‍Effective Date: 1 September 2024

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At SimplyLegal, we respect your privacy and are committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and safeguard your information when you use our services.

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1. Who We Are

SimplyLegal ("we," "us," or "our") provides legal services through our platform. We are the responsible party for processing your personal information under POPIA.

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2. Information We Collect

We collect the following types of information:

• Personal Information: Your name, contact details, and any other information you provide when using our services.
• Legal Information: Legal documents or details you submit to generate notices, letters, or other legal documents.
• Usage Data: Information about how you use our website and services.

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3. How We Use Your Information

We process your information to:

• Provide our legal services.
• Generate and send legal documents on your behalf.
• Offer legal guidance through our AI-powered chatbot.

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We process your information lawfully and only for the purposes you agree to.

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4. Consent and Your Choices

By using our services, you consent to the collection and processing of your information as described in this policy. You can withdraw your consent at any time by contacting us at hello@simplylegal.io, but this may affect our ability to provide services to you.

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5. Your Rights Under POPIA

You have the right to:

• Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
• Correct: Ask us to correct or update your information if it's inaccurate.
• Delete: Request that we delete your personal information.
• Object: Object to how we process your information.
• Complain: Lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator if you're unhappy with how we've handled your information.

To exercise these rights, please contact us at hello@simplylegal.io.

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6. Data Retention

We keep your personal and legal information only as long as necessary to provide our services or as required by law. If you request deletion, we'll securely remove your information from our systems unless we need to keep it for legal reasons.

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7. How We Protect Your Information

We take your data security seriously. We use industry-standard measures to protect your information, including:

• Encryption: Protecting data during transmission and storage.
• Access Controls: Limiting access to your information to authorized personnel only.
• Regular Audits: Monitoring our systems for vulnerabilities.

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8. Sharing Your Information

We do not sell or rent your personal information to third parties. We may share your information with:

• Service Providers: Trusted partners who assist us in operating our platform, under strict confidentiality agreements.
• Legal Obligations: Authorities or parties when required by law or to protect our rights.

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9. International Data Transfers

Your information may be stored and processed outside South Africa. We take steps to ensure that your data is treated securely and in accordance with this Privacy Policy and POPIA, regardless of where it's processed.

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10. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies to enhance your experience on our website. Cookies are small files stored on your device that help us remember your preferences. You can disable cookies in your browser settings, but this may affect the functionality of our website.

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11. Children's Privacy

Our services are not intended for individuals under 18 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you're a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us.

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12. AI-Powered Processing

Our AI systems process your information to provide legal documents and advice. We do not use your data to train our AI models beyond serving you specifically.

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13. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy occasionally. We'll notify you of significant changes by posting the new policy on our website and updating the effective date. Your continued use of our services after changes means you accept the updated policy.

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14. How to Contact Us

If you have questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or your personal information, please contact our Information Officer:

SimplyLegal

Email: hello@simplylegal.io

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15. Complaints

If you're not satisfied with how we've handled your personal information, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator:

Information Regulator (South Africa)

JD House

27 Stiemens Street

Braamfontein, Johannesburg, 2001

P.O Box 31533, Braamfontein, Johannesburg, 2017

Email: complaints.IR@justice.gov.za

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16. Legal Obligations and Compliance

We may disclose your personal information if required by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities.

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17. Third-Party Services

Our website may include links to third-party websites or services. We're not responsible for their privacy practices. We encourage you to read their privacy policies.

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18. Updates and Access to Your Information

We strive to keep your personal information accurate. You can help by notifying us of any changes to your information.

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19. Data Breach Procedures

In the unlikely event of a data breach that may compromise your personal information, we'll inform you and the Information Regulator as required by law, along with steps we're taking to address the issue.

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20. Operator Agreements

Any third parties who process personal information on our behalf are required to comply with POPIA and protect your information just as we do.

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21. No Automated Decision-Making

We do not make decisions affecting you solely based on automated processing of your personal information.

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22. Use of Personal Information for Direct Marketing

We will not use your personal information for direct marketing purposes without your explicit consent.

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23. Cross-Border Transfer of Information

If we transfer your personal information to another country, we'll ensure it receives the same level of protection as provided under South African law.

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24. Questions About This Policy

For any questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal information, please contact us at hello@simplylegal.io.

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