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Legal Documentation

Muzugu Privacy Policy

Learn how we collect, use, protect, and manage your data on the Muzugu marketplace, including data from Google sign-in. Effective: August 2026. Last updated: October 2026.

1. Overview & Scope

Welcome to Muzugu ("we", "our", or "us"). Muzugu is operated by [Your registered business / legal name], located at [Your physical or registered address, Kampala, Uganda]. Muzugu is a classifieds marketplace platform where users buy, sell, and interact with items and services locally.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect your personal information when you use our website (https://muzugu.app) and our mobile applications (together, the "Service"), including when you sign in with your Google account. We are the data controller for the personal data described in this policy.

By using Muzugu, you acknowledge that you have read this policy. If you do not agree with it, please do not use the Service.

Key Takeaway

We never sell your personal data. We never share your contact details with third-party telemarketers. If you sign in with Google, we only receive your basic profile details and nothing from your Gmail, Drive, Contacts, or Calendar.

2. Information We Collect

To facilitate buying and selling, we collect data you give us directly, data we receive from third-party sign-in providers, and information collected automatically.

Data Provided by You

  • Account registration (name, phone number, email address)
  • Profile details (profile photo, display name, bio)
  • Listing content (photos, descriptions, price, item location)
  • Chat messages exchanged with buyers or sellers
  • Verification documents (ID or selfie, where applicable)
  • Reports, feedback, and support requests you send us

Automated Data

  • Device information (IP address, OS, browser, unique device ID)
  • Approximate location for local search filtering
  • Browsing activity (ads viewed, search queries, interactions)
  • Log data (crash reports, timestamps, error logs)
  • Cookies and similar technologies (see Section 8)

Data from Third-Party Sign-In

If you choose "Sign in with Google", we receive limited account data from Google. See Section 3 for exactly what we receive and how we treat it.

3. Google Account & Google User Data

Muzugu offers "Sign in with Google" so you can create an account and log in without a separate password. This section describes how we handle data obtained through Google APIs ("Google user data").

What we access

We request only the basic sign-in scopes below. We do not request access to sensitive or restricted scopes.

Google dataScopeWhy we need it
Email address.../auth/userinfo.emailTo create and identify your account, send account and security notices, and prevent duplicate or fake accounts.
Name and profile picture.../auth/userinfo.profileTo pre-fill your profile so buyers and sellers can recognise you. You can change or remove both at any time.
Unique Google account IDopenidTo securely link your Google login to your Muzugu account.

What we do not access

We do not read, collect, or store your Gmail messages, Google Drive files, Google Contacts, Google Calendar, YouTube data, or any other Google service data.

How we use, store, and share it

  • Use: Only to authenticate you, create and manage your Muzugu account, and communicate with you about your account. We do not use Google user data for advertising, profiling, or marketing to third parties.
  • Storage: Stored in our secured database, encrypted in transit and protected by access controls, for as long as your account is active (see Section 9).
  • Sharing: We do not sell Google user data or transfer it to third parties, except to infrastructure providers that process it on our behalf under confidentiality obligations, where required by law, or with your consent.
  • No human reading: Our staff do not read your Google user data unless you give consent for specific information, it is necessary for security or abuse investigations, it is needed to comply with law, or the data is aggregated and anonymised.
  • No AI training: We do not use Google user data to develop, improve, or train generalised AI or machine-learning models.
Google API Services User Data Policy

Muzugu's use and transfer to any other app of information received from Google APIs will adhere to the Google API Services User Data Policy, including the Limited Use requirements.

Revoking access & deleting Google data

You can revoke Muzugu's access to your Google account at any time at myaccount.google.com/permissions. To have the Google user data we hold deleted, delete your account from your profile settings or email privacy@muzugu.app. We will delete it as described in Section 9.

4. How We Use Your Information

We process your data to operate the marketplace and keep it safe:

  • Marketplace Operations: Displaying your listings to potential buyers and enabling contact via phone or in-app chat.
  • Account Management: Creating your account, authenticating you, and maintaining your profile and preferences.
  • Trust & Fraud Prevention: Detecting fraudulent listings, fake accounts, scams, and spam, and enforcing our community rules.
  • Service Communication: Sending account alerts, security notices, and transaction notifications.
  • App Optimization: Analysing usage in aggregate to fix bugs and improve performance and user experience.
  • Legal Compliance: Meeting legal obligations and responding to valid legal requests.

Our legal bases

We process personal data in line with Uganda's Data Protection and Privacy Act, 2019, and other applicable laws, relying on: your consent (e.g. optional notifications, approximate location); performance of a contract (providing the Service you signed up for); our legitimate interests (security, fraud prevention, improvement); and legal obligation.

5. Sharing & Public Profile Disclosures

Muzugu is a public marketplace. Information you post in listings (title, photos, price, description, general neighbourhood) and your public profile name are visible to all users browsing the Service.

We share data only under these conditions:

With Other Users: Phone numbers or contact options are displayed only if you choose to make them public so buyers can reach you.
Service Providers: Hosting, cloud storage, SMS and email delivery, payment gateways, crash reporting, and analytics partners who process data only on our instructions and under confidentiality and data protection obligations.
Legal Obligations: When required by law, court order, or regulatory authorities, or to protect the rights, safety, and property of our users or the public.
Business Changes: If we are involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your data may be transferred. We will notify you and the new owner will be bound by this policy.
With Your Consent: In any other case, only after you explicitly agree.

We do not sell your personal data, and we do not share it with advertisers or data brokers.

6. Security & Data Protection

We use administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect your personal data against unauthorised access, loss, misuse, or alteration.

Encryption in Transit
HTTPS / TLS for all connections
Access Controls
Need-to-know staff permissions
Regular Reviews
Ongoing security audits

No system is perfectly secure. If a data breach affects your personal data, we will notify you and the relevant authorities as required by applicable law.

7. International Data Transfers

Muzugu is based in Uganda, but our service providers (for example cloud hosting) may store or process data on servers in other countries. Where we transfer personal data outside Uganda, we take steps to ensure it receives a level of protection consistent with this policy and applicable data protection law, such as contractual safeguards with providers.

8. Cookies & Similar Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies (such as local storage and device identifiers) to keep you signed in, remember preferences, secure your account, and understand how the Service is used.

Essential: Needed to sign in, keep your session, and protect against fraud. These cannot be switched off.
Preferences: Remember choices like language and location filters.
Analytics: Help us understand usage in aggregate so we can improve the Service.

You can control or delete cookies in your browser settings. Blocking essential cookies may stop parts of the Service from working. On mobile, you can reset your advertising or device identifier in your device settings.

9. Data Retention

We keep personal data only as long as needed for the purposes in this policy, unless a longer period is required by law.

  • Account & profile data (including Google sign-in data): kept while your account is active, and deleted within 30 days after you delete your account.
  • Listings: removed from public view when you delete them or when they expire, and permanently deleted within 30 days.
  • Chat messages: kept while your account is active; deleted with your account.
  • Verification documents: deleted once verification is complete, or within [90] days at the latest.
  • Logs, backups & fraud records: retained for up to [12] months for security, fraud prevention, and legal compliance, then deleted or anonymised.

10. Children's Privacy

Muzugu is intended for people aged 18 and over. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 18. If you believe a child has given us personal data, contact us at privacy@muzugu.app and we will delete it promptly.

11. Your Rights & Account Deletion

You own your personal data. Subject to applicable law, you have the right to:

  • Access & Correction: View and update your profile and listings in app settings, or ask us for a copy of your data.
  • Account Erasure: Delete your account and associated data from your profile settings, or email privacy@muzugu.app. See Section 9 for timelines.
  • Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent at any time (for example, turn off location or notifications, or revoke Google access).
  • Object or Restrict: Object to or ask us to limit certain processing.
  • Marketing Opt-Out: Turn off promotional emails or push notifications anytime.
  • Complain: Lodge a complaint with Uganda's Personal Data Protection Office (PDPO) if you believe your rights have been infringed.
How to delete your account: Open the app, go to Profile → Settings → Delete Account. If you cannot sign in, email privacy@muzugu.app from the address linked to your account. We will respond within 30 days.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy from time to time. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last updated" date on this page and notify you through the app or by email. Where required by law, we will ask for your consent again. Continued use of the Service after changes take effect means you accept the updated policy.

13. Contact Our Privacy Team

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, your rights, or data deletion requests, contact us:

Muzugu Privacy Team
[Your registered business / legal name]
[Your physical or registered address, Kampala, Uganda]
Email: privacy@muzugu.app
Response time: within 24-48 business hours
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