- Protection of Personal Data (G.D.P.R.)
What data do we collect about you?
1.1 Data obtained from direct interactions
Information about registration and other account-related details
When you register to use our Services, we may collect the following information about you:
If you register directly on our platform, you will be asked to provide your name, phone number, and email address;
If you register using your Google account: your first and last name, email address, and the URL to your Google profile picture;
If you register using your Facebook account: the first and last name on your Facebook account, the email address associated with your Facebook account, your Facebook ID, and the URL to your Facebook profile picture. If you have granted Facebook permission via its privacy settings within the app (displayed before registering for our Services), we may collect data such as your gender, age, or email address, depending on the permissions you granted; and
If you register using your Apple ID: your first and last name and email address; you can decide whether to share your email address with us when connecting your Apple ID.
Depending on the choices you make during the authentication process for our Services or while contracting our Services, you may choose to provide us with the following additional personal data:
Your full name;
Your home address;
Your mobile phone number;
Your payment details, in case you wish to use our paid services as defined by the Terms and Conditions of Use, which may include:
Your mobile phone number;
Your email address;
Your Country and Region;
Your City or District (for Bucharest).
Validity of your DriversChat account
We reserve the right to validate DriversChat user accounts via SMS verification to ensure each account is associated with a real and unique user. This validation process is initiated when you post your first listing in our Services. To validate your DriversChat account before posting a listing, we will send an SMS to a valid mobile phone number provided by you. This process is completely free.
If you do not agree to validate your account, it will remain active, but you will only have limited functionality within our Services.
Once your DriversChat account is validated, it will remain associated with the mobile phone number used for SMS verification. If you wish to change the phone number linked to your DriversChat account, you must contact our Customer Support team using the Contact Form.
Communication via the chat function within our Services
When using the chat application to communicate with other users, we collect and process the content and information you choose to provide through this feature.
If you explicitly agree to participate in customer interaction studies occasionally organized by DriversChat, we will record your interactions with our team. For each study organized by DriversChat, we will provide specific information about how your personal data is processed and the purpose of this processing.
Participation in our user surveys
Occasionally, we will send user surveys to measure your general satisfaction with the quality of services offered by DriversChat. Additionally, you may choose to provide your contact details, such as your email address and mobile phone number, if requested, so we can invite you to participate in one of our user experiences (UX) or an interview with our team. Please note that the information you provide in response to survey questions may include personal data voluntarily submitted by you.
Evaluation and feedback
We collect information about the evaluations and feedback you give to other users after interacting with them, as well as the evaluations and feedback you receive from other users, in accordance with the Terms of Use. We do this to measure user satisfaction with transactional experiences, ensure effective communication between users, and prevent inappropriate actions or behaviors in connection with our Services. This data enables us to take necessary measures to maintain high standards in providing our Services.
1.2 Data we automatically collect when you use our Services
When you use our Services, we automatically collect the following information about you:
Information about devices used
We collect specific information about the devices used, such as the operating system version or unique identifiers. For example, the name of the mobile network you use, your IP address, language settings on your device, the brand and model of the device, its operating system and version, the browser type and version, and specific software details such as fonts, system and browser time zones, or available video and audio formats. If logged in, we associate your device identifiers with your DriversChat account.
Location data
Depending on your device permissions, when you post an ad through our Services, we automatically collect and process information about your real-time location. We use various technologies to determine location, including IP address, GPS, Wi-Fi access points, and mobile towers. Your location data helps us display nearby users' listings and allows you to post ads in your current area. If we need your location data, a pop-up will appear asking whether you allow us to access your location data from your mobile device. You can change this setting anytime through our website or mobile app settings, disabling location sharing permissions. For more details on the purposes for which we use your location data and how it is processed, please see Section 4.2(ii) of this Privacy Policy.
Customer and login data
Technical details, including your device's IP address, time zone, and operating system. We also store your login information (registration date, last password change, last successful login), browser type, and version.
Clickstream data
We collect information about your activity within our Services, including the sites from which you accessed our Services, timestamp of each visit, your searches, the listings or banner ads you clicked on, your interaction with such ads or listings, the duration of your visit, and the order in which you viewed content within our Services.
Cookies and similar technologies
We use cookies to manage user sessions, store your language preferences, and deliver relevant ads. Cookies are small text files transferred by a web server to your device's hard drive. They may collect your visit's date and time, search history, preferences, and username. You can set your browser to refuse all or some cookies or alert you when websites set or access cookies. Note that if you disable or reject cookies, some parts of our Services may become inaccessible or not function properly. For more information about our use of cookies, please see our Cookie Policy.
1.3 Data from third parties or publicly available sources
We receive your personal data from various third parties and publicly available sources, which we may combine or connect with the personal data we collect from you through our Services. Specifically, this includes:
If you register using your Google account, we receive your Google account's associated email address (to create your DriversChat account and send system notifications and marketing messages), your Google ID, and your full name (used as your username when using our Services), as well as the URL to your profile picture (for creating your DriversChat profile picture);
If you register using your Facebook account: we receive your Facebook account's associated email address (to create your DriversChat account and send system notifications and marketing messages), as well as your public profile information, including your Facebook ID, first and last name (used as your username when using our Services), and the URL to your Facebook profile picture (for creating your DriversChat profile picture).
Do we collect data from minors?
Our Services are not intended for children under 16 years old, and we do not knowingly collect data from anyone under this age. If we become aware that a person under 16 has provided us with personal data, we will delete that data without delay.
Why do we process your personal data?
We will only use your personal data when the law allows us to do so. Most commonly, we will use your personal data in the following circumstances:
Where we need to perform the contract we are about to enter into or have entered into with you;
Where it is necessary for our legitimate interests, and we deem that your interests or fundamental rights and freedoms do not override these legitimate interests, such as improving our Services and enhancing the safety and security of our Services;
Where we need to comply with a legal or regulatory obligation.
In certain circumstances, we may also process your personal data based on your consent. In this case, we will inform you of the purpose and category of personal data being processed when seeking your consent.
Below, we present a description of the reasons why we use your personal data and the legal grounds we rely on when doing so. We have also identified our legitimate interests, where applicable.
To ensure access to and provision of our Services
If you log in using your mobile phone number or email ID, we use your first and last name, mobile phone number, and/or email address to identify you as a user and to grant you access to our Services.
If you log in using your Facebook, Google, or Apple ID account, we use your first and last name, email address associated with that account, and the URL to your profile picture (except for Apple ID) to identify you as a user of our Services and to grant you access. These login details are also used to provide our Services to you in accordance with our Terms of Use.
We use third-party payment service providers to process any payments related to our Services. Depending on your payment method, you may be required to provide us with your payment and credit/debit card details, which we will forward to the payment service provider to process your payment. We do not store your credit card information unless you choose to save it for easier recurring payments without re-entering your details each time.
We store your data related to education, professional experience, skills, photos, job preferences, and any other information included in your resume or directly shared with employers via the Services to facilitate your direct communication and transfer of this data to employers who post job advertisements in the "Jobs" category. The legal basis for this processing is the conclusion and execution of the contract between DriversChat and you, under which DriversChat provides you with job-related services.
We process the aforementioned data to properly execute our contract with you.
To improve your experience with our Services
We use clickstream data to:
offer you personalized content, such as more relevant search results when you use our Services; and
determine how much time you spend on our Services and how you navigate through them to understand your interests and improve our Services accordingly. For instance, we may suggest content based on what you have clicked on previously.
If you choose to share your location data, we use it for the following purposes:
to compile anonymous and aggregated information regarding user characteristics and behavior, including for analysis, segmentation, and development of anonymous profiles;
Using your account's contact information, including your email address and mobile number, we map the various devices (such as desktops, mobile phones, tablets) you use to access our Services. This enables us to associate your activity across these devices and provide you with a seamless experience.
We use the images you upload, descriptions, and prices provided in your listings to train machine learning models to personalize search results, ranking positions, and user interest, enhancing item identification and presentation in listings, search functionality, and the likelihood of a successful sale. This helps improve our Services and provide a better user experience.
We process the above-mentioned data to properly execute our contract with you and based on our legitimate interest in improving your user experience with our Services.
To ensure the safety and security of the Services
We use mobile phone numbers, login data, and unique equipment identifiers for administering and protecting our Services (including troubleshooting, data analysis, testing, fraud prevention, system maintenance, support services, reporting, and data hosting).
To prevent and detect fraud within our Services, we use algorithms capable of recognizing suspicious or fraudulent user behaviors based on certain data, such as user activity and submitted content, which may lead to banning certain user accounts. Automated banning occurs when there is an extremely high certainty of fraudulent activity. Otherwise, human specialists conduct a review. If you believe your account was unjustly banned, you may contact us through the Contact Form, and our team will review the decision.
We collect certain information from and about the electronic equipment you use to access our Services based on our legitimate interest in fraud prevention. Collected data includes your user ID (if logged in), DriversChat country domain, IP address, device language settings, device brand and type, operating system and version, browser type and version, and specific software details like fonts, system and browser time zones, and available video/audio formats. Equipment information is used to identify whether the same device is being used during interactions with our Services. We associate this data with a fraud score, which may result in user bans. For more details, please consult our Cookies and Similar Technologies Policy. If you believe your account was unjustly banned, contact us via the Contact Form.
We process the aforementioned data to properly execute our contract with you and based on our legitimate interest in fraud prevention and overall improvement of the quality and effectiveness of our Services.
To promote and provide you with Services that may interest you
We use your email address and mobile number (via SMS) to suggest and recommend our Services that may interest you.
We use clickstream data algorithms to provide personalized recommendations for listings or our Services via email communications. You can always opt-out of these communications by clicking the unsubscribe link included. This automated decision-making process is based on our legitimate interest in improving our Services, increasing transaction volume, and offering an enhanced user experience by delivering more relevant listings.
We process the aforementioned data based on our legitimate interest in conducting marketing activities to offer Services that may interest you. Specifically, you may receive marketing communications from us:
through any preferred communication method if you have requested such information;
via email about similar products and services if you already use our Services or purchased some of our products;
via phone or email if you provided your details when entering a competition; or
via phone or email if you registered for a specific promotion.
You can request to stop receiving such marketing communications anytime by clicking the unsubscribe link in the email or changing your account notification settings.
In cases beyond the ones mentioned above, we will use your email and mobile number for direct marketing communications (via email, push notifications, SMS, or phone calls) only if you have consented by ticking the relevant box during account registration. You can withdraw your consent anytime through your DriversChat account settings.
If you encounter issues changing notification settings, please contact us via our Contact Form.
We process the aforementioned personal data to analyze your interaction with our customer service or sales team (if applicable) and improve how our teams serve customers.
You can withdraw your consent at any time and free of charge via our Contact Form.
Law enforcement, regulatory, and other authorities: We may disclose your personal data to law enforcement, regulatory authorities, government agencies, and other relevant third parties to comply with any legal or regulatory requirements.
International Transfers
Whenever we transfer your personal data outside the EEA, we ensure a similar level of protection by implementing at least one of the following safeguards:
We transfer personal data only to countries deemed to provide an adequate level of personal data protection by the European Commission. For more details, see European Commission: Adequacy of the protection of personal data in third countries.
Where we use certain service providers, we may use specific contracts approved by the European Commission, which ensure the same level of data protection as in Europe. For more details, see European Commission: Model contracts for the transfer of personal data to third countries.
You may request a copy of the relevant safeguards implemented by contacting us via our Contact Form.
Where do we store your data and for how long?
The data we collect about you is stored and processed both inside and outside the EEA on secure servers to provide you with the best possible user experience, such as creating a website or mobile app quickly. DriversChat user data is stored on cyberfolks.ro servers.
We will retain your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which we collected it, including complying with any legal, tax, accounting, or reporting requirements.
To determine the appropriate retention period for personal data, we consider the volume, nature, and sensitivity of the data, the potential risk of harm from unauthorized use or disclosure, the purposes for which we process your personal data, whether we can achieve these purposes through other means, and applicable legal requirements.
We retain your personal data related to your account as long as you are a registered user or until you delete your account. In such cases, we ensure your data is deleted promptly and as soon as technically feasible. Depending on the Service you use and the systems storing your data, deletion may take up to 3 months from your request date. During this period, access to your data will be restricted or blocked immediately.
If your account remains inactive for over 24 months, we will close your account per our Terms of Use and delete all personal data stored in your account. However, we will not close your account or delete your data if you have any ongoing transactions or are entitled to refunds credited to your account by us or yourself. Before closing your account, we will notify you, giving you the opportunity to keep your account active by logging in.
When your account is closed, we may retain certain data to (i) fulfill our legal obligations, such as for tax, accounting, or audit purposes, or (ii) resolve a complaint or court dispute or comply with a request from an authority (e.g., law enforcement). We will retain only relevant data for such purposes and delete it once the applicable retention period expires or the legal purpose is fulfilled.
To ensure customer safety and prevent fraud, we may retain certain data related to your closed account, such as your listings, IP address, moderation details, and user experience data, for up to 14 months from the account closure date.
Personal data related to cookies is stored for the respective cookie's lifecycle or until you delete it. For more details, consult our Cookies and Similar Technologies Policy.
If you have any questions about data retention periods, please contact us via our Contact Form.
Technical and Organizational Measures and Processing Security
All information we receive about you is stored on secure servers, and we have implemented technical and organizational measures that are appropriate and necessary to protect your personal data. DriversChat continuously evaluates its network security and the adequacy of its internal information security program designed to (a) help secure your data against accidental or unlawful loss, access, or disclosure, (b) identify reasonably foreseeable security risks related to the DriversChat network, and (c) minimize security risks through periodic risk assessments and testing. Additionally, we ensure that all payment-related data is encrypted using SSL technology.
Please note that despite our measures to protect your data, data transfers over the internet or other open networks are never completely secure, and there is a risk that your personal data may be accessed by unauthorized third parties.
Data Protection Authority
For data protection complaints, you may contact the relevant Data Protection Authority. You can exercise this right by contacting the authority in your place of residence, work, or the data controller's address.
In Romania, the competent Data Protection Authority is the National Authority for Data Protection, located at: 28-30 Magheru Blvd, Sector 1, Bucharest, website: http://www.dataprotection.ro
