1. Overview
Arfric Inc ("Arfric", "we", "us", or "our") is committed to protecting your personal data. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, share, and safeguard your information when you use the Arfric mobile application and related services.
By using Arfric, you agree to the practices described in this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, please stop using our services and contact us to delete your account.
This policy applies to all users globally and is designed to comply with:
- EU/UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
- Ghana Data Protection Act, 2012 (Act 843)
- Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR)
- California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)
- Other applicable national and regional privacy laws
2. Data We Collect
2.1 Information You Provide
| Data Type | Examples | Required? |
|---|---|---|
| Account Information | Name, email address, username, password | Yes |
| Profile Information | Profile photo, bio, location, phone number | Optional |
| Content | Posts, photos, videos, comments, messages | User-generated |
| Payment Information | Billing details (processed by third-party payment providers) | If applicable |
| Communications | Support requests, feedback, survey responses | When submitted |
2.2 Data Collected Automatically
| Data Type | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Device Information | Device model, OS version, unique device identifiers |
| Log Data | IP address, access times, pages viewed, app crashes |
| Location Data | Approximate location (with permission) for local features |
| Usage Data | Features used, content interacted with, time spent |
| Cookies & Identifiers | Session tokens, analytics identifiers (see Section 12) |
3. How We Use Your Data
We use your personal data only for the purposes described below and no other purpose without your consent:
- Providing and improving the Service — operating the app, personalising your experience, and developing new features.
- Account management — creating and maintaining your account, authentication, and security.
- Communications — sending service notices, responding to support requests, and (with consent) marketing messages.
- Safety and moderation — detecting fraud, abuse, or violations of our community guidelines.
- Analytics — understanding how users interact with the app to improve performance and usability.
- Legal compliance — meeting obligations under applicable laws and regulations.
- Payments — processing transactions and preventing fraudulent payments.
We will never sell your personal data to third parties.
4. Legal Basis for Processing GDPR
Where the GDPR applies, we rely on the following legal bases:
| Legal Basis | When We Use It |
|---|---|
| Contract (Art. 6(1)(b)) | Providing the services you signed up for |
| Legitimate Interests (Art. 6(1)(f)) | Security, fraud prevention, product improvement |
| Consent (Art. 6(1)(a)) | Marketing communications, optional features, certain cookies |
| Legal Obligation (Art. 6(1)(c)) | Compliance with laws and regulatory requests |
You may withdraw consent at any time without affecting the lawfulness of prior processing.
5. Sharing Your Data
We do not sell your personal data. We may share your data in the following limited circumstances:
- Service Providers: Trusted companies that help us deliver our service (cloud hosting, analytics, customer support), bound by data processing agreements.
- Business Transfers: In connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, where data protection obligations transfer to the new entity.
- Legal Requirements: When required by law, court order, or government authority with valid legal process.
- Safety: To protect the rights, property, or safety of Arfric, our users, or the public.
- With Your Consent: For any purpose you explicitly approve beyond what is described here.
All third-party service providers are contractually obligated to use your data only for the specific purpose of providing services to us and to maintain appropriate security standards.
6. Third-Party Services
Our app integrates with the following third-party services, each with their own privacy policy:
We are not responsible for the privacy practices of third-party services. We encourage you to review their policies.
7. International Data Transfers
Arfric is based in Ghana and serves users globally. Your data may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your country of residence, including countries that may not provide the same level of data protection as your home country.
Where we transfer data internationally, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, such as:
- Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) approved by the European Commission
- Adequacy decisions by relevant data protection authorities
- Binding Corporate Rules where applicable
8. Data Retention
We retain your personal data only as long as necessary for the purposes described in this policy:
| Data Category | Retention Period |
|---|---|
| Account & profile data | Duration of account + 30-day deletion grace period |
| Content (posts, media) | Duration of account; deleted with account |
| Transaction records | 7 years (financial regulation compliance) |
| Safety & fraud logs | Up to 90 days post-account deletion |
| Support communications | 3 years from last interaction |
| Anonymised analytics | Indefinitely (not personally identifiable) |
9. Security
We implement commercially reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data, including:
- Encryption of data in transit (TLS/HTTPS) and at rest
- Access controls and authentication requirements for staff
- Regular security assessments and vulnerability testing
- Incident response and data breach notification procedures
⚠️ No method of electronic transmission or storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your data, we cannot guarantee absolute security. In the event of a data breach affecting your rights, we will notify you as required by applicable law.
10. Your Rights
Depending on your location, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:
Access
Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Rectification
Correct inaccurate or incomplete personal data.
Erasure
Request deletion of your personal data ("right to be forgotten").
Portability
Receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format.
Restriction
Request we limit how we process your data in certain circumstances.
Object
Object to processing based on legitimate interests or for marketing.
Withdraw Consent
Withdraw consent for optional processing at any time.
Lodge a Complaint
Complain to your local data protection authority.
To exercise any of these rights, contact us at [email protected]. We will respond within 30 days. To delete your account, visit our Account Deletion page.
11. Children's Privacy
Arfric is not intended for children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 13 years of age.
If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us at [email protected] immediately. We will promptly delete such information from our servers.
Users between 13 and 18 years of age may use Arfric only with verifiable parental or guardian consent where required by applicable law.
12. Cookies & Tracking Technologies
We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to improve your experience. Types of cookies we use:
| Cookie Type | Purpose | Can You Opt Out? |
|---|---|---|
| Essential | Login sessions, security, core functionality | No (required for service) |
| Analytics | Understanding how users use the app | Yes |
| Preferences | Remembering your settings and choices | Yes |
| Third-party | Third-party libraries (e.g. Google Analytics) | Yes |
You can control cookies through your device settings or browser preferences. Disabling certain cookies may affect app functionality.
13. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. When we make material changes, we will:
- Update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page
- Send a notification through the app or to your registered email address
- For significant changes, obtain fresh consent where required by law
Your continued use of Arfric after the effective date of any update constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.
14. Contact Us
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal data, please contact our Data Protection team:
- Email: [email protected]
- Address: Arfric Inc, Accra-Achimota, Ghana
- Phone: +233 592 701 297
We aim to respond to all privacy-related requests within 30 days. For complex requests, we may extend this period by a further 60 days, in which case we will notify you.
If you are not satisfied with our response, you have the right to lodge a complaint with your national data protection authority. In Ghana, this is the Data Protection Commission.