Privacy Policy

Last updated: October 7, 2026

This policy explains what personal information TopVirtualAssistants.com (the "Platform") collects, how we use it — including how we use AI — who we share it with, and the choices and rights you have. It applies to job seekers, employers, and visitors.

1. Who we are

The Platform is operated by TopVA ("TopVA", "we", "us"), which is responsible for your personal information (the "personal information controller" under the Philippine Data Privacy Act of 2012, and the "controller" under the GDPR).

2. What we collect

If you're a job seeker

• Account details: name, email address, password (stored only in hashed form).
• Documents you upload: your resume and/or LinkedIn profile PDF, and a profile photo if you add one.
• Profile details: phone number, country, languages, education, job titles and work history, industry, skills, tools, expected rate, job commitment and shift preferences, work-style preferences, workspace, internet speed (and any speed-test link), device specifications, and your bio.
• Intro video (optional): the recording, its transcript, and the AI assessment described in section 4.
• Applications: the jobs you apply to, your cover letter, the resume you attach, and the status employers set (for example, shortlisted).
• Verification: identity documents, if we ask you to verify your identity.

If you're an employer

• Your name, email address, company details, the jobs you post, and your actions on applications (such as viewing, shortlisting or rejecting).

Collected automatically

• Sign-in data: IP address, sign-in times and count.
• Cookies: essential cookies that keep you signed in and secure the site (session and "remember me"). We don't use advertising cookies.
• Bot protection: Cloudflare Turnstile checks sign-ups and forms for automated abuse, which involves your browser and IP address.
• Error logs: technical details of errors (which may include the request and your account ID) so we can fix problems.

3. How we use it, and why we're allowed to

• To run the Platform — create your account, build your profile, show it to employers, process applications, and send service emails. Basis: performing our agreement with you.
• To match candidates and jobs — rank and explain how well profiles fit jobs. Basis: performing our agreement and our legitimate interest in useful recruiting.
• To process your intro video with AI. Basis: your consent, which you give before recording and can withdraw at any time.
• To keep the Platform safe — prevent fraud, spam and bots, verify identity, fix errors. Basis: legitimate interest and legal obligations.
• To meet legal obligations and respond to lawful requests.

We don't sell your personal information, and we don't use it for advertising.

4. How we use AI

We use AI models provided by OpenAI for these tasks:

• Profile prefill: the text of your resume or LinkedIn PDF (or, for scanned documents, images of its pages) is sent to OpenAI to suggest your work history, skills, tools, education and contact details. You review and can change everything before saving.
• Matching: your resume text is sent to OpenAI to create a numeric representation of it, which we compare — along with your profile details — with job requirements to estimate a match. We use this to rank candidates for employers and jobs for you.
• Match explanations: your profile details and the job's requirements are sent to OpenAI to write a short "why this match" summary.
• Intro video: the audio is transcribed by OpenAI, and the transcript is assessed for spoken English clarity and for signs that the answer was scripted or AI-written. Employers see the English rating, its reasoning, and any such flag.
• Device classification: the device specifications you enter are classified into a general performance band.

These AI outputs are advisory. They can be wrong, they never reject anyone automatically, and hiring decisions are made by people. If you think an AI output about you is wrong, contact us and we'll review it.

5. Who we share it with

• Employers on the Platform see your profile, and the applications you send them.
• Service providers who process data for us under contract, only to provide their service:
  • OpenAI (AI processing, see section 4)
  • Zoho Recruit (our recruiting system: when an employer shortlists your application, your contact details, work history, education, skills, rate, bio, resume and cover letter are copied there)
  • Render (application hosting)
  • DigitalOcean Spaces (file storage for resumes, photos and videos)
  • SendGrid (email delivery)
  • Cloudflare (Turnstile bot protection)
  • Rollbar (error monitoring)
• Authorities, when required by law, or to protect the rights and safety of users and the public.
• A buyer or successor, if TopVA's business is sold or merged, under the same protections as this policy.

6. International transfers

Several of these providers process data outside the Philippines, including in the United States. When we transfer your data, we take steps to protect it to the standard required by Philippine law and, where it applies, the GDPR.

7. How long we keep it

• Account and profile: until you delete your account or ask us to delete it.
• Intro video, transcript and AI assessment: until you delete your account or ask us to delete them. We act on deletion requests within 30 days.

We may keep some information longer where the law requires it or to resolve disputes.

8. Your rights

Under the Philippine Data Privacy Act (and the GDPR or similar laws where they apply to you), you have the right to:

• be informed about how your data is processed;
• access a copy of your data, and receive it in a portable format;
• correct inaccurate data;
• delete your data, or ask us to block it;
• object to processing, and withdraw consent (for example, for your intro video) at any time;
• ask for human review of an AI output about you;
• complain to the National Privacy Commission (privacy.gov.ph) or your local data protection authority, and claim damages where the law allows.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us. We may need to verify your identity first. We'll respond within 30 days.

9. Security

We protect your data with encrypted connections (HTTPS), hashed passwords, access controls that limit who at TopVA can see candidate data, and providers who maintain their own security programs. No system is perfectly secure; if a breach affects your data, we'll notify you and the authorities as the law requires.

10. Children

The Platform is not for anyone under 18, and we don't knowingly collect their data. If you believe a minor has signed up, contact us and we'll delete the account.

11. Changes to this policy

We'll update the "Last updated" date when we change this policy, and notify you by email or on the Platform before material changes take effect.