HoeGaanDit Privacy Policy

Effective Date: January 2, 2025

1. Introduction

Welcome to HoeGaanDit ("we," "us," "our"). We are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring the security of your personal information. This Privacy Policy ("Policy") outlines how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our geo-social application ("App"). By accessing or using our App, you agree to the terms of this Policy.

2. Information We Collect

We collect various types of information to provide and improve our services to you.

2.1. Personal Information

• Name and Surname: For account creation and identification.
• Contact Information: Cell number and email address for account verification and communication.
• Interests and Preferences: To tailor your matching and dating experience.
• GPS Location Data: To facilitate local user matching and geo-social interactions.
• User Profile Photos and Media: To create and display your profile within the App.

2.2. Usage Information

• Activity on the App: Information about how you use the App, including matches, likes, chats, and other interactions.

2.3. Technical Information

• Device Information: Information about the device you use to access the App, including IP address, browser type, and operating system.
• Log Data: Server logs that record your interactions with the App.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the collected information for various purposes:

• Providing Services: To operate and maintain the App, including facilitating matches and communication between users.
• Improving the App: To understand how users interact with the App and to enhance user experience.
• Communication: To send you updates, newsletters, marketing materials, and other information related to the App.
• Security: To protect against unauthorized access, fraud, and other harmful activities.
• Compliance: To comply with legal obligations and enforce our Terms and Conditions.

4. Sharing Your Information

We may share your information in the following circumstances:

4.1. With Third-Party Service Providers

We employ third-party companies and individuals to facilitate our services, provide the App on our behalf, perform App-related services, or assist us in analyzing how our App is used. These third parties have access to your personal information only to perform these tasks on our behalf and are obligated not to disclose or use it for any other purpose.

4.2. Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required to do so by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities (e.g., a court or a government agency).

4.3. Business Transfers

If HoeGaanDit is involved in a merger, acquisition, or asset sale, your personal information may be transferred as part of that transaction.

4.4. With Your Consent

We may share your information with your consent or at your direction.

5. Data Storage and Security

We implement a variety of security measures to maintain the safety of your personal information:

• Encryption: All user media and chats are encrypted end-to-end to ensure privacy and security.
• Secure Storage: Your data is stored and transferred securely across various international locations using services such as Supabase, Hetzner, AWS, and Firebase.
• Access Controls: Access to personal information is restricted to authorized personnel only.

Despite our efforts, no security measures are perfect or impenetrable, and we cannot guarantee the security of your information.

6. Data Retention

We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, comply with our legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements. Specifically:

• Account Deletion: Upon account deletion, we retain basic information (name, surname, email, cell number, profile photos) for 12 months to prevent misuse of our service, such as multiple free trials.

7. Your Rights Under POPIA

Under the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), you have the following rights regarding your personal information:

• Right to Access: You can request access to your personal information that we hold.
• Right to Correction: You can request corrections to any inaccurate or incomplete personal information.
• Right to Deletion: You can request the deletion of your personal information, subject to certain conditions.
• Right to Object: You can object to the processing of your personal information under certain circumstances.

To exercise these rights, please contact us at support@hoegaandit.co.za.

8. International Data Transfers

Your information, including personal data, may be transferred to and maintained on servers located outside of South Africa. We ensure that such transfers comply with POPIA by implementing appropriate safeguards, such as standard contractual clauses, to protect your data.

9. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We may use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your experience on our App. Cookies are small data files stored on your device that help us understand your preferences and improve our services.

• Types of Cookies:
  • Essential Cookies: Necessary for the operation of the App.
  • Performance Cookies: Help us analyze how the App is used.
  • Functionality Cookies: Remember your preferences and settings.
  • Advertising Cookies: Used to deliver personalized advertisements.
• Managing Cookies: You can control the use of cookies through your browser settings. However, disabling cookies may affect the functionality of the App.

10. Children's Privacy

HoeGaanDit is not intended for individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18. If you become aware that a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us, and we will take steps to remove such information from our servers.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for other operational, legal, or regulatory reasons. We will notify you of any significant changes by updating the "Effective Date" and providing a prominent notice within the App or via email.

Your continued use of the App after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the new Privacy Policy.

12. Contact Us

If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us at:

• Email: support@hoegaandit.co.za
• Address: [Your Company Address in South Africa]
• Phone: [Your Support Phone Number, if available]

13. Miscellaneous

• Entire Agreement: This Privacy Policy constitutes the entire agreement between you and HoeGaanDit regarding your privacy and data protection.
• Severability: If any provision of this Privacy Policy is found to be unenforceable or invalid, that provision will be limited or eliminated to the minimum extent necessary, and the remaining provisions will remain in full force and effect.
• Waiver: Our failure to enforce any right or provision of this Privacy Policy does not constitute a waiver of those rights.

Additional Considerations for Compliance and Functionality

1. Data Processing Agreements

We have comprehensive data processing agreements in place with all our service providers, including Supabase, Hetzner, AWS, and Firebase, to ensure they comply with POPIA and protect your personal information.

2. User Consent

During account registration and within the App settings, users are required to provide explicit consent for the collection, use, and processing of their personal information as outlined in this Privacy Policy.

3. Anonymized Data

We may collect and use anonymized or aggregated data for statistical and analytical purposes. This data does not personally identify you.

4. Data Breach Notification

In the event of a data breach that compromises your personal information, we will notify you and the relevant authorities as required by POPIA.