Privacy Policy
Last Updated: April 25, 2026
📍 We are committed to protecting your personal information across all jurisdictions
Global Privacy Compliance
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Our Commitment to You
At AfroPendo, we believe that finding love shouldn't come at the cost of your privacy. We are committed to being transparent about how we collect, use, and protect your personal information.
This Privacy Policy applies to all users worldwide, with specific provisions for different jurisdictions including the European Union (GDPR), Kenya (Data Protection Act 2019), South Africa (POPIA), Nigeria (NDPR), and California residents (CCPA).
Information We Collect
Account Information
- Name, email address, phone number
- Date of birth and age verification
- Location data (country, city)
- Profile photos and videos
- Government ID for verification (encrypted and securely stored)
Profile Information
- Relationship preferences and intentions
- Cultural background (tribe, ethnicity)
- Religious beliefs and practices
- Interests, hobbies, and lifestyle
- Family values and expectations
Usage Information
- Messages, matches, and interactions
- Login history and device information
- IP addresses and browser type
- Pages visited and features used
- Payment transaction details (encrypted)
🔐 Sensitive Information: We never collect or store banking credentials directly. All payments are processed through PCI DSS compliant third-party processors (M-Pesa, Airtel Money, Paystack, Flutterwave).
How We Use Your Information
Core Platform Features
- Create and manage your profile
- Match you with compatible partners
- Enable messaging and communication
- Facilitate video and voice calls
- Process subscriptions and payments
Safety & Security
- Verify identities to prevent fraud
- Detect and prevent suspicious activity
- Enforce our Community Guidelines
- Provide emergency contact features
- Investigate safety incidents
Improvement & Personalization
- Improve matching algorithms
- Personalize your experience
- Analyze usage patterns
- Develop new features
Communication
- Send important account updates
- Share match recommendations
- Notify about platform changes
- Respond to support requests
Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR & DPA 2019)
📝 Contract Performance
Processing necessary to provide you with our dating platform services.
✅ Legitimate Interests
Improving our services, ensuring security, preventing fraud, and marketing (where permitted).
❤️ Consent
For optional features like location services, marketing communications, and certain data processing.
⚖️ Legal Obligations
Compliance with applicable laws, court orders, or regulatory requirements.
Data Sharing & Third Parties
We never sell your personal information. We share data only when necessary for platform functionality:
💰 Payment Processors
M-Pesa, Airtel Money, Paystack, Flutterwave, Banks
☁️ Cloud Hosting
AWS, Google Cloud (encrypted storage)
📧 Communication
Email and SMS service providers
🛡️ Safety & Compliance
Law enforcement when legally required
Data Retention
We retain your data only as long as necessary:
- ✓ Active accounts: Data retained while your account is active
- ✓ Deleted accounts: Data deleted within 30 days of account deletion request
- ✓ Inactive accounts: After 2 years of inactivity, we will notify you before deletion
- ✓ Legal retention: Some data may be retained longer for legal or safety purposes
Your Privacy Rights
Depending on your location, you may have the following rights:
Know what data we hold about you
Correct inaccurate data
Request account deletion ("Right to be forgotten")
Limit how we process your data
Receive your data in a machine-readable format
Opt-out of certain processing (e.g., marketing)
🌍 For Kenyan Users (DPA 2019): You have the right to lodge a complaint with the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC) if you believe your rights have been violated.
International Data Transfers
As a pan-African platform with global users, your data may be transferred to and processed in:
- Kenya (primary data center)
- South Africa (backup and disaster recovery)
- European Union (for GDPR compliance processing)
- United States (for cloud services - AWS, Google Cloud)
- United Kingdom (for diaspora user services)
🛡️ Safeguards: We implement Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) and ensure adequate protection measures for all international transfers in compliance with GDPR and local data protection laws.
Cookies & Tracking Technologies
We use cookies to enhance your experience:
Essential Cookies
Required for login, security, and core functionality
Preference Cookies
Remember your theme, language, and settings
Analytics Cookies
Help us understand platform usage (optional)
Marketing Cookies
Personalize ads (optional, with consent)
Data Security Measures
AES-256 for stored data, TLS 1.3 for data in transit
Strict role-based access to personal data
Quarterly security assessments and penetration testing
24/7 monitoring and breach notification procedures
Children's Privacy
AfroPendo is strictly for users aged 18 and above. We do not knowingly collect information from minors. If you believe a minor has created an account, please contact us immediately at privacy@afropendo.com.
Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this policy periodically. Significant changes will be notified via:
- Email notification to registered users
- In-app notification on your next login
- Banner notice on the website
The "Last Updated" date at the top indicates when changes were made.
Contact Our Privacy Team
For privacy-related questions, data requests, or concerns:
📋 Data Protection Officer (DPO): For GDPR and DPA 2019 compliance matters, contact our DPO at dpo@afropendo.com