This Privacy Policy explains what personal information Translation Centers (translationcenters.com) collects, why we collect it, who can see it, how long we keep it and the choices you have. It applies to the public directory of translation companies and translators, the Translation Marketplace, the contact form and the e-mails we send.
Please read it together with our Terms of Use.
1. Who we are
The website translationcenters.com (“Translation Centers”, “we”, “us”) is operated by Translation Centers LLC. We decide how and why the personal information described here is processed.
You can reach us about this policy through the contact form (topic “Privacy / personal data request”) or by e-mail at info@translationcenters.com.
2. What this policy covers
This policy covers:
- the public directory of translation companies and translators, including listing requests;
- Translation Marketplace accounts for buyers (clients ordering translations) and providers (translators and translation agencies), and everything done through them: translation requests, quotes, orders, files, messages, notifications, reviews, the wallet, bank-transfer funding and withdrawals, and disputes;
- the contact form, and the e-mails and in-app notifications we send.
It does not cover third-party websites linked from a directory listing; their own policies apply.
3. Information we collect
Depending on how you use Translation Centers, we collect:
- Contact form: your name, e-mail address, topic, optional subject and message, the language of the page, your IP address and browser type (used to prevent abuse).
- Directory listings: the business or professional details of listed companies and translators, such as name, services, languages and language pairs, specialisations, city and country, website, logo or photo and public contact details. Listings are published at the listed party’s request or compiled by our team from information provided to us.
- Marketplace account: your name, e-mail address and password (stored only as a one-way hash, never readable), account type (buyer or provider), display name, company name, whether you act as an individual or a company, country, city, phone number, default currency, language preference, e-mail verification status and the IP address used at sign-up.
- Provider profile: headline, description, years of experience, certifications, CAT tools, availability, weekly capacity, language pairs, native languages, services, specialisations, default number of revisions and, if approved, the directory listing linked to your account.
- Requests, quotes and orders: what you enter (titles, descriptions, instructions, languages, word and page counts, budgets, deadlines, prices, delivery times, revisions) and the history of every status change.
- Files: documents you upload — source documents, reference material, glossaries, deliveries, revised deliveries, dispute evidence and message attachments. These may contain personal information about other people.
- Messages and dispute statements exchanged through the marketplace.
- Reviews: the star rating and optional comment given after a completed order.
- Directory activity: the likes, favourites (saved companies) and comments you add to directory listings.
- Wallet and payment records: top-up amounts and currencies, the bank-transfer reference and confirmation date, reserved and released amounts, commissions, refunds, withdrawal requests and the bank details you give for a withdrawal (stored encrypted).
- Notifications we send you and whether you have read them.
- Technical data: server logs (IP address, date and time, page requested, browser) and short-lived security counters, such as the number of recent sign-in attempts.
5. How we use information
We use personal information to:
- publish and maintain the public directory and answer listing requests;
- create and manage marketplace accounts, verify e-mail addresses and keep accounts secure;
- let buyers post requests, let providers see matching requests and quote, and let both parties manage orders, files and messages;
- suggest matching providers and requests (see “Matching” below);
- record wallet balances, confirm bank-transfer top-ups, reserve and release order amounts, calculate commissions, process refunds and pay withdrawals;
- handle disputes, support requests and complaints;
- send service e-mails and in-app notifications about your account, requests, quotes, orders, payments and disputes;
- prevent fraud, abuse and security incidents, and enforce our Terms of Use;
- keep the accounting and legal records we are required to keep;
- understand, in aggregate, how the service is used so we can improve it.
We do not sell personal information and we do not send advertising e-mails.
6. Matching
The marketplace ranks providers and requests with fixed rules: language pairs, service, specialisation, availability, certification, native language, location, rating, completed orders and on-time rate. The ranking is only a suggestion. We do not make decisions with legal or similarly significant effects about you solely by automated means: buyers choose whom to invite and which quote to accept.
7. Legal bases
Where data-protection law requires a legal basis, we rely on:
- performing our contract with you — to provide your account, requests, quotes, orders, wallet and withdrawals;
- our legitimate interests — to run and secure the directory and marketplace, prevent fraud, resolve disputes and improve the service;
- legal obligations — for example keeping financial and accounting records;
- your consent — where we ask for it, for example to publish a listing you asked us to add. You can withdraw consent at any time.
8. Who can see your information
Everyone (public): published directory listings. For a provider whose account is linked to a directory listing, the listing also shows the average rating, the number of completed orders and the on-time rate. Individual requests, quotes, orders, prices, clients, messages, files, review texts and balances are never public, and marketplace pages are excluded from search engines. Comments you post on a directory listing are public and shown with your display name; likes are shown only as a total, and your favourites are private.
Other marketplace users:
- Buyers see the provider’s display name, profile, quotes and public ratings.
- For an Open request, matching providers see the title, description, languages, volume, deadlines, budget and the buyer’s display name. If the request is not marked Confidential, they also see its special instructions and its source, reference and glossary files.
- For Confidential, Invite-only and Private requests, the special instructions and files are shown only to the providers the buyer invites and to the provider awarded the work.
- Messages are visible only to the buyer and the one provider in that conversation.
- Order files, deliveries and dispute evidence are visible only to the buyer and the provider of that order.
Our team: authorised Translation Centers administrators can access accounts, requests, orders, messages, files and financial records when this is needed for support, verification, moderation, dispute resolution, payments, security or legal compliance.
Service providers: our hosting provider, our e-mail delivery provider and the banks involved in transfers process information on our behalf or as needed to complete a transfer.
Authorities and others: when the law requires it, or when necessary to protect rights, safety and property, or to prevent fraud.
If Translation Centers is reorganised, merged or sold, information may pass to the new operator, who must respect this policy.
9. Uploaded documents and confidentiality
Marketplace files are stored privately, outside the public website. They never receive a public link, and your permission is checked every time a file is opened.
For sensitive documents, mark the request Confidential or choose Invite-only or Private, so that files are shared only with providers you choose. Upload only documents you are entitled to share, and remove personal information that the translation does not need.
We do not review the content of your files unless this is needed to resolve a dispute, answer a complaint, protect security or comply with the law.
10. Security
We protect information with encrypted connections (HTTPS), hashed passwords, encrypted withdrawal bank details, private file storage, per-request access checks, rate limits, and records of who did what and when. No system is completely secure; if you believe your account has been compromised, contact us immediately.
11. How long we keep information
- Contact messages: for as long as needed to handle your message, then deleted.
- Files attached to a project sent from a listing page: deleted automatically 90 days after they are sent.
- Directory listings: until they are removed at the listed party’s request or by our team.
- Marketplace accounts and profiles: while the account is active. When an account is closed we delete or anonymise information we no longer need.
- Requests, quotes, orders, messages and files: while they are active and afterwards for as long as needed to handle disputes, claims and our records. You can ask us to delete files that are no longer needed.
- Financial records (wallet entries, top-ups, reserved and released amounts, commissions, refunds and withdrawals) and the history of order events: for the period required by accounting, tax and anti-fraud rules. These records are append-only and cannot be edited or deleted on request.
- Comments, likes and favourites: until you delete them or remove the like or favourite, until we remove them, or until the listing or your account is deleted.
- Server logs: normally for 14 days.
12. International transfers
Buyers and providers are located in many countries, and our service providers may process information outside your country. When information is transferred internationally, we take the safeguards required by applicable data-protection law.
13. Your rights and choices
Depending on where you live, you may have the right to access, correct, delete or restrict the use of your personal information, to object to its use, to receive a copy in a portable format and to withdraw consent. You can also complain to your data-protection authority.
You can update most account and profile details yourself on your marketplace account page. For any other request, including removal of a directory listing, use the contact form with the topic “Privacy / personal data request” or e-mail info@translationcenters.com. We may need to verify your identity, and we answer within the time the law requires.
Some information cannot be deleted while it is still needed — for example, records of an open order, dispute or withdrawal, and financial records we must keep. Service e-mails about your account and orders are part of the service and cannot be switched off while the account is active.
14. Children
Translation Centers is not intended for children. Marketplace accounts are only for adults aged 18 or over. If you believe a child has given us personal information, contact us and we will delete it.
15. Management Software (under construction)
Our management software for translation companies is under construction and not currently available: no workspaces or company accounts can be created. If you ask to be notified about it through the contact form, we use your contact details only for that purpose. A separate privacy notice will be published before it launches.
16. Changes to this policy
We may update this policy. The date at the top shows the current version. If a change significantly affects how we use your information, we will tell registered users by e-mail or with a notice in their account before it takes effect.
17. Contact and privacy requests
For questions about this policy or to exercise your rights, use the contact form with the topic “Privacy / personal data request” or e-mail info@translationcenters.com.