Privacy Policy

Welcome to MicMatchMe. We are committed to protecting your personal information and your right to privacy in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 ("POPIA") and other applicable South African legislation.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your personal information when you use our platform that connects speakers, podcasters, and event organizers.

By using MicMatchMe, you consent to the collection, use, and disclosure of your personal information as described in this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with our policies and practices, please do not use our platform.

In terms of POPIA, the "Responsible Party" is the entity that determines the purpose and means of processing personal information. For MicMatchMe:

As defined in POPIA and used in this Privacy Policy:

• "Data Subject" means the natural or juristic person to whom personal information relates — in our case, you, the user of MicMatchMe.
• "Personal Information" means information relating to an identifiable, living, natural person, and where applicable, an identifiable, existing juristic person.
• "Processing" means any operation or activity concerning personal information, including collection, receipt, recording, organisation, storage, updating, retrieval, consultation, use, dissemination, or destruction of information.
• "Responsible Party" means the public or private body or any other person which, alone or in conjunction with others, determines the purpose of and means for processing personal information.
• "Operator" means a person who processes personal information for a responsible party in terms of a contract or mandate.
• "Special Personal Information" means personal information concerning religious or philosophical beliefs, race or ethnic origin, trade union membership, political persuasion, health, sex life, biometric information, or criminal behaviour.

We collect different types of personal information depending on your role on our platform:

4.1 For All Users

• Full name and email address
• Password (encrypted)
• Account preferences and settings
• Communication history on the platform
• Device information and IP addresses

4.2 For Speakers

• Professional biography and expertise areas
• Speaking topics and formats (keynote, panel, workshop, etc.)
• Past speaking engagements and testimonials
• Media files (headshots, speaker reels, promotional materials)
• Speaking fees and rate cards
• Availability and travel preferences
• Location information

4.3 For Podcasters

• Podcast/show name and description
• Episode topics and guest requirements
• Audience size and demographics
• Recording format and preferences
• Platform links (Spotify, Apple Podcasts, etc.)

4.4 For Event Organizers

• Organization name and description
• Event details (type, date, location, themes)
• Speaker requirements and budget ranges
• Audience information and expected attendance
• Calls for speakers and event logistics

4.5 Booking and Transaction Data

• Booking requests and confirmations
• Agreed fees and payment information
• Communication between parties
• Feedback and ratings

In terms of POPIA Section 11, we process your personal information based on the following lawful grounds:

5.1 Consent (Section 11(1)(a))

You have given your consent to the processing of your personal information for specific purposes, such as marketing communications and optional features.

5.2 Contractual Necessity (Section 11(1)(b))

Processing is necessary for the performance of a contract to which you are a party, such as providing our matching and booking services.

5.3 Legal Obligation (Section 11(1)(c))

Processing is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation to which we are subject.

5.4 Legitimate Interest (Section 11(1)(f))

Processing is necessary for pursuing our legitimate interests or those of a third party, provided this does not prejudice your rights.

We use your personal information for the following purposes:

• Platform Services: To provide, operate, and maintain MicMatchMe's core functionality
• Matching Services: To match speakers with relevant opportunities based on your profile
• Booking Management: To facilitate and manage bookings between parties
• Communication: To send notifications, updates, and respond to inquiries
• Profile Display: To display your public profile to other platform users
• Analytics: To understand how our platform is used and improve our services
• Security: To detect, prevent, and address technical issues or fraud
• Legal Compliance: To comply with applicable laws and regulations

We may share your personal information with:

7.1 Other Platform Users

Your public profile information is visible to other users for the purpose of facilitating connections and bookings. You control your profile visibility through your account settings.

7.2 Service Providers (Operators)

We engage third-party service providers who process data on our behalf:

• Supabase: Database and authentication services
• Analytics providers: To understand platform usage
• Email service providers: To send notifications

All operators are contractually bound to protect your personal information in accordance with POPIA.

7.3 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required by law, court order, or government request, or to protect our rights, property, or safety.

7.4 Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your personal information may be transferred as part of that transaction.

As a data subject under POPIA, you have the following rights:

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at privacy@micmatchme.com. We will respond to your request within a reasonable time and no later than 30 days.

Some of our service providers may be located outside of South Africa. In such cases, we ensure that your personal information is protected in accordance with POPIA Section 72, which requires that:

• The recipient country has adequate data protection laws, or
• The recipient is bound by a binding corporate rule or agreement that provides adequate protection, or
• You have consented to the transfer after being informed of the possible risks

Our primary data hosting is provided by Supabase, which implements industry-standard security measures and complies with international data protection standards.

We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, including to satisfy any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements.

• Active accounts: Data is retained while your account is active
• Deleted accounts: Core data is deleted within 30 days; backup data within 90 days
• Transaction records: Retained for 5 years for legal and tax compliance
• Communication logs: Retained for 2 years for dispute resolution

After the retention period, your personal information will be securely deleted or anonymized.

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction:

• Encryption: All data is encrypted in transit (TLS/SSL) and at rest
• Access Controls: Strict role-based access controls and authentication
• Secure Authentication: Password hashing and optional two-factor authentication
• Regular Audits: Periodic security assessments and vulnerability testing
• Employee Training: Staff training on data protection practices
• Incident Response: Procedures for detecting and responding to data breaches

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to collect and track information about your activity on our platform. You can manage your cookie preferences through our cookie consent banner.

12.1 Essential Cookies

Required for the platform to function properly. Cannot be disabled.

12.2 Analytics Cookies

Help us understand how users interact with our platform to improve our services. Optional.

12.3 Marketing Cookies

Used to provide personalized recommendations and content. Optional.

You can update your cookie preferences at any time through your browser settings or by contacting us.

MicMatchMe is not intended for use by children under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children.

If you are a parent or guardian and believe that your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us at privacy@micmatchme.com. If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a child without parental consent, we will take steps to delete that information.

MicMatchMe uses artificial intelligence and automated processing to enhance our matching services:

• Profile Matching: AI algorithms analyze your profile to suggest relevant opportunities
• Fit Scoring: Automated scoring to indicate compatibility between speakers and opportunities
• Recommendations: Personalized suggestions based on your activity and preferences

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

• Posting the new Privacy Policy on this page
• Updating the "Last Updated" date at the top
• Sending you an email notification (for significant changes)
• Displaying a prominent notice on our platform

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your personal information.

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, wish to exercise your rights, or have a complaint, please contact us:

Information Regulator (South Africa)

If you are not satisfied with our response, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator: