In short
HerChapter uses personal information to create accounts, review and publish professional profiles, manage bookings and availability, communicate with users and keep the Platform safe. We do not sell personal information. The standard professional registration form does not require an identity document.
1. Who is responsible for your information
Katarzyna Rybarczyk, operating the HerChapter platform, is the controller (or “responsible party” under South Africa’s POPIA, where applicable) for personal information processed to operate the Platform.
Controller: Katarzyna Rybarczyk
Business address: Wiosenna 2, 62-002 Suchy Las, Poland
Country of establishment: Poland
Polish Tax Identification Number (NIP): 9721335971
Privacy contact: hello@herchapter.site
This Privacy Policy applies to herchapter.site, HerChapter account areas and related marketplace functions.
2. Personal information we collect
Account and contact information
Name, email address, account type, authentication/account identifiers and information needed to manage your account.
Client information
Categories you choose to browse, saved professionals, booking details, appointment times, reviews and information you choose to provide in messages or booking notes.
Professional profile information
Name, profile photo, professional title, category, specialties, languages, biography, approach, professional background or qualifications you describe, session pricing, availability, time zone and profile status.
Professional application review information
We review the profile information submitted by professionals before publication. The standard registration form does not require an identity document. If we need clarification or supporting evidence in an individual case, we may process the information the professional provides for that specific review.
Technical and usage information
Our hosting and security providers may process IP address, device/browser information, authentication events, logs and similar technical data needed to deliver and protect the Platform.
Communications
Messages you send to HerChapter, support requests, transactional email events and records of important account or booking communications.
3. How and why we use personal information
| Purpose | Examples | Typical legal basis under GDPR where applicable |
|---|---|---|
| Provide the Platform | Create accounts, show professional profiles, manage bookings, availability and dashboards. | Performance of a contract / steps requested before entering a contract. |
| Review professional applications and protect users | Review submitted profile information, investigate fraud or misuse, request clarification where needed, and approve or reject professional profiles. | Legitimate interests in marketplace trust and safety; legal obligations where applicable. |
| Communicate | Email verification, booking and account updates, professional approval notices, support. | Contract, legitimate interests and legal obligations, depending on the message. |
| Security and fraud prevention | Authentication, logs, access controls, abuse prevention and incident investigation. | Legitimate interests and legal obligations. |
| Legal, accounting and dispute handling | Keep records required by law, respond to lawful requests, establish or defend claims. | Legal obligation and legitimate interests. |
| Optional marketing | News or promotions where you have opted in or where another lawful basis applies. | Consent or another basis permitted by applicable direct-marketing law. |
We use only the information reasonably necessary for these purposes and do not use personal information for incompatible purposes without an appropriate legal basis and notice.
4. Health and other sensitive information
Because HerChapter includes categories such as mental health, wellbeing, pregnancy, motherhood and nutrition, information you choose to provide may reveal health information or other sensitive personal circumstances. Under GDPR, health information and certain other categories receive additional protection. POPIA also gives special protection to categories of personal information including health and biometric information.
Where processing sensitive information requires an additional legal condition, we will rely on explicit consent or another condition permitted by applicable law. You may withdraw consent for future processing where consent is the basis, although doing so may prevent us from providing the relevant feature.
Professionals remain independently responsible for any clinical or professional records they create outside HerChapter and for their own confidentiality and data-protection duties.
5. Professional application review
HerChapter administrators review professional profile submissions before publication. The standard registration form does not request an identity document. We may ask for clarification or limited supporting information in an individual case where reasonably necessary for trust, safety, fraud prevention or legal compliance.
If you submitted an identity document under an earlier version of the professional onboarding process, it is treated as legacy verification material: it remains private, is not shown on the public profile, and is deleted when the application review is completed. You may also contact hello@herchapter.site to request earlier deletion where legally permitted.
6. Who receives personal information
We may share or make personal information available to:
- Professionals and clients: information necessary to operate a booking. A professional may receive the client’s name, booking details and information the client intentionally provides for the session. Clients see the information published on an approved professional profile.
- Netlify: hosting, authentication, database, serverless functions and file storage used by the Platform.
