Legal
Privacy Policy.
How we collect, use, and protect your personal information across the Applicant Network platform
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Table of Contents
01 -- Overview
Your privacy matters to us.
Employment Networks, Inc. (“Applicant Network,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) operates a split-fee recruiting marketplace that connects recruiters, candidates, and companies. We are committed to protecting your privacy and being transparent about how we handle your personal information.
This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you:
- Visit our websites, including applicant.network and splits.network
- Use our platform, mobile applications, or related services
- Create an account as a recruiter, candidate, or company representative
- Interact with our AI-powered features, customer support, or marketing communications
By accessing or using our services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with our practices, please do not use our services.
02 -- Information We Collect
What we collect
and why.
Information You Provide Directly
Account Information: When you register, we collect your name, email address, phone number, job title, company name, and password. If you authenticate through Clerk using social login (Google, LinkedIn, or SSO), we receive your name, email, and profile image from those providers.
Profile Information: Professional background, skills, experience, education history, resume or CV, certifications, work authorization status, and professional headshot.
Identity Verification: Government-issued identification, professional licenses, and employment verification documents when required for compliance.
Payment Information: Bank account details, billing address, and tax identification numbers. Payment card details are processed and stored exclusively by Stripe and are never stored on our servers.
Communications: Messages sent through our platform, feedback, support requests, and interactions with our AI assistant.
Information Collected Automatically
Device and Browser Data: IP address, browser type and version, operating system, device identifiers, screen resolution, and language preferences.
Usage Analytics: Through Google Analytics (GA4), we collect page views, user interactions, session duration, navigation paths, demographic data, and general geographic location. Through Microsoft Clarity, we record session replays, heatmaps, click tracking, and scroll depth to understand how users interact with our platform.
Authentication Data: Clerk collects session tokens, login timestamps, login methods, device fingerprints, and authentication history to secure your account.
Performance Data: Error logs, page loading times, API response times, and application performance metrics.
Information from Third Parties
LinkedIn: When you connect your LinkedIn account, we receive professional profile information, work history, education, skills, and endorsements with your explicit consent.
Background Checks: Employment verification and references provided with your consent through authorized verification services.
Integration Partners: Data from applicant tracking systems (ATS) and HR platforms that you or your employer choose to integrate with Applicant Network.
Public Sources: Publicly available professional information from business directories, professional associations, and public social media profiles.
03 -- How We Use Information
Purpose drives
every decision.
Platform Services
We use your information to operate and deliver the core Applicant Network platform: creating and managing your account, facilitating candidate-to-job matching, enabling split-fee agreements between recruiters, processing payments through Stripe, providing customer support, and verifying identities for compliance purposes.
Communication
We send transactional emails through Resend regarding account activity, job opportunities, candidate submissions, split-fee agreement updates, feature announcements, and platform notifications. Marketing communications are sent only with your consent, and you can opt out at any time.
Analytics and AI
We use Google Analytics and Microsoft Clarity to understand how users interact with our platform, identify usability issues, and improve the user experience. Our AI features, powered by OpenAI, analyze job descriptions and candidate profiles (in anonymized form) to provide intelligent matching, recommendations, and conversational assistance. We do not use your personal data to train third-party AI models.
Platform Improvement and Safety
We analyze usage patterns to develop new features, improve existing functionality, monitor for security threats, detect and prevent fraud, enforce our terms of service, and comply with legal obligations. We may use anonymized, aggregated data for industry research and reporting that cannot identify individual users.
“Your data belongs to you. We are custodians, not owners.”-- Applicant Network Privacy Principles
04 -- Information Sharing
Who sees
your data.
Within the Platform
Candidate Profiles: Shared with recruiters and companies as part of the matching and placement process. You control the visibility of your profile and can restrict sharing at any time.
Recruiter Information: Shared with other recruiters to facilitate split-fee partnerships, and with companies to present qualified candidates during the hiring process.
Company Information: Job postings and company profiles are shared with recruiters in the network. Confidential searches are handled with additional privacy controls.
Anonymized Analytics: Aggregated success rates, placement metrics, and industry benchmarks that cannot identify individuals.
Service Providers
We share information with trusted service providers who process data on our behalf, subject to strict contractual obligations. These include Clerk (authentication), Stripe (payments), Supabase (database), Resend (email), Google Analytics and Microsoft Clarity (analytics), and OpenAI (AI features). Each provider is bound by data processing agreements and may only use your data to provide services to us.
Legal Requirements
We may disclose your information when required by law, in response to valid legal process (such as a subpoena or court order), to protect the rights, property, or safety of Employment Networks, our users, or the public, or to detect, prevent, or address fraud, security issues, or technical problems.
05 -- Data Security
Security is not optional.
We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction.
Encryption
All data is encrypted in transit using TLS 1.3 and at rest using AES-256 encryption. Payment data is processed in PCI DSS-compliant environments through Stripe.
Access Controls
Role-based access controls, multi-factor authentication through Clerk, and the principle of least privilege ensure only authorized personnel access your data.
Infrastructure Security
Our infrastructure is hosted on secure cloud platforms with regular security audits, penetration testing, and vulnerability assessments. Supabase provides enterprise-grade database security with row-level security policies.
Monitoring and Incident Response
24/7 security monitoring, automated threat detection, and a documented incident response plan ensure rapid identification and remediation of security events.
Regular Updates
Continuous security patches, dependency updates, and regular review of security practices to address emerging threats.
While we implement robust security measures, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is completely secure. We encourage you to use strong, unique passwords, enable two-factor authentication, and promptly report any suspicious activity on your account.
06 -- Data Retention
We keep data only
as long as needed.
We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, including to satisfy legal, accounting, or reporting requirements.
Active Accounts: Your information is retained for the duration of your active account. You can request deletion at any time through your account settings or by contacting us.
Inactive Accounts: Accounts that have been inactive for more than three years may be scheduled for deletion. We will send a 60-day notice to your registered email before any deletion occurs.
Transaction Records: Financial records, including payment history and split-fee agreement records, are retained for seven years to comply with tax, accounting, and regulatory requirements.
Legal Holds: When required by law, litigation, or regulatory investigation, we may retain information beyond standard retention periods.
Analytics Data: Google Analytics data is retained for 14 months. Microsoft Clarity session recordings are retained for 30 days. Anonymized and aggregated data may be retained indefinitely for statistical analysis.
07 -- Your Privacy Rights
You are in control.
Regardless of where you are located, we provide all users with the following rights regarding their personal information:
Right to Access
You may request a copy of the personal information we hold about you. We will provide this in a commonly used, machine-readable format within 30 days of your request.
Right to Correction
You may request that we correct any inaccurate or incomplete personal information. You can also update most information directly through your account settings.
Right to Deletion
You may request deletion of your personal information, subject to certain exceptions such as legal obligations, active financial transactions, or fraud prevention requirements.
Right to Data Portability
You may request your data in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format, and have it transferred to another service provider where technically feasible.
Right to Restrict Processing
You may request that we limit how we process your data in certain circumstances, such as when you contest the accuracy of data or object to processing.
Right to Object
You may object to the processing of your personal information for direct marketing purposes, or where we rely on legitimate interests as the legal basis for processing.
Right to Withdraw Consent
Where we process your data based on consent, you may withdraw that consent at any time. Withdrawal does not affect the lawfulness of processing performed before withdrawal.
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at privacy@applicant.network. We will respond to your request within 30 days. We may ask you to verify your identity before processing your request to protect your account security.
“Privacy is not a feature. It is a fundamental right.”-- Applicant Network Privacy Principles
08 -- Cookies & Tracking
Transparency about
tracking.
We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to operate our platform, analyze usage, and personalize your experience. Below is a detailed breakdown of the cookies we use.
Essential Cookies (Clerk)
Clerk sets session cookies that are strictly necessary for authentication and security. These cookies maintain your login state, manage session tokens, enable single sign-on (SSO) functionality, and protect against cross-site request forgery. These cookies cannot be disabled without breaking core platform functionality.
