Privacy Policy

Who We Are

LawMatch is a free, non-commercial tool that helps Filipinos find the Philippine laws that apply to their situation. LawMatch is an independent project and is not affiliated with any law firm, government agency, or legal organization.

Our Commitment to Privacy

LawMatch is built with privacy at its core. We understand that people searching for legal information may be in sensitive situations. We collect the absolute minimum data necessary to provide and improve the service, and we do not sell, share, or monetize your data in any way.

What Data We Collect

Data we collect when you use LawMatch:

• Search queries — When you submit a search, we store an anonymized version of your query (topic selected, guided question answers, and free-text description) to measure and improve matching quality.
• Feedback responses — If you click “Was this helpful?” on the results page, we store your yes/no response linked to the search query.

Data we do NOT collect:

• Names, email addresses, or contact information
• IP addresses
• Location data
• Device fingerprints or browser identifiers
• Cookies (we use only browser sessionStorage, which is temporary and never sent to our servers)
• Payment or financial information
• Analytics or tracking data (no Google Analytics, no Facebook Pixel, no third-party trackers)

How We Use Your Data

The data we collect is used solely to:

• Improve matching accuracy — We analyze which queries return helpful results and which do not, so we can improve the matching algorithm.
• Identify gaps — If many users search for a topic that returns no results, we know we need to add more laws to the database.

We do not use your data for advertising, profiling, marketing, or any commercial purpose.

Anonymization of Search Queries

We recognize that free-text search descriptions may unintentionally contain personal information (e.g., names, addresses, or specific details about a situation). To protect your privacy:

• Search queries are stored without any link to your identity, device, or session.
• We do not store IP addresses alongside search queries.
• There is no way for us to connect a search query back to the person who submitted it.
• We periodically review and purge stored queries to minimize data retention.

Cookies & Local Storage

LawMatch does not use cookies. We use browser sessionStorage (a temporary, browser-only storage mechanism) to pass search results between pages. This data:

• Is stored only in your browser, not on our servers
• Is automatically cleared when you close the browser tab
• Is never sent to any third party
• Contains only your search results, not personal information

Third-Party Links

LawMatch contains links to external websites:

• The LawPhil Project (lawphil.net) — Our data source for Philippine law text. Their privacy policy is available at lawphil.net/privnote.html.
• Buy Me a Coffee — An optional donation link to support hosting costs. If you choose to visit this link, their privacy policy applies.
• FreelanceDesk — A separate product by the developer of LawMatch. If you choose to visit this link, their privacy policy applies.

We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these external websites. We encourage you to review their respective privacy policies.

Data Storage & Security

• Search query data is stored in a secured database on our hosting provider's infrastructure.
• We do not process or store sensitive personal information as defined under RA 10173 (Data Privacy Act of 2012).
• We implement reasonable security measures to protect against unauthorized access, alteration, or destruction of data.

Your Rights Under RA 10173

Under the Data Privacy Act of 2012 (Republic Act No. 10173), you have the following rights:

• Right to be informed — You have the right to know what data we collect and how we use it (this privacy policy).
• Right to access — You may request access to any data we hold about you. Since we do not collect identifying information, we are unlikely to hold data attributable to you.
• Right to object — You may object to the processing of your data.
• Right to erasure — You may request deletion of data we hold about you.
• Right to rectification — You may request correction of inaccurate data.
• Right to data portability — You may request a copy of your data in a portable format.
• Right to file a complaint — You may file a complaint with the National Privacy Commission if you believe your data privacy rights have been violated.

Children's Privacy

LawMatch does not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under the age of 18. The service is designed for use by adults seeking legal information. If you are a minor, please use this service with the guidance of a parent or guardian.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated “Last updated” date. We encourage you to review this page periodically.

Contact Us

If you have questions about this privacy policy or wish to exercise your rights under RA 10173, please contact us: