Privacy Policy - The Knysna App

1. Introduction

Welcome to The Knysna App. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal information when you use our mobile application.

We are committed to protecting your privacy and complying with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) of South Africa.

By using the App, you consent to the practices described in this Privacy Policy.

2. Information We Collect

Business Listings:

Business/organization name
Physical address
Contact details (phone, email, WhatsApp)
Website and social media links
Business description and operating hours
Photos and images you upload

Event Listings:

Event name and description
Venue and date/time information
Organizer contact details
Event poster and photos

Community Features:

Device identifiers (for voting and spam prevention)
Photos you submit to competitions
Comments and posts in community sections

Automatically Collected:

Device type and operating system
App usage statistics
Crash reports and error logs

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your information to:

Display your business/event listing publicly in the App
Enable users to contact your business
Send important notifications about your listing
Improve the App's functionality
Prevent fraud and abuse
Comply with legal obligations

4. Public Display of Information

IMPORTANT: All information you submit for business listings, event listings, and community features will be PUBLICLY DISPLAYED within the App.

This includes:

Business name, address, and description
All contact details (phone, email, WhatsApp, social media)
All photos and images you upload
Operating hours and services offered
Event details and organizer contact information

You should only submit information that you are comfortable making publicly available.

5. Information Sharing

✓ We will NEVER sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties.

Service Providers: We use Firebase (Google) for database storage and Expo for app distribution. These providers may process your data on our behalf.

Legal Requirements: We may disclose your information if required by law or court order.

6. Data Storage and Security

Your data is stored on Firebase servers, which may be located outside of South Africa. We implement reasonable security measures including secure HTTPS connections and Firebase security rules.

⚠️ Security Disclaimer

While we take reasonable steps to protect your information, no system is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security against hackers, ransomware attacks, data breaches, or technical failures.

You acknowledge that you submit information at your own risk.

7. Your Rights Under POPIA

You have the right to:

Access - Request access to your personal information
Correction - Request correction of inaccurate information
Deletion - Delete your listing at any time using your PIN
Object - Object to processing in certain circumstances
Withdraw Consent - Withdraw consent by deleting your listing

8. Data Retention

Active Listings: Retained while your listing is active
Deleted Listings: Removed from active database upon deletion
Events: May be removed after the event date has passed

9. Children's Privacy

The App is not intended for children under 18 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Your continued use of the App after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

11. Contact Us

The Knysna App
Email: theknysnaapp@gmail.com
Location: Knysna, South Africa

12. Information Regulator

If you are not satisfied with how we handle your personal information, you may lodge a complaint with:

Information Regulator (South Africa)
Website: https://inforegulator.org.za
Email: complaints.IR@justice.gov.za

By using The Knysna App, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to this Privacy Policy.

🔒 Privacy Policy