Privacy Policy
Your privacy is important to us
The Short Version
- We never sell your data. Not to advertisers, not to data brokers, not to anyone.
- No tracking across apps or websites. We don't use Facebook Pixel, ad trackers, or any cross-site tracking.
- Third-party analytics are anonymous. We use Google Analytics and Mixpanel for usage patterns only — your identity is never sent to them. Some activity inside HalalHQ (like which listings you view) is linked to your account to run community features, but we keep that to ourselves and never sell or share it.
- Personal data is only shared for marketplace orders. If you buy something on Souq, your name and address go to the seller so they can fulfill your order, and your payment is processed by Stripe. That's it.
- Your phone number is only used for verification. We use Twilio to send SMS codes. We only send your phone number to Twilio, nothing else. We never call you or send marketing SMS.
- Your email is used for your account and order notifications only. We use Resend to deliver emails. No marketing without your consent.
1. Introduction
Welcome to HalalHQ. We respect your privacy and are committed to protecting your personal data. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our website and services.
This policy applies to information we collect on our website, through mobile applications (when available), via email and other electronic messages, and through user interactions with our Service.
2. Information We Collect
Information You Provide
- • Account information (name, email, username)
- • Phone number (for optional account verification via SMS)
- • Content you create (reviews, photos, comments)
- • Communications (feedback, support requests)
Information Collected Automatically
- • Usage data (pages visited, search queries)
- • Location data (with your permission)
- • Device information and browser type
- • Cookies for authentication and preferences
Activity Within HalalHQ
To run community features (your activity feed and personalised "What's New for You") and to keep the platform secure from bots, we record some in-app activity linked to your account:
- • Which restaurants, mosques, products, and listings you view
- • How you first found HalalHQ (for example, a search engine, a social link, or a shared URL)
Mobile App Permissions
When using our mobile apps (iOS/Android), we may request the following permissions:
- • Camera: To upload photos of restaurants and food
- • Location: To find nearby halal restaurants and mosques
- • Photo Library: To select and upload existing photos
- • Push Notifications: To notify you of community updates (optional)
- • Network: To sync data and provide offline functionality
3. How We Use Your Information
To Provide Our Service
- • Manage your account
- • Display restaurant listings
- • Process searches and filters
- • Enable reviews and ratings
To Improve Our Service
- • Analyze usage patterns
- • Test new features
- • Fix bugs and issues
- • Develop new functionality
To Communicate
- • Service announcements
- • Respond to inquiries
- • Security alerts
- • Newsletters (with consent)
For Safety & Security
- • Detect and prevent fraud
- • Monitor Terms violations
- • Protect users
- • Legal compliance
4. How We Share Your Information
We Never Sell Your Personal Data
Public Information
Your username, reviews, and photos you post are publicly visible.
Marketplace Orders Only
When you purchase from Souq marketplace, your shipping details are shared with the seller to fulfill your order. For sellers using Shopify, this information is forwarded through their Shopify store. Your payment is processed by Stripe, and your email address is used by Resend to send order notifications. No personal data is shared with third parties outside of marketplace transactions.
Legal Requirements
We may disclose information if required by law or to protect rights and safety.
5. Souq Marketplace and E-Commerce Data
Customer Order Information
When you make a purchase through our marketplace, we collect:
- • Order details: Products purchased, quantities, prices
- • Shipping information: Full name, delivery address, phone number, email
- • Transaction data: Order number, payment status, order timestamps
- • Delivery tracking: Tracking numbers, shipping carrier, delivery status
Seller/Business Account Information
For businesses operating on our marketplace, we collect:
- • Business details: Business name, type, description, contact information
- • Product catalog: Product listings, descriptions, prices, images, and inventory levels
- • Shopify store connection (if applicable): Store domain for sellers who connect their Shopify store
- • Order fulfillment data: Shipping confirmations, tracking information, cancellations
- • Payout information: For processing marketplace commission payments
Shopify Integration
Some sellers connect their Shopify stores to HalalHQ for automated product syncing and order fulfillment. When a seller uses Shopify:
Data We Receive from Shopify:
- • Product information (names, descriptions, prices, images, inventory)
- • Order fulfillment status and tracking numbers
- • Inventory level updates
Data We Send to Shopify:
- • Customer orders placed on HalalHQ (including customer name, email, shipping address, phone number, order details)
- • Inventory updates when orders are placed on HalalHQ
Payment Processing
We use Stripe to process marketplace payments. We do not store your complete credit card information. Stripe's privacy policy governs their handling of payment data: https://stripe.com/privacy
We store:
- • Payment method type (last 4 digits of card)
- • Payment status (successful, failed, refunded)
- • Transaction records for accounting purposes
Customer Data Protection
Customer order data is used ONLY for:
- • Order fulfillment and delivery
- • Customer service and support
- • Sending order status notifications (confirmation, shipping, delivery)
- • Legal compliance and dispute resolution
We DO NOT:
- • Use customer shipping information for marketing without consent
- • Share customer data with third parties except as necessary for order fulfillment
- • Sell customer information to data brokers
6. Third-Party Services
We share personal information with the following third-party services for marketplace operations:
- Shopify: For sellers who connect their Shopify store, customer order details (name, email, address, phone) are forwarded to their store for fulfillment.
- Stripe: Handles payment card details directly for marketplace transactions. We only store payment status and last 4 digits. Stripe Privacy Policy
- Twilio: Receives your phone number to deliver SMS verification codes for account security. We do not share your name or other personal details with Twilio. Twilio Privacy Policy
- Resend: Receives email addresses to deliver order notifications and service communications.
- Mixpanel: Receives anonymous usage events (page views, feature interactions) to help us understand how the app is used. No personal identity information (name, email, user ID) is sent to Mixpanel. Mixpanel Privacy Policy
- Sentry: Receives error reports when something goes wrong in the app, including the page URL, browser type, and device information. This helps us identify and fix bugs. No personal identity information is sent. Sentry Privacy Policy
- Google AI (Gemini): When you upload photos (such as restaurant menus or community content), these images may be processed by Google's AI services to extract information and improve listings. No personal identity information is attached to the images sent for processing.
7. Your Rights Regarding Marketplace Data
In addition to the rights outlined in section 9 below, marketplace customers have the right to:
Access
Correction
Deletion
Data Portability
8. Data Retention
We retain your personal information only as long as necessary to provide our services and fulfill the purposes described in this policy.
- • Account data: Until account deletion + 30 days
- • Reviews and content: Anonymized after account deletion
- • Analytics data: 26 months
- • Marketing data: Until consent withdrawal
9. Your Rights and Choices
Access & Portability
Correction
Deletion
Marketing
10. Data Security
We Take Security Seriously
- • Encryption of data in transit (HTTPS)
- • Secure password storage
- • Regular security assessments
- • Access controls and authentication
11. Children's Privacy
HalalHQ is not intended for children under 13. We do not knowingly collect data from children under 13. If you believe we have collected information from a child under 13, please contact us immediately.
12. Cookies and Analytics
We use cookies and similar technologies to improve your experience:
- • Essential cookies: Required for authentication, security, and core functionality
- • Functional cookies: To remember your preferences and settings
- • Attribution cookie: A first-party cookie that records how you first reached HalalHQ (such as a referring site or campaign link) so we understand how people find us. First-party only — never shared with third parties.
- • Analytics cookies: Anonymized usage data to understand usage patterns and improve our service (Google Analytics and Mixpanel). Not linked to your identity.
How to Opt-Out of Analytics
You can opt-out of analytics tracking through several methods:
- • Browser Settings: Disable cookies in your browser preferences (may affect site functionality)
- • Do Not Track: Enable "Do Not Track" (DNT) in your browser settings
- • Google Analytics Opt-out: Install the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on
13. International Data Transfers
Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your own. We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place for such transfers, including standard contractual clauses and your explicit consent.
14. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy periodically. We will notify you of material changes by posting the new policy on this page and updating the "Last Updated" date. Review this policy periodically for updates.
15. Contact Us
Privacy Officer
16. Complaints
If you're not satisfied with our response to your privacy concern, you may lodge a complaint with:
For Australian Residents: