Privacy Policy

Last updated: 1 April 2025  |  Effective date: 1 April 2025

1. Who We Are

Family Sync SA ("we", "our", "us") is a family coordination application designed for South African households. We help families manage children's schedules, coordinate activities, and communicate logistics.

2. Information We Collect

We collect the following categories of personal information:

• Account information: Your name and email address, provided when you sign in with Google or register with email and password.
• Family information: Children's names, profile colours, and age-related details you choose to add.
• Calendar and schedule data: Events, activities, tasks, and homework you create within the app.
• Contact details: Phone number (optional), used only to send WhatsApp or SMS briefings if you enable this feature.
• Device information: Push notification tokens, collected only if you grant notification permission, used solely to deliver app notifications to your device.
• Usage data: General app usage information to improve performance and fix bugs.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your personal information only for the following purposes:

• To provide and operate the Family Sync SA service.
• To send daily schedule briefings and clash alerts via WhatsApp, SMS, or push notification — only when you have enabled these features.
• To sync calendar events with Google Calendar — only when you explicitly initiate a sync.
• To allow secondary family members (co-guardians) to be invited and access shared family data.
• To maintain your account and authenticate your identity.

We do not use your information for advertising, profiling, or sale to third parties.

4. Legal Basis for Processing (POPIA)

Under POPIA, we process your personal information on the following grounds:

• Consent: You explicitly consent to data processing when you accept our terms during first-time sign-in.
• Contract performance: Processing is necessary to provide the family coordination service you have signed up for.
• Legitimate interest: Maintaining security, preventing fraud, and improving the service.

5. Data Sharing

We share your personal information only with:

• Google LLC: For authentication (Google Sign-In) and optional Google Calendar sync. Governed by Google's Privacy Policy.
• Twilio Inc.: For SMS and WhatsApp message delivery, only when you have added a phone number and enabled messaging notifications. Governed by Twilio's Privacy Policy.
• Expo / Meta: For push notification delivery to your device.

We do not sell, rent, or otherwise disclose your personal information to any other third parties.

6. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide the service. You may request deletion of your account and all associated data at any time by contacting us at the address below. We will process deletion requests within 14 days.

7. Your Rights Under POPIA

As a data subject, you have the right to:

• Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
• Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal information.
• Deletion: Request deletion of your personal information (right to be forgotten).
• Objection: Object to the processing of your personal information.
• Withdrawal of consent: Withdraw your consent to processing at any time without penalty.
• Lodge a complaint: Lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa.

8. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These include encrypted connections (HTTPS), hashed passwords, and access controls. We review our security practices regularly.

9. Children's Privacy

Family Sync SA is designed for use by adult guardians to manage their children's schedules. We do not knowingly collect personal information directly from children under the age of 18. Children's names and activities are entered and managed by their guardians.

10. Cookies and Tracking

We use session-based authentication tokens stored locally on your device. We do not use advertising cookies or cross-site tracking technologies.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of material changes via in-app notification or email. Continued use of the app after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

12. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, wish to exercise your POPIA rights, or wish to contact our Information Officer:

To lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator:
The Information Regulator (South Africa)
Email: inforeg@justice.gov.za
Website: www.justice.gov.za/inforeg