NikahNow Privacy Policy

Welcome to NikahNow. We are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal information responsibly and securely, in compliance with UK data protection laws (including the UK GDPR). This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, store, and safeguard your information when you use our UK Muslim marriage platform and services ("Platform"). By using our Platform, you acknowledge you have read and understood this policy.

1. Information We Collect

To provide our halal matchmaking service, we collect personal information you provide directly when you interact with our Platform. This includes:

Contact & Registration Information: Your name, email address, phone number (optional), date of birth, gender, and password used to create and manage your account.
Profile Information: Details you choose to share on your public profile, such as photos, personal bio, religious practices, ethnicity, education, occupation, location (city/region), marital status, preferences for a partner, and interests.
Verification Information: To ensure authenticity and safety, we may ask for government-issued identification (like a passport or driving license) processed via secure third-party verification services. We do not store the ID document itself after verification.
Communication Information: Messages exchanged with other users or with our support team through the Platform's communication features.
Sensitive Personal Information: Information relating to your religion, ethnicity, or health, which you may choose to provide voluntarily for your profile or matchmaking preferences. We process this only with your explicit consent.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the collected information for the following purposes, based on specific legal grounds (see Annex 1):

Providing and Managing Services: To create and manage your account, verify your identity, enable profile creation, facilitate matching based on compatibility and preferences, allow communication between users, and process payments for subscriptions.
Platform Improvement & Personalization: To understand how users interact with our Platform, analyze usage patterns, improve features, personalize your experience, and develop new services.
Safety and Security: To detect and prevent fraud, spam, abuse, security incidents, and other harmful activities; enforce our Terms of Service; and protect the rights and safety of our users and the public.
Customer Support: To respond to your inquiries, troubleshoot issues, and provide assistance.
Legal Compliance: To comply with applicable UK laws, regulations, legal processes, or governmental requests.
Marketing & Communications: To send you service-related announcements, updates, security alerts, and (with your consent) promotional messages about NikahNow.

3. Data Security

We implement technical and organizational security measures (such as encryption, access controls, and regular security assessments) designed to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. However, please be aware that no internet transmission or electronic storage method is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security, but we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your data.

4. Sharing Your Information

Your privacy is important. We do not sell your personal information. We limit sharing to the following necessary circumstances:

With Other Users: Information you choose to display on your public profile is visible to other registered users as part of the matchmaking service. Your direct messages are only visible to the recipient(s).
With Service Providers: We share information with trusted third-party vendors who perform services on our behalf, such as cloud hosting, data storage, identity verification, payment processing, communication delivery (email/SMS), customer support tools, and analytics. These providers are contractually obligated to protect your information and use it only for the services they provide to us.
With Chaperones (Walis): If you utilize the chaperone feature, selected chaperones may receive transcripts of relevant conversations as part of the feature's functionality, based on your setup and consent.
For Legal Reasons: We may disclose your information if required by law, subpoena, or other legal process, or if we have a good faith belief that disclosure is reasonably necessary to (a) comply with legal obligations, (b) enforce our Terms of Service, (c) detect or prevent fraud or security issues, or (d) protect the rights, property, or safety of NikahNow, our users, or the public.
Business Transactions: In the event of a merger, acquisition, reorganization, bankruptcy, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction, subject to standard confidentiality arrangements.

5. Marketing and Advertising

We may send you emails or notifications about our service, features, and special offers. You have control over these communications. You can opt-out of receiving promotional emails at any time by clicking the "unsubscribe" link in the email footer or by adjusting the notification preferences in your NikahNow account settings.

6. Storing and Transferring Your Personal Information

Your personal information is primarily stored and processed within the UK and the European Economic Area (EEA). However, some of our third-party service providers may be located outside these areas. When we transfer your information internationally, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your data, such as using Standard Contractual Clauses approved by the relevant UK authorities or relying on the provider's Binding Corporate Rules.

