At Hipped, we believe in being clear about how we handle your personal data. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your data when you use our professional endorsement platform.
We're focused on connecting great talent with opportunities through trusted professional endorsements. While we keep things simple, we take the protection of your data seriously and comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) where it applies to our operations.
Who We Are
Recruitment Rising Oy with the brand name Hipped (hereinafter "we", "our", "us") acts as the data controller for personal data processed through our platform. This means we decide how and why your personal data is processed. You can reach us at:
Email: privacy@hipped.io
Address: Kommonkatu 8, 20900 Turku, Finland
Website: https://www.hipped.io
Business ID: 3549030-2
How Our Platform Works and How Data Flows
To understand how we handle personal data, it's helpful to understand how our platform works:
- Companies post job opportunities with associated endorsement rewards
- Endorsers (typically recruiters or industry professionals) recommend candidates they know professionally
- When making an endorsement, the Endorser must:
- Have the candidate's explicit consent to share their information
- Provide accurate and current information about the candidate
- Only share relevant professional information
This means that if you're a candidate, your information initially comes to us through an Endorser who must have your consent. You can later create your own account to manage your information directly.
Legal Bases for Processing
We process your data under these legal bases, as required by GDPR:
For Companies
- Contract Performance: We need to process your data to provide our services and manage your account (for example, when you post jobs or receive candidate endorsements)
- Legitimate Interests: To operate and improve our platform, prevent fraud, and ensure security (like monitoring for suspicious activity)
- Legal Obligation: To comply with applicable laws and regulations (such as keeping payment records)
For Endorsers
- Contract Performance: To manage your endorsements and process reward payments
- Legitimate Interests: To verify your professional status and track your endorsement history
- Legal Obligation: For tax and payment records
For Candidates
- Legitimate Interests: For the initial processing of endorsements (when an Endorser first recommends you)
- Consent: For keeping your profile in our system and sharing it with potential employers
- Contract Performance: Once you create an account with us
What Information We Collect and Why
For Companies
We collect:
- Company details (name, registration info, address) - to verify you're a real business
- Contact person details (name, email, phone) - to communicate about opportunities and endorsements
- Job posting information - to help Endorsers understand your needs
- Payment information (excluding full credit card details) - to process rewards
How we use it:
- To manage your job postings
- To connect you with endorsed candidates
- To process payments
- To send service updates and relevant communications
For Endorsers
We collect:
- Professional details and contact information - to verify your professional status
- Bank account information - to pay your rewards
- Professional network information - to understand your areas of expertise
- Track record of endorsements - to maintain quality standards
How we use it:
- To process your endorsements
- To pay your rewards
- To communicate about opportunities
- To maintain platform quality
For Endorsed Candidates
We collect:
- Professional information (through endorsers, with your consent) - to present you to potential employers
- Career preferences - to match you with suitable opportunities
- Endorsement context - to understand your relationship with the Endorser
- Communication records - to manage the endorsement process
How we use it:
- To process endorsements
- To connect you with opportunities
- To manage communications
- To maintain accurate records
How We Use Your Information
The purposes for which we process your personal data are:
Core Platform Services
- Managing user accounts and profiles
- Processing endorsements and maintaining records
- Handling payments for successful placements
- Facilitating communications between parties
We do this by:
- Storing your information securely in our database
- Processing data to match candidates with opportunities
- Managing the flow of endorsements
- Tracking successful placements
Platform Improvement
- Understanding how people use our service
- Identifying areas for improvement
- Developing new features
- Maintaining security
We achieve this through:
- Analysing usage patterns
- Collecting feedback
- Monitoring performance
- Tracking security metrics
Legal Compliance
- Maintaining required business records
- Following tax regulations
- Preventing fraud
- Responding to legal requests
This involves:
- Keeping accurate transaction records
- Maintaining necessary documentation
- Following legal retention requirements
- Implementing security measures
Data Retention - How Long We Keep Your Information
We keep your data only as long as necessary for the purposes of processing, following these periods:
Active Users:
- Account information: While your account is active
- Payment records: 7 years starting from the date of the payment (this is a legal requirement for tax purposes)
- Job postings: 2 years after closure
- Communications: 2 years after last contact
Inactive Users:
- Account data: 12 months after last activity (we'll notify you before deletion)
- Basic records: As required by law (typically 7 years for financial records)
- Marketing preferences: 3 years maximum
Special Cases:
- Ongoing endorsement processes: Until completed
- Dispute resolution: Until resolved
- Legal requirements: As required by law
Your Rights and How to Exercise Them
Under GDPR, you have several rights which we're committed to upholding:
Right to Access:
- Request a copy of your personal data
- Learn how we use it
- Know who we share it with
We'll provide this within 30 days.
Right to Rectification:
- Update incorrect information
- Complete incomplete information
Changes are usually made within 48 hours.
Right to Erasure:
- Request deletion of your data
- Remove consent for processing
- Stop future processing
Unless we need to keep some information for legal reasons.
Right to Object:
- Stop certain types of processing
- Opt out of marketing
- Challenge processing based on legitimate interests
Right to Data Portability:
- Receive your data in a usable format
- Transfer it to other services
- Available for automated processing
- Available when processing is based on consent and/or contract performance
To exercise these rights:
- Email privacy@hipped.io
- Tell us what you want to do
- Provide necessary verification information
As a small business, we aim to respond quickly, typically within:
- Simple requests: 7 days
- Complex requests: up to 30 days
- Very complex cases: may require maximum 90 days with a notification on the additional period sent to you within 30 days of receiving the request
How Do We Share Your Information
We share data only where necessary.
With Essential Service Providers
- Payment processor (for handling rewards)
- Cloud hosting (for storing platform data)
- Email service (for communications)
- Analytics tool (for improving our service)
Within Hipped
As a small operation, only authorized team members have access to data, with security measures in place to protect your information.
International Transfers
When we use service providers outside the EU, we ensure proper protection through:
- Standard contractual clauses
- Adequacy decisions
- Appropriate security measures
Cookies and Tracking
We use these types of cookies:
Essential Cookies
- Keeping you logged in
- Remembering basic preferences
- Maintaining security
These can't be turned off as they're necessary for the platform to work.
Optional Cookies
- Understanding how people use our platform
- Improving user experience
- Measuring performance
You can choose whether to allow these.
Manage your Preferences
- Through your browser settings
- Via our cookie management tool
- By contacting us
Changes to This Policy
We may update this policy to:
- Reflect new features or services
- Comply with legal requirements
- Improve clarity
- Address user feedback
When we make changes:
- Significant changes: 30 days notice
- Minor updates: Posted immediately
- Emergency security changes: Immediate effect
Questions and Concerns
We're here to help:
Email: privacy@hipped.io
Response time: Usually within 24 hours on business days
You can also complain to: Finnish Data Protection Authority (www.tietosuoja.fi) if you believe we're not handling your data properly.
Remember: While we're a small business, we take your privacy seriously. Our processes are straightforward and focused on protecting your data while providing our core service of connecting talent with opportunities through trusted endorsements.