Analytics Cookies (Google Analytics -- GA4)
Google Analytics uses cookies (including _ga, _ga_*, and _gid) to distinguish unique users, track session activity, measure page views and user interactions, collect demographic and interest data, and generate aggregated usage reports. These cookies have a maximum lifespan of 2 years. Data is transmitted to and processed by Google in the United States.
Experience Cookies (Microsoft Clarity)
Microsoft Clarity uses cookies (including _clck and _clsk) to record session replays and heatmaps of user interactions. These recordings help us understand how users navigate the platform, identify UX issues, measure click patterns and scroll behavior, and improve page layouts and workflows. Clarity automatically masks sensitive input fields. These cookies have a maximum lifespan of 1 year. Data is processed by Microsoft.
Managing Cookies
You can control cookie preferences through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to block or delete cookies. However, blocking essential cookies may prevent you from using our platform. For detailed information about our cookie practices, please see our Cookie Policy.
09 -- Third-Party Services
Our trusted partners.
Our platform integrates with the following third-party services. Each provider maintains their own privacy policy governing how they process your data. We encourage you to review their policies.
Clerk
Authentication, identity management, SSO, social login
Data processed: Name, email, profile image, session data, login history
View Privacy PolicyStripe
Payment processing, billing, invoicing
Data processed: Payment method details, transaction history, billing address
View Privacy PolicyGoogle Analytics (GA4)
Page views, user interactions, demographics, device info
Data processed: Browsing behavior, session duration, geographic location (general)
View Privacy PolicyMicrosoft Clarity
Session recordings, heatmaps, click tracking, scroll depth
Data processed: User interaction recordings, mouse movements, click patterns
View Privacy PolicyOpenAI / ChatGPT
AI-powered candidate matching, job recommendations, AI assistant
Data processed: Job descriptions, anonymized candidate profiles, AI chat messages
View Privacy PolicySupabase
Database infrastructure, real-time data, file storage
Data processed: All platform data stored in encrypted PostgreSQL database
View Privacy PolicyResend
Transactional and marketing email delivery
Data processed: Email addresses, message content, delivery status
View Privacy PolicyProfessional network integration, profile import
Data processed: Professional profile data, work history, connections (with consent)
View Privacy PolicyWe enter into data processing agreements with all third-party service providers to ensure they handle your data in compliance with applicable privacy laws. We regularly review these agreements and the security practices of our partners.
10 -- AI & Automated Processing
Responsible AI,
always.
Applicant Network uses artificial intelligence and automated processing, powered by OpenAI's technology, to enhance our platform services. We are committed to using AI responsibly and transparently.
How We Use AI
Candidate Matching: Our AI analyzes job descriptions and candidate profiles to suggest optimal matches based on skills, experience, location, and other relevant factors. Candidate data is anonymized before being processed by AI systems.
Job Recommendations: AI-powered recommendations suggest relevant job opportunities to candidates based on their profile, preferences, and activity patterns.
AI Assistant: Our conversational AI assistant helps users navigate the platform, answer questions, and provide guidance. Chat messages with the AI assistant may be processed by OpenAI to generate responses.
Data Protection in AI Processing
We take the following measures to protect your data during AI processing:
- Candidate profiles are anonymized before AI processing -- personal identifiers are removed
- We do not use your personal data to train third-party AI models
- AI outputs are recommendations only -- no automated decisions are made without human review
- Data sent to OpenAI is transmitted over encrypted connections and subject to our data processing agreement
- You can opt out of AI-powered features at any time through your account settings
Your Rights Regarding AI
You have the right to: request information about how AI is used in decisions affecting you, object to automated processing, request human review of any AI-generated recommendation, and opt out of AI-powered features entirely. No solely automated decision with legal or similarly significant effects is made about you without human oversight.
“AI should serve people, not surveil them.”-- Applicant Network AI Ethics Principles
11 -- International Data Transfers
Data across borders.
Employment Networks, Inc. is based in the United States. Your information may be transferred to, stored in, and processed in the United States and other countries where our service providers operate. These countries may have different data protection laws than your country of residence.
