Campus Swap ("we", "us", or "our") is operated by Bay Software and is committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our platform, in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act, 4 of 2013 (POPIA) and applicable South African privacy law.
By joining our waitlist or using our platform, you agree to the collection and use of information as described in this policy.
1. Information we collect
We collect information you provide directly to us, including:
- Email address (required to join the waitlist or create an account)
- University email domain (to verify you are a registered NMU student)
- Name and profile information (when you create an account)
- Listing information including item descriptions, photos, and pricing
- Transaction data including purchase history and escrow details
- Communications between buyers and sellers through our platform
We also collect information automatically when you use our platform:
- Device information (browser type, operating system, device identifiers)
- Usage data (pages visited, features used, time spent on platform)
- IP address and approximate geographic location
- Cookies and similar tracking technologies (see Section 7)
2. How we use your information
We use the information we collect to:
- Process your waitlist registration and send launch notifications
- Verify your eligibility as a registered NMU student
- Create and maintain your account on the platform
- Facilitate transactions between buyers and sellers
- Process and hold escrow payments securely
- Send you important service updates and transactional emails
- Respond to your questions and support requests
- Improve our platform features and user experience
- Prevent fraud, abuse, and other harmful activity
- Comply with legal obligations under South African law
We will only send you marketing communications with your explicit consent and you may unsubscribe at any time.
3. Information sharing
We do not sell your personal information to third parties. We may share your information only in the following circumstances:
- With other users: Your public profile, listings, and ratings are visible to other registered users of the platform
- Service providers: We use Formspree to process waitlist form submissions. They process data on our behalf under a data processing agreement
- Payment processors: We use third-party payment processors to handle escrow transactions securely. These providers are PCI-DSS compliant
- Legal requirements: We may disclose information where required by South African law, court order, or to protect the safety of our users
- Business transfers: If Campus Swap is acquired or merged, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction
4. Data security
We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your personal information, including encryption of data in transit (TLS/HTTPS), secure storage practices, and access controls limiting who can view your data within our organisation.
However, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security. If you believe your account has been compromised, please contact us immediately at support@campusswap.com.
5. Data retention
We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to provide our services and fulfil the purposes described in this policy. Specifically:
- Waitlist data: Retained until launch and for 12 months thereafter, unless you unsubscribe
- Account data: Retained for the lifetime of your account and 3 years after account deletion
- Transaction data: Retained for 7 years to comply with South African financial regulations
- Communication logs: Retained for 2 years after the relevant transaction
6. Your rights
Under POPIA, you have the following rights regarding your personal information:
- Right to access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
- Right to correction: Request that we correct inaccurate or incomplete information
- Right to deletion: Request that we delete your personal information, subject to legal retention requirements
- Right to object: Object to the processing of your personal information in certain circumstances
- Right to withdraw consent: Withdraw your consent to receive marketing communications at any time
- Right to complain: Lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa (inforegulator.org.za)
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at support@campusswap.com. We will respond within 30 days.
7. Cookies
We use cookies and similar technologies to operate our platform and improve your experience. We use:
- Essential cookies: Required for the platform to function (authentication, security)
- Analytics cookies: Help us understand how users interact with our platform (we use privacy-friendly analytics)
- Preference cookies: Remember your settings and preferences
You can control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling essential cookies may affect platform functionality.
8. Children's privacy
Campus Swap is intended for registered university students who are typically 18 years or older. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under the age of 18. If you believe a minor has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will delete it promptly.
9. Changes to this policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of material changes by email or by posting a prominent notice on our platform. Your continued use of Campus Swap after changes become effective constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.
10. Contact us
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal information, please contact our Information Officer: