Consultant Policy - iknowly

This Consultant Policy outlines the rights, responsibilities, and platform usage rules for professionals offering services on iknowly. It is governed by applicable European Union laws, including GDPR and consumer protection regulations.

Version 1.0, Last updated: 28.07.2025

1. Eligibility and Onboarding

1.1 To become a consultant on iknowly, you must:

  • Be at least 18 years old.
  • Provide proof of academic or professional qualifications in your field.

1.2 To obtain the "Verified Consultant" badge and activate your profile:

  • Submit proof of current employment (e.g., work contract, employer letter, or company ID).
  • Provide the highest academic degree or a relevant certification.
  • Provide additional documents upon request for quality or legal checks.

1.3 For payments and tax compliance:

  • Provide your Tax Identification Number (TIN) or VAT ID, depending on your classification (e.g., small business under §19 UStG).
  • Complete identity and financial verification through Stripe Express in accordance with EU KYC/AML regulations.

1.4 Data handling:

  • iknowly does not store documents submitted through Stripe.
  • Your TIN or VAT ID may be stored by iknowly for invoicing and tax compliance.
  • All data is processed in accordance with the GDPR and the BDSG, accessible only to authorized personnel using appropriate technical and organizational safeguards.

2. Consultant Responsibilities

2.1 You agree to:

  • Provide truthful and accurate information about your background and services.
  • Keep your availability calendar up to date.
  • Accept or decline bookings within the specified timeframes.
  • Treat users with respect and professionalism at all times.

2.2 You are solely responsible for the content and advice you provide during sessions. iknowly is not liable for any resulting outcomes.

2.3 You must not:

  • Provide legal, tax, or medical advice unless properly licensed.
  • Guarantee jobs, visas, or any illegal services.

3. Bookings and Session Management

3.1 Confirmation deadlines:

  • Within 24 hours if the session is more than 48 hours away.
  • Within 12 hours if the session is between 24–48 hours away.

3.2 If you fail to confirm in time, the session will be automatically canceled.

3.3 Cancellations:

  • Must follow iknowly’s cancellation policy.
  • Frequent or unjustified cancellations may result in suspension.

4. Payments and Platform Fees

4.1 Payments:

  • All transactions are securely processed via Stripe.

4.2 Commission:

  • iknowly collects session fees including VAT.
  • A 25% platform commission applies per session.
  • Payouts are sent weekly (Wednesdays) to your Stripe account.

4.3 Rounding Off:

  • iknowly may, in its sole discretion, round up or round down amounts payable to Consultants to the nearest cent (€0.01).
    For example:
    • If a calculated amount is €101.495, it will be rounded up to €101.50.
    • If a calculated amount is €101.494, it will be rounded down to €101.49.
  • This rounding is performed for operational efficiency and consistency in transactions.
  • Consultants acknowledge and agree that any such rounding is final and binding.

4.4 Tax responsibility:

  • You are responsible for declaring and paying taxes on your income.
  • You may be required to confirm your status under the small business regulation (§19 UStG).

5. Reviews

5.1 Users may leave a review after each session.

5.2 Reviews will only be moderated if they:

  • Contain offensive, discriminatory, or defamatory content.
  • Indicate fraud or abuse with verifiable proof.

iknowly reserves the right to remove or report such content.

6. Intellectual Property

6.1 You retain full ownership of all materials and content you create during sessions.

6.2 By publishing your consultant profile, you grant iknowly:

  • A non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use your name, biography, photo, and services for marketing purposes.

7. Code of Conduct

Consultants must not:

  • Discriminate against, harass, or abuse users.
  • Request or accept payments outside of iknowly.
  • Share contact details to circumvent the booking or payment system.

Violations may lead to suspension or termination.

8. Termination

8.1 iknowly may suspend or terminate your account if:

  • You breach this Policy or the Terms of Use.
  • Legal violations or risks to users are identified.

8.2 To terminate your account:

9. Data Protection

9.1 Processing is based on:

  • GDPR (EU Regulation 2016/679)
  • German Federal Data Protection Act (BDSG)

9.2 Legal bases include:

  • Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR (contract performance)
  • Art. 6(1)(c) GDPR (legal obligations)
  • Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR (legitimate interest, e.g., fraud prevention)

9.3 Retention:

  • Data is retained only as legally required. Tax-relevant data may be stored for up to 10 years (§147 AO).

9.4 Data transfers:

  • Stripe may process data outside the EEA. Transfers follow appropriate safeguards such as Standard Contractual Clauses under Art. 46 GDPR.

9.5 Your rights:

  • Access, rectification, erasure, restriction, objection, and data portability
  • Right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority

9.6 Contact:

10. Changes to This Policy

We may revise this Policy if:

  • Legal requirements change
  • Technical updates or platform improvements occur

Material changes will be communicated via email or dashboard notifications in advance.

Last Updated: July 28, 2025 This document is legally binding.