Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Welcome to Mujtahid (مُجتهد).

Mujtahid is a student-discount platform designed to help eligible students in Lebanon discover discounts, promotions and special offers from participating businesses.

This Privacy Policy explains how Mujtahid collects, uses, stores, protects and shares personal information when you visit our website, register for an account, submit an enquiry or use our services.

In this policy, “Mujtahid,” “we,” “us” and “our” refer to the operator of the Mujtahid platform. “You” and “your” refer to visitors, registered users and individuals who interact with our services.

By using Mujtahid, you acknowledge this Privacy Policy. Where consent is legally required for a particular activity, we will obtain that consent separately as required by applicable law.

Minimum age: Mujtahid is intended exclusively for eligible students aged 13 or older. We do not knowingly permit children under 13 to maintain accounts.

2. Information We May Collect

Depending on the features you use, Mujtahid may collect the following categories of information.

A. Account information

If account registration becomes available, we may collect:

• Name or display name.
• Email address.
• Phone number, if required.
• Account username and authentication information.
• Date of birth or an age-eligibility confirmation, where necessary.
• Account preferences and settings.

We will aim to collect only the information reasonably necessary to operate the relevant feature.

B. Student verification information

To ensure that student discounts are reserved for eligible users, Mujtahid may introduce student verification.

Depending on the verification method, this may involve:

• School or university name.
• Student status and eligibility information.
• Student identification details.
• A student card or other supporting evidence, if necessary.

We will explain the information required and the purpose of collection before introducing a verification process.

Do not submit student identification documents through general contact or waitlist forms. Use only an officially designated verification process, if one is made available.

C. Waitlist and contact information

If you join our waitlist, contact us or enquire about a business partnership, we may collect:

• Name.
• Email address.
• Business name and business contact details, where relevant.
• The contents of your message.
• Any other information you voluntarily provide.

Please avoid including passwords, payment credentials or unnecessary sensitive personal information in your messages.

D. Technical and usage information

When you visit our website, certain information may be processed by our hosting provider or other technical services, depending on the configuration of the website.

This may include:

• IP address.
• Browser type and device information.
• Pages visited and approximate timestamps.
• Diagnostic logs and error reports.
• Security-related events.

Cookies or similar technologies may also be used where implemented. Any non-essential cookies or tracking technologies requiring consent will be handled in accordance with applicable law.

E. Information we do not intend to collect

Mujtahid does not intend to collect sensitive personal information unrelated to its services, such as medical records, religious beliefs or biometric identifiers, as part of ordinary student registration.

We do not intentionally collect payment card details through general contact forms.

3. How We Use Your Information

We may use personal information for the following purposes:

• Creating and managing accounts.
• Confirming age and student eligibility.
• Preventing fraudulent registrations and misuse of student discounts.
• Responding to questions and support requests.
• Managing waitlists and business enquiries.
• Displaying relevant offers and improving the user experience.
• Maintaining website security and investigating technical problems.
• Communicating important account, service or policy updates.
• Meeting legal obligations and protecting legitimate rights.

Where required by law, we will identify the applicable legal basis for processing, such as consent, contractual necessity or another lawful basis.

We will not use student verification documents for unrelated purposes without an appropriate legal basis.

4. Student Verification and Fraud Prevention

Mujtahid aims to provide discounts to genuine eligible students.

We may review submitted verification information to determine whether an account meets our eligibility requirements.

If we reasonably determine that a user has deliberately falsified student status, submitted fraudulent documents or impersonated another student, we may reject verification, revoke access to student offers or suspend or permanently terminate the account in accordance with our Terms & Conditions.

We will restrict access to verification information to people or service providers who need it for authorized purposes.

Where possible, we will avoid retaining copies of student documents longer than necessary. However, retention periods will depend on the verification process, security requirements and applicable legal obligations.

We will not claim that verification documents are automatically deleted immediately after approval unless that deletion process has been implemented.

5. How We Share Information

Mujtahid does not intend to sell users' personal information.

We may share limited information with the following categories of recipients when necessary and legally permitted.

A. Service providers

We may use third-party providers to support:

• Website hosting and infrastructure.
• Database storage.
• Account authentication.
• Student verification.
• Email communications.
• Security monitoring and technical maintenance.

These providers may process information on our behalf under the applicable arrangements.

B. Participating businesses

Mujtahid's purpose is to help students access discounts from participating businesses.

We will not routinely provide Merchants with copies of student identification documents merely because a student uses the Platform.

If a particular offer requires confirmation of eligibility, we will explain what information may be shared and why. Where possible, we will use a simple eligibility confirmation instead of sharing underlying documents.

Merchants may independently collect information when you purchase their products or services. Their own privacy policies govern their independent processing.

