Privacy Policy
This Privacy Policy explains how the developer of Serafim ("the Developer", "we", "us", "our") collects, uses, stores, shares and protects your personal information when you use the Serafim Service. It should be read together with the Terms of Service, which govern your use of the app. We apply the data protection principles of Malawi's Data Protection Act and similar laws, and GDPR-style principles where they apply to users in the European Union or European Economic Area.
Information we collect
We collect the following personal information when you use Serafim:
- Account information: your Serafim user ID, the email address you signed up with, and - when you sign in with Google - your Google account identifiers and the profile details Google shares with us.
- Profile information: your display name, username, bio, profile photo, interests, friend and follower relationships, and the privacy settings you choose, such as who may send you friend requests or add you to groups.
- Content you create: posts, comments, chat messages and media attachments, reactions (sparks), and group information.
- Device and technical information: device identifiers, operating system and version, app version, IP address, push notification tokens, and diagnostics.
We do not knowingly collect precise GPS location or payment information.
How we use your information
We use your information to create and authenticate your account, store and deliver content and messages, operate feeds, circles, groups and chats, send notifications, enforce our rules and keep the Service safe, and understand how the Service is used so we can improve it.
Legal bases for our use
We process personal data on the basis of consent (for example when you sign up and accept the Terms), the performance of a contract with you, our legitimate interests in operating and securing the Service, and legal obligations. We apply data protection principles - lawfulness and legitimacy of processing, purpose limitation, data minimisation, accuracy, storage limitation, integrity and confidentiality.
How we share information
We do not sell your personal information. We share it only with the service providers that help us run the Service - including authentication, hosting, storage, cloud and push notification providers - and with other users when you share content with them, such as a post visible to your circles or a message delivered to a friend. We may also disclose information where required by law or to protect the rights and safety of people.
Retention and deletion
We keep your account information and content for as long as your account is active and needed to provide the Service. You can delete individual messages or posts from within the app; chat messages also have a per-device retention setting (by default they are kept). Chat backups you save to Google Drive are handled by Google. When you delete your account, we delete or deactivate the associated personal data, subject to any retention obligations under applicable law.
Security
We use reasonable technical and organisational measures - including encryption in transit and access controls - to protect your information. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.
Your rights
Depending on where you live, you may have rights to access, correct, delete, export or object to the processing of your personal data, and to withdraw consent. These rights may be provided directly by the data protection law that applies to you - including the GDPR for users in the European Union or European Economic Area, and Malawi's Data Protection Act. To exercise them, contact the Developer through the Serafim GitHub repository. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the relevant data protection authority.
Children's privacy
Serafim is not directed at children below the minimum age described in the Terms of Service. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we learn that we have collected it, we will delete it.
International transfers
Your information may be processed in Malawi and by service providers that may be located outside Malawi, including in other countries. Where data crosses borders, we rely on appropriate safeguards.
Changes and contact
We may update this Privacy Policy. The current version is always available in the app and is marked with a date. Your continued use of the Service after a change takes effect means you accept the updated Policy. Questions about this Policy can be sent to the Developer through the Serafim GitHub repository.
Contact
Contact the Developer through theSerafim GitHub repository.