Privacy Policy

Welcome to Bantu Stream Connect ("we", "us", "our"). We are a South African–built digital streaming and creator empowerment platform dedicated to uplifting African storytellers, artists, and innovators.

To provide a high-quality entertainment and creator ecosystem, we must collect and process certain information about you.

We are committed to:

• Protecting your privacy
• Being transparent about how your data is used
• Giving you meaningful control over your information

This Privacy Policy explains what data we collect, how we use it, how it's protected, and the rights you have as a user.

We collect information in three ways:

(A) Information You Provide Directly

Account Information

• Full name
• Email address
• Encrypted password

Payment Information (Planned, Not Yet Active)

Creator tipping and monetization features are planned but not yet live on the Platform (see our Terms of Service). No payment or transaction data is currently collected. When these features launch, this section will be updated before any such data is collected, and payments will be handled by secure third-party processors such as Stripe, Paystack, or mobile money partners - we will never store your full credit/debit card number.

Creator Payout Information (Planned, Not Yet Active)

Creator revenue payouts are planned but not yet live. No bank account, mobile money, or tax information is currently collected from creators.

Support Information

• Emails, support tickets, and communication logs

Trust & Safety Information

If you report a piece of content or a creator, or block another user:

• The report or block itself (who filed it, what/who it's against)
• The reason you selected and any additional details you provide

This information is used only to review reports, enforce our Terms of Service, and keep blocked accounts from interacting with you. It is not shared with the person you reported or blocked.

Copyright Takedown Requests

If you submit a copyright infringement claim through our Copyright Policy page, we collect your name, email address, organization (if provided), a description of the copyrighted work and the alleged infringement, and your electronic signature - whether or not you hold a Bantu Stream Connect account.

(B) Information Collected Automatically (Usage Data)

Device & Connection Information

• Device type and model
• Device ID
• Operating system and version
• Browser type
• IP address
• Mobile network provider
• Crash reports and diagnostic data

Usage & Interaction Data

• Videos watched
• Time spent watching
• Search queries
• Playback actions (pause, rewind, skip)
• Likes, comments, shares, follows
• Viewing patterns and recommendations clicked
• Real-time performance data (buffering, bitrate, quality)

General Location Information

• Region/country inferred from IP address

We do not currently request or collect precise GPS location on any platform. If that changes in the future, this section will be updated first.

(C) Information From Third Parties

• Authentication providers (if you sign in using Google or Apple)

We do not currently use any advertising or analytics SDKs - push notifications are delivered via Firebase Cloud Messaging, but Firebase Analytics and Google Analytics are both explicitly disabled on the Platform.

We never sell your personal data.

A. Where We Store Data

Your information is stored on secure cloud servers located in:

• South Africa
• And/or GDPR-compliant international data centers

We use distributed infrastructure to ensure uptime, performance, and resilience.

B. How We Protect Your Data

We use industry-standard security controls, including:

• Encryption in transit (SSL/TLS)
• Encryption at rest (AES-256)
• Role-based access controls (RBAC)
• Multi-factor authentication for internal systems
• Routine security audits and penetration tests

We never sell your data.

We share information only under the following circumstances:

A. With Creators (Limited & Anonymized Data Only)

Creators may receive:

• Total view counts
• Engagement statistics
• Anonymous demographic summaries (e.g., "viewers from South Africa")

We do not share:

• Email
• Phone number
• Password
• Private account details

B. With Trusted Third-Party Service Providers

Including:

• Cloud storage & hosting providers (to store and deliver your content and data)
• Firebase Cloud Messaging (to deliver push notifications only - not analytics or advertising)
• Authentication providers, if you sign in using Google or Apple

We do not currently use advertising partners or share any device identifiers (such as IDFA or Ad ID) with anyone - the Platform contains no advertising or ad-tracking SDKs. Payment processors will be added to this list once tipping/monetization features launch (see Section 2).

C. For Legal Reasons

We may disclose information if required by:

• Subpoena
• Court order
• Government mandate
• To protect the rights and safety of our users or platform

Depending on your location (GDPR, POPIA, CCPA), you may have the following rights:

Opt-Out Options

You can opt out of marketing emails at any time from Account Settings.

We use cookies, SDKs, and similar technologies for:

Essential Functions

• Staying logged in
• Saving preferences (e.g., volume, theme)
• Stable video playback

The Platform does not currently use any analytics, crash-reporting, or advertising cookies or SDKs. You can manage cookies in your browser or device settings - disabling essential cookies may affect streaming functionality.

We may update this Privacy Policy to reflect:

• New features
• Legal requirements
• Security improvements

We will notify you through:

• In-app notices
• Email alerts (if appropriate)
• Updated "Last Updated" date

If you have questions or want to exercise your rights: