Privacy Policy

Last updated: 6 September 2026

Malta Hands ("Malta Hands", "we", "us") operates www.maltahands.com, a directory that lets Providers advertise local services in Malta and Customers find them. This policy explains what personal data we collect, why, and what rights you have over it.

1. Data we collect

We collect the minimum needed to run the directory:

• Account data from Google Sign-In: when you sign in, Google shares your name, email address and profile picture with us. We do not receive or store your Google password, and we do not ask for or store identity documents.
• Role and profile data: whether you registered as a Customer or a Provider, and, for Providers, your approval status and any advertisements you publish (service, cities served, description, price, opening hours, contact details, images).
• Contact-access records: when a Customer reveals a Provider's contact details, we record that this happened (who, which advertisement, when) so both sides have an audit trail and Providers can see genuine interest.
• Reviews and reports: ratings, review text and responses you post, and reports you submit about an advertisement (reason and description).
• Technical data: a session cookie that keeps you signed in, and standard web server logs (IP address, requested page, timestamp) kept for security and troubleshooting.

We do not use analytics, advertising or tracking cookies, and we do not sell personal data.

2. Why we process this data

• To provide the service (contract/legitimate interest): creating your account, publishing and moderating advertisements, letting Customers access Provider contact details, and showing reviews.
• To keep the directory trustworthy (legitimate interest): reviewing reported advertisements, approving or blocking Providers, and maintaining an admin audit log of moderation actions.
• To keep the service secure (legitimate interest): authentication cookies and server logs.

3. Who we share data with

• Google — used solely as the identity provider for sign-in.
• Other users, once you act: your display name and, if you are a Provider, your advertisement and review activity are visible to visitors of the public pages. Your contact details are shown only to Customers who sign in and choose to reveal them for a specific advertisement — never published or indexed by search engines.
• Service providers we rely on to run the platform: our hosting provider and our database provider (MongoDB Atlas), acting strictly as data processors under instructions from us. We do not share data with advertisers or data brokers.

4. Where data is stored

The application runs on a server located in the European Union (Germany), and our database provider hosts data in the European Union. Sign-in requests are exchanged with Google as part of the OAuth flow required to authenticate you.

5. How long we keep data

We keep account and advertisement data for as long as your account is active. Moderation records (admin actions, resolved reports) are kept for accountability. If you ask us to delete your account, we will remove or anonymize personal data that is no longer needed, except where we must keep a minimal record for legal, security or dispute-resolution purposes.

6. Your rights

Under the GDPR, you can ask us to:

• Give you a copy of the personal data we hold about you (access);
• Correct inaccurate data (rectification);
• Delete your account and associated personal data (erasure), subject to section 5;
• Restrict or object to certain processing;
• Receive your data in a portable format.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at privacy@maltahands.com. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with Malta's supervisory authority, the Information and Data Protection Commissioner (IDPC).

7. Children

Malta Hands is not directed at children, and registration requires a Google account meeting Google's own minimum age requirements.

8. Changes to this policy

We will update this page if how we process data changes, and update the "last updated" date above.

9. Contact

Questions about this policy: privacy@maltahands.com.