Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

This Privacy Policy describes how Cosmo City Chronicle ("CCClive", "we", "us", or "our") collects, uses, shares, and protects your information when you use the CCClive website at ccclive.online and our Android mobile application (together, the "Service"). By creating an account or using the Service, you agree to the practices described in this policy.

Cosmo City Chronicle is a community news publisher based in Johannesburg, South Africa. We comply with the Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013 (POPIA).

2. Information We Collect

We collect the following categories of information:

• Account information: your name, email address, and password (stored in encrypted form) when you register. If you sign in with Google, we receive your name, email address, and profile photo from your Google account.
• Profile and user-generated content: content you choose to submit, such as community notices, classified listings, business listings, CVs/résumés you upload, comments, and any images or documents attached to them.
• Transaction information: when you purchase a subscription, our payment processors (PayFast and Stripe) process your payment. We receive confirmation of payment and subscription status, but we do not store your full card or banking details on our servers.
• Usage data: pages viewed, articles read, features used, and general interaction data used to improve the Service.
• Device and technical data: device type, operating system, browser type, app version, and IP address (used for security and to approximate general region, not precise location).

We do not collect precise GPS location, contacts, SMS, call logs, or microphone/camera data except when you explicitly attach a photo or file you have chosen yourself.

3. How We Use Your Information

• To create and manage your account and authenticate sign-in.
• To publish and display content you choose to submit.
• To process subscriptions and provide access to paid features.
• To send you service messages and, where you have opted in, newsletters and updates.
• To personalise and improve the Service and analyse usage trends.
• To keep the Service safe, prevent fraud and abuse, and comply with legal obligations.

We do not use your personal information for automated decision-making that produces legal or similarly significant effects on you.

4. How Your Information Is Shared

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We share information only with the service providers that operate our platform, and only to the extent needed to run the Service:

• Google Firebase (authentication, database, storage, cloud messaging, and analytics).
• Sanity (content management for articles and editorial content).
• PayFast and Stripe (secure payment processing).
• Vercel (website and app hosting infrastructure).

These providers are bound by their own privacy and security obligations. We may also disclose information where required by law, court order, or to protect the rights, safety, and security of our users and the public.

5. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide the Service. When you delete your account, we remove your personal data and user-generated content as described in Section 7. Certain records (for example, transaction records) may be retained where required by law, and residual copies in encrypted backups are purged within 30 days.

6. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your information, including encryption in transit (HTTPS), secure authentication, and access controls. However, no method of transmission or electronic storage is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

7. Your Rights and Account Deletion

In accordance with POPIA, you have the right to access, correct, object to the processing of, or delete your personal information. You can permanently delete your account and associated personal data at any time — directly from the website or the Android app — by visiting our Account Deletion page. This removes your profile, posts, listings, uploaded documents, and comments. To exercise any other privacy right, contact us at safety@ccclive.online.

8. Children's Safety

The Service is intended for a general audience and is not directed at children under the age of 13. You must be at least 13 years old to create an account. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a child under 13 without appropriate parental consent, we will delete that information promptly. If you believe a child under 13 has provided us with personal information, please contact us at safety@ccclive.online so we can take action.

8.1 Zero Tolerance for Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation (CSAE)

We maintain a strict zero-tolerance policy toward child sexual abuse and exploitation (CSAE) and child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Such content, and any behaviour that endangers a child, is strictly prohibited anywhere on the Service. This standard applies to all user-generated content, including community notices, listings, comments, images, and uploaded files.

We take the following measures to uphold this standard:

• We prohibit CSAE/CSAM in our Terms of Use and community standards.
• We provide an in-app and on-site mechanism for users to report content or behaviour that may endanger a child (see below).
• We review reports promptly, remove violating content, and permanently ban offending accounts.
• We report apparent CSAM to the relevant authorities as required by law, including the South African Police Service and applicable child-protection bodies, and we preserve relevant information for such reports.

8.2 How to Report Child Safety Concerns

If you encounter any content or conduct on the Service that may involve the abuse, endangerment, or exploitation of a child, please report it immediately to our dedicated child-safety contact:

• Email: safety@ccclive.online (please include "Child Safety Report" in the subject line)
• Use the Report option available on user-submitted content within the Service.

Reports concerning child safety are treated as the highest priority. In an emergency where a child is in immediate danger, contact the South African Police Service on 10111 or the Childline South Africa helpline on 0800 055 555.

9. Cookies and Analytics

We use essential cookies to keep you signed in and to operate core features, and we use Firebase Analytics to understand how the Service is used so we can improve it. You can control cookies through your browser settings; disabling essential cookies may affect functionality.

10. International Data Transfers

Our service providers may process and store data on servers located outside South Africa. Where this occurs, we take steps to ensure your information continues to be protected in accordance with this policy and applicable law.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page and, where appropriate, notify you within the Service. Your continued use of the Service after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

12. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal information, contact us at safety@ccclive.online.