Privacy Policy
Version 05/2025
This Privacy Policy outlines how hob-hob collects, uses, and safeguards your personal data when you use our platform, including the website, mobile apps, and related services. This Privacy Policy is designed to meet the requirements of the Swiss Data Protection Act ("DPA") and the General Data Protection Regulation ("GDPR").
By using hob-hob, you agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy.
1. General Notes
In this Privacy Policy, we ("hob-hob," "company," "we," or "us") describe how we handle your data when you visit our website www.hob-hob.com ("website"), book or offer experiences on our platform, or communicate with us through various channels.
"Personal data" or "data" refers to any information that relates to an identified or identifiable natural person. "Processing" includes any handling of personal data, including but not limited to collection, storage, disclosure, modification, or deletion.
If you provide us with personal data of other individuals (e.g., additional participants for an experience), you confirm that you are authorized to do so and that the data provided is accurate. You must also ensure these individuals are informed about this Privacy Policy.
2. Controller and Contact Information
The data controller for processing your personal data is:
• Controller: Hob-hob
• Founder: Shu-Mei Yang
• Address: Badenerstrasse 575, 8048 Zurich, Switzerland
• Email: hello@hob-hob.com
For any data protection concerns, you may contact us at the above email.
3. Collection and processing of personal data
Hob-hob processes personal data primarily to facilitate bookings, manage communications, and improve platform functionality.
3.1 Types of data collected
• Contract data: Information required for bookings or listing services, such as name, email, payment details, and booking history.
• Master data: Contact information, preferences, and publicly available data (e.g., social media profiles).
• Communication data: Emails, messages, and other communication records exchanged with hob-hob.
• Technical data: IP address, browser type, device information, and logs to ensure platform functionality and security.
• Behavioral and preference data: Data about how you interact with the platform, used to improve services and provide personalized recommendations.
• Cookies data: Information collected via cookies and similar tracking technologies (detailed in Section 9).
4. Purposes of data processing and legal basis
hob-hob processes personal data for the following purposes:
4.1 To enable the use of the platform and perform the services agreed with users, including the facilitation of bookings, communication between explorers and creators, payment processing, and account management.
4.2 To ensure communication regarding bookings, confirmations, changes, support requests, and user inquiries, including through transactional and automated messages.
4.3 To maintain, optimize, and develop the platform’s performance, usability, and content based on aggregated data and behavioral insights.
4.4 To improve user experience through service personalization, analysis of preferences, and targeted suggestions, where applicable.
4.5 To carry out advertising and marketing activities, including email campaigns, promotions, or social media campaigns, based on user preferences and only where prior consent has been given.
4.6 To detect and prevent fraud, abuse, misuse of the platform, and to enforce platform rules and terms.
4.7 To ensure technical and operational security, monitor system performance, and protect against unauthorized access.
4.8 To comply with legal obligations and regulatory requirements, including tax, accounting, and financial record keeping.
4.9 hob-hob processes personal data based on one or more of the following legal grounds: to fulfil contractual obligations, to meet legal obligations, based on the legitimate interest of hob-hob in improving services and protecting the platform, or based on the user’s consent where required (e.g., for receiving newsletters or marketing messages). Consent may be withdrawn at any time without affecting the lawfulness of prior processing.
5. Marketing newsletters
5.1 hob-hob sends marketing newsletters to users who actively subscribe via the website. By subscribing, you consent to the processing of your email address and interaction data for the purpose of sending personalized information about experiences, updates, and promotions, pursuant to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR.
5.2 hob-hob stores your IP address, the date, and the time of your subscription as proof of consent in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 lit. c in conjunction with Art. 7 para. 1 GDPR.
5.3 If you have booked an experience or created an account with hob-hob, we may send you marketing communications regarding similar offerings based on our legitimate interest in promoting relevant services (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR), unless you object.
5.4 You may withdraw your consent and unsubscribe from newsletters at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link provided in each email or by contacting hob-hob at hello@hob-hob.com. If cookies are used for newsletter personalization, separate consent will be obtained.
5.5 hob-hob also sends transactional emails that are necessary for the performance of our contract with you (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b GDPR), including but not limited to booking confirmations, reminders, cancellations, and essential platform notifications. These communications are not marketing messages and cannot be opted out of unless the user deletes their account.
6. Profiling
hob-hob uses automated data processing to analyze preferences and predict behavior for improved services and personalized experiences.
6.1 How profiling helps you
• Provides personalized recommendations for workshops and experiences.
• Enhances marketing efforts by tailoring promotions to your interests.
• Improves platform functionality by analyzing user behavior.
6.2 Your rights regarding profiling
hob-hob may use automated processing techniques, including profiling, to analyze user behavior, provide recommendations, and personalize services. However, automated decisions do not have legal or similarly significant effects on users. Users have the right to request human intervention, express their views, or contest automated decisions by contacting hello@hob-hob.com.
7. Email system
hob-hob uses the SendGrid service of Twilio Inc. ("Twilio") for sending emails, including booking confirmations, newsletters, and platform notifications.Twilio may process personal data in countries outside the European Economic Area ("EEA"), specifically in the USA.
Twilio participates in the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework, UK Extension to the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework, and Swiss-U.S. Data Privacy Framework, ensuring adequate protection of all transferred personal data.
For more details on how Twilio processes personal data, please visit their privacy policy: Twilio Privacy Policy.
8. Data transfers to third parties
8.1 hob-hob may transfer personal data to third parties in order to perform contractual obligations, improve platform functionality, ensure compliance with legal duties, or pursue legitimate interests as defined in Article 6 of the GDPR and Article 31 of the Swiss Data Protection Act (DPA). Such data transfers are limited to what is necessary and are made only to recipients who ensure adequate protection of the data.
8.2 Categories of recipients include, but are not limited to:
• Payment processors such as Stripe, for handling secure payments between explorers and creators;
• Technical service providers involved in hosting, performance analytics, data storage, communication delivery, and customer support (e.g., SendGrid by Twilio Inc., Google Analytics);
• Public authorities, courts, or legal counsel where required by law, regulatory obligation, or for the establishment, exercise, or defense of legal claims;
• Marketing partners and advertising networks engaged for targeted promotional campaigns, in cases where users have provided consent.
8.3 Transfers of personal data outside the EEA (e.g., to the USA) are protected by the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework or Standard Contractual Clauses. hob-hob ensures that all third-party processors follow strict contractual obligations and adequate security measures.
8.4 hob-hob uses services from Meta Platforms Ireland Ltd. and Google Ireland Ltd., which may collect data such as IP address, browser type, and interaction data to deliver ads and measure performance. You can adjust your settings via their privacy tools or withdraw consent via the hob-hob cookie banner.
8.5 Once transferred, third parties act under their own legal responsibilities. hob-hob is not liable for their independent processing. Users should review third-party privacy policies before using such services.
9. Cookies, tracking, and related technologies
hob-hob uses cookies to analyze user behavior, improve platform functionality, and deliver personalized experiences.
9.1 Types of cookies
• Necessary cookies: Essential for platform functionality, such as managing logins and session data.
• Performance cookies: Analyze usage to optimize services.
• Marketing cookies: Track activity for personalized advertisements.
9.2 Hob-hob displays a cookie banner to inform users about the use of cookies when they first visit the platform. Non-essential cookies, such as those used for analytics or marketing purposes, are only activated with your consent. If you wish to withdraw or change your consent, you may contact us at hello@hob-hob.com. You can also manage or disable cookies through your browser settings. Certain cookies that are essential for the functionality and security of the platform cannot be deactivated. The use of cookies complies with applicable Swiss data protection laws.
9.3 When a user deletes their account, hob-hob will remove personal data unless retention is required for legal, tax, fraud prevention, or security purposes. Certain data, such as booking records and communications, may be retained for up to 10 years in compliance with Swiss legal requirements. Users can adjust cookie settings via the cookie banner or their browser settings.
10. Data retention
hob-hob retains personal data only as long as necessary for its purposes or as legally required:
• Booking data: Retained for the duration of the user relationship and for compliance purposes (e.g., tax regulations).
• Communication data: Retained for 36 months after your last interaction.
11. Data security
hob-hob employs industry-standard security measures to protect your data from unauthorized access, misuse, and loss. While hob-hob strives for optimal security, online transmissions carry inherent risks.
12. Your rights
You have the right to:
• Request access to the personal data hob-hob processes about you.
• Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data.
• Request deletion of your data, subject to legal obligations.
• Withdraw consent for specific data processing activities.
• File a complaint with the Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner (EDOEB).
To exercise these rights, contact hob-hob at hello@hob-hob.com.
13. Updates to this Privacy Policy
hob-hob may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in operations or legal requirements. Updates will be posted on the website, and significant changes will be communicated to users.
This Privacy Policy is governed by Swiss law. For users outside Switzerland, local data protection laws may apply, but in case of conflict, Swiss law will take precedence where legally permissible.
Last Updated: May 2025
