Privacy Policy

1. Information We Actually Collect

We only collect information necessary to operate our marketplace safely and effectively:

Account Information

• Name: Your full name for profile display
• Email address: For account verification and notifications
• WhatsApp number: Verified via OTP for security and communication (never shared publicly)
• Location: Your general area in Lilongwe (e.g., "Area 11", "Old Town") for local trading

Listing Information

• Photos of items you're selling
• Item descriptions, prices, and categories
• Listing creation and update timestamps

Automatically Collected Data

• Device type and browser information
• Pages visited and search queries
• IP address (for security and fraud prevention only)

2. How We Use Your Information

Your information is used exclusively for these purposes:

• ✅ Verification: Confirm your WhatsApp number ownership via OTP
• ✅ Platform functionality: Enable listing creation, search, and browsing
• ✅ Local trading: Show listings relevant to your Lilongwe area
• ✅ Security: Detect and prevent fraud, spam, and abuse
• ✅ Communication: Send important account notifications via emails and WhatsApp
• ❌ We NEVER sell your data to third parties or advertisers
• ❌ We NEVER require ID documents for basic platform access

3. Information Sharing

We share information only when absolutely necessary:

• With other users: Your name, verified badge status, and listing details (photos, description, price, general location in Lilongwe)
• With service providers: Only trusted partners who help us operate the platform (e.g., WhatsApp Business API for verification, basic hosting services)
• Legal compliance: Only if required by Malawian law or to protect our users from harm

Important: Your WhatsApp number is never displayed publicly on listings. Buyers contact you through our platform's click-to-WhatsApp feature.

4. Your Privacy Rights

As a MalondaPlace user in Malawi, you have these rights:

• Access: Request a copy of all personal data we hold about you
• Correction: Update your name, email, or location information
• Deletion: Request complete account deletion at any time
• Export: Receive your listing data in a portable format
• Objection: Opt out of non-essential communications

To exercise these rights, contact us at privacy@malondaplace.com.

5. Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures:

• ✅ All data encrypted in transit (HTTPS)
• ✅ WhatsApp numbers stored with irreversible hashing
• ✅ Regular security audits and monitoring
• ✅ Minimal data collection (we only store what's essential)
• ✅ No sensitive documents stored (we don't collect them!)

6. Data Retention

We keep your information only as long as necessary:

• Active accounts: Data retained while your account is active
• Inactive accounts: Automatically deleted after 24 months of inactivity
• Deleted accounts: All personal data permanently removed within 30 days
• Listings: Removed immediately when marked as "sold" or deleted

7. Children's Privacy

MalondaPlace is strictly for users 18 years and older. We do not knowingly collect information from minors and will immediately delete any accounts found to belong to underage users.

8. Policy Updates

We'll notify you of any privacy policy changes:

• Updates posted on this page with a new "Last Updated" date
• Significant changes communicated via WhatsApp notification
• Continued use of MalondaPlace constitutes acceptance of changes

9. Contact Us

Questions about your privacy? Contact our Lilongwe-based team:

• Email: support@malondaplace.com
• WhatsApp: 24/7
• Address: Lilongwe, Malawi

We respond to all privacy inquiries.