Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Welcome to MarketSage ("we," "our," or "us"). We respect your privacy and are committed to protecting your personal data. This Privacy Policy explains how Market Sage Africa Ltd collects, uses, discloses, and safeguards your information when you use our Service.

By using MarketSage, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide

Account Information:

• Full name
• Email address
• Password (encrypted using bcrypt)
• Phone number (optional)
• Organization name
• Company information

Content You Create:

• Email campaigns and templates
• SMS messages and WhatsApp messages
• Contact lists and customer data
• Campaign analytics and reports
• Workflow configurations

2.2 Information We Collect Automatically

Usage Data:

• IP address
• Browser type and version
• Device information
• Pages visited and features used
• Time and date of visits
• UTM campaign parameters

3. How We Use Your Information

3.1 To Provide the Service

• Create and manage your account
• Process payments and subscriptions via Paystack
• Send service-related communications (password resets, billing notifications)
• Provide customer support
• Deliver campaign emails, SMS, and WhatsApp messages
• Generate analytics and reports

3.2 To Improve the Service

• Analyze usage patterns and user behavior
• Develop new features and capabilities
• Fix bugs and resolve technical issues
• Optimize application performance

3.3 To Communicate With You

• Send transactional emails (account-related, mandatory)
• Send marketing communications (only with your explicit consent)
• Respond to your support inquiries
• Send product updates and feature announcements

4. Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR)

For users in the European Union and other jurisdictions with similar data protection laws, we process personal data under the following legal bases:

4.1 Contract Performance

Processing necessary to provide the Service you requested

4.2 Legitimate Interests

• Fraud prevention and security
• Service improvements and optimization
• Business analytics and insights

4.3 Consent

• Marketing communications
• Optional features (AI recommendations, advanced analytics)
• Non-essential cookies

5. How We Share Your Information

We do NOT sell your personal data to third parties.

5.1 Service Providers

We use trusted third-party services that may access your data:

• Paystack: Payment processing
• Amazon Web Services (AWS): Cloud infrastructure and email delivery
• Redis: Session management and caching
• PostgreSQL: Database hosting
• OpenAI / DeepSeek: AI model inference (anonymized data only)

6. Data Retention

6.1 Active Accounts

We retain your data for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide services to you.

6.2 Deleted Accounts

After you request account deletion:

• Your data is marked for deletion within 30 days
• We retain a backup copy for 90 days to allow for recovery if needed
• Some data may be retained longer for legal, compliance, or legitimate business purposes

7. Your Rights and Choices

7.1 Access and Portability

• Request a copy of your personal data
• Download your data in JSON or CSV format via account settings

7.2 Correction

• Update inaccurate or incomplete data
• Correct errors in your profile information

7.3 Deletion (Right to be Forgotten)

• Request deletion of your personal data
• Delete your account through account settings
• Note: Some data may be retained as required by law

7.4 Withdraw Consent

• Withdraw consent at any time for marketing, cookies, or optional features
• Does not affect lawfulness of processing prior to withdrawal

To exercise your rights, contact us at: privacy@marketsage.africa

8. Marketing Communications

8.1 Opt-In Requirement

• Marketing emails require explicit opt-in during registration
• Checkboxes are unchecked by default (GDPR-compliant)
• You can change your marketing preferences at any time

8.2 Unsubscribe

• Every marketing email includes an unsubscribe link
• Unsubscribe requests are honored immediately
• You will still receive transactional emails (account-related, password resets, billing)

9. Data Security

9.1 Security Measures We Implement

• Encryption: TLS/SSL for data in transit, AES-256 for sensitive data at rest
• Authentication: Bcrypt password hashing, JWT token authentication, optional 2FA
• Access Controls: Role-based access control (RBAC)
• Infrastructure Security: Firewalls, intrusion detection, DDoS protection
• Regular Audits: Security audits, vulnerability assessments
• Backups: Encrypted daily backups

9.2 Data Breaches

In the event of a data breach:

• We will notify affected users within 72 hours via email
• Report to relevant authorities as required by NDPR, POPIA, and GDPR
• Provide details about the breach and steps we're taking

10. Regional Compliance

10.1 GDPR (European Union)

• Data Protection Officer: dpo@marketsage.africa
• Your Rights: Access, rectification, erasure, portability, objection, restriction
• Contact your local Data Protection Authority to lodge complaints

10.2 CAN-SPAM (United States)

• Opt-out honored within 10 business days
• Physical address included in all marketing emails
• Clear identification of sender
• Unsubscribe mechanism in every marketing email

10.3 NDPR (Nigeria)

• Data Privacy Officer: dpo@marketsage.africa
• Consent required for data processing
• Right to access and correct personal data
• Data breach notification within 72 hours
• File Complaints With: National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA)

10.4 POPIA (South Africa)

• Information Officer: info-officer@marketsage.africa
• Processing lawfully, reasonably, and transparently
• Right to object to direct marketing
• Right to access and correct personal information

10.5 CCPA (California, USA)

• Right to know what personal data is collected
• Right to delete personal data
• Right to opt-out of sale (we do NOT sell personal data)
• Right to non-discrimination for exercising privacy rights

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

• We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time
• Material changes will be notified via email to your registered email address
• Continued use after changes constitutes acceptance

12. Contact Us

For Privacy Questions and Requests:

By creating an account and using MarketSage, you consent to the collection and processing of your personal data as described in this Privacy Policy.

You can withdraw consent at any time by updating your account settings or contacting our privacy team.

Last Updated: October 30, 2025 | Version 1.0

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