1. Introduction
Welcome to Student Cycle ("we," "our," or "us"). We are committed to protecting your personal information and your right to privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website studentcycle.co.za (the "Site") or use our services.
Please read this privacy policy carefully. If you do not agree with the terms of this privacy policy, please do not access the site or use our services.
Student Cycle operates in compliance with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) of South Africa.
2. Information We Collect
We collect several types of information from and about users of our Site and services:
2.1 Personal Information You Provide
When you use our services, we may ask you to provide us with certain personal information, including:
- Contact Information: Name, email address, phone number, and postal address
- Account Information: Username, password, and preferences
- CV Information: Work experience, education, skills, and other professional information you choose to share
- Payment Information: Billing details and payment method information (processed securely by our payment partners)
- Communication Data: Information you provide when contacting us or participating in surveys
2.2 Information Automatically Collected
When you visit our Site, we automatically collect certain information about your device and usage:
- Device Information: IP address, browser type, operating system, and device identifiers
- Usage Data: Pages visited, time spent on pages, links clicked, and navigation patterns
- Location Data: General geographic location based on your IP address
3. How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect for various purposes, including:
- To Provide and Maintain Services: Process your CV design requests, deliver your orders, and manage your account
- To Communicate With You: Send order confirmations, updates, marketing communications (with your consent), and respond to inquiries
- To Improve Our Services: Analyze usage patterns, fix technical issues, and enhance user experience
- To Process Payments: Securely handle transactions and prevent fraud
- To Comply with Legal Obligations: Fulfill legal requirements and enforce our terms
- For Marketing: Send promotional materials and job alerts (you can opt out at any time)
4. Cookies and Tracking Technologies
We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to track activity on our Site and store certain information. Cookies are small data files that are placed on your device when you visit a website.
4.1 Types of Cookies We Use
- Essential Cookies: Necessary for the website to function properly (e.g., session management)
- Preference Cookies: Remember your settings and preferences
- Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how visitors interact with our Site
- Marketing Cookies: Track your browsing habits to show relevant advertisements
4.2 Managing Cookies
You can control cookies through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to refuse cookies or alert you when cookies are being sent. However, if you disable cookies, some parts of our Site may not function properly.
5. How We Share Your Information
We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties. We may share your information in the following circumstances:
5.1 Service Providers
We may share your information with trusted third-party service providers who assist us in operating our website, conducting our business, or servicing you. These include payment processors, email service providers, and hosting services. These parties are contractually obligated to keep your information confidential.
5.2 Legal Requirements
We may disclose your information if required to do so by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities (e.g., a court or government agency).
5.3 Business Transfers
In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you of any such change.
5.4 With Your Consent
We may share your information for other purposes with your explicit consent.
6. Data Security
We take the security of your personal information seriously. We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your information from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction.
These measures include:
- SSL/TLS encryption for data transmission
- Secure servers protected by firewalls
- Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments
- Access controls and authentication protocols
- Employee training on data protection practices
However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee its absolute security.
7. Data Retention
We will retain your personal information only for as long as is necessary for the purposes set out in this Privacy Policy. We will retain and use your information to the extent necessary to comply with our legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements.
Specifically:
- Account information is retained while your account is active
- Transaction records are retained for 7 years for tax and legal purposes
- Marketing preferences are retained until you opt out
- CV designs are retained for 2 years after your last interaction
You may request deletion of your personal information at any time by contacting us.
8. Your Rights (POPIA Compliance)
Under the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), you have the following rights:
- Right to Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
- Right to Rectification: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
- Right to Erasure: Request deletion of your personal information (subject to legal obligations)
- Right to Restrict Processing: Request limitation of how we use your information
- Right to Object: Object to certain processing activities (e.g., direct marketing)
- Right to Data Portability: Request transfer of your information to another organization
- Right to Withdraw Consent: Withdraw previously given consent at any time
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the information in Section 12.
9. Third-Party Links
Our Site may contain links to third-party websites, products, or services. These third parties have their own privacy policies, and we are not responsible for their practices. We encourage you to read the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit.
This includes job application links that redirect you to external employer websites. Student Cycle is not responsible for how those employers collect or use your information.
10. Children's Privacy
Our services are intended for users who are at least 16 years old. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 16. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately. If we discover that we have collected personal information from a child under 16, we will take steps to delete that information promptly.
11. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update our Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the "Last Updated" date at the top.
We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes. Changes to this Privacy Policy are effective when they are posted on this page.
For significant changes, we will provide a more prominent notice (including email notification for certain changes).
12. Contact Us
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, our data practices, or wish to exercise your rights, please contact us at:
We will respond to your request within 7 business days.
