When you use SCDev Social (https://social.scdev26.com), we collect certain information to provide, maintain, and improve our services across business directory listings, bookings, events, and user accounts. We collect information in three primary ways:

A. Information You Provide Directly:

• Account Registration: Name, email address, phone number, date of birth, gender, location preferences, and profile picture
• Business Listings: Business name, description, category, contact information, hours of operation, pricing, photos, videos, and service menus
• Booking & Transaction Data: Booking dates, times, duration, service type, payment method (processed securely), cancellation history, and special requests
• Communication Data: Messages, reviews, ratings, support requests, feedback, and any information you include in communications with us or other users
• Identity Verification: Government-issued ID, tax identification numbers (for business owners), and proof of address

B. Information Automatically Collected:

• Device & Usage Data: IP address, device type, operating system, browser type, mobile device identifiers (IDFA, Android ID), and device settings
• Browsing Activity: Pages visited, links clicked, search queries, time spent on each page, referral source, and click patterns
• Location Data: GPS coordinates (if you enable location services), approximate location based on IP address, and location history for nearby recommendations
• Interaction Data: Bookings made, searches performed, favorites saved, reviews submitted, and engagement with platform features
• Crash & Performance Data: Application errors, performance metrics, and system diagnostics to improve platform stability

C. Information From Third Parties:

• Payment Processors: Transaction confirmations, payment status, and fraud detection information
• Social Media: If you sign up via Google, Facebook, or other social platforms, we collect the information you authorize (profile name, email, profile picture)
• Business Verification Services: Business registration status, tax compliance, and background check results
• Mapping & Location Services: Address validation data and geographical boundary information

We use collected data strictly for legitimate operational purposes to provide and improve SCDev Social:

A. Service Delivery & Operations:

• Connecting customers with local business service providers, rentals, event organizers, and marketplace sellers
• Processing bookings, reservations, and transactions securely
• Sending booking confirmations, appointment reminders, cancellation notices, and status updates via email or SMS
• Providing customer support and resolving disputes or complaints
• Maintaining account security and detecting fraudulent activity
• Verifying user identity and business legitimacy

B. Platform Improvement & Analytics:

• Analyzing user behavior and platform usage patterns to enhance features and user experience
• Conducting A/B testing to optimize interface design and functionality
• Identifying trends in search queries, bookings, and user preferences
• Improving search algorithms and recommendation systems
• Monitoring system performance, preventing outages, and ensuring platform reliability

C. Marketing & Communications:

• Sending transactional emails (account confirmations, password resets, receipt confirmations)
• Sending promotional emails about new features, special offers, and relevant services (with opt-out option)
• Creating personalized recommendations based on your browsing and booking history
• Conducting market research surveys and user satisfaction polls

D. Legal & Compliance:

• Complying with legal obligations, court orders, and governmental requests
• Enforcing our Terms of Service and other agreements
• Investigating and preventing fraud, abuse, and other illegal activities
• Protecting the rights, property, and safety of SCDev Social, our users, and the public

E. Data Anonymization:

• We may anonymize and aggregate data to create statistical reports, benchmarks, and industry insights that cannot identify individuals

A. What Are Cookies?

Cookies are small text files stored on your device that contain information about your interactions with our platform. We use cookies and similar technologies (web beacons, pixels, local storage) to enhance your experience and protect our platform.

B. Types of Cookies We Use:

• Essential Cookies: Required for authentication, maintaining logged-in sessions, and platform security. These cannot be disabled without affecting functionality
• Preference Cookies: Remember your language selection, theme preference (light/dark mode), and location settings
• Performance Cookies: Track page load times, bounce rates, and usage patterns to optimize performance
• Analytics Cookies: Collect data about how you interact with the platform to improve features and user experience
• Marketing Cookies: Enable targeted advertising and measure campaign effectiveness (can be disabled)
• Third-Party Cookies: Used by analytics providers (Google Analytics) and payment processors for tracking and fraud prevention

C. Managing Cookies:

• You can control cookie settings directly in your browser preferences (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge)
• Most browsers allow you to: view stored cookies, accept/reject new cookies, and delete existing cookies
• Disabling essential cookies will prevent you from accessing SCDev Social‘s features
• Disabling non-essential cookies will not affect core functionality but may limit personalization

D. Do Not Track (DNT):

If you enable your browser’s DNT feature, SCDev Social will respect this preference and limit tracking where technically feasible, though this may affect service quality.

We do NOT sell, rent, license, or trade your personal information to third-party advertisers, data brokers, or marketing companies.

A. Limited Circumstances Where We Share Data:

• With Service Providers: Business owners, event organizers, and rental companies receive your name, contact information, and booking details ONLY when you submit an appointment request, event RSVP, or marketplace inquiry. They are contractually obligated to use this data solely to fulfill your request
• With Payment Processors: Payment information is shared with PCI-DSS compliant processors (Stripe, PayPal, Square) to process transactions securely. We do not store full credit card numbers
• Legal Requirements: We will disclose personal data when required by: applicable laws, court orders, subpoenas, governmental requests, or law enforcement investigations
• Platform Protection: We may share data to investigate and prevent fraud, abuse, terms of service violations, or threats to platform security
• Business Transfers: If SCDev Social is acquired, merged, or undergoes asset sale, your data may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you of any such change

B. International Data Transfers:

If you access SCDev Social from outside the country where our servers are located, your data may be transferred internationally. We implement Standard Contractual Clauses and other legal mechanisms to protect your data in compliance with GDPR and similar laws.

C. Data Aggregation & Analytics:

We may share anonymized, aggregated data (that cannot identify individuals) with partners for research, industry benchmarking, and platform improvement purposes.

A. How Long We Retain Data:

• Active User Accounts: We retain account data while your account remains active and for 24 months after account closure, unless legally required to retain longer
• Booking History: Booking records are retained for 7 years for tax, legal, and dispute resolution purposes
• Payment Records: Payment transaction details are retained for 7 years to comply with accounting and tax regulations
• Usage & Analytics Data: Anonymized analytics data is retained indefinitely; personally identifiable usage logs are deleted after 12 months
• Support Communications: Support tickets and correspondence are retained for 3 years for reference and dispute resolution
• Marketing Data: If you opt out of marketing communications, we retain your email address for 12 months to honor your unsubscribe request

B. Your Right to Data Deletion:

You can request deletion of your personal data at any time by:

• Accessing your account settings and selecting “Delete Account”
• Emailing our Privacy Team at dwicol@gmail.com
• Submitting a formal data deletion request through our Support Center

C. Important Limitations:

• We may retain data when legally required (tax records, fraud investigations, legal holds)
• Deletion may not remove data from backups immediately, but backups are purged within 90 days
• We cannot delete data already shared with business owners or payment processors (they maintain separate data policies)
• Anonymous, aggregated data cannot be deleted as it does not identify you

A. Security Measures We Implement:

• Encryption: All data in transit uses TLS/SSL encryption (HTTPS). Sensitive data at rest uses AES-256 encryption
• Password Security: Passwords are hashed with bcrypt and salted to prevent unauthorized access
• Access Control: Only authorized employees with legitimate business purposes can access personal data
• Firewalls & Intrusion Detection: Multi-layered firewalls and continuous intrusion monitoring prevent unauthorized access
• Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Available for user accounts to add an extra security layer
• Regular Security Audits: Third-party security firms conduct annual penetration testing and vulnerability assessments
• Data Minimization: We collect only the data necessary for stated purposes
• Secure Development: Our code undergoes regular security reviews and follows OWASP security best practices

B. Your Privacy Rights (GDPR & CCPA):

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights:

• Right to Access: Request a copy of all personal data we hold about you
• Right to Rectification: Correct inaccurate or incomplete information
• Right to Erasure (“Right to Be Forgotten”): Request deletion of your data, subject to legal retention requirements
• Right to Data Portability: Receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format (CSV, JSON)
• Right to Restrict Processing: Limit how we use your data in certain circumstances
• Right to Object: Opt out of marketing communications and certain data processing activities
• Right to Lodge a Complaint: File a complaint with your local data protection authority if you believe we’ve violated your privacy rights

C. How to Exercise Your Rights:

• Visit your account settings for self-service data access and deletion options
• Email dwicol@gmail.com with your request
• Use our Data Subject Request form on the Support Center
• We will respond to verified requests within 30 days (may extend to 60-90 days for complex requests)

D. Marketing Communications & Opt-Out:

• All promotional emails include an “Unsubscribe” link at the bottom
• You can manage email preferences in your account settings
• Opting out of marketing will not affect transactional emails (confirmations, password resets)