Privacy Policy

At AV Professionals, we take your privacy seriously. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and the choices you have. Please read it carefully — we've tried to keep it plain and straightforward.

1. Who We Are

AV Professionals ("we", "us", or "our") operates an online marketplace that connects clients with audio-visual professionals. Our platform is available at avprofessionals.com. If you have any questions about this policy or how we handle your data, you can reach us at privacy@avprofessionals.com.

2. Information We Collect

We collect information in two ways — directly from you when you use our platform, and automatically as you browse.

Information you provide directly:

• Account details including your name, email address, and password when you register.
• Profile information such as your city, bio, skills, portfolio items, and profile photo.
• Communications — messages, inquiry forms, and any content you send through our platform.
• Payment information when processing transactions (handled by our third-party payment provider; we do not store full card details).
• Reviews and ratings you leave for professionals or services.

Information collected automatically:

• Log data including your IP address, browser type, pages visited, and the time and date of your visit.
• Device information such as operating system and screen resolution.
• Cookies and similar tracking technologies (see Section 7 for details).

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Create and manage your account and provide you with access to our platform.
• Facilitate connections between clients and professionals, including forwarding inquiries.
• Process transactions and send related notices such as confirmations and receipts.
• Send platform updates, security alerts, and administrative messages.
• Respond to your comments, questions, and support requests.
• Improve our platform by analysing how it is used.
• Detect, prevent, and address fraud, security issues, or violations of our Terms.
• Comply with applicable laws and legal obligations.

We do not sell your personal information to third parties for their marketing purposes.

4. Sharing Your Information

We share information only in the following circumstances:

• With other users: When you submit an inquiry, your name, contact details, and message are shared with the professional you are contacting.
• Service providers: We work with trusted third-party providers (such as email delivery, payment processing, and analytics) who process data on our behalf under strict confidentiality obligations.
• Legal requirements: We may disclose information if required to do so by law, court order, or government authority.
• Business transfers: If AV Professionals is involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction.

5. Data Retention

We retain your account information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide you with our services. If you close your account, we will delete or anonymise your personal data within 90 days, except where we are required to retain it by law (for example, transaction records for tax compliance).

6. Your Rights

Depending on where you live, you may have the following rights regarding your personal data:

• Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
• Correction: Ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
• Deletion: Request that we delete your personal data (subject to certain legal exceptions).
• Portability: Receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format.
• Objection: Object to processing of your data in certain circumstances.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at privacy@avprofessionals.com. We will respond within 30 days.

7. Cookies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to keep you signed in, remember your preferences, and understand how people use our platform. You can control cookies through your browser settings; however, disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of the site.

We use the following types of cookies:

• Strictly necessary cookies: Required for the platform to function (e.g. session authentication).
• Analytics cookies: Help us understand traffic patterns and improve performance.
• Preference cookies: Remember settings you have chosen.

8. Security

We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect your information from unauthorised access, loss, or misuse. These include encrypted connections (HTTPS), hashed passwords, and restricted access to personal data. That said, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

9. Children's Privacy

Our platform is not intended for children under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect personal data from anyone under 16. If you believe we have inadvertently collected such information, please contact us and we will promptly delete it.

10. Third-Party Links

Our platform may contain links to third-party websites. This Privacy Policy does not apply to those sites, and we are not responsible for their privacy practices. We encourage you to review the policies of any third-party sites you visit.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will revise the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. If the changes are significant, we will notify you by email or through a notice on the platform. Your continued use of AV Professionals following any update constitutes your acceptance of the revised policy.

12. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy, please contact us: