PRIVACY POLICY

BELINKED PRIVACY POLICY

Last Updated: 2025/11/10

beLinked (“we”, “us”, “our”) is committed to protecting your privacy and
complying with the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA).

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your
personal information when you use our digital business card platform.

1. INFORMATION OFFICER

As required by POPIA, our Information Officer is:

Name: Jozsef Borbely
Email: hello@belinked.co.za

For all privacy-related inquiries, data subject requests, or complaints,
contact the Information Officer using the details above.

2. WHAT INFORMATION WE COLLECT

2.1 Account Information
When you create an account, we collect:
– Full name
– Email address
– Password (encrypted)
– Phone number (if provided)
– Company name (if provided)
– Billing information and payment details

2.2 beLinked Card Information
Information you add to your digital business cards, including:
– Name and job title
– Contact details (phone, email, address)
– Social media links
– Website URLs
– Profile photos and logos
– Company information
– Custom fields and notes
– Any other information you choose to include

2.3 Team Member Information
If you manage cards for team members:
– Team members’ names and contact details
– Job titles and roles
– Any information added to their cards

2.4 Usage Information
We automatically collect:
– IP address
– Browser type and version
– Device information
– Pages visited and features used
– Time and date of access
– Card view statistics (how many times cards are viewed)
– Referring websites

2.5 Cookies and Tracking
We use cookies and similar technologies to:
– Keep you logged in
– Remember your preferences
– Analyze platform usage
– Improve our services

3. HOW WE USE YOUR INFORMATION

3.1 Legal Basis for Processing (POPIA)
We process your personal information based on:

a) Consent: You provide explicit consent when creating an account and adding
information to beLinked Cards

b) Contractual Necessity: To provide our services as per our Terms and
Conditions

c) Legitimate Interest: To improve our services, prevent fraud, and ensure
platform security

d) Legal Obligation: To comply with South African laws and regulations

3.2 Specific Uses
We use your information to:
– Create and manage your account
– Process payments and billing
– Display your beLinked Cards to viewers
– Provide customer support
– Send service-related communications
– Improve and develop our platform
– Prevent fraud and abuse
– Comply with legal obligations
– Analyze usage patterns and statistics

4. ⚠️ PUBLIC NATURE OF BELINKED CARDS

IMPORTANT: beLinked Cards are designed to be publicly shared.

4.1 What This Means
– ALL information you add to a beLinked Card is publicly viewable
– Anyone with your card link can view your information
– Your cards may be shared, forwarded, or indexed by search engines
– Information is visible to anyone – no login required

4.2 Your Responsibility
– Only include information you’re comfortable sharing publicly
– Do not include sensitive personal information (ID numbers, financial
information, etc.)
– Understand that once shared, you cannot control who views your card
– Regularly review and update your card information

4.3 What We Do NOT Make Public
Your account information remains private:
– Account password
– Billing and payment information
– Email address (unless you add it to your card)
– Usage statistics
– Account settings

5. HOW WE SHARE YOUR INFORMATION

5.1 With the Public
– beLinked Card information is publicly accessible by design

5.2 With Service Providers
We share information with trusted third parties who help us operate:
– Payment processors (e.g., PayFast, Stripe) – for billing
– Hosting providers – for data storage
– Email services – for communications
– Analytics services – for usage analysis
– Security services – for fraud prevention

All service providers are contractually required to protect your data and
comply with POPIA.

5.3 With Resellers and Affiliates
If you purchased through a reseller:
– Your account information may be shared with that reseller
– Resellers must comply with POPIA and our privacy standards

5.4 Legal Requirements
We may disclose information when required by law:
– Court orders or legal processes
– To protect our rights or property
– To prevent fraud or illegal activity
– To comply with regulatory requirements

5.5 Business Transfers
In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale:
– Your information may be transferred to the new entity
– You will be notified of any such transfer
– The new entity must honor this Privacy Policy

6. DATA SECURITY

6.1 Security Measures
We implement industry-standard security measures:
– Encryption of data in transit (SSL/TLS)
– Encrypted password storage
– Regular security audits
– Access controls and authentication
– Secure server infrastructure
– Regular backups

6.2 Limitations
While we implement strong security measures:
– No system is 100% secure
– You are responsible for keeping your password secure
– We cannot guarantee absolute security
– Notify us immediately of any suspected security breach

7. DATA RETENTION

7.1 Active Accounts
We retain your information as long as your account is active.

7.2 After Cancellation
– Data is retained for 30 days after account cancellation
– After 30 days, all data is permanently deleted
– You may request immediate deletion (see Section 9)

7.3 Legal Requirements
We may retain certain information longer if required by law or for:
– Resolving disputes
– Enforcing agreements
– Complying with legal obligations

7.4 Backups
Data in backups may persist for up to 90 days after deletion from primary
systems.

8. YOUR RIGHTS UNDER POPIA

As a data subject under POPIA, you have the right to:

8.1 Access
– Request a copy of your personal information
– Ask what information we hold about you

8.2 Correction
– Request correction of inaccurate information
– Update your information at any time through your account

8.3 Deletion
– Request deletion of your personal information
– Close your account and have data deleted

8.4 Objection
– Object to processing of your information
– Withdraw consent for marketing communications

8.5 Restriction
– Request restriction of processing in certain circumstances

8.6 Data Portability
– Request your data in a portable format
– Transfer your data to another service

8.7 Lodge a Complaint
– File a complaint with our Information Officer
– Lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa:
– Website: https://www.justice.gov.za/inforeg/
– Email: inforeg@justice.gov.za
– Tel: 012 406 4818

9. HOW TO EXERCISE YOUR RIGHTS

To exercise any of these rights:

Step 1: Contact our Information Officer
– Email: hello@belinked.co.za
– Subject line: “POPIA Data Subject Request”

Step 2: Provide Required Information
– Your full name and email address
– Specific request (access, deletion, correction, etc.)
– Proof of identity (to prevent unauthorized access)

Step 3: Response Timeline
– We will acknowledge your request within 48 hours
– We will respond within 30 days (as required by POPIA)
– Complex requests may take up to 60 days (we’ll notify you)

9.1 Verification
To protect your privacy, we must verify your identity before processing
requests. We may ask for:
– Account email confirmation
– Security questions
– Government-issued ID (redacted copy)

10. CHILDREN’S PRIVACY

– beLinked is not intended for users under 18 years
– We do not knowingly collect information from children
– If we discover we’ve collected information from a child, we will delete it
– Parents/guardians should contact us if they believe a child has provided
information

11. INTERNATIONAL DATA TRANSFERS

11.1 Data Location
Your data is primarily stored in [specify: South Africa / EU / US data centers].

11.2 Cross-Border Transfers
If we transfer data outside South Africa:
– We ensure adequate protection as required by POPIA
– We use standard contractual clauses
– We verify the recipient country has adequate data protection laws

12. MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS

12.1 What We Send
We may send you:
– Service announcements and updates
– Feature releases and product news
– Tips and best practices
– Promotional offers (with consent)

12.2 Opting Out
You can opt out of marketing emails:
– Click “Unsubscribe” in any email
– Email hello@belinked.co.za with “Unsubscribe” in the subject
– Adjust preferences in your account settings

Note: You cannot opt out of essential service communications (billing,
security alerts, policy changes).

13. COOKIES POLICY

13.1 What Are Cookies
Cookies are small text files stored on your device.

13.2 Types of Cookies We Use

Essential Cookies (Required)
– Keep you logged in
– Remember your settings
– Enable core functionality
You cannot opt out of essential cookies.

Analytics Cookies (Optional)
– Track how you use beLinked
– Help us improve the platform
– Provide usage statistics
Tools: Google Analytics, [other tools you use]

13.3 Managing Cookies
– Adjust settings in your browser
– Use browser extensions to block cookies
– Note: Blocking essential cookies may break functionality

13.4 Cookie Consent
– We ask for your consent for non-essential cookies
– You can withdraw consent at any time
– Visit [YOUR WEBSITE]/cookies to manage preferences

14. THIRD-PARTY LINKS

– beLinked Cards may contain links to external websites
– We are not responsible for third-party privacy practices
– Review the privacy policies of sites you visit
– Third-party sites are governed by their own terms

15. BUSINESS CONTACT INFORMATION

beLinked Cards are designed for business contact information. If you include
personal information:
– You consent to it being publicly viewable
– You confirm you have authority to share it
– For team members’ cards, ensure you have their consent

16. DATA BREACH NOTIFICATION

In the event of a data breach:
– We will notify affected users within 72 hours (as required by POPIA)
– We will notify the Information Regulator
– We will provide details of the breach and mitigation steps
– We will take immediate action to secure systems

17. AUTOMATED DECISION-MAKING

– We do not use automated decision-making or profiling that significantly
affects you
– Any automated processes (e.g., spam detection) can be reviewed by humans
– You have the right to request human review of automated decisions

18. CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY

18.1 Updates
– We may update this Privacy Policy periodically
– Material changes will be notified via email 30 days in advance
– Continued use after changes constitutes acceptance

18.2 Version History
– Previous versions available upon request
– Contact our Information Officer for historical versions

19. CONTACT US

For privacy questions, concerns, or data subject requests:

Information Officer: Jozsef Borbely
Email: hello@belinked.co.za
Website: www.belinked.co.za

Business Name: beLinked

Response Time: We aim to respond within 48 hours

20. CONSENT

By creating a beLinked account, you:
– Confirm you have read and understood this Privacy Policy
– Consent to the collection, use, and processing of your information as
described
– Understand that beLinked Card information is publicly viewable
– Confirm you have authority to share any team members’ information
– Agree to receive essential service communications

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

I acknowledge that I have read, understood, and agree to this Privacy Policy.

Date of Last Review: 2025/11/10
Version: 1.0