Privacy Policy

1. Information We Collect

To deliver our high-performance digital services (AI chatbots, cybersecurity, managed web hosting, custom web development, and digital marketing), we collect relevant data points:

• Identifiable Personal Data: Full name, business email addresses, telephone numbers, physical addresses, and corporate billing details collected when you initiate consultations, register for web hosting, or submit contact forms.
• Chatbot & Dynamic Interaction Transcripts: Dialogue history, transaction logs, and customer preferences recorded when interacting with our automated WhatsApp chatbots or web interfaces.
• Technical & Analytical Identifiers: Masked IP addresses, browser specifications, operating system details, network latency indicators, and navigation behaviors collected to optimize page load speeds and overall user experience.

2. Lawful Basis for Processing

In accordance with GDPR Article 6 and corresponding African data protection regulations, Pique Squid processes your personal data under the following legitimate legal frameworks:

• Performance of Contract: Necessary to execute agreements, provision managed web hosting, configure custom website portals, and deliver contracted digital marketing services.
• Explicit Consent: Granted by you when subscribing to email newsletters, initiating automated WhatsApp chatbot threads, or requesting engineering consultations.
• Legal Obligations: Compliance with statutory tax, financial auditing, and regulatory reporting mandates within regional jurisdictions.
• Legitimate Interests: Hardening security infrastructures, investigating cyber vulnerabilities, and improving system efficiency.

3. Cross-Border Data Transfers & Storage

To comply with the data localization rules of the Zambia Data Protection Act and South Africa's POPIA, we guarantee that all sensitive personal databases are hosted locally or inside authorized regional storage centers unless specific cross-border consent is explicitly obtained.

Where data must traverse international networks (such as regional SADC cloud hubs or secure EU servers), we mandate standard protective protocols, including Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) and AES-256 data encryption at rest and in transit, ensuring your information remains shielded under the highest standards of international law.

4. Data Retention & Deletion

We retain personal and corporate information only for the duration required to satisfy business requirements, execute contracted projects, or comply with financial and tax laws. Once the retention period expires, your data is securely deleted or anonymized using military-grade security sanitization methods to prevent recovery.

5. Cybersecurity Safeguards & Data Breach Protocols

As an organization specializing in corporate cybersecurity hardening, we implement enterprise-grade defensive protocols, firewall configurations, and intrusion detection frameworks to secure all backend systems.

In the highly unlikely event of a security compromise or unauthorized data access, Pique Squid maintains a rigid Incident Response plan. In strict compliance with global and national data breach guidelines, we commit to notifying the relevant regulatory bodies (including the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe - POTRAZ, the Zambian Data Protection Commissioner, and the South African Information Regulator) as well as affected individuals within 72 hours of identifying a confirmed breach.

6. Your Global Data Rights

Regardless of your physical location, Pique Squid respects your sovereign data ownership rights. You are empowered to exercise the following privileges:

• Right of Access & Portability: Request a comprehensive, structured digital copy of all personal details we hold about your business.
• Right to Rectification: Direct us to instantly correct inaccurate or outdated information in our records.
• Right of Erasure ("Right to be Forgotten"): Request complete deletion of your records from our servers, subject to regulatory financial retention exemptions.
• Right to Object & Restrict: Withdraw consent for direct marketing, opt out of newsletter lists, or restrict specific automated profile evaluation processes.

7. Supervisory Authorities & Complaints

If you believe that Pique Squid has failed to process your data in absolute alignment with applicable laws, you retain the legal right to file a formal complaint with the corresponding administrative authority:

• Zimbabwe: Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) | data.protection@potraz.gov.zw
• Zambia: Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC)
• South Africa: The Information Regulator (South Africa) | info@inforegulator.org.za
• European Union: The local national Data Protection Authority (DPA) within your EU Member State.

8. Contact Information

For any inquiries regarding this Privacy Policy, cookie consents, or to submit data subject requests, please contact our dedicated Data Protection Officer (DPO) at legal@piquesquid.com or utilize our official Contact Page.