Privacy Policy

Last updated: July 31, 2026  |  Effective date: May 2, 2020

1. Data Controller

PartnerBook ("we", "us", "our") operates the business networking platform available at partnerbook.com. PartnerBook is the data controller responsible for your personal information processed through this platform.

Contact: privacy@partnerbook.com

2. Data We Collect

2.1 Account & Profile Data

• Full name, email address, and password (hashed)
• Profile photo and biography
• Phone number (optional)
• Language preference

2.2 Company & Business Data

• Company name, type, industry, and description
• Company logo, background image, and contact details
• Products, services, and catalog information you publish
• Partnership and association membership data

2.3 Usage & Technical Data

• IP address, browser type, device type, and operating system
• Pages visited, features used, and time spent on the platform
• Last activity timestamp
• Log files and error reports

2.4 Communication Data

• Messages sent between users on the platform
• Partnership requests and responses
• Reviews and comments you submit

2.5 Payment Data

Payment card details are processed directly by our payment processor (Stripe) and are never stored on PartnerBook servers. We retain transaction records (amount, date, plan type) for accounting purposes.

3. How We Collect Data

• Directly from you – when you register, complete your profile, or send messages
• Automatically – through cookies, server logs, and analytics tools as you use the platform
• From third parties – when you connect external services or when other users interact with your profile

4. How We Use Your Data

• Service delivery (contract) – creating accounts, enabling networking features, processing partnerships
• Security & fraud prevention (legitimate interest) – detecting abuse, protecting accounts, rate limiting
• Platform improvement (legitimate interest) – analyzing usage patterns to improve features
• Communication (contract / consent) – sending transactional emails (password reset, partnership notifications)
• Marketing (consent) – newsletters and promotional emails, only with your explicit opt-in
• Legal obligations (legal obligation) – retaining records as required by applicable law

5. Data Sharing & Third Parties

We do not sell your personal data. We share data only in the following circumstances:

• Service providers – cloud hosting, email delivery, payment processing. These processors act under data processing agreements.
• Business partners – other PartnerBook users see your public profile and company information when you publish it.
• Legal requirements – we may disclose data when required by law or court order.
• Business transfers – in the event of a merger or acquisition, user data may be transferred with notice provided.

6. Data Retention

• Active accounts – data is retained for as long as your account is active
• Deleted accounts – personal data is deleted within 90 days of account deletion, except where retention is required by law
• Log data – server logs are retained for up to 12 months for security purposes
• Payment records – retained for 7 years for tax and accounting compliance

7. Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal data, including:

• TLS/HTTPS encryption for all data in transit
• Passwords stored using bcrypt hashing (never in plain text)
• JWT-based authentication with configurable expiry
• Role-based access control limiting data access to authorized personnel
• Regular security audits and dependency vulnerability scanning

In the event of a data breach, we will notify you and the relevant supervisory authority within 72 hours as required by GDPR.

8. Your Rights (GDPR)

If you are located in the EEA or the UK, you have the following rights under GDPR:

• Right of access – request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
• Right to rectification – request correction of inaccurate data
• Right to erasure – request deletion of your personal data
• Right to restrict processing – request that we limit how we use your data
• Right to data portability – receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format
• Right to object – object to processing based on legitimate interests or for direct marketing
• Right to withdraw consent – where processing is based on consent, withdraw it at any time

To exercise any of these rights, email us at privacy@partnerbook.com. We will respond within 30 days.

9. Cookies & Local Storage

We use only strictly necessary browser storage. We do not use tracking, advertising, or analytics cookies — no cookie consent banner is required.

Cookies (strictly necessary)

• Security & bot detection – a cookie is set to verify that JavaScript is enabled in your browser. This is used to distinguish real users from automated bots and protect the platform from abuse.
• Payment processing – when you access payment features, our payment provider (Stripe) sets cookies for fraud prevention and session security. These are governed by Stripe's Privacy Policy.

Local Storage (strictly necessary)

• Authentication – your login token (JWT) is stored in your browser's localStorage to keep you signed in. This data never leaves your device except as part of authenticated API requests.
• Preferences – your language and UI settings may be stored in localStorage to improve your experience across sessions.

All storage described above is strictly necessary for the platform to function. You may clear it at any time via your browser settings — this will sign you out.

10. International Data Transfers

PartnerBook is based in Switzerland. Your data may be processed in countries outside your own. We ensure international transfers comply with applicable data protection law through Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) and adequacy decisions where applicable.

11. Children's Privacy

PartnerBook is a professional B2B networking platform intended for users aged 18 and over. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 16. Contact us at privacy@partnerbook.com if you believe a child has registered.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in our practices or applicable law. We will notify you of material changes by email or by displaying a prominent notice on the platform at least 14 days before the change takes effect.

13. Contact Us

• Email: privacy@partnerbook.com
• General inquiries: info@partnerbook.com
• Website: partnerbook.com