Privacy Policy

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Last Updated: August 19, 2026

At Shepskey, we are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring the security of your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our Cattle Identification mobile application and web portal.

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Personal Information

When you register and use Shepskey, we may collect:

• Name and contact information (email, WhatsApp/phone number)
• Country, and the district and location of the kraal(s) where you keep your cattle
• User account credentials (PIN, stored as a secure hash) and account verification status
• Profile information, including your user type (e.g. Community Member, Village Head, Chief) and chiefdom/village placement where supplied
• Profile picture and preferred language
• Push notification token, used to deliver app alerts to your device
• Billing information for cattle access subscriptions — payments are processed by third-party payment providers, and we only receive the transaction status and reference from them; we do not collect or store your card details, mobile money PIN, or other payment credentials

1.2 Cattle Information

To provide identification and management services, we collect and store:

• Cattle photographs, including front, side, and muzzle/nose images (stored securely in our database for identification purposes)
• Ear tag numbers and other identification codes
• Breed, gender, colour markings, and birth month/year
• Ownership, transfer, and verification history
• Location data for lost and spotted cattle reports

All cattle images are stored securely in our database and are used exclusively for identification, verification, and management of your livestock. We do not share or sell these images to third parties.

1.3 Usage Information

We automatically collect certain information when you use the app:

• Device information (model, operating system, unique identifiers)
• App and portal usage data
• Location data (e.g. kraal location, and sighting location when you submit a lost or spotted cattle report)
• Log files and error reports

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the collected information for the following purposes:

2.1 Service Delivery

• Provide cattle identification using image recognition
• Maintain and manage your cattle records
• Process ownership transfers
• Enable lost and found reporting
• Send notifications about your cattle

2.2 Service Improvement

• Analyze usage patterns to improve the app
• Develop new features based on user needs
• Enhance image recognition accuracy
• Optimize app performance

2.3 Communication

• Send important service updates and notifications
• Respond to your inquiries and support requests
• Send promotional materials (with your consent)
• Notify you of changes to our services

3. Information Sharing and Disclosure

3.1 What We Don't Do

3.2 When We May Share Information

We may share your information only in these limited circumstances:

• With Your Consent: When you explicitly authorize sharing (e.g., lost cattle reports)
• Service Providers: Third-party services that help us operate the app (cloud storage, analytics)
• Legal Requirements: When required by law or to protect rights and safety
• Business Transfers: In case of merger, acquisition, or asset sale (you'll be notified)

4. Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your information:

• Encryption of data in transit and at rest
• Secure authentication and access controls
• Regular security audits and updates
• Limited employee access to personal data
• Secure data backup and recovery systems

However, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

5. Your Rights and Choices

You have the following rights regarding your information:

5.1 Access and Correction

• View and update your personal information in the app
• Request a copy of your data
• Correct inaccurate information

5.2 Data Deletion

• Delete individual cattle records
• Request complete account deletion
• We will delete your data within 30 days of your request

5.3 Privacy Controls

• Control who can view your cattle information
• Opt out of promotional communications
• Disable location services (may limit some features)
• Manage notification preferences

6. Location Data

Shepskey uses location data to provide lost and found services and to track cattle sightings. You can enable or disable location services at any time in your device settings. Disabling location services may limit certain features like lost cattle alerts and location-based matching.

7. Children's Privacy

Shepskey is not intended for use by children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe we have collected information from a child under 13, please contact us immediately.

8. Data Retention

We retain your information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide services. When you delete your account, we will delete or anonymize your personal information within 30 days, except where we are required to retain it for legal or regulatory purposes.

9. Third-Party Services

Shepskey may contain links to third-party services. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these external sites. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing any information.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any material changes by:

• Posting the new Privacy Policy in the app
• Sending you an email notification
• Displaying a prominent notice in the app

Your continued use of Shepskey after changes become effective constitutes your acceptance of the revised policy.

11. Regional Users

Shepskey serves users across the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region, with our current pilot operating in Zimbabwe. If you are accessing the app from within the SADC region, please be aware that your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in another country, including one outside the SADC region where our service providers operate, always subject to the safeguards described in this Policy.

12. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

13. Data Protection Commitment

Shepskey is committed to processing your personal information lawfully, fairly, and transparently, wherever in the SADC region you use our service. We apply consistent data protection principles across all the countries we operate in — including data minimisation, purpose limitation, and reasonable security safeguards — and we aim to meet or exceed the requirements of the data protection laws applicable in each country where Shepskey is available.