Privacy Policy - WheePool

POPIA Compliance: WheePool is committed to protecting your privacy and complying with the Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013 (POPIA) and all applicable South African data protection laws.

1. Introduction

WheePool ("we," "us," or "our") operates a carpooling mobile application and related services (collectively, the "Service"). This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your personal information when you use our Service.

By using WheePool, you consent to the data practices described in this Privacy Policy.

2. Legal Basis for Processing

We process your personal information in accordance with POPIA under the following lawful bases:

Consent: You have given explicit consent for us to process your personal information for specific purposes
Contractual Necessity: Processing is necessary to fulfill our contractual obligations with you
Legitimate Interests: Processing is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided these do not override your rights
Legal Obligations: Processing is required to comply with South African law

3. Information We Collect

3.1 Personal Information You Provide

Account Registration:

Full name, email address, phone number
Date of birth and profile photo (optional)
Government-issued ID number (for verification purposes only)

Driver Information (for drivers only):

Driver's license number and expiry date
Vehicle registration, make, model, year, and color
Vehicle photos and proof of ownership
Vehicle insurance details

Payment Information:

Bank account details (for driver payouts)
Payment card information (processed securely by our payment provider)
Transaction history and billing address

3.2 Information Collected Automatically

Device Information: Device type, operating system, unique identifiers, IP address
Location Information: Real-time GPS location (when using navigation features), pickup/drop-off locations, route information
Usage Information: App usage patterns, features accessed, search queries

4. How We Use Your Information

4.1 Service Provision

Create and manage your account
Facilitate ride bookings and carpooling arrangements
Process payments and refunds
Enable communication between drivers and passengers
Provide navigation and route optimization

4.2 Safety and Security

Verify user identities
Conduct background checks on drivers
Monitor and prevent fraudulent activities
Respond to emergencies

5. How We Share Your Information

5.1 With Other Users

Passengers can see: Driver's name, profile photo, rating, and vehicle information

Drivers can see: Passenger's name, profile photo, rating, and pickup/drop-off locations

5.2 With Service Providers

We share information with third-party service providers who perform services on our behalf:

Secure payment gateways for processing transactions
Cloud infrastructure providers for data storage and processing
Mapping services for navigation features
Verification providers for identity checks

All service providers are contractually obligated to protect your information.

5.3 For Safety and Legal Reasons

We may disclose your information to law enforcement, government authorities, or courts when required by law, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of WheePool, our users, or the public.

6. Data Retention

Active Accounts: Information retained while your account is active
Inactive Accounts: Accounts inactive for 3 years may be deleted after notification
Ride History: Retained for 7 years for legal and accounting purposes
Financial Records: Retained for 7 years as required by South African law
Deleted Accounts: Most data deleted within 90 days

7. Your Rights Under POPIA

Under the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), you have the following rights:

Right to Access: Request access to your personal information
Right to Correction: Request correction of inaccurate information
Right to Deletion: Request deletion of your personal information
Right to Object: Object to processing for direct marketing
Right to Restrict Processing: Request restriction in certain circumstances
Right to Data Portability: Receive your data in a structured format
Right to Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent at any time
Right to Lodge a Complaint: Lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator

Information Regulator (South Africa)

JD House, 27 Stiemens Street
Braamfontein, Johannesburg, 2001
Email: inforeg@justice.gov.za
Website: www.justice.gov.za/inforeg

8. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information:

Encryption: All data transmitted is encrypted using SSL/TLS
Secure Storage: Personal information stored on secure servers with access controls
Payment Security: Payment card information processed by PCI-DSS compliant processors
Regular Security Audits: Periodic security assessments and vulnerability testing

9. Children's Privacy

WheePool is not intended for use by individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18. If you believe we have collected information from a child under 18, please contact us at privacy@wheepool.com.

10. International Data Transfers

Your personal information is primarily stored and processed in South Africa. If we transfer information outside of South Africa, we will ensure appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your information in accordance with POPIA.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of material changes by posting the updated Privacy Policy in the app and sending an email notification.

Your continued use of the Service after changes become effective constitutes acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.

12. Contact Us

WheePool

Email: privacy@wheepool.com
Website: www.wheepool.com

POPIA Compliance Statement: WheePool is committed to full compliance with the Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013 (POPIA). We regularly review and update our data protection practices to maintain compliance with evolving legal requirements.