Privacy Policy

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Information You Provide

• Account Information: Name, email, phone number, university details
• Profile Information: Bio, photos, preferences, emergency contacts
• Booking Information: Accommodation preferences, payment details, booking history
• Communication: Messages between students and hosts, support communications

1.2 Information We Collect Automatically

• Usage Data: How you interact with our platform, pages visited, features used
• Device Information: Device type, browser, IP address, location data
• Cookies: We use cookies to improve your experience and analyze platform usage

2. How We Use Your Information

2.1 Platform Operations

• Facilitate bookings between students and hosts
• Process payments and manage transactions
• Provide customer support and resolve disputes
• Verify user identities and maintain platform safety

2.2 Communication

• Send booking confirmations and updates
• Notify you of messages from hosts or students
• Share important platform updates and policy changes
• Send promotional offers (with your consent)

2.3 Platform Improvement

• Analyze usage patterns to improve our services
• Develop new features based on user needs
• Ensure platform security and prevent fraud

3. Information Sharing

3.1 With Other Users

We share necessary information to facilitate bookings:

• Students can see host contact information and property details
• Hosts can see student profiles and booking requests
• Both parties can communicate through our messaging system

3.2 With Service Providers

We work with trusted third parties to provide our services:

• Payment processors for secure transactions
• Cloud hosting providers for data storage
• Analytics services to improve platform performance
• Customer support tools to assist users

3.3 Legal Requirements

We may disclose information when required by law or to protect our users and platform.

4. Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your information:

• Encryption of sensitive data in transit and at rest
• Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments
• Access controls limiting who can view your information
• Secure payment processing through certified providers

5. Your Rights and Choices

5.1 Account Management

• Update your profile information at any time
• Control your communication preferences
• Download your data or request account deletion

5.2 Marketing Communications

• Opt out of promotional emails at any time
• Control push notification settings
• Manage cookie preferences in your browser

6. Data Retention

We retain your information for as long as necessary to provide our services:

• Account information: Until you delete your account
• Booking history: 7 years for legal and tax purposes
• Communication records: 3 years for dispute resolution
• Usage analytics: Aggregated data may be retained indefinitely

7. International Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than Ghana where our service providers operate. We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place.

8. Children's Privacy

Our platform is designed for university students (typically 18+). We do not knowingly collect information from children under 18 without parental consent.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time. We will notify users of significant changes and post the updated policy on our platform.

10. Contact Us

If you have questions about this privacy policy or our data practices, contact us:

• Email: privacy@purchet.com
• Phone: +233 123 456 789
• Address: 123 Liberation Road, Accra, Ghana