This privacy policy explains how The Bitcoin Help Desk (“we”, “us”, “our”) collects, uses, and protects the personal data of our website visitors and clients (“you”, “your”). We are committed to respecting your privacy and complying with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and other applicable data protection laws.

This privacy policy applies to the personal data we collect through our website https://www.thebitcoinhelpdesk.com/ and through our consulting services. By using our website or services, you agree to the terms of this privacy policy.

If you have any questions or requests regarding this privacy policy or your personal data, please contact us at support@thebitcoinhelpdesk.com.

What personal data do we collect and why?

We collect and process various types of personal data from you for different purposes, depending on your relationship with us and how you interact with our services. We only collect and process personal data that is necessary, relevant, and adequate for the purposes we specify. We do not collect any information on our website including cookies, analytics, or other information used to track your behavior. We do not collect or process any special categories of personal data, such as data revealing your racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, or health or biometric data.

The following list summarizes the categories, sources, purposes, and legal bases of the personal data we collect and process:

• Scheduling - When you schedule a call, scheduling services are handled by Calendly. Please refer to https://calendly.com/privacy for Calendly's privacy policy. You may use anonymous names and email addresses to avoid sharing personally identifiable information. By providing contact information during scheduling, you authorize us to communicate with you for the purposes of scheduling and providing consulting services.
• Payment - When you pay for services, payments are handled by Zaprite. We only accept Bitcoin payments which are anonymous and don't involve any personally identifiable information like bank accounts or credit cards. If after your free introductory session you would like to schedule additional paid sessions and don't have any Bitcoin, instructions will be provided for buying Bitcoin from reputable exchanges and paying with it.
• Video Conferencing - When you attend a remote call, video conferencing service and all data shared during the call are handled via Zoom with end-to-end encryption (E2EE). All audio, video, screen share, and chat are only accessible to participants on the call. We do not export data from Zoom. Zoom access is protected with multi-factor authentication. Please refer to https://explore.zoom.us/privacy/ for the Zoom Privacy Policy.

Who do we share your personal data with?

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal data with any third parties for their own purposes. We would only share your personal data with third parties that help us provide our services to you, or that are required by law or regulation. These third parties may include:

• Professional advisors, such as lawyers, accountants, or auditors, that provide us with legal, financial, or accounting services and advice
• Authorities, regulators, or courts, that require us to disclose your personal data to comply with a legal or regulatory obligation, or to protect our rights or interests

We would only share your personal data with third parties that respect your privacy and comply with the GDPR and other applicable data protection laws. We would also ensure that we have appropriate contracts or agreements in place with them that limit their use and disclosure of your personal data.

Some of the third parties we may share your personal data with may be located outside the European Economic Area (EEA), where the data protection laws may not be as strict as in the EU. In such cases, we would ensure that we have adequate safeguards in place to protect your personal data, such as the EU Standard Contractual Clauses, the EU-US Privacy Shield Framework, or the consent of the data subject.

How long do we keep your personal data?

We only keep your personal data for as long as necessary to provide consulting services, or as required by law or regulation. The retention periods of your personal data may vary depending on the category, purpose, and legal basis of the data. We regularly review and update our retention policies and procedures to ensure that we do not store your personal data for longer than needed.

The following list summarizes the retention periods of the personal data we collect and process:

• Scheduling - Until you request us to delete your data or until we no longer need it for our legitimate interests or contractual obligations
• Payment - Until we complete the transaction, issue the invoice or receipt, or until we no longer need it for our legal or contractual obligations
• Video Conferencing - Until we complete consulting services or until we no longer need it for our legitimate interests or contractual obligations

How do we protect your personal data?

We take the security of your personal data seriously and implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to prevent unauthorized access, loss, or disclosure of your personal data. These measures may include:

• Encrypting your personal data in transit and at rest
• Using secure servers and firewalls
• Restricting access to your personal data to authorized personnel only
• Training our staff on data protection and security
• Updating and testing our security systems and procedures regularly

However, no method of transmission or storage of data is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee the absolute security of your personal data. In the event of a data breach that affects your personal data, we will notify you and the relevant authorities as soon as possible, and take all necessary steps to mitigate the impact and prevent future incidents.

What are your rights regarding your personal data?

Under the GDPR, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:

• The right to access: You have the right to request a copy of the personal data we hold about you, along with information on how and why we process it
• The right to rectification: You have the right to request us to correct or update any inaccurate or incomplete personal data we hold about you
• The right to erasure: You have the right to request us to delete or remove any personal data we hold about you, when there is no longer a legal or legitimate reason for us to keep it, or when you withdraw your consent
• The right to restriction: You have the right to request us to limit or suspend the processing of your personal data, when you contest its accuracy, when the processing is unlawful, when we no longer need it, or when you object to it
• The right to data portability: You have the right to request us to transfer your personal data to another organization or to yourself, in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format, when the processing is based on your consent or a contract, and when the processing is carried out by automated means
• The right to object: You have the right to object to the processing of your personal data, when the processing is based on our legitimate interests or for direct marketing purposes
• The right to withdraw consent: You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time, when the processing of your personal data is based on your consent

If you want to exercise any of these rights, or if you have any questions or requests regarding your personal data, please contact us at support@thebitcoinhelpdesk.com. We will respond to your request as soon as possible, and in any case, within one month.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the supervisory authority of your country, if you are not satisfied with how we handle your personal data or your requests.

Changes to this privacy policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time to reflect changes in our data processing practices, legal requirements, or best practices. We will notify you of any significant changes by posting a notice on our website, or by contacting you directly, where appropriate. We encourage you to review this privacy policy regularly to stay informed of how we protect your personal data.

This privacy policy was last updated on January 30, 2024.