Jamaican Work and Travel HQ

1. Introduction

JamWatHQ ("we", "our", "the platform") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal information when you use jamwathq.com.

Who We Are: JamWatHQ is an independent student-led educational project providing information about J-1 visa programs for the Jamaican community.

What This Policy Covers: This policy applies to all visitors and users of JamWatHQ. By using our site, you agree to this Privacy Policy.

Changes to This Policy: We may update this policy from time to time. We'll post changes on this page with a new "Last Updated" date.

2. Information We Collect

We collect several types of information to provide and improve our services:

Login Data

When you sign in with Google or Facebook, we receive:

• Your name and email address
• Your profile picture (if available)
• A unique user ID
• Account creation and login times

Review Data

When you submit a review, we collect:

• State, job title, employer, city
• Wages, hours worked, rating, and written experience
• User ID linking the review to your account
• Submission timestamp

Session Data

To keep you logged in, we use:

• Session cookies and IDs
• Session expiration and activity tracking

Technical Data

For security and performance, we collect:

• IP address (for security and rate limiting)
• Browser, device type, and usage details
• Page visits and time spent (when analytics are active)

Advertising Data (Google AdSense)

When ads are displayed, we track:

• When an ad is shown (impression tracking)
• When an ad is clicked
• Ad format and placement

Note: Google AdSense may collect additional data as described in Google's Privacy Policy.

Problem Report Data

If you submit a problem report, we collect:

• Report type and description
• Browser and device information
• Page URL where issue occurred
• Optional contact information (if provided)
• Submission timestamp

3. How We Use Your Information

The platform uses collected information to:

• Authenticate users securely and maintain active sessions
• Display user-submitted reviews and community contributions with proper attribution
• Generate aggregate statistics (average wages, state rankings, agency ratings)
• Protect the system from abuse, spam, and security threats
• Moderate content and maintain community standards
• Respond to problem reports and technical support requests
• Improve site performance, accessibility, and user experience
• Display relevant advertisements through Google AdSense
• Comply with legal requirements when necessary

4. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to provide our services and improve your experience.

What Are Cookies?

Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit a website. They help us recognize you and remember your preferences.

Essential Cookies

These cookies are necessary for the site to function:

• Session cookies: Keep you logged in while using the site
• Security cookies: Protect your account and prevent misuse
• CSRF tokens: Prevent cross-site request forgery attacks

These expire automatically after inactivity or when you log out.

Consent Cookies

We store your preferences:

• Terms of Service acceptance
• Cookie notice acknowledgment

These stay in your browser until you clear them.

Third-Party Cookies

We use external services that may set their own cookies:

Google AdSense (Advertising)

Google AdSense uses cookies to:

• Display relevant advertisements
• Measure ad performance
• Prevent ad fraud

Google's use of advertising cookies enables it and its partners to serve ads based on your visits to JamWatHQ and other sites.

You can opt out of personalized advertising by visiting Google Ad Settings.

Analytics Tools (Optional)

If enabled, analytics tools use cookies to:

• Understand site traffic
• Improve user experience
• Track page visits and engagement

Managing Cookies

You can control cookies through your browser settings:

• Block all cookies: May limit site functionality
• Delete cookies: Removes stored preferences
• Block third-party cookies: Prevents ad networks from tracking you

Browser-Specific Instructions:

• Chrome
• Firefox
• Safari
• Edge

5. Third-Party Services

We use third-party services to provide functionality and monetize our platform. These services may collect and use your information according to their own privacy policies.

OAuth Providers (Google, Facebook)

We use Google and Facebook for secure authentication:

• Google: Google Privacy Policy
• Facebook: Facebook Privacy Policy

These providers may collect login data as described in their privacy policies. We only receive basic profile information (name, email, profile picture) necessary for authentication.

Analytics Providers (Optional)

If enabled, we may use analytics services to understand how users interact with our site. These services collect:

• Page views and session duration
• Traffic sources and referrers
• Device and browser information
• Aggregate user demographics

6. Your Privacy Rights

You have the right to control your personal information. Here's what you can do:

Access Your Data

• View your account information and profile
• See all reviews you've submitted
• Request a copy of your data

Update Your Information

• Update your profile via your OAuth provider (Google/Facebook)
• Edit or delete your reviews (before approval)

Delete Your Data

• Request account deletion
• Request removal of specific reviews (subject to platform policies)

Opt Out of Cookies

• Block cookies in your browser settings
• Note: Some features may not work without essential cookies

Opt Out of Personalized Ads

• Visit Google Ad Settings
• Disable personalized advertising across Google services

Exercise Your Rights

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at:

jamwathq@outlook.com

We'll respond to your request within 30 days.

California Residents (CCPA/CPRA)

If you're a California resident, you have additional rights:

• Right to know what personal information we collect
• Right to delete personal information
• Right to opt out of sale (Note: We DO NOT sell personal information)
• Right to non-discrimination for exercising your rights

European Residents (GDPR)

If you're in the European Economic Area, you have additional rights under GDPR:

• Right to data portability
• Right to object to processing
• Right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority

7. Data Retention

We retain your information:

• Account data: Until you request account deletion
• Review data: Indefinitely (reviews are public contributions)
• Session data: 24 hours of inactivity or until logout
• Security logs: 90 days for auditing purposes

8. Security

The platform employs industry-standard security practices to protect user information, including:

• Encrypted connections (HTTPS) for all data transmission
• Secure authentication and session management
• Protection against abuse, spam, and automated attacks
• Content sanitization to prevent malicious code or script injection
• Secure third-party authentication (OAuth 2.0 via Google/Facebook)
• Regular security audits and monitoring
• Access controls to limit administrative functions to authorized personnel

Security Limitations

While we take strong precautions, no system can be completely secure. We cannot promise:

• Absolute protection from unauthorized access
• Prevention of every possible data breach
• Full security of data sent over public networks

Breach Notification

If a data breach ever affects your information, we will:

• Notify you promptly (within 72 hours of discovery)
• Share details about what happened and what data was involved
• Suggest steps you can take to protect yourself
• Report the incident to the proper authorities if required by law

9. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or your privacy rights, please contact us:

For data access, correction, or deletion requests, please include:

• Your account email address
• Nature of your request
• Any relevant details

We will respond within 30 days of receiving your request.

Thank you for trusting JamWatHQ with your information!

Last updated: January 17, 2026