Privacy Practices

We take your privacy, and that of our customers, very seriously at Kibin. The following article (in addition to our site-wide Privacy Policy) will provide you with an overview of the personal information we collect, what we do with it, and what to do if you have any concerns about how your data is used. 

The Data We Collect (and What We Do With It)

  • Your email address. We must have an email address on file for each freelance editor. We use your email to communicate with you regarding the work you perform, to share important updates with you, and to send you the weekly Editor Update. Your email address is also your login credential for your Kibin account. We will never sell your email address or share it with customers. 
  • Your phone number. Your phone number is primarily used for document alert notifications through a third-party messaging system, Twilio. A Kibin admin may contact you via text message on our company number if an urgent document issue arises (e.g., incorrect file, documents deleted from your work queue, late documents, etc.). We will never sell your phone number or share it with customers. 
  • Your name. Only your first name and last initial is shared on your public Kibin profile. Your full name is required for tax purposes and is only accessible by Kibin employees. 
    • Please note that depending on your settings, customers may be able to view your full name in Microsoft Word documents. We encourage you to adjust your settings to show, at most, your first name and last initial. You may also use only your initials.
    • In communications with customers requesting specific editors or editors with specific qualifications, Kibin employees will never share your full name. We will only use your first name and last initial as they appear on your editor profile. 
  • Your IP address. We maintain IP records of every device that connects to the Kibin site for security purposes. These logs are only accessible by employees, and your IP address does not identify you personally -- only your device.
  • Your payment details. 
    • US Editors: If you are a US citizen, we use a third-party payment processor, Stripe, to pay you via your bank account. Your bank account details are not stored on the Kibin website, and no Kibin employees can see your full account number or any other sensitive information on your Stripe Connect profile.
    • International editors: Editors based outside the US are paid via PayPal. To pay you, we must collect the email address associated with your PayPal account. We cannot access your PayPal account with this email -- only transfer your earnings. 
  • Tax-related information. 
    • US editors: US-based editors must provide a valid Social Security number so that we can file and send your Form 1099-NEC for tax purposes. In addition, we need your full mailing address. This information is stored securely, and only employees involved in payroll processing/tax preparation can see this information. 
    • International editors: International editors must complete Form W-8BEN. This form requires your tax identification number. The purpose of this form is to prove that you are the beneficial owner of your earnings and that Kibin is not liable for withholding taxes from them since you are not a US citizen. Once received, your digital W-8BEN is stored securely and is only accessible by Kibin employees.
  • Your photo. You have the ability to add a photo to your Kibin profile, which is viewable by the public. Uploading a photo is encouraged but voluntary.

Handling Customers' Information

Customers trust us with a lot of personal, sensitive information in their essays, letters, resumes, and other documents. It is essential that you treat their data as respectfully as you would expect yours to be treated. Please do not share (or widely discuss) the personal content of any documents uploaded via Kibin's services with anyone not affiliated with Kibin, and take reasonable security measures to protect your laptop/PC.