Privacy Policy

Effective Date: February 15, 2026

CertLynk ("we," "us," or "our") operates the CertLynk platform. This Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use, share, and protect your personal information.

Information We Collect

Information You Provide

• Account information: Name, email address, phone number

• Professional information: Certifications, work experience, skills, resume, and professional profile details

• Application information: Certification numbers, badge URLs, and credential claims submitted during network applications

• Training records: Class enrollment, attendance, and assessment data recorded by your training school or instructor

Information Collected Automatically

• Usage data: Pages visited, features used, and interaction patterns

• Device information: Browser type, operating system, and IP address

• Cookies: Session cookies to maintain your login state and preferences

How We Use Your Information

We use your information to:

• Verify your identity and professional credentials

• Maintain your professional profile and certification records

• Facilitate network membership applications and approvals

• Connect you with career opportunities (only with your explicit opt-in)

• Enable training schools and instructors to manage classes, track attendance, and issue certifications

• Send transactional emails (verification, application status, account updates)

• Improve our platform and user experience

How We Share Your Information

We Do Not Sell Your Data

We do not sell, rent, or provide bulk exports of your personal information to data brokers, advertisers, or other third parties for their own marketing purposes.

Career Directory (Opt-In)

If you choose to join an industry network and opt in to the Career Directory, your professional profile — including your name, certifications, skills, and work experience — may be viewed by verified recruiters and employers who have access to the directory through the platform. You control your Career Directory participation and can opt out at any time from your account settings. Recruiters who access the directory agree to CertLynk's usage terms and may not export, scrape, or redistribute your information.

Training Schools & Instructors

CertLynk provides credentialing and class management tools to training schools and instructors. When you enroll in a class or receive a certification through a school on the platform:

• Your training school retains a copy of your student records (name, email, enrollment, attendance, and assessment data) for their own records and business purposes.

• Schools and instructors may contact you through the platform regarding your training, certifications, and related communications.

• CertLynk is not responsible for how training schools use, store, or share the student data they collect. Each school operates under its own privacy practices. If you have questions about a school's use of your data, please contact the school directly.

Service Providers

We use third-party services to operate the platform:

• Twilio: Phone number verification (subject to Twilio's Privacy Policy)

• Mailtrap: Transactional and verification email delivery (subject to Mailtrap's Privacy Policy)

• Render: Application hosting and deployment (subject to Render's Privacy Policy)

• Amazon Web Services (AWS): Secure data storage, file hosting, and infrastructure (subject to AWS's Privacy Notice)

These providers process data on our behalf and are contractually obligated to protect your information.

Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required by law, regulation, legal process, or government request.

Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your data:

• All data is transmitted over encrypted connections (TLS/SSL)

• Passwords are hashed using bcrypt with high cost factors

• Authentication tokens are cryptographically signed and time-limited

• Database access is restricted and monitored

• We conduct regular security reviews of our infrastructure

• Access to personal data is limited to authorized personnel on a need-to-know basis

Data Retention

We retain your account data for as long as your account is active. Certification and training records may be retained for verification purposes even after account closure, as these records serve as proof of professional credentialing.

If you request account deletion, we will remove your personal data within 30 days, except where retention is required by law or for legitimate purposes (e.g., certification verification records that training schools or credentialing bodies may rely on).

Your Rights

You have the right to:

• Access your personal data held on the platform

• Correct inaccurate information in your profile

• Delete your account and associated data (subject to retention requirements above)

• Opt out of the Career Directory at any time

• Withdraw consent for optional features like career opportunities notifications

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at support@certdock.com.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of material changes by email or through the platform. Continued use of CertLynk after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy. Previous versions of this policy are retained and available upon request.

Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or your data, contact us at:

Email: support@certdock.com

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CertLynk is committed to protecting your privacy and maintaining your trust.