Introduction
This Privacy Policy outlines how Watsoekjy ("we", "our", or "us") handles your personal information.
We are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring that your personal data is handled in a safe and responsible manner.
A refresher on S.Africa POPI Act and Ecommerce
The Protection of Personal Information Act (POPI Act) is South Africa's data protection law that regulates the processing of personal information.
It seeks to protect personal data, ensure lawful and transparent processing, and provide individuals with rights to protect their privacy.
Key Aspects of the POPI Act Relevant to E-commerce:
- Consent: The POPI Act requires processing personal information only with the consent of the individual, unless necessary for contract performance.
Thus, e-commerce can use personal details for transactional purposes like sending SMS or Whatsapp order updates without explicit consent,
as part of contract fulfillment.
- Purpose Specification: Personal information must be collected for specific, legitimate purposes.
Any use beyond the fulfillment of the order or directly related services typically requires separate consent.
- Further Processing Limitation: Information should not be retained longer than necessary for the intended purpose.
Explicit consent is needed for using personal information for future marketing or promotional activities.
- Notification: Individuals must be notified when their personal information is collected, including the collection's purpose.
This is usually covered in privacy policies or terms agreed during the checkout process on e-commerce sites.
Practical Implications for E-commerce Sites:
- Transactional Messages: E-commerce sites can send transactional messages related to an order,
such as confirmations and delivery updates, without separate consent because they are necessary for contract performance.
- Marketing Messages: For promotional messages sent after the transaction, explicit consent is required.
This can be obtained through opt-in mechanisms during checkout or registration.
During ordering:
- Under the POPI Act, it is legitimate for e-commerce platforms to send transactional SMS messages or emails as part of the order process.
- However, explicit consent is required for any non-transactional communications like marketing or promotional messages sent later.
- If you receive such content without consent, it could be a violation of the POPI Act.
- For specific instances or further clarification on compliance, reviewing the privacy policies of the websites in use is recommended,
- as these should detail adherence to the POPI Act.
Information Collection
We collect only the necessary information required to streamline our order process. This may include your name, contact details, and order details.
Use of Information
The information collected is solely used to facilitate the order process. We do not use your personal information for any other purposes.
Disclosure and Sharing of Information
We do not share your contact information with any third parties.
Data Security
We implement appropriate security measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction.
Data Retention
We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this privacy policy
unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law.
Your Rights
You have the right to access, correct, or delete your personal information. Please contact us if you wish to exercise these rights.
Cookies and Tracking Technologies
We use only functional cookies to enhance the usability of our website.
These cookies are necessary for the functioning of our website and do not track personal information.
Policy Updates
We may update this privacy policy from time to time. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.
Contact Information
If you have any questions or concerns about our privacy practices, please contact us at [insert contact details].
Effective Date
This policy is effective as of 2024 onwards