Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

InstaJudge ("we", "our", or "us") is committed to protecting your personal information and your right to privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and safeguard information when you use our platform at instajudge.com and any related services.

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

2. Information We Collect

We collect only the information necessary to provide our services:

• Account information: Your name and email address when you create an account.
• Event data: Events, contestants, judges, scores, and votes that you create or manage within the platform.
• Payment information: When you make a purchase, payment details are processed securely by Stripe. We do not store your full card details on our servers.
• Usage data: Basic technical information such as IP address, browser type, and pages visited, collected automatically to maintain service reliability.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect solely to:

• Provide, operate, and maintain the InstaJudge platform.
• Send you transactional emails such as verification codes and judge invitations.
• Process payments and manage billing history.
• Respond to support requests and communicate service-related notices.
• Detect and prevent fraud, abuse, or security incidents.

4. Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR)

Where the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) applies, we rely on the following legal bases for processing your personal data:

• Contractual necessity — to provide and operate the InstaJudge platform and fulfil our obligations to you.
• Legitimate interests — to maintain platform security, prevent abuse, and improve service reliability, where these interests are not overridden by your rights.
• Legal obligations — where we are required to retain or disclose data to comply with applicable laws or lawful requests from public authorities.
• Consent — where we have obtained your explicit consent, such as for optional communications. You may withdraw consent at any time.

5. We Do Not Share Your Data

We do not sell, rent, trade, or share your personal information with any third parties for marketing, advertising, analytics, or any commercial purpose.

The only exceptions are strictly operational service providers who help us run the platform:

• Stripe — for secure payment processing.
• Email delivery providers — solely to send transactional emails you request (e.g. OTP codes, judge notifications).
• Database infrastructure — to store your event data securely.

Each of these providers is contractually obligated to use your data only to provide the specific service and not for any other purpose.

6. International Data Transfers

Your data may be processed on servers located outside your country of residence. Where data is transferred outside the European Economic Area (EEA), we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place — such as Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) approved by the European Commission — to protect your personal information in accordance with this policy and applicable law.

7. Data Storage and Security

Your data is stored on secure, industry-standard infrastructure. We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction.

All data in transit is encrypted via HTTPS/TLS. Passwords are not used in our system — we use one-time verification codes instead, reducing account takeover risk.

8. Data Retention

We retain your account and event data for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide our services. You may request deletion of your account and associated data at any time by contacting us at hello@scigentech.com.

9. Cookies

We use only essential cookies required for the platform to function — specifically, a session cookie to keep you logged in. We do not use tracking cookies, advertising cookies, or third-party analytics cookies.

10. Your Rights

Depending on your location, you may have the right to:

• Access the personal data we hold about you.
• Request correction of inaccurate data.
• Request deletion of your data.
• Object to or restrict certain processing of your data.
• Receive your data in a portable format.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at hello@scigentech.com.

11. Children's Privacy

InstaJudge is not directed to individuals under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal data, please contact us and we will promptly delete it.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this page periodically. Continued use of InstaJudge after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

13. Complaints & Supervisory Authority

If you believe we have handled your personal data unlawfully, you have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority. In Greece, this is the Hellenic Data Protection Authority (HDPA):

• Website: www.dpa.gr
• Email: contact@dpa.gr

We would, however, appreciate the opportunity to address your concerns before you contact a supervisory authority, so please reach out to us first.

14. Contact Us

If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or how your data is handled, please contact us at: