At Link-up ("we", "us", "our") we take your privacy seriously. This Privacy Policy explains what personal information we collect when you use our mobile application and related services (the "Service"), how we use it, who we share it with, and the rights you have over it. This policy is written to comply with the Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013 ("POPIA") of South Africa.

1. Information we collect

We collect the following categories of personal information:

Account information: name, date of birth, gender, email address, mobile number, and password.
Profile information: photos, bio, interests, languages spoken, cultural background, education, occupation, and preferences you choose to share.
Verification information: a selfie video and (where you opt in) a copy of a government-issued ID for identity verification.
Location information: approximate or precise location, depending on your device permissions, used to show you nearby matches.
Usage information: swipes, matches, messages, in-app actions, device type, operating system, app version, IP address, and crash logs.
Communications: messages exchanged on the platform and any correspondence with our support team.

2. How we use your information

We use your personal information to:

Create and maintain your account and verify your identity;
Match you with other users based on your preferences and location;
Operate, secure, and improve the Service;
Detect, prevent, and respond to fraud, abuse, or unsafe behaviour;
Communicate with you about your account, updates, and safety information;
Comply with our legal and regulatory obligations.

3. Legal basis for processing

We process your personal information based on your consent, the performance of our contract with you (the Terms of Service), our legitimate interests in operating a safe dating platform, and to comply with applicable laws.

4. Sharing your information

We do not sell your personal information. We share information only in the following ways:

With other users: the profile information you choose to display is visible to potential matches.
With service providers: hosting, analytics, identity verification, payment, and customer-support providers who process data on our behalf under written contracts.
For safety and legal reasons: with law-enforcement or regulators where required by law or to protect our users.

5. International transfers

Some of our service providers are located outside South Africa. Where we transfer your personal information across borders, we do so in line with section 72 of POPIA and rely on binding agreements or recognised safeguards to protect your data.

This includes Google (Google Analytics) and Meta Platforms (the Meta pixel), which receive the website data described in section 11 and process it on servers outside South Africa, including in the United States and the European Union, under their standard data-processing terms.

6. Retention

We keep your personal information for as long as your account is active and for a reasonable period afterwards to comply with our legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements. When information is no longer required, it is securely deleted or de-identified.

7. Your rights under POPIA

You have the right to:

Access the personal information we hold about you;
Request correction or deletion of inaccurate or outdated information;
Object to certain processing or withdraw consent;
Lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at privacy@linkup.co.za.

If you are not happy with how we have handled your information, you can lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator (South Africa) at inforegulator.org.za.

8. Security

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures, including encryption in transit, access controls, and regular security reviews, to protect your personal information. No system is perfectly secure, however, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

9. Children

Link-up is for users aged 18 and older. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18. If you believe a minor is using the Service, please report it to us immediately.

10. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Material changes will be communicated in the app or by email at least 14 days before they take effect.

11. Cookies and tracking on this website

This section covers the website linkdup.co.za, not the Link-up app. When you visit it, two third-party tools set cookies and record technical information about your visit: your IP address (and the approximate location it reveals), your device and browser, the pages you view, and the site or link that brought you here. They start as soon as the page loads.

Google Analytics (Google): counts visits and shows us which pages people read, so we can improve the site. It uses the _ga cookies, which last up to two years.
Meta pixel (Meta Platforms, which runs Facebook and Instagram): records page views, when you join the iPhone waitlist, and when you tap an email, phone or WhatsApp link, so we can see whether our Facebook and Instagram activity brings people to Link-up. It uses the _fbp cookie, which lasts up to 90 days. If you are logged in to Facebook or Instagram, Meta can link this to your account and may use it for its own purposes, including advertising, under Meta's own privacy policy.

We do not sell this information, and we do not use these tools to identify you by name.

We use these tools based on our legitimate interest in understanding how the site is used and how people find Link-up. You can object at any time by switching them off as described below.

How to switch this off:

Block or delete cookies for linkdup.co.za in your browser settings, or turn on your browser's tracking protection. Ad blockers also stop both tools.
Google Analytics: install Google's opt-out browser add-on at tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout.
Meta: in your Facebook or Instagram settings, use “Your activity off Meta technologies” to disconnect and clear this data. Meta explains its cookies at facebook.com/privacy/policies/cookies.
Switching these off does not stop you using the site or joining the waitlist.

12. Contact us

Information Officer
Link-up South Africa
Email: privacy@linkup.co.za