Privacy Policy

Effective Date: February 14, 2026

1. Introduction

Welcome to GigHive. We exist to bring live music to life by connecting talented artists with the venues that want to host them. Whether you are a musician looking for your next stage or a venue owner curating an unforgettable event, our platform is designed to make the booking, payment, and promotion process seamless.

We know that to do this effectively, you need to trust us—not just with your bookings, but with your personal information. This Privacy Policy isn't just a legal requirement; it's our promise to you. It explains exactly what information we collect, why we need it to make GigHive work, and how we protect it.

We are based in the European Union and are committed to complying with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), as well as the CCPA/CPRA for our users in California. If you have any questions after reading this, please reach out to us at Info&support@gighive.it.

2. What We Collect & Why

To help you arrange concerts and process payments safely, we need to collect certain pieces of information. We believe in data minimization, meaning we only ask for what we truly need to run our platform effectively.

Information You Provide Directly

When you sign up or use GigHive, you give us data so we can set up your profile and facilitate transactions.

  • Account & Profile Data: This includes your name, email address, and professional details (like your band name or venue details). Why: We need this to create your account and identify you to other users on the platform. (Legal Basis: Contract)
  • Payment Information: We collect billing details and transaction history. Note that we use Stripe to process payments; we do not store full credit card numbers on our own servers. Why: To process payments for gigs and ensure artists get paid. (Legal Basis: Contract)
  • Verification Data: For venue owners and artists, we may ask for ID or business verification documents. Why: To prevent fraud and ensure safety within our community. (Legal Basis: Legitimate Interest)
  • Communications: When you use our platform to message other users or contact our support team. Why: To facilitate the booking process and resolve issues. (Legal Basis: Contract)

Information Collected Automatically

When you navigate the GigHive platform, we collect technical data to ensure the app runs smoothly and to show you relevant opportunities.

  • Location Data: We collect your general location (IP address) or precise location (with your permission). Why: To show artists gigs near them and help venues find local talent. (Legal Basis: Legitimate Interest / Consent)
  • Device & Technical Logs: Information about your browser, device type, and operating system. Why: To troubleshoot bugs and ensure our platform works on your specific device. (Legal Basis: Legitimate Interest)
  • Usage Analytics: We track how you interact with the platform—which pages you visit and how long you stay. We use Google Analytics for this. Why: To understand user behavior so we can improve the GigHive experience. (Legal Basis: Consent)

Information from Third Parties

  • Social Media Data: If you choose to link your social media profiles (like Instagram or Spotify) to showcase your work. Why: To enhance your profile and help venues assess your style and popularity. (Legal Basis: Consent)

3. How We Use Your Information

We don't collect data just to hoard it. Every piece of information serves a specific function in connecting artists with venues.

To Deliver Our Core Services
This is the main reason we process your data. We use your information to create your profile, match artists with venues, process secure payments via Stripe, and confirm bookings. Without this processing, we cannot fulfill our contract with you.

To Improve & Personalize GigHive
We analyze usage patterns to make the platform better. For example, if we see that artists in a certain region struggle to find venues, we might adjust our search algorithms or marketing efforts in that area.

For Marketing & Visibility
One of our key services is "visibility boosting." We use your profile data to highlight your venue or band to relevant users. We may also send you newsletters or promotional offers, but only if you have opted in. You can unsubscribe from these at any time.

Safety & Security
We use data to detect and prevent fraud, spam, and abuse. This protects the integrity of our community and ensures that payments are legitimate.

Legal Compliance
Sometimes, we are required by law to retain data, such as financial records for tax purposes or to comply with court orders.

4. When We Share Your Information

Trust is built on transparency. We are honest about when and why your data leaves our immediate control. We never sell your personal data to data brokers.

With Other Users (Public Profiles)
To make GigHive work, certain information must be shared. If you are an Artist, your profile (name, genre, past gigs) is visible to Venue Owners. If you are a Venue Owner, your location and venue specs are visible to Artists.

With Service Providers
We share data with trusted third-party vendors who help us run our business. They are contractually bound to protect your data and only use it for the purposes we specify.

  • Payment Processing: Stripe (to handle secure transactions).
  • Analytics: Google Analytics (to understand website traffic).
  • Hosting & Infrastructure: Cloud providers that keep our servers running.

For Legal Reasons
We may disclose your information if required by law, regulation, or legal process (such as a court order or subpoena), or to protect the rights, property, or safety of GigHive, our users, or the public.

Business Transfers
If GigHive is involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your user information would likely be one of the transferred assets. We will notify you via email if such a change in ownership occurs.

5. Your Privacy Rights

You have control over your data. Under the GDPR and CCPA, you have specific rights regarding your personal information.

  • Right to Access: You can ask us for a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
  • Right to Rectification: If your profile has the wrong info, you can update it directly in your account settings or ask us to fix it.
  • Right to Erasure ("Right to be Forgotten"): You can ask us to delete your account and data. We will do so unless we are legally required to keep it (e.g., for tax records).
  • Right to Portability: You can ask for your data in a structured, machine-readable format to take to another service.
  • Right to Opt-Out: You can unsubscribe from marketing emails at any time by clicking the "unsubscribe" link in the email.
  • Right to Withdraw Consent: If we are processing your data based on consent (like tracking cookies), you can withdraw that consent at any time.

How to Exercise Your Rights:
To make a request, simply email us at Info&support@gighive.it. We will respond to your request within 30 days.

For EU Users: If you believe we have infringed your rights, you have the right to lodge a complaint with your local Data Protection Authority (DPA).

6. Data Security

We take the security of your data seriously. We employ technical and organizational measures to protect your information, including encryption (HTTPS) for data in transit, secure access controls for our internal team, and regular security assessments.

However, please understand that no system is 100% secure. While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee its absolute security. We encourage you to use a strong, unique password for your GigHive account and to notify us immediately if you suspect unauthorized access.

In the unlikely event of a data breach that compromises your rights, we will notify you and the relevant authorities within the timeframes required by law (typically 72 hours).

7. Data Retention

We only keep your data for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy.

  • Active Accounts: We keep your profile data for as long as you have an open account with us.
  • Financial Records: We are legally required to keep transaction records for tax and accounting purposes for up to 10 years, depending on the jurisdiction.
  • Marketing Data: We keep your contact info for marketing until you unsubscribe.
  • Technical Logs: Server logs and analytics data are typically retained for a shorter period (e.g., 12-24 months) before being deleted or anonymized.

Once the retention period expires, we securely delete or anonymize your data so it can no longer be linked to you.

8. Cookies & Tracking

We use cookies (small text files stored on your device) to make GigHive work properly.

  • Essential Cookies: These are necessary for you to log in and navigate the site securely. You cannot switch these off.
  • Analytics Cookies: These help us understand how people use our site (via Google Analytics). You can choose to opt out of these.
  • Marketing Cookies: These help us measure the effectiveness of our advertising campaigns.

You can manage your cookie preferences through your browser settings at any time.

9. Children's Privacy

GigHive is a professional platform intended for use by artists and venue owners. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under the age of 16. If we discover that a child under 16 has provided us with personal information, we will delete it immediately. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with data, please contact us.

10. International Transfers

GigHive is based in the EU, but the internet is global. Some of our service providers (like Stripe or Google) are based in the United States.

When we transfer your data outside the European Economic Area (EEA), we ensure it is protected by appropriate safeguards. We rely on adequacy decisions by the European Commission or Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) with our vendors to ensure your data gets the same level of protection it would receive in Europe.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our business or legal requirements. If we make significant changes, we will notify you by email or by posting a prominent notice on our platform. The date at the top of this policy indicates when it was last updated.

12. Contact Us

We want to hear from you if you have questions, concerns, or feedback about how we handle your privacy.

We aim to respond to all privacy-related inquiries within 48 hours. Thank you for being part of the GigHive community.