Privacy Policy

Welcome to the Privacy Policy of SMC DAO, specifically designed for our users in Africa. This Privacy Policy outlines how SMC DAO collects, uses, and protects your personal information. By accessing or using our platform, you agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy.

Purpose of the Privacy Policy

The purpose of this Privacy Policy is to inform you about

1. The types of personal data we collect from you.

2. How we use your personal data.

3. Legal basis for processing your personal data.

4. How we protect your personal data.

5. Your rights regarding your personal data.

This Privacy Policy applies solely to users located in Africa and using SMC DAO services within African jurisdictions. It does not apply to users in other regions or jurisdictions where SMC DAO does not operate.

If you have any questions or concerns about our Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us using the information provided at the end of this Privacy Policy.

Scope and Applicability

This Privacy Policy applies to all users of SMC DAO who are located within African jurisdictions. It governs the collection, use, and protection of personal information obtained through your interaction with SMC DAO's platform and services.

Specifically, this Privacy Policy covers

Personal information collected when you access or use SMC DAO's platform.

How we use and process your personal information.

Your rights regarding your personal information under applicable data protection laws in Africa.

This Privacy Policy does not apply to

Users located outside of African jurisdictions.

Third-party websites or services linked to or from SMC DAO's platform, which have their own privacy policies and practices.

By accessing or using SMC DAO's platform, you consent to the collection, use, and processing of your personal information as described in this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with any part of this Privacy Policy, please do not use our platform or provide your personal information to us.

Data Collection

Types of Data Collected

At SMC DAO, we collect the following types of personal data from our users located in Africa

  1. Personal Identification Information Name Email address Phone number Social media handles Gender Date of Birth Place of Worship Occupation

  2. Usage Data Information about your interactions with our platform these include log data such as IP addresses, browser type, and pages visited.

  3. Transaction Data Information related to transactions conducted on our platform

  4. Payment information (if applicable) We collect this data to provide and improve our services, enhance user experience, ensure security, and comply with legal obligations.

Methods of Data Collection

Direct Collection We collect personal data directly from you when you interact with SMC DAO through the following methods

Registration When you create an account on our platform, you provide personal information such as your name, email address, and optionally, phone number, etc.

Communication When you contact us directly via email or other communication channels, we may collect personal data you provide during these interactions.

User Contributions Information you voluntarily submit, such as participating in discussions, creating content, or engaging in community activities on our platform.

Automated Collection We also collect certain data automatically when you interact with our platform, using the following automated methods

Cookies and Similar Technologies We use cookies and other tracking technologies to collect usage data and preferences. You can control cookies through your browser settings.

Log Data When you access our platform, our servers automatically record information, including your IP address, browser type, and pages visited.

Analytics We may use third-party analytics tools to gather and analyze information about how users interact with our platform.

These methods of data collection enable us to provide personalized services, improve user experience, and maintain the security and integrity of our platform.

Purpose of Data Collection

Enhancing User Experience We collect and process your personal data at SMC DAO to enhance your experience by

  • Personalizing your interaction with our platform based on your preferences and interests.

  • Providing tailored content, recommendations, and communications.

  • Improving usability and functionality to better meet your needs.

Security and Fraud Prevention We collect and use your personal data to maintain the security and integrity of SMC DAO, including

  • Detecting and preventing fraudulent activities, unauthorized access, or breaches.

  • Verifying user identities and ensuring compliance with our security protocols.

  • Protecting against malicious activities that could harm our users or our platform.

Governance and Participation We collect and process your personal data to facilitate governance and community participation, such as

Enabling you to participate in voting, discussions, and decision-making processes within SMC DAO.

Maintaining transparency and accountability in our operations and governance structure.

Verifying user eligibility and ensuring compliance with our community guidelines and policies.

Analytics and Improvement We collect and analyze your personal data to conduct analytics and improve our platform, including

Understanding how users interact with our services, content, and features.

Analyzing trends, user preferences, and behaviors to enhance our offerings.

Optimizing performance, usability, and effectiveness of our platform based on data-driven insights.

By collecting and processing your personal data for these purposes, we aim to continuously enhance your experience, maintain a secure environment, promote active participation, and improve the quality of our services at SMC DAO.

