Privacy Policy

SoftMeet Privacy Policy

Last Modified: 22 September 2026

INTRODUCTION

Softtechz Technology (Pty) Ltd, trading as SoftMeet ('SoftMeet', 'we', 'us', or 'our'), respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect your personal information when you use the SoftMeet platform, mobile application, and associated services.

SoftMeet is a SITA-certified (RFB2009) digital communication platform designed to provide data-free communication services to all South Africans. This policy is governed by the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) 4 of 2013 and other applicable South African laws.

By using SoftMeet, you agree to the collection and use of your information as described in this Privacy Policy.

IMPORTANT DATA USAGE NOTICE

Data-Free Services

SoftMeet aims to make the following services available without data charges, but only where SoftMeet has an agreement in place with your mobile network operator:

Text messaging and chat communication (stored on SoftMeet South African servers)

Basic text-based profile management

Website navigation and account management

User authentication and login processes

Data-free access is available in South Africa only. Outside South Africa, SoftMeet uses your own internet connection (mobile data or Wi-Fi), and any charges are set by your own network provider.

Data-free access is not guaranteed. It depends on your mobile network operator, your network and your account type, and may not apply when you are roaming, connected through Wi-Fi, a VPN or a proxy, or using a network without an agreement with SoftMeet. Network operators may change or end these arrangements at any time without notice. Some content inside data-free features, such as images, videos, links or adverts, may still use data. Your mobile network operator decides whether you are charged, and SoftMeet is not responsible for any data charges your operator applies.

Data-Required Services

The following services require an active internet connection and will consume your data allowance:

Image, video, and audio file uploads and viewing (stored on DigitalOcean Spaces)

Voice and video calls (processed via Agora.io)

Go Live streaming and viewing

Marketplace product image browsing

Coin purchases and gifting transactions (processed via Paystack or your app store)

Event ticket purchases (processed via Paystack)

Subscription payments (processed via Paystack)

New user registration including OTP verification by SMS or email (third-party SMS and email services)

All push notification receipt (via Firebase FCM, Apple APNs, Huawei HMS, OneSignal)

You are solely responsible for all data costs associated with Data-Required Services. SoftMeet accepts no liability for data charges incurred.

1. INFORMATION WE COLLECT

1.1 Information You Provide Directly

When you create an account or use our services, you may provide:

Full name and display name

Email address (used for account notices and email OTP verification)

Phone number (used for SMS OTP verification)

Password (stored using one-way hashing; never stored in plain text)

Profile picture and cover photo (stored on DigitalOcean Spaces)

Organisation name (optional)

Text messages and chat content

Media files including images, videos, audio recordings, and documents

Bank account details including bank name, account number, and account holder name (for payment receipt purposes)

Identity verification documents (see section 1.9)

1.2 Payment and Financial Information

For marketplace, events, subscriptions, wallet top-ups, and coin purchases, we collect:

Transaction history and payment records

Payment references and Paystack transaction identifiers

Bank account details for automatic payment disbursement (stored securely; never shared except with Paystack for payment processing)

Paystack recipient codes (used to route automatic payments to your bank account)

Paystack subaccount codes (used for payment splitting between SoftMeet and sellers, creators and event organisers)

Escrow transaction records (marketplace payments held for 30 days)

Affiliate commission records and referral tracking data

Wallet top-up, coin purchase and gift transaction records

Earnings records from marketplace sales, event tickets, gifts and referrals

Card details are never stored by SoftMeet. All card data is processed and stored exclusively by Paystack in compliance with PCI-DSS standards. SoftMeet only receives transaction confirmation and reference numbers from Paystack.

1.3 Device and Technical Information

We automatically collect certain technical information when you use SoftMeet:

Device type, model, and operating system version

Unique device identifiers

Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) token — used to deliver push notifications on Android and iOS devices

Apple Push Notification Service (APNs) token — used to deliver push notifications on iOS devices

Huawei Mobile Services (HMS) push token — used to deliver push notifications on Huawei devices

OneSignal player ID — used to manage push notification delivery across all device types

VoIP push token (iOS only) — used for incoming call notifications on iOS

IP address and general location data

Network and connectivity information

Application performance data and error logs

Session duration and frequency of use

1.4 Affiliate and Referral Tracking Data

To support our affiliate programme and ensure accurate referral attribution, we collect:

Referral codes used during registration

IP address fingerprint at the time of clicking an affiliate link (stored temporarily for up to 24 hours to support deferred deep linking on iOS and Huawei devices)

Device user agent string at the time of affiliate link click

Referral attribution records linking referred users to their referring affiliate

Commission earnings and payment records for affiliates

The IP address fingerprint collected for deferred deep linking is used exclusively to match the affiliate referral when a new user installs and opens the SoftMeet app for the first time. This data is marked as 'used' and retained for audit purposes only after the attribution is completed.

1.5 Location Data

SoftMeet collects your location when you allow location access in the app, and when you choose to share your location in a chat. We use it to show you nearby content, send local alerts such as weather warnings, and let businesses send notifications to people in their area. You can switch off location access at any time in your phone's settings.

1.6 Contact List

SoftMeet may ask for permission to access your contacts to help you connect with people you know. Your contact list stays on your device and is never uploaded to our servers.

1.7 Wallet, Coins and Earnings Data

If you top up your wallet, buy or send coins, or receive earnings, we collect:

Wallet top-up history including amounts and Paystack transaction references

Coin purchase history, coin balance and transaction records

Gift records including sender, recipient, gift type, and coin value

Earnings records from gifts, marketplace sales, event tickets and referrals

These records are retained for financial compliance and audit purposes. How the wallet, coins and earnings work is explained in section 7.

1.8 Other Information We Process

Financial planning (Imali and stokvels): income, expenses, debts, savings goals and stokvel details you choose to enter, used only to provide these features and reminders.

Business and advertiser information: business details and company registration documents.

Date of birth: used for birthday notifications.

Marketing: we may send you emails and notifications about SoftMeet updates and offers. You can opt out in your account settings.

1.9 Identity Verification

SoftMeet may ask you to verify your identity before you receive payouts, advertise as an individual, or receive a verified badge. This helps us prevent fraud and impersonation, and confirm who receives payments. Businesses may verify using their company registration documents instead. Verification documents are used only for this purpose, are not shared with other users, and are deleted automatically after 30 days.

2. HOW WE USE YOUR INFORMATION

2.1 Service Delivery

Providing text-based communication services (data-free where applicable)

Storing and delivering media content through DigitalOcean Spaces

Enabling real-time voice and video communication through Agora.io

Processing marketplace transactions through Paystack

Managing escrow for marketplace payments during the 30-day dispute window

Automatically disbursing payments to sellers, event organisers, creators, and affiliates

Delivering push notifications via FCM, APNs, HMS, and OneSignal

Tracking affiliate referrals and calculating multi-level commissions

Managing wallet top-ups, coin purchases, gifting, and creator earnings

2.2 Account Management

Authenticating your identity and securing your account

Verifying bank accounts for payment disbursement

Providing customer support and resolving disputes

Recovering accounts and resetting passwords

Verifying identity to prevent fraud and confirm who receives payments

2.3 Financial Operations

Processing payments via Paystack

Splitting payments between SoftMeet and sellers, creators and event organisers: the seller, creator or organiser receives 80%, and SoftMeet retains 20% in all cases

Holding marketplace payments in escrow for 30 days

Automatically releasing payments after the dispute window expires

Processing approved dispute refunds via Paystack

Calculating and paying affiliate commissions across up to 4 levels

Generating financial records for tax reporting purposes

2.4 Safety and Security

Preventing fraud, abuse, and financial crimes

Monitoring transactions for suspicious activity as required by FICA

Investigating violations of our Terms and Conditions

Protecting the rights and safety of users and SoftMeet

2.5 Legal and Regulatory Compliance

Complying with POPIA, FICA, and other applicable South African laws

Responding to lawful requests from government and law enforcement authorities

Maintaining financial records for SARS compliance

Fulfilling SITA certification obligations (RFB2009)

2.6 Service Improvement

Analysing usage patterns to improve the platform

Fixing bugs and optimising performance

Developing new features based on user needs

2.7 Support and Lerato

SoftMeet uses its AI assistant, Lerato, to provide support and information to users and advertisers.

