Privacy Policy
Privacy Protocol.
How we protect your data and your trust.
Information We Collect
To provide a secure platform, we collect information that identifies you or relates to your professional standing. This includes:
Profile Data
Name, contact details, professional certifications, and profile photos which go through a moderation queue before becoming publicly visible.
Identity Documents (KYC)
Ghana Card or Passport images, selfie, and document number for identity verification. Uploaded securely and reviewed by our admin team.
Transaction Data
Details about services rendered and payments made via our protected payment hold (settled via Paystack).
Technical Data
IP addresses, browser types, device identifiers, and usage patterns to prevent fraud.
Communication Data
In-app chat messages. Phone numbers and email addresses are automatically removed from messages before storage for your safety.
Location Data
GPS coordinates collected at check-in and check-out when a Pro starts and completes an on-site job.
Verification Data
Email address for email verification and phone number for check-in/out PINs.
AI Inputs
Bios, job descriptions, and related text you submit for AI-assisted polish and matching (see Usage).
THE CORE PRINCIPLE
We do not sell your personal data to third parties. Your information is used strictly to facilitate direct client-pro connections and ensure platform security.
Lawful Basis for Processing
We process personal data only on a valid lawful basis under Ghana's Data Protection Act, 2012 (Act 843) and applicable guidance:
- Consent: e.g. marketing communications, optional AI polish features, non-essential cookies/preferences. You may withdraw consent at any time.
- Contract: processing necessary to provide the services you request — accounts, matching, messaging, protected payment hold, reviews, support.
- Legal obligation: KYC/regulatory record-keeping, tax records, responding to lawful requests from Ghanaian authorities, and safety compliance.
- Where legitimate interests apply (fraud prevention, platform security), we balance them against your rights.
How We Use Your Data & AI Features
We use the collected data to maintain the integrity of the iKnowsome1 ecosystem:
- Facilitating the search and hire of vetted professionals.
- Processing secure payments through our verified gateway (Paystack) via protected payment hold.
- Identity verification — including document review and manual admin review of your ID and selfie.
- Moderating profile photos before they become publicly visible on the platform.
- Masking phone numbers and email addresses in in-app chat to prevent off-platform solicitation.
- Verifying physical job attendance via email-based 6-digit PIN codes at check-in and check-out.
- Enabling two-way reviews — both clients and pros can rate each other after a completed job.
- Communicating updates regarding your projects or account status.
- AI-assisted features: We use OpenRouter AI (
google/gemini-2.5-flash) for bio/job-description polish and AI-powered pro matching. Only the text you submit for those features is sent for inference. - AI opt-out: AI polish and AI matching are optional. You can decline AI polish (submit your own text) and contact [email protected] to opt out of AI matching personalisation; core search remains available.
Cross-Border Transfers
Some sub-processors host or process data outside Ghana (notably Aiven MySQL in the EU and Valkey/Render hosting in the US/EU, plus global email/push/AI providers). Where data is transferred across borders we rely on contractual safeguards with our providers, data minimisation, and — where applicable — your consent/contract necessity, consistent with the Data Protection Act, 2012 (Act 843). Contact the DPO for details of transfer safeguards.
Your Rights
You have the right to access, correct, export, and request deletion of your personal data, and to object to or restrict certain processing.
- Self-service: Access, correct, and export much of your data, and request deletion, via Settings in your account.
- DPO requests: Email [email protected] (copy [email protected]) with your account email and request.
- Response time: We respond within 30 days of a verifiable request, subject to lawful retention exceptions (e.g. KYC/regulatory records, ongoing disputes).
- Reviews: Reviews are retained as reputation history but are correctable through the review challenge (flag-for-admin-correction) process in our Terms.
Data Security & Breach Notice
iKnowsome1 follows industry-standard security practices to protect your data:
Password Hashing
All passwords are hashed using bcrypt. Never stored in plain text.
KYC Image Access Control
Identity documents and selfies stored with access restricted to admin personnel only.
Session-Based OTPs
Verification codes and PINs are session-based and expire within 5 minutes.
Chat Sanitization
Phone numbers and email addresses automatically removed before messages are stored.
Access Control
Database access restricted to authorized services only, with no direct public exposure.
Photo Moderation Queue
Profile photos not publicly visible until approved by an admin moderator.
Breach notice
If a breach is likely to pose a risk to your rights, we will notify affected users and, where required, the Data Protection Commission without undue delay, describing the nature of the breach, likely consequences, and mitigation measures.
Data Retention
We retain your data only as long as necessary to provide our services or comply with legal obligations:
| Category | Retention |
|---|---|
| Account data | Until you delete your account (request via Settings or DPO). |
| KYC / identity data | Duration of account + 12 months, then purged, except where law requires longer. |
| Chat messages | Job duration + 6 months for dispute resolution, then deleted/purged. |
| GPS / location | 90 days from collection. |
| Reviews | Retained as reputation history but correctable via the review dispute/challenge process. |
Children — 18+
iKnowsome1 is for users aged 18 and over only. We do not knowingly collect data from children. If you believe a minor has created an account, contact [email protected] so we can remove the account and data.
Contact & Data Protection Officer
- DPO: [email protected]
- Legal: [email protected]
- Rights & deletion requests: via Settings or to the DPO (30-day response).