Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Sauti Rewards ("we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our platform. Please read this policy carefully.

This policy applies to all users of Sauti Rewards, including reviewers, vendors/businesses, and visitors who read reviews on our platform.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Personal Information

We collect the following types of personal information:

Account Information: Name, email address, phone number, username, and password
Profile Information: Profile picture, bio, location (optional)
Contact Information: Address, business details (for vendors)
Payment Information: For reward redemptions (processed securely through third-party payment processors)

2.2 Review-Related Information

Review content (text, ratings, photos)
Businesses you've reviewed
Review history and timestamps
Responses to your reviews

2.3 Automatically Collected Information

IP address and device information
Browser type and operating system
Pages viewed and time spent on platform
Referring websites
Cookies and similar technologies

2.4 Vendor-Specific Information

For business accounts, we additionally collect:

Business registration documents
Tax identification numbers
Business description and category
Business location and contact details
Analytics and performance data

3. How We Use Your Information

3.1 For All Users

Provide, maintain, and improve our services
Process transactions and send related information
Send technical notices and support messages
Respond to comments and questions
Communicate about products, services, and events
Monitor and analyze trends, usage, and activities
Detect, prevent, and address technical issues and fraud

3.2 For Reviewers

Process and publish your reviews
Calculate and award reward points
Verify review authenticity
Display your public profile and review history
Send notifications about responses to your reviews
Provide personalized recommendations

3.3 For Vendors/Businesses

Verify business ownership and legitimacy
Display business profiles and reviews
Provide analytics and insights
Enable review response functionality
Send performance reports and notifications
Process business-related transactions

3.4 For Review Readers

Display relevant reviews and business information
Provide search and filtering functionality
Improve user experience through analytics

4. Information Sharing and Disclosure

4.1 When We Share Information

We may share your information in the following circumstances:

With Your Consent: When you explicitly consent to sharing
With Service Providers: With trusted third parties who assist in operating our platform
For Legal Reasons: When required by law or to protect our rights
Business Transfers: In connection with a merger, sale, or transfer of assets
Affiliates: With our corporate affiliates under common control

4.2 Public Information

The following information is publicly visible on our platform:

Your username and profile picture (if provided)
Your reviews and ratings
Your review history and statistics
Business information (for vendors)
Public responses to reviews

Note: Your email address, phone number, and other sensitive personal information are never made public.

4.3 Vendor Review Access

Business owners can see reviews about their business, including the reviewer's username and review content. They cannot access your contact information or other personal details.

5. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your information:

Encryption: Data is encrypted in transit and at rest
Access Controls: Limited access to personal information
Secure Servers: Hosting on secure, monitored servers
Regular Audits: Regular security assessments and updates
Employee Training: Staff trained on data protection

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

6. Data Retention

We retain your information for as long as necessary to provide our services and fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy:

Account Information: Retained while your account is active
Reviews: Retained indefinitely unless deleted by you or removed for policy violations
Transaction Data: Retained for 7 years for legal and tax purposes
Analytics Data: Retained in anonymized form for trend analysis

Upon account deletion, your personal information is removed from our active databases, though reviews may remain in anonymized form.

7. Your Privacy Rights

7.1 General Rights

You have the right to:

Access: Request a copy of your personal information
Correction: Request correction of inaccurate information
Deletion: Request deletion of your personal information
Objection: Object to processing of your information
Restriction: Request restriction of processing
Portability: Request transfer of your data
Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent at any time

7.2 Reviewer Rights

As a reviewer, you can:

Edit or delete your reviews at any time
Make your profile private or public
Opt out of certain communications
Request download of all your data

7.3 Vendor Rights

As a vendor, you can:

Update business information
Request removal of business profile
Access analytics and reports
Manage review responses

7.4 How to Exercise Your Rights

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at [email protected]. We will respond within 30 days of receiving your request.

8. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to:

Remember your preferences and settings
Analyze platform usage and performance
Provide personalized content
Improve security and prevent fraud

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

9. Third-Party Services

Our platform may integrate with third-party services, including:

Payment processors (for reward redemptions)
Analytics services (e.g., Google Analytics)
Email service providers
Social media platforms

These third parties have their own privacy policies. We encourage you to review their policies before providing information to them.

10. Children's Privacy

Our services are not intended for children under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18. If we become aware that we have collected such information, we will take steps to delete it.

11. International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your country of residence. We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your information in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

EU/UK Data Transfers: If you are located in the European Union or United Kingdom, we transfer your data in compliance with GDPR requirements using appropriate safeguards such as Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) or other legally recognized transfer mechanisms.

African Data Protection: For users in African countries with data protection laws (such as Kenya's Data Protection Act, Nigeria's NDPR, or South Africa's POPIA), we ensure transfers comply with local requirements and cross-border data transfer regulations.

12. Regulatory Compliance

12.1 General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

If you are located in the European Union, you have additional rights under GDPR:

Right to be Informed: Clear information about data processing
Right of Access: Detailed information about how your data is used
Right to Rectification: Correct inaccurate or incomplete data
Right to Erasure: Request deletion of your data ("right to be forgotten")
Right to Restrict Processing: Limit how we use your data
Right to Data Portability: Receive your data in a structured format
Right to Object: Object to processing based on legitimate interests
Rights Regarding Automated Decision Making: Not subject to decisions based solely on automated processing

Data Protection Officer: For GDPR-related inquiries, contact us at [email protected]

12.2 California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)

If you are a California resident, you have specific rights under the CCPA:

Right to Know: Request disclosure of categories of personal information collected
Right to Delete: Request deletion of personal information
Right to Opt-Out: Opt-out of sale of personal information (we do not sell personal information)
Right to Non-Discrimination: Not receive discriminatory treatment for exercising privacy rights

12.3 Kenya Data Protection Act

For users in Kenya, we comply with the Data Protection Act, 2019, including:

Processing personal data lawfully, fairly, and transparently
Collecting only data adequate, relevant, and limited to what is necessary
Ensuring data accuracy and keeping it up to date
Retaining data no longer than necessary
Protecting data against unauthorized processing

13. Data Breach Notification

In the event of a data breach that poses a risk to your rights and freedoms, we will:

Notify you without undue delay and within 72 hours of becoming aware of the breach (where required by law)
Provide details of the breach, including the nature and scope of personal data affected
Describe the likely consequences of the breach
Outline the measures taken to address the breach and mitigate potential harm
Provide guidance on steps you can take to protect yourself

14. Marketing Communications

We may send you marketing communications about our services, features, and promotions. You can opt-out of marketing communications at any time by:

Clicking the unsubscribe link in marketing emails
Adjusting your communication preferences in your account settings
Contacting us at [email protected]

Note: Even if you opt-out of marketing communications, we will still send you transactional messages related to your account, reviews, rewards, and service updates.

15. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any material changes by:

Posting the new policy on our platform with an updated effective date
Sending you an email notification if you have an account
Displaying a prominent notice on our platform

Your continued use of the service after such changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

16. Contact Information

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

General Inquiries: [email protected]

Vendor Inquiries: [email protected]

Data Protection Officer (GDPR): [email protected]

Privacy Requests: [email protected]

Physical Address: [Your Business Address]

We will respond to your inquiry within 30 days of receipt, or within the timeframe required by applicable law.

17. Specific Provisions for Different User Types

17.1 For Reviewers

Your reviews and ratings contribute to the community. We protect your identity while ensuring accountability. Your public profile shows your review history but not your personal contact information. You can choose to display your real name or remain anonymous using a username.

Review Privacy: Your reviews are associated with your username and profile picture. Other users can see your review history, but your email address, phone number, and other personal contact information remain private.

17.2 For Vendors/Businesses

As a business, your information is used to verify your legitimacy and provide accurate information to consumers. Your business profile is public, but sensitive information like tax documents and personal contact details are kept private. You have control over what business information is displayed publicly.

Business Data: Business registration documents, tax identification numbers, and financial information are stored securely and used only for verification and compliance purposes. These are never shared publicly.

17.3 For Review Readers

If you browse reviews without an account, we collect limited information about your visit for analytics purposes. We do not track you across other websites, and you can browse anonymously without creating an account.

Anonymous Browsing: Non-logged-in users can read reviews and business information without providing personal information. We may use cookies and analytics to understand usage patterns but do not create personal profiles for anonymous visitors.

18. Your Consent

By using Sauti Rewards, you consent to the collection, use, and sharing of your information as described in this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with our practices, please do not use our platform.

Explicit Consent: For certain types of data processing that require explicit consent under applicable law (such as processing sensitive personal data or cross-border data transfers), we will obtain your specific consent before proceeding.