This Privacy Policy explains how Anarblink ("we", "us", "our", "the platform") collects, uses, stores, and protects your personal information when you use our website and services. We are committed to handling your information lawfully, transparently, and in line with the Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013 ("POPIA").
Anarblink is a South African digital marketplace that connects independent service providers ("workers") with people or businesses who wish to hire them ("employers"). Because our service involves identity verification, payments, location-based safety features, and in-app messaging, we handle personal information with particular care.
Who is responsible for your information
The party responsible for your personal information (the "responsible party" under POPIA) is Anarblink, a CIPC-registered entity operating in South Africa.
Information Officer: Anarblink Owner
Contact for privacy matters: privacy@anarblink.co.za
General support: support@anarblink.co.za
Plain-language commitment.
POPIA requires us to explain things in a way you can understand. If anything in this policy is unclear, contact us using the details above and we will explain it.
2. Information We Collect
What personal information we gather, and how
We only collect information we need to operate the platform safely. Depending on how you use Anarblink, this may include:
a) Account information
Your username, email address, and password (stored in encrypted/hashed form).
Your account type (worker or employer), display name, and optional bio.
b) Identity verification information (special personal information)
If you request a "Verified" badge, you may upload a clear photo of your South African ID, valid passport, or asylum document, together with a selfie photograph.
Under POPIA, identity documents and photographs are treated with heightened care. You provide this information voluntarily and consent to its use for verification when you upload it.
c) Location information
When you use the GPS Safety Shield or SOS feature, or when an employer drops a job-site pin, we collect location coordinates.
Location is used for safety and to show job sites — it is not continuously tracked in the background outside these features.
d) Payment information
Wallet balances, deposits, withdrawals, and transaction records are processed through our escrow wallet system.
Card and banking details for deposits are handled by our third-party payment provider (see Section 4). We do not store full card numbers ourselves.
e) Communications and proof of work
Messages and images sent through the in-app chat, and "proof of work" images, are stored in our evidence vault.
f) Emergency contact information
If you set up the GPS Safety Shield, you may provide the name and phone number of an emergency contact, so we can alert them if you trigger an SOS.
This is information about another person. By providing it, you confirm you have that person’s permission to share their details with us for this safety purpose.
g) Usage, device and technical information
Basic technical information such as your interactions with the platform, and information needed to keep your account secure.
Your IP address, which we record when you register and accept our Terms, as a security measure and as a legal record of acceptance.
3. Why We Use Your Information
Our lawful purposes under POPIA
POPIA requires that we collect personal information only for a specific, lawful purpose. We use your information to:
Operate your account — create and manage your profile, log you in, and provide platform features.
Verify identity — perform a basic identity check for the "Verified" badge, to build trust and safety between users. A verified badge confirms a basic check was done; it is not a guarantee of quality or character.
Enable safety features — power the GPS Safety Shield, SOS alerts, and job-site pins to help protect users during on-site work.
Process payments — hold funds in escrow, release payment when an employer confirms, and keep accurate transaction records.
Facilitate communication — allow employers and workers to chat and exchange proof of work.
Resolve disputes and investigate reports — administrators may review chat logs and images only where a report has been made or an account is under investigation.
Maintain security and prevent fraud — detect fake accounts, off-platform payment attempts, and abuse.
Keep a record of agreement — record your acceptance of our Terms (including the date and IP address) as a legal record.
Comply with the law — meet our legal obligations where required.
We do not sell your personal information.
We do not sell or rent your personal information to advertisers or data brokers.
4. Sharing & Third Parties
Who else may process your information
We share personal information only where necessary to run the platform. The third parties who may process your information ("operators" under POPIA) include:
Payment provider — our payment gateway processes deposits and handles card/banking details securely. We use PayFast, a South African payment gateway, to process deposits.
Email provider — we send account and notification emails through an email-sending service.
Mapping services — location lookups, maps and directions are provided by third-party mapping services, including OpenStreetMap (and Nominatim for address search) and Google Maps for directions to job sites.
Hosting provider — our website and database are hosted on a third-party hosting service, which stores your information on secure servers.
We may also disclose information where we are legally required to do so, or where necessary to investigate fraud, abuse, or a credible safety threat.
Other users will see limited profile information you choose to make public — such as your display name, bio, ratings, reviews, and verified status. Your ID documents and selfie are never shown to other users.
Cross-border note.
Some third-party services may process data outside South Africa. Where this happens, we take reasonable steps to ensure your information remains protected to a standard comparable with POPIA.
5. Storage, Security & Retention
How we protect and how long we keep your information
Security
Passwords are stored in hashed form and are never visible to us in plain text.
Sensitive credentials and configuration are stored outside the public web area on our server.
Payments are protected through an escrow system, and access controls limit who can view sensitive records.
Chat logs and proof-of-work images in the evidence vault are accessed by administrators only where a report has been made or an account is under investigation.
Retention
We keep personal information only for as long as needed for the purposes described in this policy, or as required by law (for example, transaction records may be kept for accounting and dispute purposes).
When you delete your account, we anonymise your personal information so that it can no longer identify you, while retaining limited records where the law or legitimate dispute-resolution needs require it.
Children
Anarblink is strictly for users aged 18 and over. We do not knowingly collect information from anyone under 18. If we learn that an under-18 user has registered, we will remove the account.
6. Your POPIA Rights
What you can ask us to do
Under POPIA, you have the right to:
Access the personal information we hold about you.
Correct information that is inaccurate or out of date.
Delete your information, or request that we stop processing it, subject to legal limits.
Object to certain processing of your information.
Withdraw consent you previously gave (for example, for identity verification), understanding that some features may no longer be available as a result.
Complain to the Information Regulator if you believe we have not handled your information lawfully.
How to exercise your rights
To make any of these requests, contact our Information Officer (Anarblink Owner) at privacy@anarblink.co.za. We will respond within a reasonable time.
The Information Regulator (South Africa)
If you are not satisfied with how we have handled your information, you may contact the Information Regulator:
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Material changes will be communicated through the platform. The "Effective date" at the top shows when this version took effect.
Final note.
By using Anarblink, you confirm that you have read and understood how we handle your personal information as described in this Privacy Policy.