Privacy Policy - Marefiya

1. Introduction

Marefiya ("we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our platform and services.

By using Marefiya, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy. If you do not agree with our policies and practices, please do not use our services.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide

Account Information: Name, email address, date of birth, gender, and password
Professional Information: For professionals, we collect license documents, years of experience, specialties, and professional bio
Appointment Information: Booking details, appointment history, and preferences
Communication Data: Messages and communications sent through the platform
Payment Information: Billing address and payment method details (processed through secure third-party processors)

2.2 Automatically Collected Information

Device information (IP address, browser type, operating system)
Usage data (pages visited, time spent, features used)
Cookies and similar tracking technologies
Location data (if permitted)

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

To provide, maintain, and improve our services
To facilitate connections between Clients and Professionals
To process appointments, payments, and transactions
To send you service-related communications and updates
To respond to your inquiries and provide customer support
To verify professional credentials and qualifications
To detect, prevent, and address technical issues and security threats
To comply with legal obligations and enforce our terms
To analyze usage patterns and improve user experience
To send marketing communications (with your consent, where required)

4. Information Sharing and Disclosure

4.1 With Professionals/Clients

To facilitate appointments, we share relevant information between Clients and Professionals, including names, contact information, and appointment details necessary for the service.

4.2 Service Providers

We may share information with third-party service providers who perform services on our behalf, such as payment processing, data analytics, email delivery, and hosting services. These providers are contractually obligated to protect your information.

4.3 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required by law, court order, or governmental authority, or if we believe disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, protect your safety or the safety of others, investigate fraud, or comply with a legal process.

4.4 Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction.

4.5 With Your Consent

We may share your information with your explicit consent or at your direction.

5. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include:

Encryption of data in transit and at rest
Secure authentication and access controls
Regular security assessments and updates
Limited access to personal information on a need-to-know basis

However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

6. Health Information and HIPAA

We understand the sensitive nature of mental health information. While we take measures to protect all user data, please note:

Professionals are bound by professional confidentiality obligations and applicable health privacy laws
We do not store detailed clinical notes or session content unless explicitly provided by users
We comply with applicable health information privacy regulations to the extent required
Clients should discuss confidentiality directly with their chosen Professional

7. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to track activity on our platform and hold certain information. You can instruct your browser to refuse all cookies or to indicate when a cookie is being sent. However, if you do not accept cookies, you may not be able to use some portions of our service.

We use cookies for authentication, preferences, analytics, and security purposes.

8. Your Rights and Choices

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights regarding your personal information:

Access: Request access to your personal information
Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
Deletion: Request deletion of your personal information
Portability: Request transfer of your data to another service
Opt-out: Opt-out of certain data processing activities, including marketing communications
Account Deletion: Delete your account through your account settings

To exercise these rights, please contact us using the information provided in the Contact section below.

9. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law. When we no longer need your information, we will securely delete or anonymize it.

Some information may be retained for legal, regulatory, or business purposes even after account deletion.

10. Children's Privacy

Marefiya is intended for users who are at least 15 years old. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 15. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately.

If we discover that we have collected information from a child under 15, we will delete that information promptly.

11. International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your country of residence. These countries may have data protection laws that differ from those in your country. By using our services, you consent to the transfer of your information to these countries.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update our Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the "Last updated" date.

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes. Changes to this Privacy Policy are effective when they are posted on this page.

13. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us at:

Email: marefiyaet@gmail.com
Address: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

We will respond to your inquiry within a reasonable timeframe.