Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains how Hard Hat Way ("we", "us", "our") collects, uses, stores, and protects personal data when you use our website, mobile application, and related services (collectively, the "Platform"). By using Hard Hat Way, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

1. Who We Are

Hard Hat Way is a trades-first social and tools platform designed to support individual tradespeople and homeowners worldwide. Hard Hat Way is operated from the United Kingdom. For data protection purposes, Hard Hat Way is the "data controller" of personal data collected through the Platform.

If you have questions about this policy or your data, contact us at support@hardhatway.com.

2. Information We Collect

a) Information You Provide

• Name, username, email address, and contact details
• Account type (Trade Operator or Homeowner/Enthusiast)
• Profile information including trade details, bio, and location
• Photos and videos captured via your device camera or selected from your photo library
• Posts, comments, reactions, and messages you create
• Information submitted through Site Calls, ProQuote, TradeCalc, and other tools
• SiteCred reputation data and peer endorsements

b) Information Collected Automatically

• Device information (model, operating system, version)
• IP address and general location data
• App usage data and interaction with features
• Push notification device tokens
• Crash reports, diagnostics, and error logs

c) Camera and Photo Library Access

Hard Hat Way requests access to your device camera and photo library so you can upload photos of your work, set a profile picture, and share content. We only access your camera or photo library when you choose to take or select a photo within the app. We do not access your camera or photos in the background.

d) Location Data

If you enable location services, we may collect your general location to power features such as Site Calls (connecting tradespeople with local customers). You can disable location access at any time through your device settings.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your information to:

• Provide, operate, and improve the Platform
• Create and manage your user account
• Enable social features including posts, reactions, comments, and messaging
• Operate Site Calls, ProQuote, TradeCalc, SiteCred, and other tools
• Send push notifications about activity relevant to your account (e.g. replies, Site Call updates, new messages)
• Moderate content and enforce our Community Guidelines and Terms of Use
• Improve performance, safety, and user experience
• Communicate important service updates
• Prevent fraud, abuse, and misuse of the Platform

4. Legal Basis for Processing

We process personal data under the following legal bases, as applicable under the UK GDPR, EU GDPR, and other relevant data protection laws:

• Consent — where you have given clear consent (e.g. push notifications, camera access)
• Contract — to provide the Platform and services you have signed up for
• Legal obligation — where required by law
• Legitimate interests — platform security, fraud prevention, and service improvement, where these do not override your rights

5. Third-Party Services

We use the following third-party services to operate the Platform:

• Firebase by Google — authentication, database (Cloud Firestore), file storage (Cloud Storage), push notifications (Firebase Cloud Messaging), and serverless functions (Cloud Functions)
• Apple — in-app purchases and subscription payment processing via the App Store

These providers process data on our behalf and are required to handle it securely and in accordance with applicable law. We do not sell your personal data to any third party.

6. Payments and Subscriptions

All subscription payments and in-app purchases are processed by Apple through the App Store. We do not collect, store, or have access to your credit card, debit card, or payment details. Apple handles all payment processing under their own privacy policy.

We receive confirmation of your subscription status (e.g. active, expired, cancelled) to provide access to Pro features, but no financial data is shared with us.

7. Push Notifications

With your permission, we send push notifications to keep you informed about relevant activity such as replies to your posts, messages, Site Call updates, and community highlights. You can manage or disable push notifications at any time through your device settings or within the app.

We collect your device push notification token solely for the purpose of delivering notifications. This token is stored securely and is not shared with third parties for marketing purposes.

8. User Content and Visibility

Content you post (such as photos, posts, comments, and profile information) may be visible to other users of the Platform. You are responsible for the information you choose to share.

For details on your intellectual property rights over content you create, see our Copyright & Intellectual Property Policy.

9. Data Retention

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary to provide the Platform and meet our legal obligations. When you delete your account, we will delete or anonymise your personal data within 30 days, except where we are required to retain certain data by law.

Some content you have posted (e.g. comments on others' posts) may remain visible in anonymised form after account deletion.

10. Your Rights

Depending on where you are located, you may have the following rights regarding your personal data:

All Users

• Access your personal data
• Correct inaccurate data
• Request deletion of your data
• Withdraw consent at any time (where consent is the legal basis)

UK and EU/EEA Users

Under the UK GDPR and EU GDPR, you also have the right to:

• Restrict or object to certain processing
• Data portability (receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format)
• Lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority (in the UK, this is the Information Commissioner's Office)

California Residents (CCPA/CPRA)

If you are a California resident, you have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA):

• The right to know what personal information we collect, use, and disclose
• The right to request deletion of your personal information
• The right to opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information — we do not sell or share your personal information as defined under the CCPA/CPRA
• The right to non-discrimination for exercising your privacy rights

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at support@hardhatway.com. We will respond within 30 days (or sooner where required by local law).

11. Account Deletion

You can delete your Hard Hat Way account at any time from within the app by going to Settings > Account > Delete Account. This will permanently delete your account and associated personal data.

You can also request account deletion by emailing support@hardhatway.com.

For more details, see our Account Deletion page.

12. Data Security

We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data from unauthorised access, loss, or misuse. This includes encrypted data transmission, secure authentication, and access controls on our systems.

No system is 100% secure, and use of the Platform is at your own risk.

13. Cookies and Analytics

Our website may use cookies and similar technologies to improve performance and understand how the Platform is used. The mobile app does not use cookies. For more information, see our Cookie Policy.

14. Children's Privacy

Hard Hat Way is not intended for users under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If we become aware that we have collected data from someone under 18, we will delete it promptly.

15. International Data Transfers

Hard Hat Way is operated from the United Kingdom. Your data may be processed by third-party services (such as Firebase/Google Cloud) on servers located outside your country of residence, including outside the United Kingdom and the European Economic Area.

Where data is transferred internationally, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place in accordance with applicable data protection law, including UK and EU GDPR requirements for international transfers.

16. Do Not Track

Some browsers send a "Do Not Track" signal. Hard Hat Way does not currently respond to Do Not Track signals, as there is no industry-wide standard for compliance. We do not track users across third-party websites.

17. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of significant changes through the app or by email. Continued use of the Platform after changes take effect indicates acceptance of the updated policy.

18. Contact

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or your data, contact:

Hard Hat Way
support@hardhatway.com