C. Legal and safety requirements

We may disclose information where reasonably necessary to comply with applicable law, respond to lawful requests, investigate suspected fraud, protect users or safeguard the rights and security of Mujtahid and others.

D. Business changes

If Mujtahid undergoes a business restructuring, merger or transfer, personal information may be transferred where legally permitted and subject to appropriate safeguards and notices.

6. Data Storage and International Transfers

Mujtahid may rely on third-party hosting, database and infrastructure providers.

Depending on the providers selected and their infrastructure, personal information may be stored or processed outside Lebanon.

Before launching features that involve personal information, we will assess the relevant providers and applicable requirements for international data transfers.

We will apply any legally required safeguards and provide additional information where required.

7. Data Security

We recognize that student information must be handled carefully.

Mujtahid intends to use reasonable technical and organizational measures appropriate to the information processed. Depending on the implemented systems, these may include access restrictions, secure authentication, encrypted connections, database permissions and security monitoring.

No online platform can guarantee absolute security. Unauthorized access, cyberattacks, software vulnerabilities, human error and third-party service failures may still occur.

We will not represent a security measure as active unless it has actually been implemented.

Users should keep their account credentials confidential, avoid sharing verification documents through unofficial channels and contact us if they suspect unauthorized access.

8. Data Breaches and Security Incidents

If we become aware of a personal-data incident, we will assess the circumstances and take appropriate steps to contain and investigate it.

Where required by applicable law, we will notify relevant authorities and affected individuals within the applicable deadlines.

To the extent permitted by law, Mujtahid is not automatically responsible for every incident involving third-party infrastructure or unlawful actions by others. However, this does not exclude any legal responsibility that cannot lawfully be excluded, including responsibility arising from our own failures to meet applicable obligations.

We will not guarantee that no incident will ever occur.

9. Data Retention and Deletion

Mujtahid intends to retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law.

Retention periods may differ by category:

• Account information: While the account remains active and for any additional period required for legitimate operational or legal purposes.
• Student verification information: For the period necessary to verify eligibility, prevent fraud and meet applicable obligations.
• Waitlist and enquiry information: For as long as needed to manage the enquiry, communicate appropriately and meet relevant obligations.
• Technical and security logs: For the period reasonably needed for security, troubleshooting and compliance.

Where appropriate and legally permitted, information may be deleted or anonymized when it is no longer needed.

You may request deletion of your personal information by contacting us. We will assess and respond to the request in accordance with applicable law. Some information may need to be retained for legitimate legal or security reasons.

Deleting an account does not necessarily result in the immediate deletion of every record held by our service providers or required for legal purposes.

10. Cookies and Similar Technologies

Cookies and similar technologies may be used to support essential website functionality, maintain sessions, remember preferences and protect the Platform.

If analytics, advertising or other non-essential tracking technologies are introduced, we will provide appropriate information and obtain consent where required.

You may be able to control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling essential cookies may prevent certain website features from working properly.

The specific cookies used will depend on the website's actual technical configuration.

11. Users Under 18

Mujtahid permits eligible students aged 13 or older, including users who have not reached the age of legal majority.

We aim to limit the information collected from younger users to what is reasonably necessary to provide the service.

Where applicable law requires parental or guardian consent, we will implement the necessary process before carrying out the relevant activity.

Parents or legal guardians who have questions about a child's personal information may contact us. Requests will be handled in accordance with applicable law and the rights of the individual concerned.

12. Your Privacy Rights

Depending on applicable law and the circumstances of processing, you may have rights to:

• Request access to personal information we hold about you.
• Request correction of inaccurate information.
• Request deletion of personal information.
• Object to or request restrictions on certain processing.
• Withdraw consent where processing relies on consent.
• Request information about certain disclosures or processing activities.
• Submit a complaint to a competent authority where available.

To exercise a right, contact us using the details in Section 15.

We may need to verify your identity before responding to a request. We will not ask you to send unnecessary sensitive documents through an unsecured channel.

13. Third-Party Websites and Services

Our website may contain links to participating businesses, social media platforms and other third-party services.

Mujtahid does not control the privacy practices of independent third parties. When you leave our Platform, the relevant third party's privacy policy and terms may apply.

Please review those policies before sharing personal information with another service.

14. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy as Mujtahid develops, changes its features or responds to new legal requirements.

The latest version will be published on our website with an updated revision date.

Where required by law, we will provide notice or obtain consent before introducing material changes to our processing practices.

15. Contact Us

For questions, privacy requests or concerns about the handling of personal information, contact:

Mujtahid (مُجتهد)
Website: https://mujtahid.edgeone.dev/
Privacy contact email: To be added before launch.
Operating entity: To be confirmed.

Please do not send student identification documents or other sensitive personal information to a general contact address unless we have specifically requested them through an appropriate process.