Privacy Policy

Effective Date: 1 April 2025
Last Updated: 1 April 2025

At www.drdarko.net (the “Website”), your privacy is important to us. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your personal information in compliance with:

The Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) of South Africa
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) for EU/EEA users
The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) & US privacy laws

By using this Website, including making purchases from our online shop and submitting reviews, you agree to the practices outlined in this Privacy Policy.

1. Information We Collect

We collect the following types of personal information:

1.1 Information You Provide

Account & Contact Information: Name, email address, phone number, and shipping address.
Payment Information: Credit card details or payment method information for processing transactions (we use third-party payment processors for security).
Purchase History: Details of products or services purchased from the online shop.
Account Creation: Username, password, and other details provided during account creation or registration for the Website and shop.
User Reviews: When you submit a review for a product or service, we collect the content of your review, your rating, and any personal information (like your name or username) that you choose to include.

1.2 Automatically Collected Information

Device & Usage Information: IP address, browser type, and device information.
Website Usage Data: Pages visited, time spent on the Website, interactions, and other usage data.
Cookies & Tracking Technologies: We use cookies for improving site functionality and user experience.

2. How We Use Your Information

We process your personal information for the following purposes:

To create and manage your account and process transactions.
To provide you with customer support and respond to inquiries.
To fulfill orders and manage the online shop.
To improve our Website and services, including personalizing your shopping experience.
To send you updates regarding orders, promotions, and other relevant communications.
To process and display user reviews and ratings.
To comply with legal obligations, including anti-fraud and payment processing regulations.

2.1 Legal Bases for Processing (GDPR Compliance)

For users in the EU/EEA, we rely on the following legal bases to process your personal data:
✅ Consent – When you subscribe to our newsletter or agree to cookies.
✅ Contractual Obligation – To fulfill orders and process payments.
✅ Legal Obligation – To comply with tax and regulatory requirements.
✅ Legitimate Interests – For marketing, customer service, and website improvements.

3. Sharing of Information

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. However, we may share your information with third parties under the following circumstances:

With service providers who assist with payment processing, shipping, analytics, and customer support.
With law enforcement or regulatory authorities when required by law.
To protect the rights, safety, and security of the Website and its users.

4. User Reviews

When you submit a review for products or services on our Website, the following information is collected and shared publicly:

The content of your review including your rating, any comments, and user-uploaded photos.
Your name or username that you provide, which will be displayed with your review.

Your review may be used for marketing purposes, such as showcasing positive feedback, but will always comply with data protection regulations. If you wish to update or delete your review, you can contact us at admin@drdarko.net.

We may also collect metadata associated with your review, such as the time of submission and the IP address, in order to prevent abuse or fraud.

5. Your Rights Under POPIA, GDPR & CCPA

As a South African, EU/EEA, or US user, you have rights regarding your personal data:

✅ Access – Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
✅ Rectification – Correct any inaccuracies in your personal data.
✅ Deletion – Request the deletion of your personal data (subject to certain conditions).
✅ Withdraw Consent – You can withdraw consent at any time (for activities like email marketing).
✅ Data Portability – Request to receive your data in a structured format (EU/EEA only).
✅ Opt-Out – You can opt-out of the sale of your personal data (CCPA users only).
✅ Object – Object to processing based on legitimate interests.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at admin@drdarko.net.

6. Data Security & Retention

We use industry-standard security measures to protect your personal data during transmission and storage.
We retain your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy or as required by law.

Data Type	Retention Period
Account & Purchase Information	As long as the account is active or as needed for legal compliance
Payment Information	Retained for the duration of the transaction only
User Reviews	Retained as long as the review is published on the site or requested deletion
Cookies & Analytics	6-12 months

7. Cookies & Tracking

We use cookies to enhance user experience and track Website usage. Cookies are small text files stored on your device to remember your preferences, improve performance, and ensure security.

You can control cookie preferences via your browser settings or through our cookie consent banner (for EU/EEA users).

8. International Data Transfers

If you are in the EU/EEA, your personal data may be transferred to servers outside the European Economic Area (EEA), including South Africa and the US.
We ensure that these transfers are made in compliance with GDPR safeguards, such as standard contractual clauses.

9. Third-Party Services & Links

Our Website may contain links to third-party websites or services. We are not responsible for their privacy practices. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before submitting personal information.

10. Children’s Privacy

This Website is not intended for individuals under the age of 13 (or 16 in the EU).
If we discover that a child has provided personal data, we will take steps to remove that information from our system immediately.

11. Data Protection Officer (DPO) Contact

We have appointed a Data Protection Officer (DPO) to oversee privacy compliance:

📧 admin@drdarko.net
📍 1 Udda Valla Street, Secunda, Mpumalanga, South Africa, 2302

For GDPR-related matters, you can also contact our EU Data Protection Representative at admin@drdarko.net.

For CCPA-related inquiries, California residents can also contact us at admin@drdarko.net.

12. Updates to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically. The latest version will always be available on this page. Continued use of the Website after changes means you accept the updated policy.

13. Contact Us

If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy, or if you wish to exercise your rights, contact us at:

📧 admin@drdarko.net
📍 1 Udda Valla Street, Secunda, Mpumalanga, South Africa, 2302

By using this Website, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agreed to this Privacy Policy.