Privacy Policy
Your privacy is important to us. Learn how we collect, use, and protect your personal information.
Last Updated: January 2025
Introduction
Welcome to SearchNorthCyprus ("we," "our," or "us"). We are committed to protecting your personal information and your right to privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our platform at searchnorthcyprus.org.
SearchNorthCyprus is North Cyprus's premier online marketplace connecting people with property listings, job opportunities, services, and educational programs. We understand that trust is fundamental to our relationship with you.
If you have any questions or concerns about this privacy policy or our practices, please contact us using the information provided at the end of this document.
Information We Collect
Personal Information You Provide
We collect personal information that you voluntarily provide to us when you:
- Register an account: Username, email address, password, first name, last name, phone number, and role (student, local resident, business owner, etc.)
- Create listings: Property details, images, pricing, location information, contact preferences
- Apply for jobs: Resume/CV, cover letter, contact information, work history
- Post services: Service descriptions, pricing, availability, contact details
- Make payments: Cryptocurrency transaction hashes for listing promotions
- Contact us: Name, email, phone number, and message content
- Update your profile: Bio, location, preferences, avatar/profile picture
Telegram Authentication Data
If you choose to authenticate using Telegram, we collect:
- Telegram user ID
- First and last name from your Telegram profile
- Username (if public)
- Profile photo URL (if public)
- Authentication timestamp
Automatically Collected Information
When you access our platform, we automatically collect:
- Device information: Browser type, operating system, device type
- Usage data: Pages viewed, time spent on pages, links clicked, search queries
- IP address: For security and analytics purposes
- Cookies and tracking technologies: To improve your experience and analyze usage patterns
- Location data: City and region (if you provide it)
Images and Media
When you upload images for listings, we store them securely using Cloudinary. Images are optimized and may be processed for performance. We track your upload quota (3 free uploads per month for regular users).
How We Use Your Information
We use your information for the following purposes:
- Account Management: Create and maintain your account, authenticate users, manage preferences
- Platform Services: Enable listing creation, job applications, service bookings, and educational program inquiries
- Communication: Send welcome emails, password reset links, listing approval notifications, and important platform updates
- Payment Processing: Verify cryptocurrency payments for listing promotions and premium features
- Content Moderation: Review listings and user-generated content to ensure compliance with our policies
- Analytics: Understand how users interact with our platform to improve services
- Security: Detect and prevent fraud, abuse, and security incidents
- Legal Compliance: Comply with applicable laws and regulations
- Personalization: Provide relevant search results and recommendations based on your preferences
- Marketing: Send newsletters and promotional content (only if you opt in)
How We Share Your Information
We may share your information in the following circumstances:
Public Information
Information in your listings (properties, jobs, services) is publicly visible to all platform users, including:
- Listing title, description, images, and pricing
- Your name (first and last name or username, based on your profile)
- Contact information you choose to include
- Location information
Service Providers
We share data with third-party service providers who help us operate our platform:
- Cloudinary: For image hosting and optimization
- MongoDB Atlas: For database services
- Email Service Providers: For transactional emails (Zoho Mail)
- Hosting Providers: For server infrastructure
Legal Requirements
We may disclose your information if required by law or in response to valid legal requests, such as:
- Subpoenas or court orders
- Law enforcement requests
- Protection of our rights and safety
- Investigation of fraud or security issues
Business Transfers
In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred to the new owner, subject to this privacy policy.
We do NOT sell your personal information to third parties for marketing purposes.
Data Security
We implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures to protect your personal information:
- Encryption: Passwords are hashed using bcrypt. Data in transit is protected using HTTPS/SSL
- Authentication: JWT-based authentication with secure token management
- Access Controls: Role-based access control (user, advertiser, admin)
- Secure Storage: Images stored securely on Cloudinary with access controls
- Regular Updates: We keep our systems and dependencies updated
- Monitoring: Continuous monitoring for suspicious activities
However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.
Your Privacy Rights
You have the following rights regarding your personal information:
- Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
- Correction: Update or correct your personal information through your profile settings
- Deletion: Request deletion of your account and associated data (subject to legal retention requirements)
- Data Portability: Request your data in a structured, machine-readable format
- Opt-Out: Unsubscribe from marketing emails at any time
- Restrict Processing: Request limitation on how we use your data
- Object: Object to our processing of your personal information
To exercise these rights, please contact us at privacy@searchnorthcyprus.org.
Cookies and Tracking
We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your experience:
- Authentication Cookies: Keep you logged in to your account
- Preference Cookies: Remember your settings (language, theme)
- Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how you use our platform
- Security Cookies: Protect against fraudulent activity
You can control cookies through your browser settings. However, disabling cookies may affect the functionality of our platform.
Data Retention
We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to:
- Provide our services to you
- Comply with legal obligations
- Resolve disputes and enforce agreements
- Maintain security and prevent fraud
When you delete your account, we will delete or anonymize your personal information within 30 days, except where we are required to retain it for legal or regulatory purposes.
Listings expire after 30 days by default and may be automatically archived or deleted.
Children's Privacy
Our platform is not intended for children under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 16. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately.
International Users
SearchNorthCyprus is operated from and targeted to users in North Cyprus. If you access our platform from outside North Cyprus, please be aware that your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in North Cyprus and other countries where our service providers operate.
By using our platform, you consent to the transfer of your information to countries outside your country of residence, which may have different data protection laws.
Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this privacy policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for legal, operational, or regulatory reasons. We will notify you of any material changes by:
- Posting the updated policy on this page
- Updating the "Last Updated" date
- Sending an email notification (for significant changes)
We encourage you to review this privacy policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information.
Contact Us
If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this privacy policy or our data practices, please contact us:
Email: privacy@searchnorthcyprus.org
General Inquiries: admin@searchnorthcyprus.org
Website: searchnorthcyprus.org
We will respond to your inquiry within 30 days.