Last updated: August 26, 2026
This Privacy Policy explains the limited personal data processed when you visit or use Freelance Signal.
Data processed by the site
Normal server logs
Like most websites, the server creates technical logs when it receives a request. These logs may include an IP address, request date and time, requested URL, response status, referrer, and browser or device information supplied with the request.
Server logs are used to operate the site, investigate errors and protect it from abuse or security threats. The exact fields available depend on the server and the request.
WordPress account data
WordPress stores information associated with site accounts. Depending on the account and information entered, this can include a username, email address, display name, role, password hash and account activity needed to administer access.
WordPress uses cookies needed for account login, authentication and administration. Non-essential tracking cookies are not part of the site setup described in this policy.
Comment data
When you submit a comment, Freelance Signal collects the name, email address and comment text you provide. WordPress also records the IP address and browser user agent supplied with the request for moderation, abuse prevention and site security.
All comments are reviewed before publication. Your email address, IP address and browser user agent are not displayed publicly. The public form does not accept website URLs or links, email addresses, markup or code in comment text.
Pending and approved comments may be retained while they remain relevant to the article, moderation record or site security. You may request deletion of personal data associated with a comment through Contact, subject to applicable legal and security exceptions.
Data not intentionally requested through editorial contact
Do not send passwords, payment credentials, recovery codes, full bank details, identity documents or other sensitive financial information when reporting a route or correction. Freelance Signal does not need that information for editorial review.
Private case and evidence submissions
The case form collects the moderation email, country, case type, narrative, consent choice and any optional platform or payout-route context you submit. The raw email address is validated and transformed into a keyed hash for the case and consent records; the case record does not store the raw address. A short-lived, non-public rate-limit key derived from the request address is used to reduce abuse.
A case is stored as pending private review. It is not published automatically. The submission itself is not permission to publish your identity, account identifiers or uploaded files. Any later public use must pass a separate editorial workflow that includes relevance review, verification, redaction or anonymization, and an appropriate approval and consent basis.
Optional evidence uploads
After a successful browser submission, you may upload up to five JPEG, PNG, WebP or PDF files, with a maximum size of 10 MB per file, during a 15-minute upload window. Files are stored in private storage outside the public website, are not assigned a public URL and remain marked private unless a separate reviewed workflow changes that state.
Before submitting, remove passwords, recovery codes, full account or card numbers, government identification numbers, unredacted identity documents, unrelated client material and any other secret that is not necessary for editorial review.
Purpose, access and retention
Case and evidence data is used to moderate the submission, investigate a route, fee, delay, availability failure or policy change, prevent abuse, correct published research and decide whether a redacted fact can be verified. Access is limited to authorized site administration and editorial review, plus infrastructure services needed to host, secure and back up the private records.
Freelance Signal does not currently promise a fixed automatic deletion period for case records. Records are retained only while needed for moderation, evidence review, corrections, security or a documented publication decision. You may request access, correction, withdrawal of consent or deletion through the Contact page. A request may be limited where a record must be retained for security, integrity or another applicable obligation.
This section describes the current operational workflow and is not a legal opinion. The policy should be reviewed again if the form fields, storage location, access model, retention process or publication workflow changes.
Sharing and service access
Technical data and WordPress account data may be accessible to the hosting, infrastructure or software services needed to run the site, and to people authorized to administer it. Information may also be disclosed when required by applicable law, a valid legal process, or when reasonably necessary to protect the site, its users or others.
The data practices described in this policy do not include selling or commercially exchanging personal data.
Retention
No fixed retention period is stated for server logs or WordPress account data. Retention may depend on operational, security and legal needs and on infrastructure settings.
Your choices and rights
Depending on the law that applies to you, you may have rights to request access to, correction of or deletion of personal data, or to object to or restrict some processing. These rights can have legal exceptions. To make a request, use the verified method on Contact and describe the request clearly. Identity verification may be required before account-related data is disclosed or changed.
External sites
Freelance Signal links to platforms, providers and other sources. Their privacy practices are governed by their own policies, not this one.
Changes to this policy
This policy may change if the site’s data practices or legal obligations change. The date above should be updated when a material revision is published.
Questions about this policy can be sent through Contact.