Breeders Direct is committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains what data we collect, how we use it, and your rights under the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA).

1. Who We Are

Breeders Direct ("we," "us," or "our") operates the website breeders-direct.com — an online platform connecting reptile and exotic animal breeders with buyers and enthusiasts across South Africa.

For the purposes of POPIA, Breeders Direct is the Responsible Party (the entity that determines the purpose and means of processing your personal information).

Information Officer:
Breeders Direct
admin@breeders-direct.com

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide Directly

• Account information: first name, last name, email address, and password when you register.
• Breeder profile: breeder name, location (country and province), breeder type(s), "about" description, logo and cover images, and care sheets you publish.
• Animal listings: animal name, species, genes, sex, price, date of birth, description, and photos you upload.
• Reviews: ratings and written reviews you submit about breeders.
• Contact form: name, email address, and the message you send.

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

• Log data: IP address, browser type and version, pages visited, time and date of visit, and referring URL.
• Device information: device type, operating system, and screen resolution.
• Session data: session identifiers stored in cookies to keep you logged in.

2.3 Information We Do Not Collect

We do not collect payment card numbers, bank account details, or any government-issued identity numbers. All transactions are conducted directly between users and breeders outside our Platform.

3. How We Collect Information

We collect information:

• When you register an account or update your profile.
• When you create or edit a breeder profile, animal listing, or care sheet.
• When you submit a review or use the contact form.
• Automatically via server logs and session cookies when you browse the Site.

4. How We Use Your Information

We use your personal information to:

• Create and manage your account and authenticate your identity.
• Display your breeder profile, animal listings, and care sheets to other users.
• Enable reviews and community interaction on the Platform.
• Respond to your enquiries and support requests.
• Send transactional emails (account activation, password resets).
• Send service-related notifications (where you have opted in).
• Analyse usage patterns to improve the Platform's performance and features.
• Detect, investigate, and prevent fraudulent or prohibited activity.
• Comply with our legal obligations under South African law.

We do not sell your personal information to third parties, and we do not use it for behavioural advertising.

5. Legal Basis for Processing

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

• Contract: processing necessary to provide the Platform services you have requested (account management, listing display).
• Consent: where you have given us explicit consent, such as subscribing to notifications.
• Legitimate interests: to operate and improve the Platform, prevent fraud, and ensure security, provided these interests do not override your rights.
• Legal obligation: to comply with applicable South African laws and regulations.

6. Sharing Your Information

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We may share it only in the following limited circumstances:

• Publicly on the Platform: your breeder name, profile details, animal listings, and care sheets are visible to all Site visitors as part of the service you signed up for.
• Service providers: trusted third-party providers who assist us in operating the Platform (e.g., web hosting, email delivery) under strict confidentiality obligations and only to the extent necessary.
• Legal requirements: if required by law, court order, or governmental authority, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of Breeders Direct, our users, or the public.
• Business transfer: in the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction, with appropriate notice provided to you.

7. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active or as necessary to provide the Platform services. Specifically:

• Active accounts: retained for the duration of your account.
• Deleted accounts: account data is removed within 30 days of a deletion request, except where retention is required by law.
• Log data: retained for up to 12 months for security and diagnostic purposes.
• Contact form submissions: retained for up to 24 months to maintain a record of communications.

8. Security

We implement reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures include:

• Encrypted storage of sensitive fields (access tokens, passwords).
• HTTPS/TLS encryption for all data transmitted between your browser and our servers.
• Access controls limiting who within our team can access personal data.
• Regular security reviews of our codebase and infrastructure.

No method of transmission over the internet or method of electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your data, we cannot guarantee absolute security. If you become aware of any security vulnerability, please notify us immediately at admin@breeders-direct.com.

9. Cookies & Tracking

We use cookies and similar technologies to operate the Platform. Specifically:

• Session cookies: essential cookies that keep you logged in during your visit. These are deleted when you close your browser.
• CSRF tokens: security tokens included in forms to prevent cross-site request forgery.
• Preference cookies: may be set to remember your filter or display preferences.

We do not currently use third-party advertising cookies or tracking pixels. You can control cookies through your browser settings; however, disabling essential cookies will prevent you from logging in.

10. Your Rights Under POPIA

As a data subject under POPIA, you have the following rights:

• Right of access: request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
• Right to correction: request that we correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
• Right to deletion: request erasure of your personal information, subject to our legal retention obligations.
• Right to object: object to the processing of your information for direct marketing or where processing is based on legitimate interests.
• Right to restriction: request that we restrict processing in certain circumstances.
• Right to data portability: receive your personal information in a structured, commonly used format.
• Right to withdraw consent: where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw it at any time without affecting the lawfulness of prior processing.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at admin@breeders-direct.com. We will respond within 30 days. We may need to verify your identity before processing your request.

11. Children's Privacy

The Platform is not directed at children under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18. If you believe we have inadvertently collected such information, please contact us immediately and we will delete it promptly.

12. Third-Party Links

The Platform may contain links to third-party websites (e.g., breeder social media profiles or external resources). We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of those sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party site you visit.

13. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page and, where appropriate, notify registered users by email. Your continued use of the Platform after any changes constitutes acceptance of the updated Policy.

14. Contact & Complaints

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

• Breeders Direct
• admin@breeders-direct.com
• www.breeders-direct.com

If you are not satisfied with our response, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa:

• www.justice.gov.za/inforeg
• inforeg@justice.gov.za