Privacy Policy

At Soko Marketplace ("Soko", "we", "us"), we are committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and your rights, in line with Tanzania's Personal Data Protection Act, 2022 (PDPA).

1. Information We Collect

• Account information: name, email address, phone number, and password (encrypted).
• Business information (Sellers): business name, description, phone number, shop location/address, and logo/photos.
• Location data: if you grant permission, your device's GPS coordinates, used to show nearby shops and estimated distance. You can decline this without losing access to the rest of Soko.
• Content you provide: product listings and photos, reviews and ratings, and messages sent through the platform.
• Wishlist: the products you save, and the price at the time you saved them, so we can tell you when a price drops.
• Google account information: if you sign in with Google, we receive your name, email address, and profile photo from Google.
• Order history: items ordered, quantities, delivery option, notes, and order status.
• Promotion records (Sellers): which products you promoted (Boost or Featured) and for how long.
• Technical data: login session cookies (to keep you signed in), saved app files for faster loading, and, if enabled, push notification subscription details.

2. How We Use Your Information

• To provide, operate, and improve the Soko platform
• To process and display orders between Buyers and Sellers
• To show nearby shops and calculate distance (only if you've shared your location)
• To send order updates by email and, if enabled, push notifications
• To email you when the price of a product on your wishlist drops
• To send important messages to Sellers about their shop, products, or promotions
• To display reviews and ratings publicly, as described below
• To protect against fraud, abuse, and unauthorized access

3. What's Public on Soko

To function as a marketplace, some information is visible to anyone browsing Soko, including: a Seller's business name, shop location, phone number/WhatsApp (shown to buyers who choose to contact the seller), product listings, and any reviews or ratings left by customers. Please keep this in mind before entering business contact details or writing a review.

4. Information Sharing

We do not sell your personal information. We share information only with:

• Service providers who help us run Soko: Vercel (hosting and image storage), Neon (database), and Resend (sending emails)
• Google, only for the purpose of Google Sign-In authentication
• OpenStreetMap, which receives map coordinates to display maps (no personal account information is sent)
• Law enforcement, when required by Tanzanian law
• Other users, only where necessary for the marketplace to function (e.g., a Seller sees the name of a customer who ordered from them)

5. Payments

Soko does not process payments for orders. Buyers and Sellers agree on payment and delivery between themselves. For paid promotions, payment is arranged directly with us (for example by mobile money), and we keep a record of the promotion, not your mobile money PIN or account details.

6. International Data Storage

Some of our hosting and database providers store data on servers located outside Tanzania. Where this happens, we take reasonable steps to protect your information in accordance with the PDPA's requirements for cross-border data transfer.

7. Data Security

We use industry-standard measures (such as password encryption) to protect your information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. No online service can guarantee absolute security.

8. Data Retention

We retain your information for as long as your account is active, or as needed to provide our services, comply with our legal obligations, and resolve disputes.

9. Your Rights

Under the PDPA, you have the right to:

• Access, correct, or request deletion of your personal information
• Withdraw consent (for example, by revoking location access in your device settings, or by deleting your account)
• Request a copy of your data
• Lodge a complaint with the Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC) of Tanzania if you believe your data has been mishandled

10. Children's Privacy

Soko is intended for users aged 18 and above. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18. If you believe a minor has provided us with personal information, please contact us so we can remove it.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will post the updated version here with a new "Last updated" date.

12. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your rights, please contact us: