🔒 Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

TipMeNow ("we", "our", "us") is committed to protecting your personal information in compliance with South Africa's Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA). This policy explains what data we collect, why, and how we protect it.

2. Information We Collect

• Essential Data: Name, email, phone number, payment details (processed securely via PayFast), and tipping history.
• Usage Data: Device type, browser, IP address, and interaction patterns (used only to improve service and prevent fraud).
• Optional Data: Profile photos, bio, and notification preferences (only shared if you choose).

3. How We Use Your Data

We process your information for:

• Processing and delivering tips securely
• Account verification and fraud prevention
• Sending transactional notifications (tips, withdrawals, security alerts)
• Improving platform performance and user experience
• Complying with South African financial and tax regulations

4. Data Sharing & Third Parties

We never sell your personal information. We only share data with:

• PayFast: For secure payment processing (PCI-DSS compliant)
• Vonage: For optional SMS notifications
• Resend: For email delivery
• Law enforcement: Only when legally required

5. Your POPIA Rights

Under POPIA, you have the right to:

• Access your personal data
• Request correction of inaccurate information
• Request deletion of your data (account closure)
• Object to direct marketing or profiling
• Withdraw consent at any time

To exercise these rights, email us at privacy@tipmenow.co.za.

6. Data Retention & Security

We retain your data only as long as necessary for legal, tax, and operational purposes (typically 5 years for financial records). All data is encrypted in transit (TLS 1.3) and at rest (AES-256). We conduct regular security audits and use role-based access controls.

7. Cookies & Tracking

We use only essential cookies for authentication, security, and platform functionality. Non-essential analytics/marketing cookies are only activated if you explicitly consent via our banner. You can manage preferences in your dashboard settings.

QR Code Analytics

When you scan a TipMeNow QR code, we collect limited, anonymized data to improve our service: device type, approximate location (country/city level), and whether a tip was completed. We never store full IP addresses or personally identifiable information from scans. All analytics data is aggregated and used solely for service improvement.

Business Pricing

Businesses may have custom pricing rules negotiated directly with TipMeNow. These rules are:

• Only visible to the assigned business and TipMeNow admins
• Applied automatically based on your business account
• Never shared with other businesses or third parties

🔐 Biometric Authentication

TipMeNow offers optional biometric login (fingerprint or facial recognition) for your convenience. Please note:

• Your biometric data is NEVER collected, stored, or transmitted by TipMeNow.
• Authentication is performed entirely by your device's operating system (iOS FaceID/TouchID or Android BiometricPrompt).
• We only store a secure reference token that enables quick login after successful biometric verification.
• You can disable biometric login at any time in Settings → Security.
• Biometric templates cannot be accessed by TipMeNow, our staff, or any third party.

🔐 Social Login & Third-Party Providers

TipMeNow offers optional login via Google, Facebook, or Apple for your convenience. When you use social login:

• We only receive your name, email (if you consent to share), and profile picture from the provider.
• We never receive your social media password, friends list, posts, or private messages.
• Your social account can be unlinked anytime in Settings → Security.
• Apple Sign In offers private email relay to protect your real email address.

This complies with POPIA Section 18 (Collection of personal information) and Section 43 (Security safeguards).

This complies with POPIA Section 26 (Special Personal Information) and Section 43 (Security Safeguards).

8. Contact & Information Officer

Our appointed Information Officer is available for POPIA-related queries: