Privacy Policy

Information We Collect

We collect information you provide directly and information automatically generated when you use the app.

How We Use Your Information

• Service Provision: Account management, transaction processing, QR code job verification
• Communication: Real-time chat, push notifications, job status updates
• Delivery Fee Calculation: Estimating the distance between a provider and a delivery address
• Security: Fraud prevention, secure authentication, content moderation, dispute resolution
• Platform Improvement: Aggregated analytics and feature development
• Legal Compliance: Meeting obligations under South African law

Information Sharing

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

• Other Users: Your public profile, service listings, and reviews are visible on the platform
• Paystack: Payment processing for service transactions — we do not store card details
• Cloudinary: Secure image hosting for profile photos and service images
• Pusher: Real-time chat and job notification delivery
• OpenStreetMap / Nominatim: Address geocoding for delivery fees — only the address string is transmitted, no personal data
• Legal Requirements: When required by law or to protect the safety of users

User-Generated Content & Community Standards

RedHailer allows users to post service listings, product listings, advertisements, reviews, and comments. By posting content, you agree it does not violate our community standards:

• No spam, misleading descriptions, or fraudulent listings
• No inappropriate, offensive, or abusive content
• No content that infringes third-party intellectual property rights
• No harassment of other users

Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures including HTTPS encryption, bcrypt password hashing (12 salt rounds), secure JWT session tokens, and role-based access controls. Your data is stored in secure PostgreSQL databases with automated backups.

While we implement strong safeguards, no method of internet transmission is 100% secure. Use a strong, unique password and report any suspicious activity immediately.

Your Privacy Rights (POPIA)

Under South Africa's POPIA, you have the right to:

• Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
• Correction: Update or correct inaccurate information via the app or by contacting us
• Deletion: Delete your account and all associated data — go to Profile → Account Settings → Delete Account. Certain records (e.g. transaction history) may be retained for up to 7 years for legal compliance
• Objection: Object to certain processing activities
• Data Portability: Receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format
• Withdraw Consent: Opt out of marketing communications and push notifications at any time in app settings

Data Retention

• Active Accounts: Retained until you request deletion
• Transaction Records: 7 years (South African tax compliance)
• Chat Messages: 3 years from last interaction
• Camera & Location Data: Not retained — processed in real time and immediately discarded
• Content Reports: Retained for moderation purposes until resolved

Cookies & Local Storage

We use session cookies for authentication and device localStorage only for user preferences (theme selection, notification dismissal state). We do not use third-party advertising or tracking cookies.

Third-Party Services

We use trusted third-party services, each with their own privacy policy:

Children's Privacy

RedHailer is not intended for users under 18 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from minors. If you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a minor, contact us at lindani@qwezy-org.com and we will delete it immediately.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of significant changes via email or an in-app notification. Continued use of RedHailer after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy. The current version date is always shown at the top of this page.

Contact Information