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FITABO Connect is a FITABO initiative operated by SOTRANE Publishers Limited. This policy covers account creation, marketplace services, digital books, communication, location-aware matching and support.
Section 01
Information we may collect
Account information: name, email address, phone number, password authentication record, account role and account status.
Profile and marketplace information: biography, headline, skills, languages, service categories, province, district, public location description, portfolio items, work samples, pricing, availability, service radius and other information you choose to publish.
Location information: the province and district selected for a service request or Service Provider matching area. When a user deliberately presses the location button and grants permission, Fitabo Connect may also receive a one-time foreground latitude, longitude and device-reported accuracy value. Precise location is optional and is not collected continuously or in the background.
Identity and verification information: identity-document images, registered phone details, selfie or camera capture, professional evidence and verification-review records. These materials are not displayed publicly.
Projects and communication: service requests, proposals, project requirements, messages, support conversations, attachments, delivery records, reviews and dispute information.
Transaction information: order details, amounts, payment references, payment proof, withdrawal information and records needed to confirm or reconcile a transaction. Fitabo Connect does not ask users to place passwords or full payment-card credentials inside ordinary messages or support requests.
Digital Library information: book orders, access entitlements, reading sessions, registered reading devices, page or session metadata and buyer-specific watermark references.
Security and usage information: IP address, browser or device information, timestamps, sign-in events, error records and protected-reader events such as blocked copying, printing, saving, context-menu or screen-capture shortcut attempts.
Permission-based information: camera access for identity or intentional image capture, file access when you choose a document or image, and foreground approximate or precise location when you choose to improve service matching.
Section 02
How we use information
- Create, authenticate and maintain user accounts.
- Display public professional profiles and service listings.
- Match buyers with approved Service Providers by service category, district, province, optional private distance, remote suitability, ratings, completed work, reliability and availability.
- Prioritise a suitable provider in the buyer's district before widening a search to the province or other parts of Zambia.
- Review identity and professional-verification applications.
- Process, verify and record marketplace and Digital Library transactions.
- Provide purchased digital content and protect authors, publishers and lawful readers.
- Deliver messages, support, notifications and account-related communication.
- Prevent fraud, misuse, unauthorised access, piracy and security incidents.
- Investigate complaints, disputes and policy violations.
- Improve reliability, accessibility, performance and user experience.
- Meet legal, accounting, regulatory and contractual obligations.
Section 03
Public and private information
Information intentionally placed on a public marketplace profile, service listing, portfolio or review may be visible to other people. A Service Provider's district and province may be shown so buyers understand the local matching area.
Exact latitude, longitude, device accuracy, email addresses, identity documents, private messages, support records, payment evidence and administrator notes are not intended for public display. A buyer does not receive a Service Provider's exact GPS coordinates. Match results may show an approximate distance when both parties choose to provide location, but they do not reveal either party's precise point.
Verification materials and private location points are restricted to authorised systems or personnel who need them for matching, review, security, support or compliance work.
Section 04
When information may be shared
FITABO Connect does not sell personal information.
Information may be shared with another marketplace participant when it is necessary to request, deliver, approve or resolve a service. Only information reasonably needed for that interaction should be shared.
We use service providers that support hosting, authentication, database storage, file storage, deployment, email delivery, application distribution, security and technical operations. Current core infrastructure includes Supabase, Vercel and Google Play services. These providers process information for the services they supply and are subject to their own terms and safeguards.
Information may also be disclosed when required by law, a lawful authority, a court process, fraud prevention, security investigation, protection of users or enforcement of Fitabo Connect agreements.
Section 05
Protected Digital Library activity
Digital books may be delivered through short-lived protected pages rather than by sending the original source file to the reader. Fitabo Connect may apply buyer-specific watermarks, device limits and reading-session controls.
The reader blocks ordinary copying, selection, printing, saving and context menus. The Android app also uses operating-system screen protection to block ordinary screenshots and screen recording. Security events may be recorded for authorised administrators.
These controls reduce unauthorised copying but cannot prevent a person from photographing a screen with a separate camera.
Section 06
Security
We use HTTPS encryption, private storage areas, authentication controls, database row-level security, restricted administrator access and security logging. Exact matching coordinates are stored separately from public profile and request information. Android application data backup and device-transfer backup are disabled.
No online service can guarantee absolute security. Users should protect their passwords, devices and email accounts and should report suspected misuse promptly.
Section 07
How long information is kept
Information is kept for as long as reasonably needed to provide the account or service, complete transactions, protect users, maintain lawful records, resolve disputes and meet applicable obligations.
Identity-verification material, precise location points and other sensitive records should not be kept longer than their legitimate purpose requires. Deleted information may remain temporarily in restricted backups before normal backup rotation removes it.
Section 08
Your choices and account deletion
You may update profile and matching information through your account. You may decline optional camera, file, approximate-location or precise-location permissions. District and province matching remains available without a GPS point, although private distance calculations will then be unavailable.
Service Providers may remove an existing precise location point, change their district, adjust their service radius, stop accepting remote work or mark themselves unavailable.
You may request deletion of your account and associated personal information through the public Account Deletion page, through the signed-in Support Centre or by emailing info@fitabo.org from your registered address.
We may verify ownership before acting on a request. Limited records may be retained where reasonably necessary for legal duties, fraud prevention, security, financial recordkeeping, dispute handling or the rights of other users.
Section 09
Children
Fitabo Connect is designed for people who can lawfully enter marketplace, publishing and purchasing arrangements. The platform is not intended to collect personal information from children without appropriate parent, guardian, school or organisational authority. Suspected unauthorised child data should be reported for review.
Section 10
International processing
Some infrastructure providers may process or store information outside Zambia. Where this occurs, we expect service providers to apply appropriate contractual, organisational and technical protections for the services they provide.
Section 11
Changes to this policy
This policy may be updated when Fitabo Connect introduces new services, changes providers or responds to legal and security requirements. The updated date will be shown at the top of this page. Material changes may also be communicated through the platform or registered contact details.
Section 12
Contact
Privacy questions, access concerns and deletion requests may be sent to info@fitabo.org. Include enough information to identify the relevant account or request, but never send your password.
Need clarification?
Ask about your account or personal information
Include enough information for us to understand the question, but never send your password, PIN or one-time code.