This Privacy Policy was prepared as a working template tailored to our actual services. It is not legal advice, and it has not yet been reviewed by a licensed attorney. We recommend a qualified privacy attorney review this document before you rely on it for any legal purpose.
This Privacy Policy explains how The Dirty Hands Report ("DHR," "we," "us," or "our") collects, uses, shares, and protects personal information. It applies to two connected services:
Where a practice applies only to one service, we say so. The section covering the Oil Platform App is clearly labeled below. By using either service, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy.
The Dirty Hands Report is an independent oilfield news, media, and jobs operation. We publish original reporting at dirtyhandsoil.com and operate the Oil Platform mobile app, a purpose-built platform for people who work in the oil and gas industry.
We are the party responsible for your personal information (the "data controller" for purposes of certain privacy laws). You can reach us any time at admin@dirtyhandsoil.com.
We collect information in three ways: information you give us directly, information we collect automatically when you use our services, and information we receive from third parties (such as our payment processor). Here is what that includes.
| Category | Examples |
|---|---|
| Account information | Name, email address, username ("handle"), password (stored encrypted), job title, basin or region, years of experience, and profile bio. |
| Profile photo | An avatar image you choose to upload from your device's photo library. |
| Content you create | Posts, comments, reactions, reposts, saved items, job postings, job applications, vendor listings, and messages. |
| Employment information | Your "open to work" status, job applications, and (for employers) job postings and applicant activity. |
| Communications | Emails or messages you send us, including support requests. |
| Category | Examples |
|---|---|
| Device & usage data | Device type, operating system, app version, IP address, and general usage activity within the app or website. |
| Location data | Precise location, including background location, when you use navigation features (see Section 4). |
| Identifiers | A device push-notification token and an in-app "hand code" used for certain app features. |
| Website analytics | Standard analytics on the DHR website (for example, Google Analytics) covering pages visited and general traffic patterns. |
When you make a purchase, our payment processor (Stripe) provides us with limited transaction information — such as confirmation of payment and a subscription status — so we can deliver what you bought. We do not receive or store your full payment-card number (see Section 6).
This section describes data practices specific to the Oil Platform mobile app. The app is built for the oilfield workforce and includes a social feed, a jobs board, navigation to well and disposal sites, a vendor marketplace, and a mental-health support module.
The app supports several account types, including Oilfield Hand (worker), Employer/Company accounts, and a Well Finder tier. The information we collect is broadly the same across types, though employers provide job-posting information and workers provide employment-seeking information.
The app includes a community feed where you can post, comment, react, repost, and save content. Content you post is visible to other users. The app includes tools to block and mute other users and to report content or accounts. We use this information to operate the feed and to enforce our community rules.
Employers can post jobs; workers can apply, mark themselves "open to work," and withdraw applications. When you apply to a job, the employer who posted it can see your application and profile. When you withdraw an application, it is removed from that employer's applicant pipeline.
If you enable push notifications, we store a device token to deliver them. The app also generates a short "hand code" tied to your account, which is used for features like anonymous crew check-ins (see Section 5). You can disable push notifications in your device settings at any time.
The Oil Platform app collects precise location, including in the background. This is core to how the app works — it navigates you to well sites and disposal facilities, shows your position on a map, and powers turn-by-turn directions that keep running when your screen is off or you switch apps mid-drive.
Specifically, we use location data to:
You control location access through your device's permission settings. If you deny or disable location access, navigation and map features will not work, but you can still use the rest of the app. We ask for your permission before collecting location, and your device shows an indicator when background location is active.
The Oil Platform app includes All Hands, a mental-health support module built for oilfield workers. Because this area can involve sensitive personal information, we designed it with privacy protections built directly into how the data is stored. We treat this data with heightened care and, where applicable, as "sensitive" or "consumer health data" under laws such as Washington's My Health My Data Act and comparable frameworks.
Crisis resources are never behind a paywall. Emergency and crisis contacts in All Hands (such as 988, the Crisis Text Line, and SAMHSA resources) are always free and always accessible to every user, regardless of account type or subscription.
| Feature | How your privacy is protected |
|---|---|
| Crew check-ins ("You Good?") | One user can send another an anonymous "you good?" check-in using a hand code. The sender's identity is sealed at the database level and is never revealed to the recipient. |
| "Still Here" survivor wall | Stories are posted anonymously and are reviewed before they appear. The wall is designed so posts are not tied to a publicly visible identity. |
| "Talk to a Hand" peer support | Anonymous peer-support conversations between users and vetted responders. Conversations are designed to be anonymous in both directions. |
| Sobriety counter | A private day-counter visible only to you. It is stored with database-level access controls so other users cannot see it. |
| "Long Haul" drive-home check-in | A check-in feature tied to your own use; not shared publicly. |
We do not sell this data, and we do not use it for advertising. We access it only as needed to operate the features, moderate content for safety, comply with law, or respond to a genuine safety emergency. If you contact a crisis line through the app, your communication with that line is governed by that provider's own policies, not ours.
We use Stripe, a third-party payment processor, to handle all payments. This includes employer subscription tiers, the Well Finder Pro upgrade, the Knowledge Box / Academy one-time purchase, and The Yard vendor listings (Yard Basic and Yard Pro subscriptions).
We do not collect or store your full payment-card number. When you pay, your card details are handled directly by Stripe under Stripe's own security standards and privacy policy. We receive only limited information such as confirmation that a payment succeeded and your subscription status, which we use to unlock what you purchased.
Purchases you make through the Apple App Store or Google Play may also be processed through those stores and are subject to their terms and privacy practices.
We use the information we collect to:
We do not sell your personal information, and we do not share it for cross-context behavioral advertising.
We share personal information only in these limited circumstances:
We do not sell personal information to third parties.
We keep your personal information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide our services. After you delete your account, we remove or de-identify your personal information within a reasonable period, except where we must retain certain records to comply with legal, tax, accounting, fraud-prevention, or safety obligations. Some content you shared publicly (for example, a comment on another user's post) may persist in de-identified or aggregated form.
You can delete your account and data directly in the app. Open Settings → Delete Account. This permanently removes your account and associated personal information from our active systems, subject to the limited legal-retention exceptions in Section 9.
If you cannot access the app or want help, email us at admin@dirtyhandsoil.com and we will process your request. You may also request access to, or correction of, your information using the same contact.
We use technical and organizational measures to protect your information, including encryption of data in transit, encrypted password storage, and database-level access controls (row-level security) that restrict who and what can read specific data. Several parts of the app — including All Hands crew check-ins, survivor stories, and peer-support threads — are intentionally anonymized at the database layer so that sensitive information is not tied to a visible identity.
No method of transmission or storage is perfectly secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security. If we become aware of a data breach affecting your personal information, we will notify you and the appropriate authorities as required by law.
Depending on the U.S. state you live in, you may have some or all of the following rights regarding your personal information:
These rights are provided under laws such as the California Consumer Privacy Act (as amended by the CPRA), the Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act, the Colorado Privacy Act, and similar state laws. To exercise any of these rights, use the in-app deletion tool or contact us at admin@dirtyhandsoil.com. We will verify your request and respond within the timeframe required by your state's law. You may use an authorized agent where the law allows.
Consumer health data. Where you are protected by a consumer-health-data law (such as Washington's My Health My Data Act), you have additional rights regarding health-related information, including the right to withdraw consent and to have such data deleted. Contact us to exercise these rights.
If you are in Canada, your personal information is handled in accordance with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and applicable provincial laws (including Quebec's Law 25). This means:
Your information may be stored or processed in the United States by our service providers; where that occurs, it is subject to the laws of that jurisdiction, and we take steps to ensure it remains protected. Our designated privacy contact is admin@dirtyhandsoil.com.
The Oil Platform app and the DHR services are intended for adults in the oil and gas workforce. You must be at least 18 years old to create an account. Our services are not directed to children, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18. If we learn that we have collected information from a child under 18 without proper authorization, we will delete it. If you believe a minor has provided us information, contact us at admin@dirtyhandsoil.com.
We comply with applicable app-store age-verification and accountability laws (including state App Store Accountability Acts) and with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) as it applies.
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last updated" date above and, where appropriate, provide additional notice in the app or on the website. Your continued use of our services after an update means you accept the revised policy.
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your information, or if you want to exercise a privacy right, contact us:
The Dirty Hands Report
Privacy Contact
Email: admin@dirtyhandsoil.com
Web: dirtyhandsoil.com