Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Lilac Venus ("we," "us," or "our") is committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring the security of your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use the Lilac Venus mobile application, website (lilacvenus.co.za), and related services (collectively, the "Services").

This policy applies equally to app users and website visitors. It is compliant with the Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013 (POPIA) of South Africa.

2. Information Officer

Information Officer: Zóyah Juneefer Kumi

Deputy Information Officer: Esther Thakane Theko

Contact: support@lilacvenus.co.za

Under POPIA, you may contact the Information Officer for requests relating to your personal information, including access, correction, deletion, and objections to processing.

3. Information We Collect

We collect information that you provide directly to us, and information generated when you use our Services, including but not limited to:

• Personal identification information (name, email address, phone number)
• Account credentials and authentication tokens
• Location data when you use SOS, safety plans, safe zones, or location-sharing features
• Emergency contact and trust network information
• Medical or safety-related profile fields you choose to provide (e.g. blood type, allergies)
• Device information, push notification tokens, and usage data
• Audio, photo, and video recordings uploaded to Evidence Lock Box (with your consent and settings)
• SOS incident records, messages, and responder interaction data
• Subscription and billing status (we do not store full payment card numbers)

4. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Provide and maintain our safety services
• Dispatch and coordinate verified responders during emergencies
• Notify your emergency contacts and trust network when you trigger alerts or miss check-ins
• Process subscriptions and institutional seat assignments
• Encrypt, store, and verify evidence you upload
• Send push notifications, SMS, and email alerts you have enabled
• Improve, secure, and personalise our Services
• Maintain audit logs required for POPIA and payment compliance
• Comply with legal obligations

5. How We Share Your Information

We do not sell your personal information. We may share information only as necessary to operate the Services, including with:

• Verified responders and your designated emergency contacts during an active safety event
• Trust network members according to permissions you set
• Institutional administrators for seat-managed accounts (schools/universities), limited to what is required for seat provisioning
• Service providers that help us operate the platform (see Section 6)
• Law enforcement or regulators when required by South African law

6. Third-Party Service Providers

We use trusted processors to deliver the Services, including:

• Supabase — authentication and database hosting
• Paystack — payment processing (card data is handled by Paystack; we store only transaction references and subscription codes)
• Firebase Cloud Messaging — push notifications
• Africa's Talking — SMS for SOS and alerts, where enabled
• Resend — transactional email, where enabled
• Google Analytics — website analytics only, if you accept cookies on our website

7. Cookies and Website Analytics

When you visit lilacvenus.co.za, we may use cookies to enhance your experience, analyse site traffic, and for marketing purposes. A cookie consent banner allows you to Accept or Decline non-essential cookies. Declining cookies limits analytics but does not affect use of the mobile app.

By clicking Accept on our website cookie banner, you consent to our use of cookies as described in this Privacy Policy.

8. Data Security

We implement technical and organisational measures to protect your information, including encrypted evidence storage (AES-256-GCM), secure authentication, access controls, and database row-level security. No method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure; we continuously work to protect your data.

9. Data Retention and Deletion

We retain personal information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide the Services and meet legal obligations. You may request deletion of your account and personal information by contacting support@lilacvenus.co.za. We may retain certain records where required by law (e.g. payment audit logs).

10. Your Rights Under POPIA

You have the right to:

• Access your personal information
• Request correction of your personal information
• Request deletion of your personal information
• Object to the processing of your personal information
• Lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa

11. Children's Privacy

You must be at least 13 years of age to use our Services. If you are under 18, you must have parental or guardian consent. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 without appropriate consent.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The effective date at the top of this document will reflect the latest version. Material changes will be communicated through the app or website where appropriate.

13. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us at support@lilacvenus.co.za.