Privacy Policy

At HOLYNK, we take your privacy seriously. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal data when you use our private professional networking platform.

We collect the following types of information:

• Account information: email address, password, and authentication data when you create an account.
• Professional profile: display name, bio, avatar, location, sport categories, certifications, years of experience, languages spoken, and availability preferences.
• Contact details: professional email, phone number, website, and social handles — stored securely and never displayed publicly.
• Messaging data: content of private messages exchanged through the Platform.
• Usage data: log data, device information, IP address, approximate location derived from the IP, browser and OS, and interactions with the Platform to secure and improve our services.
• Uploaded media: avatar and profile images. We process only the image content; any embedded metadata (EXIF data such as GPS coordinates, capture date, device model) is not displayed publicly. We strongly recommend stripping such metadata before upload, and we may remove it server-side.

We use your data to:

• Provide and maintain the Platform's core functionality.
• Facilitate professional connections between members.
• Enable private messaging between connected members.
• Improve the Platform and personalize your experience.
• Communicate important updates, security alerts, or service changes.
• Detect and prevent fraud, abuse, or illegal activity.

Messages sent through HOLYNK are private and visible only to the participants of the conversation. We do not monitor or review private messages unless required by law or to investigate reported abuse. Message data is stored securely and retained as long as your account is active.

HOLYNK is designed to protect your privacy. Phone numbers, email addresses, WhatsApp links, Instagram handles, and other external contact details are never displayed on public profiles. They are only accessible to you and, where you explicitly choose, to authenticated members through secure connection workflows.

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your data, including encryption in transit and at rest, access controls, and regular security audits. While we strive to protect your information, no system is completely secure. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials.

You control your personal information on HOLYNK. You can update your profile, modify your availability, and manage your contact details at any time from your account settings. You may also delete your account permanently, which will remove your profile and associated data from the Platform.

We retain your data for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide you with our services. If you delete your account, we will remove your personal data within a reasonable period, except where retention is required by law or for legitimate business purposes such as fraud prevention.

For users in the European Union, we comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Your rights under GDPR include:

• The right to access your personal data.
• The right to rectify inaccurate or incomplete data.
• The right to erasure ("right to be forgotten").
• The right to restrict or object to processing.
• The right to data portability.
• The right to withdraw consent at any time.

To exercise any of these rights — including requesting an export or portability of your personal data — please email contact@holynk.app from the address associated with your HOLYNK account. We will respond within a maximum delay of 30 days, as required by Article 12 GDPR. We may ask for additional information to verify your identity before processing the request.

We process personal data based on:

• the user's consent,
• the performance of our contractual relationship,
• and our legitimate interest in operating, improving, and securing the Platform.

Data may be processed and stored on secure servers located within the European Union or by trusted providers compliant with GDPR safeguards.

HOLYNK is not intended for users under 18 years old.

We use trusted third-party services for hosting, payments, and analytics. These providers are contractually bound to process data only on our behalf and in compliance with applicable data protection laws. We do not sell your personal data to third parties.

We use essential cookies to operate the Platform and maintain your session. Optional analytics cookies are only set if you accept them via our cookie consent banner. We do not use tracking cookies for advertising purposes. You can manage cookie preferences at any time through the banner or your browser settings.

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of significant changes via email or through the Platform. Continued use after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your data, contact us at: contact@holynk.app