- Resend: transactional email delivery, including account and booking notifications where configured.
- DeepL: automated translation of professional profile content between Polish and English. Profile text such as professional title, biography, working approach, qualifications and specialties may be sent to DeepL solely to create the alternate language version shown on HerChapter.
- Zoho Mail: business email and support communications sent to or from HerChapter mailboxes.
- Jitsi as a Service (JaaS) / 8x8: authenticated video-call infrastructure used for booked online sessions. When you join a session, your browser connects to the Jitsi service and may share the technical information needed to operate the call. HerChapter does not record the audio or video of sessions in the current MVP.
- Stripe: payment processing for client session payments and secure bank-account verification/payout services for professionals who choose to withdraw earnings. Professionals can receive bookings and accrue HerChapter earnings without adding a bank account. Stripe receives the information required to process payments, prevent fraud, meet financial-services compliance obligations and operate payout accounts. Payment-card fields are presented through Stripe-hosted Checkout; HerChapter application servers do not receive full card details.
- Calendar providers: only if calendar integrations are enabled or you choose to connect one, and only to the extent needed for that feature.
- Professional advisers and authorities: where reasonably necessary for legal advice, compliance, fraud prevention, a dispute or a lawful request.
We do not sell personal information.
7. International data transfers
HerChapter is an online service and some service providers may process information in countries different from your own. Where GDPR or similar law requires safeguards for an international transfer, we use an applicable legal mechanism such as an adequacy decision, standard contractual clauses or another permitted safeguard. Where POPIA applies, cross-border transfers are handled in accordance with its requirements.
8. How long we keep information
We keep personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, including to operate an active account, complete bookings, comply with legal/accounting obligations, prevent fraud and resolve disputes.
- Account/profile data: generally while the account is active and for a reasonable period afterwards where needed for legal, security or dispute purposes.
- Bookings and transaction-related records: for the period required by applicable tax, accounting, consumer and limitation laws.
- Professional application review information: for as long as reasonably needed to assess the application and manage the professional profile. Any legacy identity-document file submitted under an earlier onboarding process is deleted when the application review is completed, or earlier on request where legally permitted.
- Support and security logs: for a proportionate period based on operational and security needs.
When information is no longer needed, we delete or anonymise it where reasonably practicable and legally permitted.
9. Cookies, authentication and local storage
HerChapter uses technologies necessary to keep users signed in, remember account state, maintain security and provide core Platform functionality. These may include cookies, browser storage or equivalent technologies.
If we introduce non-essential analytics, advertising or similar tracking that requires consent under applicable law, we will provide an appropriate choice before using it and update this Policy.
10. Security
We use technical and organisational measures designed to protect personal information, including access controls, HTTPS and restricted administrative access. The standard professional registration form does not require an identity document. No online system can guarantee absolute security, and users should also protect their passwords and devices.
If we become aware of a personal-data breach that requires notification under applicable law, we will notify the relevant regulator and affected individuals as required.
11. Your privacy rights
Depending on where you live, you may have rights to request access to your personal information, correction, deletion, restriction, objection, portability, withdrawal of consent and information about how we use your data.
For requests, email hello@herchapter.site. We may need to verify your identity before acting on a request.
If GDPR applies, you also have the right to complain to the data-protection authority in your country. If POPIA applies, you may lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator (South Africa).
12. Marketing communications
Transactional messages needed to operate your account or bookings are not marketing. If HerChapter sends optional marketing communications, we will provide an unsubscribe method and honour applicable consent and direct-marketing rules. Unsubscribing from marketing does not stop essential account, safety or booking communications.
13. Children
HerChapter accounts and bookings are intended for adults aged 18 and over. We do not knowingly invite children to create accounts. If we learn that personal information was collected from a child in circumstances where we were not legally permitted to process it, we will take appropriate steps to remove it.
14. Changes to this Privacy Policy
We may update this Policy as the Platform, our providers or applicable law changes. We will update the “Last updated” date and provide additional notice where a material change requires it.
15. Contact
Privacy questions and rights requests can be sent to hello@herchapter.site.