Placematch Privacy Policy

Introduction

Placematch ("we", "us", or "our") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website https://placematch.app and use our services. By using our platform, you consent to the data practices described in this policy.

This Privacy Policy is designed to comply with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) of South Africa and other applicable data protection laws.

Information We Collect

We collect information that you provide directly to us and information that is automatically collected when you use our services:

Personal Information You Provide

• Account Information: Name, email address, phone number, and profile picture
• Profile Information: Age, gender, budget, preferred locations, property preferences, occupation, and move-in date
• Property Listings: Property details, descriptions, images, location data, and pricing information
• Communication Data: Messages, contact requests, and any other communications you send through our platform
• Payment Information: If you make any payments through our platform, payment processors handle your financial information (we do not store full credit card details)

Automatically Collected Information

• Usage Data: Pages visited, time spent on pages, search queries, and interaction with our services
• Device Information: IP address, browser type, operating system, device identifiers, and mobile network information
• Location Data: General location information based on IP address or precise location if you grant permission
• Cookies and Tracking: See our Cookie Policy section below

How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

1. To Provide Our Services: Match users with properties, facilitate connections between users, and manage property listings
2. To Communicate: Send notifications, updates about matches, contact requests, and important service announcements
3. To Improve Our Platform: Analyze usage patterns, identify trends, and enhance user experience
4. To Ensure Security: Detect and prevent fraud, abuse, and unauthorized access
5. To Comply with Legal Obligations: Meet regulatory requirements and respond to legal requests
6. For Marketing: Send you promotional materials (with your consent) and personalize marketing content
7. To Support: Provide customer support and respond to your inquiries

Information Sharing and Disclosure

We do not sell your personal information. We may share your information in the following circumstances:

1. With Other Users: When you accept a contact request or match, your contact information (email and phone number) may be shared with the requesting party. You control this through your privacy settings.
2. Service Providers: We may share information with third-party service providers who perform services on our behalf, such as:
   • Cloud hosting and data storage providers
   • Email and SMS service providers
   • Payment processors
   • Analytics and marketing service providers
   • Image hosting and CDN services
3. Legal Requirements: We may disclose information if required by law, court order, or government regulation, or to protect our rights, property, or safety
4. Business Transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred to the acquiring entity
5. With Your Consent: We may share information with your explicit consent for specific purposes

Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include:

• Encryption of data in transit and at rest
• Secure authentication and access controls
• Regular security assessments and updates
• Limited access to personal information on a need-to-know basis
• Secure data storage with reputable cloud providers

However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

Your Privacy Rights (POPIA)

Under the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) and other applicable laws, you have the following rights:

1. Right to Access: Request access to the personal information we hold about you
2. Right to Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
3. Right to Deletion: Request deletion of your personal information, subject to legal and operational requirements
4. Right to Object: Object to processing of your personal information for certain purposes
5. Right to Restrict Processing: Request restriction of processing your personal information
6. Right to Data Portability: Request a copy of your data in a portable format
7. Right to Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent
8. Right to Lodge a Complaint: Lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator if you believe your rights have been violated

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the information provided in the Contact Information section below.

Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies, web beacons, and similar tracking technologies to collect and store information about your use of our services. Cookies are small text files stored on your device that help us:

• Remember your preferences and settings
• Authenticate your account and maintain your session
• Analyze usage patterns and improve our services
• Provide personalized content and advertisements

You can control cookies through your browser settings. However, disabling cookies may limit your ability to use certain features of our platform.

Push Notifications

If you enable push notifications, we may send you notifications about:

• New matches and contact requests
• Important account updates
• Relevant property listings
• Service announcements

You can manage your push notification preferences in your account settings or disable them through your device settings.

Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to:

• Provide our services to you
• Comply with legal obligations
• Resolve disputes and enforce our agreements
• Maintain security and prevent fraud

When you delete your account, we will delete or anonymize your personal information, except where we are required to retain it for legal or legitimate business purposes.

Children's Privacy

Our services are not intended for individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe we have collected information from a child, please contact us immediately, and we will take steps to delete such information.

Third-Party Links

Our platform may contain links to third-party websites or services. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third parties. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit.

International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than South Africa. We ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your information in accordance with this Privacy Policy and applicable data protection laws.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. We will notify you of any material changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the "Last Updated" date. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically.

Contact Information

If you have questions, concerns, or wish to exercise your privacy rights, please contact us:

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa: