Privacy Policy

1. Our approach

Your privacy is important to us. It is IvoryOnline's policy to respect your privacy regarding any information we may collect from you across this website, ivoryonline.co.za, and any other sites, applications or systems we own and operate.

We only ask for personal information when we truly need it to provide a service to you. We collect it by fair and lawful means, with your knowledge and consent, and we tell you why we are collecting it and how it will be used.

2. Information we collect

Information you give us. When you submit our contact form we collect your name, email address, company name, website address, the type of project you are enquiring about, and the content of your message. Only your name, email address and message are required — the rest is optional.

Information collected automatically. Our website uses Google Analytics, which sets cookies and collects standard technical information such as your IP address, browser and device type, referring page, and the pages you visit. This is used in aggregate to understand how the site is used.

Information arising from client work. When we design, build, host or maintain software for you, we may be given access to systems or data that contain personal information about you, your staff or your own customers. We process that information only on your instruction and only to deliver the agreed services. In relation to that data you are the responsible party and we act as your operator.

3. Why we process it

• •To respond to your enquiry, prepare a quote and discuss your project.
• •To deliver, host, support and maintain the software and services you engage us for.
• •To invoice you and keep the accounting and tax records the law requires us to keep.
• •To understand how our website is used, so we can improve it.
• •To comply with a legal obligation, or to establish, exercise or defend a legal claim.

We do not sell your personal information, and we do not use it for automated decision-making or profiling.

4. Who we share it with

We do not share personally identifying information publicly or with third parties, except as set out below or where required by law. The following parties may process personal information on our behalf:

• •Our hosting provider — hosts this website and the mail server that delivers contact form submissions.
• •Google (Google Analytics) — website usage statistics. This may involve transferring technical information outside South Africa.
• •Professional advisors — our accountants and, where necessary, our attorneys.

Where a service provider is located outside South Africa, we take reasonable steps to satisfy ourselves that your information receives a level of protection substantially similar to that required by POPIA.

5. How long we keep it

We only retain collected information for as long as necessary to provide you with the service you requested, or for as long as the law requires. Enquiries that do not become projects are kept for up to two years so we can pick up the conversation if you come back to us. Records relating to a client engagement are kept for at least five years after the engagement ends, to meet our tax and company law obligations. Data held in systems we host for a client is retained according to that client's instructions and our agreement with them.

6. How we protect it

What data we store, we protect within commercially acceptable means to prevent loss and theft, as well as unauthorised access, disclosure, copying, use or modification. This includes encrypted connections to our website and mail server, access controls on our systems, and keeping credentials out of our source code repositories. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security. If a breach affecting your personal information occurs, we will notify you and the Information Regulator as POPIA requires.

7. Cookies and consent

Our website uses cookies set by Google Analytics to distinguish visitors and measure how the site is used. These are not essential to the website working.

No analytics cookies are set until you accept them. On your first visit we ask for your choice through a banner, and analytics storage stays switched off until you accept. If you decline, no analytics cookies are set and you keep full access to every part of the site. We store your choice locally in your browser so we do not have to ask again on every page.

You can change your mind at any time using the Cookie Settings link in the footer of any page, or by clearing cookies and site data in your browser. We do not use cookies for advertising, and we do not run advertising or social media tracking pixels.

8. Your rights

Under POPIA you have the right to:

• •Ask us to confirm what personal information we hold about you, and to be given a copy of it.
• •Ask us to correct, complete or delete information that is inaccurate, irrelevant, excessive, misleading or unlawfully obtained.
• •Object to our processing of your information, and withdraw any consent you have given.
• •Complain to the Information Regulator of South Africa.

You are free to refuse our request for your personal information, on the understanding that we may be unable to provide you with some of your desired services. To exercise any of these rights, email us at info@ivoryonline.co.za. We will respond within a reasonable time and may need to verify your identity first.

9. Children

Our website and services are intended for businesses and are not directed at children. We do not knowingly collect the personal information of a child without the consent of a competent person.

10. External links

Our website may link to external sites that are not operated by us. Please be aware that we have no control over the content and practices of these sites, and cannot accept responsibility or liability for their respective privacy policies.

11. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. The effective date at the top of this page shows when it was last revised, and the current version always lives at this address. Your continued use of our website will be regarded as acceptance of our practices around privacy and personal information.

12. Contact us

If you have any questions about how we handle user data and personal information, email info@ivoryonline.co.za or call 083 601 9242. You can also read our Terms and Conditions.