We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy, including providing the service, complying with legal obligations, resolving disputes, and enforcing agreements. Account information is generally deleted upon user request or after a period of prolonged inactivity, subject to legal retention requirements.

7. Your Data Protection Rights (UK GDPR)

Under UK data protection law, you have important rights regarding your personal information. These include the right to:

Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
Rectification: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information in your profile or elsewhere.
Erasure ('Right to be Forgotten'): Request deletion of your personal information, subject to certain legal exceptions.
Restriction of Processing: Request that we limit how we process your information in specific circumstances.
Data Portability: Request your information in a structured, machine-readable format, or ask us to transfer it directly to another service where technically feasible.
Object to Processing: Object to our processing of your information based on legitimate interests or for direct marketing purposes.
Withdraw Consent: Withdraw your consent at any time for processing based on consent (like for sensitive data or marketing), without affecting the lawfulness of processing before withdrawal.

To exercise these rights, please contact us using the details in Section 12.

8. Cookies and Similar Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies (like pixels and device identifiers) to operate the Platform, enhance user experience, analyze usage, and assist with marketing efforts. For detailed information, please see our Cookie Policy. You can manage cookie preferences through your browser settings.

9. Third-Party Links

Our Platform may contain links to external websites or services not operated by us. If you click on a third-party link, you will be directed to their site. We strongly advise you to review the privacy policy of every site you visit, as we have no control over and assume no responsibility for their content or practices.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. We will notify you of significant changes by posting the new policy on this page and potentially through other means (like email or in-app notification). We encourage you to review this policy regularly.

11. Children's Privacy

Our Platform is strictly for individuals aged 18 and over. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18. If you become aware that a child has provided us with personal information without parental consent, please contact us immediately so we can take steps to remove it.

12. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal information, please contact our Data Protection team:

Email: [email protected]

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) if you believe your data protection rights have been infringed.

Type of Personal Information	How We Use It (Purpose)	Legal Basis for Processing (UK GDPR)
Contact & Registration Information (email, phone number, name, DOB, gender)	Account creation, identity verification (initial), communication (service updates, support), password recovery.	Performance of a contract (to provide the service you signed up for).
Profile Information (photos, bio, location, religion, ethnicity, education, occupation, preferences, interests, etc.)	Displaying your profile to others, facilitating matching, enabling user search/filtering.	Performance of a contract (core service functionality). Note: Sensitive data within this (religion, ethnicity, health) relies on your explicit consent provided during profile setup.
Verification Information (Copy/details of ID document processed by third-party)	To verify identity, enhance safety, and prevent fraudulent accounts.	Legitimate interests (maintaining platform integrity and user safety); potentially Performance of Contract (if mandatory for service).
Communication Data (Messages between users, support interactions)	Enabling user-to-user communication, providing customer support, monitoring for policy violations (safety).	Performance of a contract (communication features); Legitimate interests (support, safety).
Location Information (General location like city/region, or precise if GPS enabled with consent)	To show profiles nearby, enable location-based filtering/matching.	Performance of a contract (if general location is part of profile); Consent (if using precise GPS data).
Biometric Data (Facial geometry if used in third-party ID verification)	Processed by third-party for identity verification during onboarding or checks.	Legitimate interests (fraud prevention, security); requires clear notice and usually explicit consent if processed directly by us (typically handled by third-party under their terms/privacy).
Usage & Technical Data (IP address, device type, browser type, operating system, login times, pages visited, feature usage, crash reports)	Platform operation and improvement, security monitoring, analytics, troubleshooting, personalizing experience.	Legitimate interests (maintaining/improving service, security); potentially Consent (for certain non-essential cookies/tracking).
Marketing Preferences (Subscription status for newsletters/promotions)	Sending promotional communications if opted-in.	Consent.
Payment Information (Processed by third-party provider, we may receive transaction details like amount/date but not full card numbers)	Processing subscription payments.	Performance of a contract (to provide paid services).