Consent and Legal Basis

Obtaining User Consent At SMC DAO, we obtain your consent to collect and process your personal data as required by applicable data protection laws in Africa. Your consent is obtained through

Explicit Consent When you voluntarily provide personal information to us, such as during account registration or when engaging with our platform.

Cookie Consent Before placing cookies or similar technologies on your device, we seek your consent where required by law. You can manage cookie preferences through your browser settings.

Opt-in Mechanisms For specific processing activities that require your consent, such as receiving marketing communications or participating in certain features.

As a user of SMC DAO, you have the following rights regarding your consent

Right to Withdraw Consent You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time. Withdrawal of consent does not affect the lawfulness of processing based on consent before its withdrawal.

How to Withdraw Consent You can withdraw your consent by contacting us using the contact information provided in this Privacy Policy or by managing your preferences through our platform settings.

Consequences of Withdrawing Consent Depending on the nature of the processing activity, withdrawing consent may impact your ability to use certain features or services that rely on the data for which consent was obtained.

We respect your rights regarding consent and strive to provide clear and accessible mechanisms for you to exercise these rights at SMC DAO.

Data Usage

How Data is Used At SMC DAO, we use your personal data for the following purposes

Providing Services To provide and personalize our platform's services, including account management, customer support, and communication.

Improving Services To analyze usage patterns, trends, and preferences to enhance our platform's features, content, and user experience.

Security and Fraud Prevention To detect, prevent, and address security incidents, fraud, or other illegal activities.

Compliance To comply with legal obligations, court orders, or regulatory requirements applicable to our operations.

Data Sharing and Disclosure

Third-Party Service Providers We may share your personal data with third-party service providers to assist us in providing and improving our services, including

Cloud Hosting Providers For data storage and management purposes.

Analytics Providers To analyze usage trends, user interactions, and platform performance.

Payment Processors For processing transactions and payments made through our platform.

These third-party service providers are contractually obligated to use your personal data only as necessary to provide the services to us and are prohibited from using it for any other purpose.

Legal Obligations We may disclose your personal data if required to do so by law or in good faith belief that such action is necessary to

Comply with legal obligations, such as responding to legal processes or governmental requests.

Protect and defend our rights or property, including enforcing our policies and agreements.

We strive to ensure that any disclosure of your personal data is done in compliance with applicable data protection laws and regulations.

This outlines how your data is utilized and shared at SMC DAO, ensuring transparency and compliance with legal standards.

Data Storage and Security

Data Storage Locations At SMC DAO, we store and process your personal data primarily within African jurisdictions where our operations are located. We may also utilize cloud-based services from reputable providers that store data in secure data centers globally.

These data centers may be located in countries outside of Africa, but we ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your personal data as required by applicable data protection laws.

Security Measures Implemented We implement robust security measures to protect your personal data against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include:

Encryption We use industry-standard encryption protocols to secure data transmission and storage.

Access Control Access to your personal data is restricted to authorized personnel and third-party service providers who require access to perform their duties.

Data Minimization We collect and retain only the personal data necessary for the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy.

Security Audits We regularly conduct security audits and assessments to identify and address vulnerabilities in our systems and processes.

User Awareness We educate our employees and third-party service providers on the importance of data protection and security best practices.

While we implement these security measures to safeguard your personal data, it is important to note that no method of transmission over the internet or method of electronic storage is completely secure. Therefore, we cannot guarantee absolute security, but we continuously strive to enhance our security measures to protect your personal data effectively.

User Rights

As a user of SMC DAO located in Africa, you have certain rights regarding your personal data under applicable data protection laws. These rights include

Right to Access You have the right to request access to the personal data we hold about you. This includes information about

  • The categories of personal data we collect.

  • The purposes for which we use your personal data.

  • The categories of third parties with whom we share your personal data.

Right to Correction You have the right to request correction of any inaccurate or incomplete personal data we hold about you. You can update your personal information directly through your account settings or by contacting us if unable to do so.

Right to Deletion You have the right to request deletion of your personal data in certain circumstances, such as when it is no longer necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, or if you withdraw your consent (where applicable) and there is no other legal basis for processing.

Right to Restrict Processing You have the right to request restriction of processing of your personal data in certain situations, such as when you contest the accuracy of your personal data or when the processing is unlawful, but you oppose erasure.

Right to Data Portability You have the right to receive a copy of your personal data in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format, and to transmit those data to another controller without hindrance from us, where technically feasible.

Right to Object You have the right to object to the processing of your personal data in certain circumstances, such as when we are processing your personal data based on legitimate interests or for direct marketing purposes.

Exercising Your Rights

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the contact information provided in this Privacy Policy. We will respond to your request within the timeframe required by applicable data protection laws and will take reasonable steps to verify your identity before processing your request.

We are committed to respecting and facilitating the exercise of your rights under applicable data protection laws in Africa.

Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Types of Cookies Used

At SMC DAO, we use the following types of cookies and similar technologies

Essential Cookies These cookies are necessary for the operation of our platform and enable core functionalities such as security, account authentication, and accessibility.

Performance and Analytics Cookies These cookies collect information about how users interact with our platform, such as which pages are visited most often, and if users encounter error messages. This helps us improve the performance and usability of our platform.

Functionality Cookies These cookies enable us to remember choices you make (such as language preferences) and provide enhanced, personalized features.

Targeting or Advertising Cookies These cookies are used to deliver content and advertisements relevant to your interests, based on your browsing activities and preferences.

Purpose of Cookies

Cookies and similar technologies serve several purposes at SMC DAO, including

Enhancing User Experience Cookies help us provide a personalized experience by remembering your preferences and settings.

Analytics and Performance Cookies allow us to analyze how users interact with our platform, helping us improve functionality and identify areas for optimization.

Advertising Cookies may be used to deliver targeted advertisements that are relevant to your interests, both on our platform and on third-party websites.

User Control Over Cookies

You have the ability to control and manage cookies through your browser settings.

You can. . .

Disable Cookies You can set your browser to reject all cookies or to alert you when a cookie is being sent.

Manage Preferences Most browsers allow you to manage cookie preferences for individual websites, including blocking or deleting specific cookies.

Opt-Out of Targeted Advertising Some third-party advertising networks, such as those participating in the Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA) or Network Advertising Initiative (NAI), provide tools to opt-out of targeted advertising.

Please note that disabling or blocking certain cookies may impact the functionality and performance of our platform. By continuing to use our platform without changing your cookie settings, you consent to our use of cookies as described in this Privacy Policy.

For more information on how we use cookies and similar technologies, please refer to our Cookie Policy or contact us using the information provided in this Privacy Policy.

Children’s Privacy

Age Restrictions SMC DAO does not knowingly collect or solicit personal information from children under the age of 16 without parental consent. If we learn that we have collected personal information from a child under 16 without parental consent, we will take steps to delete that information as soon as possible.

Protection Measures for Children

Parental Consent We require parental consent before collecting personal information from children under the age of 16, where applicable.

Education and Awareness We educate our employees and third-party service providers about the importance of protecting children's privacy and complying with applicable laws and regulations.

Privacy Controls We provide mechanisms for parents or guardians to review, delete, or request the deletion of personal information collected from children under their care.

Age Verification We may implement age verification mechanisms to ensure compliance with age restrictions and prevent access to our platform by children under 16.

If you believe that we may have inadvertently collected personal information from a child under 18 without parental consent, please contact us immediately using the contact information provided in this Privacy Policy. We will take prompt steps to delete such information from our records.

Changes to the Privacy Policy

Notification of Changes SMC DAO reserves the right to update or modify this Privacy Policy at any time. If we make material changes to the Privacy Policy, we will notify you by

  • Posting a notice on our platform.

  • Sending you a notification via email or other means of communication.

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we are protecting your personal information.

Effective Date of Changes Changes to this Privacy Policy will be effective immediately upon posting unless otherwise stated. The effective date of the most recent version of the Privacy Policy will be indicated at the top of the policy.

Your continued use of SMC DAO's platform after the effective date of any revised Privacy Policy constitutes your acceptance of the updated terms. If you do not agree with any changes to the Privacy Policy, you must discontinue using our platform and contact us to delete your personal information, as outlined in the Privacy Policy.

For questions or concerns about changes to this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us using the information provided in this Privacy Policy.

Contact Information

If you have any questions, concerns, or inquiries regarding this Privacy Policy or SMC DAO's data practices, please contact us using the following information:

Email: info@smcdao.com

Address: Suite A4, Shopping Complex, Shelter Afrique, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria.

We value your privacy and are committed to addressing any concerns you may have promptly and effectively. Please feel free to reach out to us if you require further clarification or assistance regarding your personal information and data protection at SMC DAO.

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