Privacy policy.

Who is responsible

Strivvex (Pty) Ltd operates Verified Business Network (VBN) in South Africa. Viewex Visuals visits and films businesses for their listings and 360° tours. For privacy requests, contact hello@viewexvisuals.co.za.

This policy applies to visitors, members, listed businesses, applicants and authorised team users. A listed business is responsible for its own handling of information once it receives a booking or enquiry.

Information we collect and where it comes from

• Names, email addresses, phone numbers and account or sign-in details that you provide.
• Booking services, dates, times, messages, cancellations and review details.
• Rewards profiles, saved businesses, points, membership levels and perk activity.
• Business contact information, addresses, services, application information and authorised listing changes.
• Photos, videos and 360° tours supplied by businesses or captured by Viewex Visuals, and public business information used to prepare listings.
• Limited device, browser, activity and security records needed to operate and protect the service.

Required fields are identified in the relevant form. Providing optional details is voluntary. Without the required contact or booking information we may be unable to create your account, make a booking or respond to your request. Please avoid including identity numbers, payment-card details or sensitive health information in booking notes.

How and why we use it

We use this information to operate the directory, arrange and manage bookings, send transactional confirmations and sign-in codes, administer rewards, moderate reviews, respond to applications and support requests, and prevent fraud or misuse. We process information where needed to perform an agreement, comply with the law, protect legitimate interests or act on your consent, as applicable under POPIA.

Joining rewards or making a booking does not by itself subscribe you to marketing. Where electronic direct marketing requires consent, we will ask for it and provide a way to stop those messages.

What is public and what is shared

Published business profiles, approved reviews and approved visit stories are public. Review display names and review text may be visible to everyone; email addresses and private booking notes are not published. Booking details are shared with the relevant business and authorised VBN or Viewex staff to handle the booking.

Service providers process information as needed for hosting, authentication, database storage, transactional email, security and embedded tours. These include Convex, Vercel and Postmark. Opening third-party maps, Google sign-in or externally hosted tours may involve those providers' own terms and privacy practices. We do not sell your personal information.

Some providers process information outside South Africa. Transfers must have a lawful basis and appropriate protections under POPIA, including section 72 where applicable. We may also disclose information when legally required or to protect lawful rights and security.

Cookies, analytics, security and retention

Authentication and local browser storage help keep you signed in and support essential site functions. Embedded third-party media may use its own cookies.

If you choose “Allow analytics”, Google Analytics counts visits to public pages and actions such as opening a tour, tapping call or WhatsApp, or sending a booking request, so we can see which businesses people look at. It never receives booking details, reviews, names, email addresses or phone numbers, and it is never used for advertising. Admin, business, sign-in, booking and review pages are not measured. If you choose “Necessary only”, Google Analytics does not load. You can change your choice any time with Cookie settings at the bottom of every page. Separately, VBN keeps anonymous counts of profile views and contact taps per business, without cookies or personal details, for the monthly reports businesses receive.

We use access controls, authenticated workspaces and controlled provider access. No online service is risk-free. We retain information only as reasonably needed for the service, legal duties and dispute resolution, then delete or de-identify it unless lawful retention is required. Suspected security compromises are assessed and notified to affected people and the Information Regulator where POPIA requires.

Your rights and choices

You may ask whether we hold your personal information, request access or correction, object to processing, withdraw consent where applicable, or request deletion where retention is no longer lawful or necessary. Contact hello@viewexvisuals.co.za; we may need to verify your identity. Withdrawing consent does not undo prior lawful processing.

You may complain to South Africa's Information Regulator at inforegulator.org.za, email enquiries@inforegulator.org.za, or call 010 023 5200. The Regulator publishes request and complaint forms on its website.

Updates

We may update this policy as services or legal requirements change. The current version and effective date remain available here. Material changes affecting your choices will be communicated where required.