Privacy Policy

Last Updated: 03 October 2025

1. Introduction

PostBeacon ("we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our social media management platform at postbeacon.co.za (the "Service").

This Privacy Policy complies with the Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013 (POPI Act) of South Africa and other applicable data protection laws.

By using PostBeacon, you consent to the data practices described in this policy.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide Directly

Account Information

• Name and surname
• Email address
• Phone number (optional)
• Password (encrypted)
• Company/business name
• Billing address
• Payment information (processed securely through third-party payment processors)

Profile Information

• Profile photo
• Bio or description
• Time zone and language preferences
• Communication preferences

Content You Create

• Social media posts and captions
• Images, videos, and other media files
• Scheduled post data
• Comments and messages
• Analytics preferences

2.2 Social Media Account Information

When you connect your social media accounts to PostBeacon, we collect:

• Social media account credentials (OAuth tokens, not passwords)
• Profile information from connected accounts
• Post performance data (likes, shares, comments, reach)
• Follower/audience demographics
• Page/account insights and analytics

2.3 Automatically Collected Information

Usage Data

• IP address
• Browser type and version
• Device information (type, operating system)
• Pages visited and features used
• Time and date of visits
• Time spent on pages
• Referring website addresses
• Click-stream data

Cookies and Tracking Technologies

• Session cookies (essential for Service functionality)
• Preference cookies (remember your settings)
• Analytics cookies (understand how you use the Service)
• Marketing cookies (with your consent)

2.4 Information from Third Parties

• Social media platform data (from Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc.)
• Payment processor information (transaction confirmations)
• Authentication services (if you use social login)

3. How We Use Your Information

3.1 To Provide and Maintain the Service

• Create and manage your account
• Process your subscription and payments
• Schedule and publish social media posts
• Provide analytics and performance insights
• Enable team collaboration features
• Provide customer support

3.2 To Improve and Optimize

• Analyze usage patterns to improve features
• Conduct research and development
• Test new features and functionality
• Monitor and analyze trends
• Detect and prevent technical issues

3.3 To Communicate With You

• Send service announcements and updates
• Respond to your inquiries and requests
• Send billing statements and payment reminders
• Provide technical support
• Send marketing communications (with your consent)
• Request feedback and reviews

3.4 For Security and Legal Compliance

• Protect against fraud and abuse
• Enforce our Terms and Conditions
• Comply with legal obligations
• Respond to law enforcement requests
• Protect our rights and property

3.5 With Your Consent

• Send promotional emails (you can opt-out anytime)
• Display personalized content
• Any other purpose disclosed to you at the time of collection

4. Legal Basis for Processing (POPI Act Compliance)

We process your personal information based on:

• Consent: You have given clear consent for us to process your personal information for specific purposes
• Contract: Processing is necessary to fulfill our contract with you (providing the Service)
• Legal Obligation: Processing is necessary to comply with South African law
• Legitimate Interests: Processing is necessary for our legitimate business interests (fraud prevention, service improvement)

5. How We Share Your Information

5.1 We DO NOT Sell Your Personal Information

PostBeacon does not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for marketing purposes.

5.2 Service Providers

We share information with trusted third-party service providers who assist us:

Infrastructure Providers

• Cloud hosting services (servers and databases)
• Content delivery networks

Payment Processors

• Stripe, PayPal, PayFast, or other payment gateways
• They handle payment information securely and independently

Social Media Platforms

• Facebook, Instagram, Twitter/X, LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube, etc.
• Information is shared to publish your content on these platforms

Analytics Services

• Usage analytics providers
• Performance monitoring tools

Communication Tools

• Email service providers (for transactional and marketing emails)
• Customer support platforms

All service providers are contractually obligated to protect your information and use it only for specified purposes.

5.3 Business Transfers

If PostBeacon is involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred. We will notify you before your information becomes subject to a different privacy policy.

5.4 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required by law or in response to:

• Court orders or subpoenas
• Legal processes
• Government or regulatory requests
• Protection of our rights or safety of others
• Investigation of fraud or security issues

5.5 Team Members (For Team Accounts)

If you're part of a team account, the account administrator can access:

• Team member names and email addresses
• Content created by team members
• Usage activity within the team workspace

5.6 Aggregated and Anonymized Data

We may share aggregated, anonymized data that cannot identify you individually for:

• Industry research
• Marketing purposes
• Service improvement analysis

6. Data Security

6.1 Security Measures

We implement industry-standard security measures including:

• SSL/TLS encryption for data transmission
• Encrypted storage of sensitive data
• Secure authentication protocols
• Regular security audits
• Access controls and authentication
• Firewall protection
• Intrusion detection systems

6.2 Social Media Credentials

• We use OAuth tokens, not passwords
• Tokens are encrypted in our database
• We never ask for or store your social media passwords

6.3 Payment Security

• Payment information is processed by PCI-DSS compliant payment processors
• We do not store complete credit card numbers
• All payment data is encrypted

6.4 Limitations

No method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

7. Data Retention and Deletion

7.1 Active Accounts

We retain your information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide services.

7.2 Account Deletion Timeline

When you delete your account:

• Immediate (Day 0): Account access is disabled
• Within 7 days: Account is deactivated and scheduled posts are cancelled
• Within 30 days: Personal data is deleted from active systems
• Within 180 days: Data is removed from backup systems as backups expire
• Confirmation: You receive email confirmation once deletion is complete

7.3 What Gets Deleted

When you request account deletion, we remove:

• Account information (name, email, phone, password, profile photo)
• Content data (scheduled posts, drafts, uploaded media)
• Social media connections (OAuth tokens)
• Analytics data and insights
• Usage data, preferences, and settings

7.4 What May Be Retained

Some information may be retained for legal or operational purposes:

• Legal Compliance: Transaction records required by tax laws (5 years)
• Security & Fraud Prevention: Logs needed to investigate fraud
• Dispute Resolution: Information related to pending legal claims
• Aggregated Data: Anonymized data that cannot identify you
• Backup Systems: Data in backups for up to 180 days

8. How to Delete Your Data

8.1 Method 1: Self-Service Account Deletion (Recommended)

1. Log in to your PostBeacon account at postbeacon.co.za
2. Navigate to Settings → Account Settings
3. Scroll to the Danger Zone section
4. Click "Delete Account"
5. Confirm your decision and optionally provide a reason
6. Enter your password to authorize
7. Click "Permanently Delete My Account"

Note: This action is immediate and cannot be undone. All subscriptions will be cancelled.

8.2 Method 2: Email Request

Send a deletion request to: privacy@postbeacon.co.za

Subject: Data Deletion Request

Include:

• Your full name (as registered)
• Email address associated with your account
• Reason for deletion (optional)
• Any additional account identifiers (username, company name)

We will verify your identity and process your request within 30 days as required by POPI Act.

8.3 Method 3: Social Media Platform Deletion

If you connected PostBeacon through Facebook, Instagram, or other platforms:

1. Go to your platform's Settings & Privacy
2. Navigate to Apps and Websites
3. Find PostBeacon and click Remove
4. Select "Delete all your activities"

This revokes PostBeacon's access and triggers data deletion within 30 days.

8.4 Before You Delete - Important Considerations

⚠️ Please Note:

• Action is Permanent: Deleted accounts cannot be recovered
• Active Subscriptions: Paid subscriptions will be cancelled (no refunds)
• Scheduled Posts: All scheduled posts will be cancelled
• Team Access: Team members may lose access to shared content
• Connected Accounts: Manually revoke access on social platforms
• Data Export: Consider exporting your data first (see section 8.5)

8.5 Export Your Data Before Deletion

To download a copy of your data:

1. Log in to PostBeacon
2. Go to Settings → Privacy & Data
3. Click "Download My Data"
4. Select data types (posts, analytics, account info)
5. Click "Request Export"
6. Receive download link via email within 24-48 hours

The export includes all your content, scheduled posts, analytics, and account information in JSON/CSV format.

8.6 Alternative Options to Deletion

Consider these alternatives if you're not ready for permanent deletion:

• Deactivate Account: Temporarily suspend without deleting data
• Downgrade Plan: Switch to a free plan to reduce costs
• Disconnect Accounts: Remove specific social connections only
• Pause Subscription: Keep account but cancel billing

9. Your Rights Under POPI Act

As a South African data subject, you have the right to:

9.1 Right to Access

Request copies of your personal information we hold.

9.2 Right to Rectification

Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information.

9.3 Right to Deletion (Right to be Forgotten)

Request deletion of your personal information (subject to legal retention requirements).

9.4 Right to Object

Object to processing of your information for certain purposes.

9.5 Right to Restriction

Request restriction of processing under certain circumstances.

9.6 Right to Data Portability

Request your data in a structured, commonly used format.

9.7 Right to Withdraw Consent

Withdraw consent for processing where consent is the legal basis.

9.8 Right to Lodge a Complaint

Lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa.

To exercise these rights, contact us at: privacy@postbeacon.co.za

We will respond to your request within 30 days as required by the POPI Act.

10. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

10.1 Types of Cookies We Use

Essential Cookies (Required)

• Session management
• Authentication
• Security features

Functional Cookies (Optional)

• Remember your preferences
• Language and region settings

Analytics Cookies (Optional)

• Understand how you use the Service
• Improve user experience
• Track performance

Marketing Cookies (Optional, requires consent)

• Deliver relevant advertisements
• Measure ad campaign effectiveness

10.2 Managing Cookies

You can control cookies through:

• Browser settings (block or delete cookies)
• Our cookie consent banner
• Your account preferences

Note: Blocking essential cookies may affect Service functionality.

10.3 Third-Party Cookies

Social media platforms, analytics providers, and advertising networks may place their own cookies. We do not control these third-party cookies.

11. Third-Party Links and Services

PostBeacon may contain links to third-party websites and integrates with social media platforms. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these external services. We encourage you to review their privacy policies.

12. Children's Privacy

PostBeacon is not intended for users under 18 years of age. We do not knowingly collect information from children. If we become aware that we have collected information from a child under 18, we will delete it promptly.

13. International Data Transfers

Your information is primarily stored in South Africa. If we transfer data internationally, we ensure adequate safeguards are in place as required by the POPI Act.

14. AI and Automated Processing

14.1 AI-Generated Content

Our AI features analyze your inputs to generate content suggestions. This processing is:

• Automated but reviewed by you before publishing
• Based on your instructions and preferences
• Not used to make decisions that significantly affect you

14.2 Analytics and Insights

We use automated tools to:

• Analyze post performance
• Suggest optimal posting times
• Generate reports and insights

15. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically. Changes will be:

• Posted on this page with an updated "Last Updated" date
• Notified to you via email for material changes
• Effective immediately upon posting

Your continued use of PostBeacon after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

16. Information Regulator Contact

If you have concerns about our privacy practices, you may contact the Information Regulator of South Africa:

Information Regulator (South Africa)
JD House, 27 Stiemens Street
Braamfontein, Johannesburg, 2001
P.O Box 31533, Braamfontein, Johannesburg, 2017
Email: inforeg@justice.gov.za
Website: www.justice.gov.za/inforeg

17. Contact Us

For questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal information:

PostBeacon - Information Officer
Email: privacy@postbeacon.co.za
Support: support@postbeacon.co.za
Website: postbeacon.co.za
Address: [Your South African Business Address]

Response Time: We aim to respond to all privacy inquiries within 30 days as required by the POPI Act.

By using PostBeacon, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy and consent to the collection, use, and disclosure of your information as described herein.