Privacy Policy for Cystads

Last updated: 16th of January 2025

1. Introduction

Welcome to Cystads ("we," "our," or "us"). At Cystads, we are committed to protecting your privacy and personal information. This Privacy Policy is designed to help you understand how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our website, mobile application, and services (collectively, the "Services") related to African culture, quizzes, blogging, community interactions, and financial transactions.

By accessing or using our Services, you agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with the practices described in this policy, please do not use our Services. We reserve the right to modify this policy at any time, and your continued use of our Services constitutes your acceptance of those modifications.

2. Information We Collect

We collect several types of information from and about users of our Services, including:

2.1 Personal Information

Personal Information is information that identifies you as an individual or relates to an identifiable person. We collect the following types of Personal Information:

• Name
• Email address
• Phone number
• Date of birth
• Postal address
• Bank account information for payouts
• Government-issued identification numbers (for identity verification and legal compliance)
• Profile information (such as username, password, and profile picture)
• User-generated content (questions, answers, blog posts, forum posts, and comments)

2.2 Non-Personal Information

Non-Personal Information is information that does not directly identify you as an individual. We collect the following types of Non-Personal Information:

• Browser type and version
• Operating system
• IP address
• Device identifiers
• Time zone setting
• Browser plug-in types and versions
• Time and date of visits
• Referring website addresses
• Quiz scores and participation history
• Interaction data with other users

2.3 Financial Information

We collect and process financial information related to your use of our Services, including:

• Transaction history
• Account balances
• Earnings from approved questions and quiz participation
• Staking pool participation and earnings
• Payment methods and preferences

3. How We Collect Information

We collect information in the following ways:

• Direct collection: Information you provide to us when you register for an account, participate in quizzes, submit questions, create blog posts, or engage in community forums.
• Automated collection: Information collected automatically through cookies, web beacons, and other tracking technologies as you navigate through and interact with our Services.
• Third-party sources: We may receive information about you from third-party partners, such as social media platforms, payment processors, and identity verification services.

4. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for various purposes, including:

• To provide, maintain, and improve our Services
• To process payments, manage accounts, and facilitate financial transactions
• To verify user identities and prevent fraud
• To personalize user experiences and content
• To communicate with you about your account, updates, and promotional offers
• To respond to inquiries and offer customer support
• To analyze usage patterns and improve our website and mobile application
• To monitor and enforce our terms of service and community guidelines
• To comply with legal obligations and resolve disputes
• To conduct research and develop new features

5. Sharing of Your Information

We may share your information with the following categories of recipients:

• Service Providers: We share information with third-party vendors, consultants, and other service providers who perform services on our behalf, such as hosting, data analysis, payment processing, and customer service.
• Business Partners: We may share information with business partners to offer you certain products, services, or promotions.
• Legal Authorities: We may disclose information if required to do so by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities (e.g., a court or government agency).
• Other Users: Certain information, such as your username and public profile information, may be visible to other users of the Services. User-generated content like questions, answers, and forum posts may also be publicly visible.
• Corporate Transactions: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of all or a portion of our assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction.

We do not sell your personal information to third parties for their direct marketing purposes.

6. Data Retention

We retain your information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law. The criteria used to determine our retention periods include:

• The length of time we have an ongoing relationship with you
• Whether there is a legal obligation to which we are subject
• Whether retention is advisable in light of our legal position (such as in regard to applicable statutes of limitations, litigation, or regulatory investigations)

7. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information against accidental or unlawful destruction, loss, alteration, unauthorized disclosure, or access. These measures include:

• Encryption of sensitive data in transit and at rest
• Regular security assessments and penetration testing
• Access controls and authentication mechanisms
• Employee training on data protection and security practices
• Physical and environmental security measures for our data centers

However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee its absolute security.

8. Your Rights and Choices

Depending on your location, you may have certain rights regarding your personal information. These may include:

• The right to access your personal information
• The right to rectify inaccurate or incomplete information
• The right to request deletion of your personal information
• The right to object to or restrict the processing of your information
• The right to data portability
• The right to withdraw consent at any time, where processing is based on your consent

To exercise these rights, please contact us using the information provided at the end of this policy. We will respond to your request within the timeframe required by applicable law.

9. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies, web beacons, and similar tracking technologies to collect and track information about your browsing activities on our website and mobile application. These technologies help us analyze trends, administer the Services, track users' movements around the Services, and gather demographic information about our user base as a whole.

You can control the use of cookies at the individual browser level. If you reject cookies, you may still use our Services, but your ability to use some features or areas may be limited.

10. Third-Party Links and Services

Our Services may contain links to third-party websites, products, or services. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or the content of these third-party sites. We encourage you to read the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit.

11. International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than the country in which you reside. These countries may have data protection laws that are different from the laws of your country. We have implemented appropriate safeguards to protect your information when it is transferred internationally, including the use of standard contractual clauses approved by the European Commission.

12. Children's Privacy

Our Services are not intended for children under the age of 13 (or the applicable age of digital consent in your country). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you become aware that a child has provided us with personal information without parental consent, please contact us, and we will take steps to remove such information and terminate the child's account.

13. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for other operational, legal, or regulatory reasons. We will notify you of any material changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the "Last updated" date. You are advised to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes.

14. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us at:

Cystads
Nigeria
Email: privacy@cystads.com
Phone: +2349138665746

15. Data Protection Officer

We have appointed a Data Protection Officer (DPO) who is responsible for overseeing questions in relation to this Privacy Policy. If you have any questions or concerns about our privacy practices, you can contact our DPO at:

Data Protection Officer
Cystads
Email: dpo@cystads.com

16. Dispute Resolution

If you have an unresolved privacy or data use concern that we have not addressed satisfactorily, please contact our Nigeria-based third-party dispute resolution provider (free of charge)