When we transfer personal data outside of the European Economic Area (EEA), the United Kingdom, or Switzerland, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, including:
- Adequacy Decisions: Transferring data to countries that the European Commission has determined provide an adequate level of data protection.
- Standard Contractual Clauses: Using EU-approved standard contractual clauses with our service providers that require them to protect your data to European standards.
- Data Processing Agreements: Binding contractual commitments with all service providers regarding data handling, security, and breach notification.
- Supplementary Measures: Additional technical and organizational measures where necessary, including encryption, pseudonymization, and access controls.
You may request a copy of the safeguards we use for international transfers by contacting privacy@applicant.network.
12 -- Children's Privacy
Not for users under 16.
Our services are designed for professional use and are not intended for individuals under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect, solicit, or maintain personal information from anyone under 16 years of age.
If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a child under 16, we will take immediate steps to delete that information from our servers. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us at privacy@applicant.network so we can take appropriate action.
13 -- California Privacy Rights
CCPA and CPRA
compliance.
If you are a California resident, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA) provide you with additional rights regarding your personal information.
Right to Know
You have the right to request that we disclose the categories and specific pieces of personal information we have collected about you, the categories of sources from which it was collected, the business purpose for collecting it, and the categories of third parties with whom we share it.
Right to Delete
You have the right to request that we delete your personal information, subject to certain exceptions required by law, such as completing transactions, detecting security incidents, or complying with legal obligations.
Right to Correct
You have the right to request correction of inaccurate personal information we maintain about you.
Right to Opt-Out of Sale or Sharing
We do not sell your personal information. We do not share your personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising purposes.
Right to Limit Use of Sensitive Information
You have the right to limit our use and disclosure of sensitive personal information to purposes necessary for performing our services.
Right to Non-Discrimination
We will not discriminate against you for exercising any of your CCPA/CPRA rights. You will not receive a different level or quality of service for exercising your rights.
To submit a request, email privacy@applicant.network with the subject line “California Privacy Rights Request.” You may also designate an authorized agent to make a request on your behalf. We will verify your identity before fulfilling any request.
14 -- GDPR Rights (EU Users)
European data protection.
If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA), the United Kingdom, or Switzerland, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) provides you with specific rights regarding your personal data.
Lawful Basis for Processing
We process your personal data under the following lawful bases:
- Contract Performance: Processing necessary to provide our platform services, manage your account, facilitate placements, and process payments.
- Legitimate Interests: Processing for platform improvement, security monitoring, fraud prevention, and analytics, where balanced against your rights and expectations.
- Consent: Processing for marketing communications, non-essential cookies (analytics and experience), AI-powered features, and LinkedIn profile integration.
- Legal Obligation: Processing required to comply with applicable laws, regulations, and legal proceedings.
Your GDPR Rights
In addition to the general privacy rights described in Section 7, EU/EEA users have the right to: lodge a complaint with your local data protection supervisory authority, object to processing based on legitimate interests, request restriction of processing while disputes are resolved, and not be subject to decisions based solely on automated processing that produce legal effects.
Data Protection Officer
You may contact our Data Protection Officer at dpo@applicant.network for any questions or concerns regarding how we handle your personal data under GDPR. We will respond within 30 days.
Automated Decision-Making
Our AI-powered matching and recommendation features assist recruiters and candidates but do not make binding decisions without human review. You have the right to request human intervention in any automated process, express your point of view, and contest any decision. Contact privacy@applicant.network to exercise these rights.
15 -- Changes to This Policy
Keeping you informed.
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. When we make changes:
- We will post the updated policy on this page with a revised “Last Updated” date
- For material changes, we will notify you via email to your registered address at least 30 days before the changes take effect
- We will provide a prominent notice on our platform when significant changes are made
- We maintain an archive of previous versions for your reference
Your continued use of our services after the updated Privacy Policy becomes effective constitutes your acceptance of the changes. If you do not agree with the updated policy, you should discontinue use of our services and contact us to delete your account.
Contact Us
Questions about
your privacy?
Our privacy team is here to help. Reach out with any questions, concerns, or requests regarding your personal data.
Employment Networks, Inc.
Attention: Privacy Team
Last updated: February 20, 2026