Privacy Policy

1.1 Account Information:

• Full name
• Email address (student email for verification)
• University/institution name
• Phone number (optional)
• Profile picture (optional)
• Password (encrypted - we never see your actual password)

1.2 Listing Information:

• Product/service descriptions
• Images you upload
• Pricing information
• Location/campus area
• Category and tags

1.3 Communication Data:

• Messages sent through our chat system
• Support ticket conversations
• Feedback and reviews

1.4 Transaction Data:

• Purchase/sale history
• Payment information (processed securely by Paystack - we don't store card details)
• Transaction amounts and dates

1.5 Usage Data:

• Pages visited
• Search queries
• Click behavior
• Device information (browser, OS, screen size)
• IP address and location (city-level, not exact)

2.1 To Provide Our Service:

• Create and manage your account
• Verify you're a real student
• Display your listings to potential buyers
• Enable messaging between users
• Process transactions securely
• Send transaction confirmations

2.2 To Improve & Personalize:

• Show relevant listings based on your location and interests
• Improve search results and recommendations
• Analyze platform performance and fix bugs
• Develop new features based on usage patterns

2.3 To Communicate:

• Send important account notifications (verification, password resets)
• Alert you to new messages or offers (if you enable notifications)
• Share platform updates and new features
• Respond to your support requests
• Send marketing emails (you can opt out anytime)

2.4 To Ensure Safety:

• Detect and prevent fraud, scams, and abuse
• Enforce our Terms of Service
• Investigate reported violations
• Protect against security threats

3.1 With Other Users:

• Your public profile (name, university, profile picture, ratings)
• Your listings and descriptions
• Messages you send (only to the recipient)

3.2 With Service Providers:

• Paystack: For secure payment processing
• Supabase: For database hosting and authentication
• Cloudinary: For image storage and optimization
• Email service: For sending transactional and notification emails

All service providers are GDPR-compliant and under strict data protection agreements.

3.3 For Legal Reasons:

We may disclose information if required by law, court order, or to:

• Comply with legal obligations
• Protect our rights and property
• Prevent fraud or criminal activity
• Protect user safety

3.4 We NEVER:

• ❌ Sell your personal data to third parties
• ❌ Share your data with advertisers
• ❌ Give away your contact information
• ❌ Use your data for unrelated purposes

4.1 Access & Export: Request a copy of all your data in a portable format (JSON/CSV).

4.2 Correction: Update your profile information anytime in your account settings.

4.3 Deletion: Delete your account and all associated data. Note: Some data may be retained for legal compliance (e.g., transaction records for 7 years as required by Nigerian law).

4.4 Opt-Out:

• Marketing emails: Click "unsubscribe" in any email
• Push notifications: Disable in your account settings or device settings
• Analytics: Use browser "Do Not Track" settings

4.5 Portability: Transfer your data to another service (where technically feasible).

To exercise any of these rights, email: privacy@studentmarket.ng

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your data:

Important: No method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your data, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

We use cookies and similar technologies to improve your experience:

Essential Cookies: Required for the platform to function (login, security, preferences). Cannot be disabled.

Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how you use the platform (page views, clicks, session duration). You can opt out.

Preference Cookies: Remember your settings (language, theme, filters).

Manage your cookie preferences in your browser settings or our cookie banner.

We retain your data for as long as necessary to provide our service:

• Active accounts: Data retained while account is active
• Deleted accounts: Most data deleted within 30 days
• Transaction records: Retained for 7 years (Nigerian tax law requirement)
• Legal disputes: Data retained until dispute is resolved
• Banned accounts: Basic info retained to prevent re-registration

Our platform is intended for students aged 16 and above. We do not knowingly collect information from children under 16.

If you believe a child under 16 has created an account, please contact us immediately at privacy@studentmarket.ng.

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do:

• We'll update the "Last Modified" date at the top
• For significant changes, we'll send you an email notification
• Continued use after changes means you accept the new policy

We recommend reviewing this policy periodically to stay informed.