Privacy Policy

1. Who We Are

JOTA ("JOTA", "we", "us", or "our") operates an online marketplace that connects homeowners with independent tradesmen. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and protect information when you use our website, mobile experience, and related services (the "Platform").

This Policy is incorporated into and forms part of our Terms of Service. Capitalized terms not defined here have the meaning given in the Terms.

2. Information We Collect

Information you provide: name, email, phone, postal address, profile photo, business details, license and insurance information, trade categories, service area, portfolio images, job descriptions, quotes, messages, reviews, payment method details (handled by our payment processor), and any other content you submit.

Information collected automatically: device identifiers, IP address, browser type, operating system, referrer URL, pages viewed, time spent, clicks, approximate location derived from IP, and diagnostic/error data.

Information from third parties: identity or background-check providers, payment processors, mapping and geocoding providers, license-verification databases, single-sign-on providers (e.g. Google), and public sources.

Sensitive information: we do not intentionally collect government IDs, financial account numbers, health data, precise geolocation, or biometric data through the Platform except where required for a specific verification feature you opt into.

3. How We Use Information

Operate and improve the Platform, match homeowners with tradesmen, deliver messages and quotes, process payments, prevent fraud and abuse, enforce our Terms, comply with law, respond to legal process, provide customer support, send service and transactional communications, and (with consent where required) send marketing communications.

We may use de-identified and aggregated data for analytics, research, benchmarking, and training of automated systems, including AI and machine-learning models used to power the Platform.

4. Legal Bases (EEA/UK)

If you are in the EEA, UK, or Switzerland, we process your personal data based on: performance of a contract (delivering the Platform), our legitimate interests (safety, fraud prevention, product improvement, marketing to existing users), compliance with legal obligations, and your consent (for optional cookies and certain marketing).

5. Sharing and Disclosure

With other users, as necessary to facilitate the Services (e.g. sharing your contact information with a tradesman you request a quote from).

With service providers who process data on our behalf under written contract: hosting, database, email, SMS, analytics, payment processing (Stripe), identity or license verification, background check, mapping, customer support, and security.

With authorities and third parties when we believe in good faith that disclosure is necessary to comply with law, respond to legal process, enforce our Terms, protect the rights, property, or safety of JOTA, our users, or others, or to detect or prevent fraud or security incidents.

In connection with a merger, acquisition, financing, reorganization, bankruptcy, or sale of assets, in which case personal information may be transferred to the successor.

With your consent or at your direction.

We do not sell personal information in exchange for money. We may share limited identifiers with advertising or analytics partners; where required by law, you may opt out of such sharing.

6. Cookies and Similar Technologies

We use strictly necessary cookies to operate the Platform and, with your consent where required, functional, analytics, and advertising cookies. You can manage your preferences through the cookie banner on your first visit or in your browser settings. Blocking strictly necessary cookies may break parts of the Platform.

7. Data Retention

We retain personal information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide the Platform, comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce agreements. Retention periods vary by data type and legal requirement. When we no longer need personal data, we delete or anonymize it.

8. Security

We use commercially reasonable technical, organizational, and physical safeguards to protect personal information, including encryption in transit, hashed passwords, access controls, and audit logging. No method of transmission or storage is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

9. International Data Transfers

We are based in the United States and process data in the United States and other countries whose data-protection laws may differ from yours. Where required, we rely on Standard Contractual Clauses, adequacy decisions, or other lawful transfer mechanisms.

10. Your Rights

Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have rights to access, correct, delete, port, restrict, or object to processing of your personal data, to withdraw consent, and to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority.

California residents (CCPA/CPRA): rights to know, delete, correct, opt out of sale/sharing, and limit use of sensitive personal information. We do not knowingly sell personal information.

EEA/UK residents (GDPR/UK GDPR): rights of access, rectification, erasure, restriction, portability, and objection, plus the right to withdraw consent and to lodge a complaint with your local data-protection authority.

To exercise your rights, email privacy@usejota.com. We will verify your identity before responding. We will not discriminate against you for exercising these rights.

11. Children

The Platform is not directed to children under 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us information, contact privacy@usejota.com and we will delete it.

12. Third-Party Links

The Platform may link to third-party sites or services. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those third parties. Review their policies before providing information.

13. Automated Decision-Making

We may use automated systems for matching, ranking, fraud detection, and pricing. We do not use solely-automated decisions with legal or similarly significant effects on you without human review, except as permitted by law.

14. Marketing Communications

You may opt out of marketing emails by clicking the unsubscribe link in any marketing email or updating your preferences in your account. You cannot opt out of service, transactional, or security messages while your account is active. SMS opt-out: reply STOP to any marketing SMS.

15. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Policy from time to time. We will post the updated Policy with a new effective date and, for material changes, provide reasonable notice. Your continued use of the Platform after the effective date constitutes acceptance.

16. Contact Us

Questions or complaints? Email privacy@usejota.com or write to us via the address listed on our Contact page.

17. Platform Communications Monitoring

Messages, attachments, and images you send through JOTA are not private communications between users. Authorized JOTA personnel may review communications when reasonably necessary for platform safety, fraud prevention, dispute resolution, customer support, enforcement of our rules, and prevention of off-platform transactions.

We do not routinely read every conversation. Access by authorized personnel is limited to legitimate operational, safety, legal, and enforcement purposes, and every such access is logged internally.