Privacy Policy

1. Data Controller & Contact

The data controller is Zazu App, established and operating under the laws of the Arab Republic of Egypt (Commercial Registration No. 295752). For any privacy question, or to exercise the rights described in Section 7, contact us at privacy@pawspoke.app.

2. Personal Data We Collect

We collect the following categories of personal data:

• Account data: email address, password (stored in hashed/encrypted form via our authentication provider), phone number (for business owners), and email-verification (OTP) status.
• Profile & content data: your display name, reviews, ratings, photos, comments, and business-claim submissions.
• Usage data: pages and listings viewed, searches performed, and general interactions with the Service, collected via standard web analytics and server logs.
• Device & technical data: IP address, browser type, device identifiers, and — if you enable notifications — a push-notification token used solely to deliver notifications to your browser.
• Location data: only if you search by district or use a map feature that requests your location; this is used to show relevant nearby businesses and is not stored beyond what is needed for that search unless you save an address.
• Communications: messages you send us for support, or content of reviews/claims you submit, which may incidentally include information about you or third parties (such as a pet's name).

3. Purposes & Legal Basis for Processing

We process personal data for the following purposes, relying on the legal bases available under the PDPL (your consent, the performance of our Terms with you, and our legitimate interest in operating and securing the Service):

• Creating and securing your account, including OTP email verification and fraud prevention (performance of contract; legitimate interest).
• Displaying your reviews, ratings, and business listings on the Service (performance of contract; your consent when you submit content).
• Processing business-claim requests and managing listings (performance of contract).
• Sending you service, security, and transactional communications by email, and optional push notifications you have enabled (performance of contract; consent for optional push notifications).
• Improving and securing the Service, including analyzing usage trends and preventing abuse (legitimate interest).
• Complying with legal obligations, including responding to lawful requests from Egyptian authorities (legal obligation).

4. How We Share Personal Data

We do not sell your personal data. We share it only as follows:

• Publicly, as part of the Service: your display name, reviews, ratings, and photos you choose to post are visible to other users and the public, as this is the core purpose of a review platform.
• With service providers acting on our behalf, notably Google/Firebase (authentication, database, hosting, and push-notification infrastructure) and our email-delivery provider (for OTP and transactional emails), under contractual confidentiality and security obligations.
• With claimed businesses, to the extent needed for them to respond to your review or claim, or to process a booking/appointment you initiate with them directly.
• With Egyptian authorities or courts, where required by law, court order, or to protect the rights, safety, or property of Pawspoke, our users, or the public.
• In a merger, acquisition, or asset sale, subject to this Policy continuing to apply to your data.

5. International Data Transfers

Some of our service providers (including our hosting and authentication infrastructure) may process and store data on servers located outside Egypt. Where personal data is transferred outside the Arab Republic of Egypt, we take steps intended to ensure a level of protection consistent with the requirements of the PDPL, including relying on providers that maintain recognized international security and privacy certifications and, where applicable, contractual data-protection commitments.

6. Data Retention

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes described in this Policy: account data for as long as your account is active and for a reasonable period after deletion to comply with legal, security, or dispute-resolution needs; and reviews/ratings for as long as the related business listing remains on the Service, unless you request deletion as described in Section 7 and we are not otherwise required or permitted to retain them.

7. Your Rights Under the PDPL

Under Egyptian Law No. 151 of 2020, you have the right to:

• Be informed of the processing of your personal data (this Policy is part of that).
• Access the personal data we hold about you.
• Request correction or updating of inaccurate or incomplete data.
• Request erasure of your personal data, including account deletion, subject to any retention we are legally required or permitted to keep.
• Withdraw consent at any time for processing based on consent (such as optional push notifications), without affecting the lawfulness of processing before withdrawal.
• Object to certain processing carried out on the basis of our legitimate interest.
• Lodge a complaint with Egypt's Personal Data Protection Center once fully operational, or pursue other remedies available under Egyptian law.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at privacy@pawspoke.app. We will respond within the timeframe required by the PDPL's executive regulations. We may need to verify your identity before acting on a request.

8. Cookies & Local Storage

We use browser local storage and similar technologies (not necessarily traditional cookies) to keep you signed in, remember your language and theme preferences, and support core features such as push-notification opt-in. We do not currently use third-party advertising trackers. You can clear local storage via your browser settings, though this may sign you out or reset your preferences.

9. Data Security

We apply reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect personal data, including encrypted transmission (HTTPS), authentication-provider password hashing, and access controls limiting access to administrative and user account data. No system is completely secure; if we become aware of a data breach affecting your personal data, we will notify affected users and the competent Egyptian authority as required under the PDPL.

10. Children's Privacy

The Service is not directed at children under 18, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from children without the consent of a parent or legal guardian as described in Section 2 (Eligibility & Accounts) of our Terms. If you believe a child has provided us with personal data without appropriate consent, contact us at privacy@pawspoke.app and we will take steps to delete it.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Material changes will be reflected by a new "Last updated" date and, where appropriate, communicated to you directly. Your continued use of the Service after changes take effect constitutes acknowledgment of the updated Policy.

12. Contact Us

For any question about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal data, contact us at privacy@pawspoke.app.