Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains how DaBuzz ("DaBuzz", "we", "us" or "our") collects, uses, shares and protects information when you use our local business directory mobile app, our website, and the DaBuzz Business Portal used by businesses to manage listings and subscriptions (together, the "Service"). Some features apply only to certain users — for example, location and push notifications apply to mobile app users, and payment processing applies to businesses that subscribe to a plan. By using the Service, you agree to the practices described here.

1. Information we collect

• Account information. When you sign up, we collect your name and your email address, which we verify using a one-time password (OTP). You may also choose to add a profile photo, which is shown on your profile and alongside any reviews you post.
• Business listing information. If you list a business, we collect business details such as name, category, services, indicative charges, contact details, hours and location.
• Usage and device data. We collect information about how you interact with the Service, such as searches, pages viewed, app version and approximate device information.
• Installation identifier. When you install the mobile app, a randomly generated identifier is created for that installation and is used to route push notifications to your device. It identifies the app installation rather than you personally, and it is not tied to your account — it is therefore not removed when you delete your account, and remains until you uninstall the app.
• Device location — finding businesses near you. If you use the "near me" search and grant location permission, the app reads your device's location at that moment and sends your coordinates to Google Maps Platform, to resolve places and distances, and to our own servers, to run the search and return results. Your coordinates are used to answer that search; we do not use them to build a location history. You can revoke location permission at any time through your device settings — the rest of the app, including search by city and all notifications, continues to work without it.
• Selected area — notifications about your area. To receive notifications about new businesses and services in an area, you type and select a city or town in the app. This uses only the place you type: it does not require location permission and does not read your device's location. The city you select is shared with our push notification provider (OneSignal), together with an identifier for your app installation, so that notifications for that area can be delivered to you. You can change or clear the selected area, or turn notifications off, in the app settings.
• Reviews and ratings. If you post a review of a business, your rating, review text, name and profile photo are published on that business listing and are visible to other users of the Service and to the business owner.
• Payment information. If you register a business listing and subscribe to a plan via the DaBuzz Business Portal, payment details are collected and processed directly by our payment provider, Stripe. We do not store your full card details — only a payment reference identifier is retained on our servers.

2. How we use information

• Provide, operate and improve the Service.
• Verify accounts and prevent fraud or abuse.
• Show relevant businesses, search results and listings near you.
• Publish the reviews and ratings you choose to post on business listings.
• Process business subscriptions and respond to support requests.
• Send service-related notifications and, where permitted, updates.
• Send push notifications to your device where you have granted notification permission, including updates about new businesses and services in the area you have selected in the app. You can manage notification preferences in the app settings or your device settings at any time.

3. Legal bases for processing

Where applicable law requires it, we process personal data on the bases of performing our contract with you, your consent (for example, location access), our legitimate interests in operating and securing the Service, and compliance with legal obligations.

4. Sharing and disclosure

We do not sell your personal information. We share information only in the following ways: with service providers who process data on our behalf — our current providers include Supabase (database and authentication), Resend (email delivery), OneSignal (push notifications — receives the city or town you select for area notifications, an identifier for your app installation and account, and delivery information about the notifications sent to you, including whether a notification was delivered and opened), Stripe (payment processing for business subscriptions), and Google Maps Platform (maps, places and location search — receives your device coordinates when you use the "near me" search); with other users, where you choose to publish a business listing or post a review, which is published with your name and profile photo; and where required by law or to protect the rights, safety and security of DaBuzz and its users.

5. Cookies and analytics

We use cookies and similar technologies to keep you signed in, remember preferences and understand how the Service is used so we can improve it. You can control cookies through your browser settings; disabling some cookies may affect functionality.

6. Data retention

We retain personal information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide the Service, comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes and enforce our agreements. When data is no longer needed, we delete or anonymise it.

7. Security

Accounts are verified by one-time password and sensitive data is encrypted in transit and at rest. While no method of transmission or storage is completely secure, we use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your information.

8. Your rights and data removal

Depending on your location, you may have the right to access, correct, export or delete your personal information, and to object to or restrict certain processing. You can manage your profile and preferences in the app, or request data removal at any time through our contact page.

If you use the mobile app, you can delete your account and associated personal data directly from within the app under Profile → Delete Account. Account deletion permanently removes your profile and personal information from our systems. Reviews you have submitted will remain visible but will be attributed to "DaBuzz User" rather than your name, and your email address will be freed for re-registration. The installation identifier described in Section 1 belongs to the app installation rather than your account and is not removed by account deletion; uninstalling the app removes it.

Business owners cannot delete their account directly. You can hide your business listing at any time, and a listing becomes inactive automatically when its subscription ends. If you would like your business account and associated data removed, please contact us through our contact page.

To protect users and enforce our terms, an administrator may suspend an app user's account. While suspended, you will not be able to access app features. If your account has been suspended, you can reach out through our contact page, and an administrator can revoke the suspension and restore your access.

9. Children's privacy

The Service is intended for users aged 17 and above and is not directed to children under 17 (or the minimum age required in your jurisdiction). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under this age. If you believe a child has provided us with personal data, please contact us so we can remove it.

10. Third-party links

Business listings and other content may link to third-party websites or services. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those third parties, and we encourage you to review their privacy policies.

11. International transfers

Your information may be processed and stored in countries other than your own. Where we transfer personal data across borders, we take steps to ensure it receives an adequate level of protection.

12. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last updated" date above and, where appropriate, notify you through the Service.

13. Contact us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your data, reach us through our contact page.