Privacy Policy

Last updated: January 4, 2026

POPIA Compliant

This policy complies with South Africa's Protection of Personal Information Act

1. Introduction

Lilac Venus ("we", "our", or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy and personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, share, and protect your information in compliance with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) of South Africa.

By using Lilac Venus, you consent to the data practices described in this policy. If you do not agree, please do not use our services.

2. Information We Collect

Personal Information

  • Name, email address, and phone number
  • ID number (encrypted, for responder verification only)
  • Profile photo
  • Emergency contact details
  • Payment information (processed securely by third-party providers)

Location Data

  • Real-time GPS coordinates during SOS events
  • Location history (7-90 days depending on subscription plan)
  • Route data for safety analytics (Individual/Safety Circle plans only)
  • Safe zone locations you've designated

Usage Data

  • App interactions and features used
  • Device information (type, OS version, app version)
  • Login timestamps and session data
  • SOS trigger history and emergency response records
  • Responder response data and performance metrics

Audio/Video Data

  • Emergency recordings (only when SOS is activated and you consent)
  • All recordings are stored securely with end-to-end encryption
  • Automatically deleted after 90 days unless saved by you

3. How We Use Your Information

Emergency Response

  • Share your location with emergency contacts during SOS events
  • Dispatch verified responders to your exact location
  • Coordinate emergency response and provide real-time updates
  • Document incidents for legal protection and evidence

Service Improvement

  • Analyze safety patterns to improve our features
  • Optimize responder network coverage and response times
  • Develop proactive safety features and analytics
  • Enhance user experience based on usage data

Communication

  • Send SOS alerts and emergency notifications
  • Provide customer support and respond to inquiries
  • Send important service updates and security notices
  • Marketing communications (only with your consent, opt-out anytime)

Legal Compliance

  • Comply with South African law and legal obligations
  • Cooperate with law enforcement when legally required
  • Protect against fraud, abuse, and security threats
  • Enforce our Terms of Service and Community Guidelines

4. Information Sharing

We Share Data With:

  • Emergency Contacts: Your chosen contacts receive location and situation details during SOS events
  • Verified Responders: Receive necessary information to assist you during emergencies
  • Law Enforcement: When legally required by court order or to prevent serious harm
  • Service Providers: Payment processors, cloud storage providers (all POPIA-compliant)
  • Safety Circle Members: If you join a Safety Circle plan, members can see shared location data

We DO NOT:

  • Sell your personal information to third parties
  • Share your data for advertising or marketing by others
  • Publicly disclose your emergency incidents or personal details
  • Share responder credentials or verification details publicly

5. Data Security

How We Protect Your Data:

  • End-to-end encryption for sensitive data including ID numbers and emergency recordings
  • Secure cloud storage with Supabase featuring encryption at rest
  • Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments
  • Strict access controls and multi-factor authentication for our team
  • Encrypted transmission using SSL/TLS protocols
  • Regular automated backups stored securely

Your Security Responsibilities:

  • Keep your login credentials secure and never share them
  • Use a strong, unique password for your account
  • Enable biometric login (fingerprint/face ID) if available on your device
  • Report suspicious activity or unauthorized access immediately
  • Keep your app updated to the latest version for security patches

6. Your Rights (POPIA Compliance)

Under POPIA, You Have the Right To:

  • Access your personal information we hold about you
  • Correct inaccurate or incomplete data
  • Request deletion of your data (subject to legal retention requirements)
  • Export your data in a portable format
  • Withdraw consent for marketing communications
  • Object to certain types of data processing
  • Lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa

How to Exercise Your Rights:

  • Email: support@lilacvenus.co.za
  • In-App: Settings → Privacy & Security → Data Rights
  • Response Time: We will respond within 30 days maximum

7. Data Retention

Account Information: Retained until you delete your account

Location History: 7-90 days depending on your subscription plan

SOS Incident Records: Minimum 90 days (longer if you choose to save them)

Audio/Video Recordings: 90 days or until deleted by you

Responder Application Data: 5 years (South African legal requirement)

Payment Records: 7 years (tax and accounting compliance)

When You Delete Your Account: Most personal data is deleted within 30 days. However, some data must be retained for legal and regulatory compliance, and anonymized data may be retained for analytics purposes.

8. Children's Privacy

Lilac Venus is intended for users 13 years and older. Users under 18 years of age require parental or guardian consent to use our services. Parents can manage child accounts within Safety Circle plans and have access to all safety features and data related to their children. We implement special protections for minors' data in compliance with South African law.

9. International Data Transfers

Your data is primarily stored on servers located in South Africa. However, some of our service providers may use international cloud infrastructure. All international data transfers are conducted in compliance with POPIA requirements, with adequate safeguards in place to protect your information.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. We will notify users of material changes via email and in-app notifications. Your continued use of Lilac Venus after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy. Previous versions of this policy are available upon request.

11. Contact Information

Privacy and Data Protection Inquiries:
support@lilacvenus.co.za

Information Regulator South Africa:
https://inforegulator.org.za

For urgent emergency-related concerns, please use the in-app SOS feature or contact emergency services directly at 10111.