2.8 Advertising and Marketing

SoftMeet shows adverts from businesses and users on the platform. You may receive adverts inside the app, as notifications and by email. Businesses may send notifications to people in their area based on location. You can stop receiving marketing emails at any time by opting out in your account settings, and you can switch off notifications in your phone's settings.

3. DATA STORAGE AND PROCESSING LOCATIONS

3.1 SoftMeet Servers (South Africa)

The following data is stored on SoftMeet's servers located in South Africa:

Text messages and chat history

User account information (non-media)

Financial transaction records

Affiliate programme data and commission records

Wallet, coin, gift and earnings records

Marketplace order records

Dispute records and investigation notes

Push notification tokens (FCM, APNs, HMS, OneSignal)

Affiliate click fingerprints (IP address, retained for 24 hours)

3.2 DigitalOcean Spaces (Global Data Centres including India)

The following media data is stored on DigitalOcean Spaces infrastructure:

Profile pictures and cover photos

Images, videos, and audio files uploaded by users

Marketplace product images

Documents and files shared in chats

Accessing media stored on DigitalOcean requires an active internet connection and will consume your data allowance. DigitalOcean's storage is subject to their terms of service and privacy policy available at https://www.digitalocean.com/legal/privacy-policy.

3.3 Agora.io (Global)

Real-time voice and video call data is processed through Agora.io's global infrastructure. Call content is not stored by SoftMeet. Basic call metadata may be retained for service improvement. Agora.io's processing is subject to their privacy policy available at https://www.agora.io/en/privacy-policy/.

3.4 Paystack (South Africa and International)

All payment transaction data is processed by Paystack Payments (Pty) Ltd, authorised by the South African Reserve Bank. Paystack processes and stores:

Card details and payment credentials (never stored by SoftMeet)

Transaction records and payment histories

Subaccount and recipient information for payment splitting

Refund records and chargeback information

Paystack's processing is subject to their privacy policy at https://paystack.com/za/privacy and their PCI-DSS compliance standards.

3.5 Firebase (Google) — Global

Firebase Cloud Messaging is used to deliver push notifications to Android and iOS devices. FCM tokens are shared with Firebase/Google solely for notification delivery. Firebase's processing is subject to Google's privacy policy at https://policies.google.com/privacy.

3.6 OneSignal (Global)

OneSignal is used to manage and deliver push notifications across Android, iOS, and Huawei devices. OneSignal player IDs are shared with OneSignal for notification routing. OneSignal's processing is subject to their privacy policy at https://onesignal.com/privacy_policy.

3.7 Huawei AppGallery and HMS (Global)

SoftMeet is available on Huawei AppGallery. HMS push tokens are used to deliver notifications to Huawei devices via Huawei Mobile Services. Huawei's processing is subject to their privacy policy at https://consumer.huawei.com/za/privacy/.

4. DISCLOSURE OF YOUR INFORMATION

4.1 Third-Party Service Providers

We share your information with trusted third-party providers strictly for service delivery purposes:

Paystack: Bank account details, transaction data, and identity information for payment processing and disbursement

DigitalOcean: Media files for storage and global content delivery

Agora.io: Communication data for real-time voice and video calls

Firebase/Google: FCM tokens for push notification delivery

OneSignal: Player IDs for cross-platform push notification management

Huawei: HMS tokens for push notification delivery on Huawei devices

SMS and email OTP providers: Phone numbers and email addresses, used only to send one-time passwords

We do not sell your personal information to any third party. Information shared with service providers is limited to what is strictly necessary for service delivery.

4.2 Legal Disclosures

We may disclose your information when required by law or to:

Comply with legal processes, court orders, or government requests

Report suspicious financial transactions to the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) as required by FICA

Cooperate with SARS for tax compliance and reporting

Respond to requests from the Information Regulator (South Africa)

Enforce our Terms and Conditions and protect SoftMeet's rights

Protect the safety of users or the public in emergency situations

4.3 Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, user information may be transferred. We will notify users of any such transfer and any changes to this Privacy Policy with reasonable advance notice.

4.4 Buyer-Seller Information Sharing

For marketplace transactions, limited information is shared between buyers and sellers as necessary to complete the transaction including order details, delivery information, and dispute evidence. Financial details such as bank account numbers are never shared between users.

5. PUSH NOTIFICATIONS AND DEVICE TOKENS

SoftMeet collects and uses the following device tokens to deliver push notifications:

FCM Token: Collected for Android and iOS devices to deliver notifications via Firebase Cloud Messaging

APNs Token / VoIP Token: Collected for iOS devices to deliver standard and incoming call notifications via Apple Push Notification Service

HMS Token: Collected for Huawei devices to deliver notifications via Huawei Mobile Services

OneSignal Player ID: Collected for all device types to manage notification delivery through OneSignal

These tokens are stored on SoftMeet's South African servers and are used exclusively for notification delivery. They are not shared with any party other than the relevant notification service provider (Firebase, Apple, Huawei, OneSignal).

You may disable push notifications at any time through your device settings. Disabling notifications may affect your ability to receive timely alerts for messages, calls, and transactions.

6. AFFILIATE PROGRAMME AND REFERRAL TRACKING

6.1 Referral Link Tracking

When you share your SoftMeet referral link and another user clicks it, we collect:

The referring user's username from the referral link

The clicking user's IP address (retained for up to 24 hours for deferred deep link attribution)

The clicking user's device user agent string

This information is used solely to attribute the referral correctly when the new user installs and registers on SoftMeet. The IP address fingerprint is deleted after use or after 24 hours, whichever is sooner.

6.2 Deferred Deep Linking

For iOS and Huawei users who click an affiliate link before installing the app, SoftMeet temporarily stores the IP address fingerprint to enable deferred deep linking. When the user opens the app for the first time after installation, the app queries our server using the device's IP address to retrieve the referral code. This process:

Uses IP address matching only — no other tracking methods

Stores the fingerprint for a maximum of 24 hours

Marks the fingerprint as used immediately after attribution

Is used exclusively for affiliate referral attribution

Does not track the user's browsing behaviour or activities

6.3 Commission Records

We maintain records of affiliate commissions including amounts, payment dates, and transaction references. These records are retained for a minimum of 5 years for financial compliance purposes.

7. FINANCIAL DATA, PAYMENTS AND REFUNDS

7.1 How We Use Your Bank Account Details

When you add your bank account to SoftMeet, your details are:

Stored securely on SoftMeet's servers with encryption

Shared with Paystack to create a payment recipient record for automatic disbursement

Used exclusively to receive automatic payments from SoftMeet

Never shared with other users, sellers, buyers, or third parties other than Paystack

SoftMeet does not debit your bank account. Your bank details are used only to credit earnings to your account automatically.

7.2 Automatic Payment Disbursement

SoftMeet pays out earnings automatically, with no manual action required:

Marketplace sales: sellers receive 80% of the sale price. Payment is held for a 30-day dispute window and then paid automatically to the seller's verified bank account via Paystack.

Events: event organisers receive 80% of each ticket sale, paid automatically to their verified bank account via Paystack.

Gifts: creators receive 80% of the value of gifts received, in real time, paid automatically to their verified bank account via Paystack.

Affiliate commissions: affiliates earn a fixed amount when a referred person registers, and a percentage of qualifying purchases made by referred users, paid automatically to their verified bank account.

No verified bank account: earnings are kept on your SoftMeet account and paid automatically once you add and verify a bank account.

SoftMeet retains 20% of every marketplace sale, event ticket and gift in all cases, to cover transaction and platform costs. All payouts are processed by Paystack and are subject to Paystack's processing times.

7.3 Escrow Data

For marketplace transactions, payment data is held in escrow for 30 days. During this period, we retain:

Transaction amount and Paystack reference

Buyer and seller user identifiers

Product information and order details

Seller's Paystack recipient code (snapshotted at time of purchase to ensure correct payment even if seller changes bank details)

Dispute records if raised

7.4 Wallet

You can top up your SoftMeet wallet through Paystack. Wallet funds can only be used within SoftMeet, for example to buy subscriptions. Wallet funds cannot be withdrawn, transferred to a bank account or refunded.

7.5 Coins

Coins are bought with real money through Paystack or your app store, and your coin balance is shown on your wallet screen. You use coins to send gifts to creators. When you send a gift, the creator receives 80% of its value in real time as earnings. SoftMeet keeps 20% to cover transaction and platform costs. Coins you have bought cannot be withdrawn or refunded.

7.6 Earnings

When a creator receives gifts, the value of those gifts is added to the creator's earnings. Earnings from gifts, marketplace sales, events and referrals are paid out automatically to your verified bank account, as set out in section 7.2.

SoftMeet keeps records of all wallet, coin and earnings transactions for financial and tax purposes.

7.7 SoftMeet Pro Plans

Pro subscriptions (Star, Hot, Ultima and VIP) are paid to SoftMeet via Paystack and renew monthly unless cancelled. Where you joined through an affiliate, the affiliate may earn a commission on your subscription.

7.8 Marketplace and Refunds

SoftMeet connects buyers and sellers and does not hold or supply any goods. The seller is responsible for the goods they sell.

If you want to return an item, it must be returned in the same condition and packaging in which it was received.

Refunds are available only through a dispute raised within the 30-day dispute window. SoftMeet may investigate a dispute to confirm that the buyer and the seller each did what was required. If a refund is approved, the buyer receives 80% of the purchase price back to the original payment method via Paystack. SoftMeet retains 20% to cover payment processing and platform costs.

Advertising purchases are non-refundable once an advert has been sent or has started reaching the SoftMeet community.

Wallet funds and coins cannot be withdrawn or refunded.

8. YOUR DATA RIGHTS UNDER POPIA

As a data subject under POPIA, you have the following rights:

8.1 Right of Access

You have the right to request a copy of the personal information we hold about you. Requests must be submitted to privacy@softmeet.co.za and will be processed within 30 days.

8.2 Right to Correction

You have the right to request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal information. You may update most information directly through your account settings or by contacting support@softmeet.co.za.

8.3 Right to Deletion

You have the right to request deletion of your personal information subject to legal retention requirements. Upon account termination:

Text data: Removed from SoftMeet servers within 30 days

Media files: Removed from DigitalOcean Spaces within 30 days

Financial records: Retained for a minimum of 5 years as required by South African law

Push notification tokens: Deleted upon account termination

Affiliate click fingerprints: Deleted after 24 hours or upon use

Database backups: deleted data may remain in backups for up to 7 days

8.4 Right to Object

You have the right to object to the processing of your personal information for marketing purposes. You may opt out of marketing communications through your account settings at any time.

8.5 Right to Data Portability

You have the right to receive your personal data in a structured, machine-readable format. Contact privacy@softmeet.co.za to exercise this right.

8.6 Right to Lodge a Complaint

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator (South Africa) at https://www.justice.gov.za/inforeg/.

9. DATA SECURITY

9.1 Technical Safeguards

Data is encrypted in transit between your device and our servers

Private messages and group chat messages are encrypted before they are stored on our servers

Passwords are stored using one-way hashing and are never stored in plain text

Access to our systems is restricted to authorised personnel only

Card payments are processed by Paystack, a PCI-DSS compliant payment provider. SoftMeet does not store your card details

Bank account details are masked in internal systems

9.2 Administrative Safeguards

Role-based access control for SoftMeet staff

Regular security reviews and audits

Incident response procedures for data breaches

Staff training on privacy and security obligations

9.3 Important Security Limitation

No security system is completely infallible. While we implement industry-standard security measures, you use our services at your own risk. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your login credentials and for all activities under your account. Report any suspected unauthorised access immediately to support@softmeet.co.za.

10. DATA RETENTION

We retain your information for the following periods:

Account data (active): Retained while your account is active

Account data (deleted): Most data deleted within 30 days of account termination

Text messages: Retained until account deletion or user deletion of messages

Media files: Retained until user deletion or account termination

Financial transaction records: Minimum 5 years as required by South African law

Bank account and payment recipient data: Retained while account is active and for 5 years after termination

Affiliate commission records: Minimum 5 years

Push notification tokens: Deleted upon account termination

Affiliate click fingerprints (IP): Maximum 24 hours

Dispute records: Minimum 5 years

Identity verification documents: Deleted automatically after 30 days

Database backups: Kept for up to 7 days

Server logs: Kept for up to 14 days

Opt-out preferences: Retained indefinitely to honour your preferences

11. CHILDREN'S PRIVACY

SoftMeet does not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 years of age. If you are under 13, do not create an account or use our services. If we become aware that we have collected information from a child under 13 without parental consent, we will delete that information promptly. Parents or guardians who believe their child has provided information should contact support@softmeet.co.za immediately.

12. INTERNATIONAL DATA TRANSFERS

Your data may be transferred internationally for service delivery:

Media data via DigitalOcean (global data centres including India)

Call data via Agora.io (global network)

Payment data via Paystack (South Africa and international banking networks)

Notification data via Firebase/Google (global), Apple (global), Huawei (global), OneSignal (global)

All international transfers are conducted under appropriate safeguards including contractual protections and adherence to international privacy frameworks. By using SoftMeet, you consent to these international transfers as necessary for service delivery.

13. APP DISTRIBUTION CHANNELS

SoftMeet is distributed through the following official channels:

Google Play Store (Android): com.sofftechz.softmeet

Apple App Store (iOS): App ID id6444095964

Huawei AppGallery: App ID C107313299

SoftMeet is only available through these official channels. We are not responsible for any versions of SoftMeet distributed through unofficial channels.

14. COOKIES AND TRACKING

SoftMeet's website (softmeet.co.za) may use cookies for:

Session management and authentication

Affiliate referral code storage (retained for the duration of your browser session)

Basic analytics to understand website usage

You may disable cookies through your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect certain website functionality including affiliate referral tracking.

15. CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of material changes by:

Sending an email notification to your registered email address

Displaying a prominent notice in the SoftMeet application

Updating the 'Last Modified' date at the top of this policy

Continued use of SoftMeet after notification of changes constitutes acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with the changes, you must stop using SoftMeet and may delete your account.

Previous versions of this Privacy Policy are available upon request by contacting privacy@softmeet.co.za.

16. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR DATA

To the maximum extent permitted by South African law:

SoftMeet is not liable for data charges incurred through use of any SoftMeet service

SoftMeet is not liable for service interruptions caused by DigitalOcean, Agora.io, Paystack, Firebase, OneSignal, Huawei, or any other third-party provider

SoftMeet is not liable for data loss caused by third-party service failures

SoftMeet is not liable for unauthorised access caused by your failure to maintain account security

SoftMeet's total liability for privacy incidents is limited to the greater of R1,000 or fees paid in the preceding 12 months

17. CONTACT INFORMATION

For questions about this Privacy Policy or to exercise your data rights:

General and Support Enquiries

Company: Softtechz Technology (Pty) Ltd

Trading As: SoftMeet

Address: Unit 7, 49 De Havilland Crescent, Persequor, Pretoria, South Africa

Email: support@softmeet.co.za

Website: https://softmeet.co.za

Privacy-Specific Enquiries

Data Protection Officer: support@softmeet.co.za

Response time: Within 30 days for privacy rights requests

Legal and Compliance

Legal Department: legal@softmeet.co.za

SITA Certification Reference: RFB2009

Regulatory Authority

Information Regulator (South Africa): https://www.justice.gov.za/inforeg/

Financial Intelligence Centre: https://www.fic.gov.za/