, we will notify affected users and relevant regulatory authorities within 72 hours of becoming aware of the breach, in line with applicable data protection law.

12. Data Retention

• Active accounts — data is retained for the duration of your account;
• Deleted accounts — account and profile data is permanently deleted immediately upon user request through dashboard settings or by contacting support@projectbist.com;
• Portability — request your data in a structured, commonly used, human‑readable format;
• Post‑deletion retention — certain records necessary for legal compliance may be retained for up to 12 months after deletion in anonymized or pseudonymized form where required by law, after which they are permanently deleted;
• Inactive accounts — accounts showing no activity for 24 consecutive months may be flagged for review. Users will be notified before any action is taken on dormant accounts.

13. Your Rights

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights:

• Access — request a copy of the personal data we hold about you;
• Correction — request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data;
• Deletion — request deletion of your account and associated data, subject to retention requirements;
• Portability — request your data in a structured, commonly used, machine‑readable format;
• Objection — object to processing based on legitimate interests;
• Restriction — request that we limit processing of your data in certain circumstances;
• Withdrawal of consent — where processing is based on consent, withdraw it at any time without affecting the lawfulness of prior processing.

To exercise any of these rights, contact support@projectbist.com. You may also delete your account directly through your dashboard settings. We will respond to data requests within 30 days.

14. International Data Transfers

ProjectBist operates globally. Where your data is transferred across borders, we take appropriate steps to ensure such transfers are subject to protections consistent with this Policy and applicable law, including the data transfer provisions of the GDPR and UK GDPR.

15. Children's Privacy

ProjectBist is intended for professional use. It is not directed at children or individuals who lack legal capacity to contract in their jurisdiction. We do not knowingly collect personal data from such individuals. If we become aware that we have done so, we will delete the relevant data promptly.

16. Updates to This Policy

We may update this Policy as the platform evolves. Material changes will be communicated via email or a prominent platform notice before taking effect. The "Last Updated" date at the top reflects the most recent revision.

17. Contact and Data Protection Enquiries

For privacy questions, data requests, or complaints: ProjectBist Ltd · support@projectbist.com · Terms and Conditions. This Privacy Policy should be read alongside our Terms and Conditions, which govern your use of the platform.