GDPR Compliance

1. Introduction

Afristores.co is fully committed to complying with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which came into effect on May 25, 2018. The GDPR is a comprehensive data protection law that applies to organizations processing the personal data of individuals in the European Union (EU).

This page outlines our approach to GDPR compliance, the steps we've taken to protect your data, and your rights as a data subject under the regulation.

2. Data Protection Principles

We adhere to the core principles of GDPR in all our data processing activities:

Lawfulness, Fairness, and Transparency

We process personal data lawfully, fairly, and in a transparent manner. We clearly communicate how we use your data through our Privacy Policy and this GDPR compliance statement.

Purpose Limitation

We only collect personal data for specified, explicit, and legitimate purposes. We do not process data in ways that are incompatible with these purposes.

Data Minimization

We only collect personal data that is adequate, relevant, and limited to what is necessary for the purposes for which it is processed.

Accuracy

We take reasonable steps to ensure personal data is accurate and kept up to date. We have processes in place to allow you to correct inaccurate data.

Storage Limitation

We keep personal data in a form that permits identification of data subjects for no longer than necessary for the purposes for which the data is processed.

Integrity and Confidentiality

We process personal data in a manner that ensures appropriate security, including protection against unauthorized or unlawful processing and against accidental loss, destruction, or damage.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under GDPR, we must have a lawful basis for processing personal data. The table below outlines our primary lawful bases for different processing activities:

Processing Activity	Lawful Basis	Explanation
Account Creation & Management	Contract	Processing is necessary for the performance of a contract with the data subject
Payment Processing	Contract & Legal Obligation	Necessary for contract performance and compliance with financial regulations
Marketing Communications	Consent or Legitimate Interests	Based on explicit consent or our legitimate interest in promoting our services
Customer Support	Contract & Legitimate Interests	Necessary for contract performance and our legitimate interest in providing quality service
Security & Fraud Prevention	Legitimate Interests & Legal Obligation	Our legitimate interest in protecting our platform and users, and legal obligations

4. Your Data Rights

Under GDPR, you have specific rights regarding your personal data. We respect these rights and have established processes to help you exercise them:

Right to Access

You have the right to obtain confirmation as to whether or not personal data concerning you is being processed, and where that is the case, access to that personal data.

Right to Rectification

You have the right to have inaccurate personal data rectified, or completed if it is incomplete.

Right to Erasure (Right to be Forgotten)

You have the right to have your personal data erased in certain circumstances, such as when the data is no longer necessary for the purposes for which it was collected.

Right to Restriction of Processing

You have the right to restrict processing in certain circumstances, such as when you contest the accuracy of the data.

Right to Data Portability

You have the right to receive your personal data in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format and have the right to transmit that data to another controller.

Right to Object

You have the right to object to processing based on legitimate interests or the performance of a task in the public interest/exercise of official authority, and to processing for direct marketing purposes.

Rights Related to Automated Decision-Making

You have the right not to be subject to a decision based solely on automated processing, including profiling, which produces legal effects concerning you or similarly significantly affects you.

5. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to ensure a level of security appropriate to the risk, including:

• Encryption of personal data both in transit and at rest
• Regular security testing and vulnerability assessments
• Access controls and authentication mechanisms
• Staff training on data protection and security
• Physical security measures for our data centers
• Incident response and breach notification procedures

We regularly review and update our security measures to address new threats and vulnerabilities.

6. Data Breach Procedures

We have established procedures to handle data breaches in compliance with GDPR requirements:

Detection and Assessment

We monitor our systems for potential breaches and have processes to quickly detect and assess any incidents.

Notification

In the event of a data breach that is likely to result in a risk to the rights and freedoms of individuals, we will notify the relevant supervisory authority without undue delay and, where feasible, within 72 hours of becoming aware of the breach.

Communication with Data Subjects

When a data breach is likely to result in a high risk to the rights and freedoms of individuals, we will communicate the breach to affected data subjects without undue delay.

Documentation

We maintain documentation of all data breaches, regardless of whether notification was required.

7. International Data Transfers

As a global platform, we may transfer personal data to countries outside the European Economic Area (EEA). When we do so, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place:

Adequacy Decisions

Where possible, we transfer data to countries that have been deemed to provide an adequate level of protection for personal data by the European Commission.

Standard Contractual Clauses

For transfers to countries without adequacy decisions, we use Standard Contractual Clauses approved by the European Commission.

Binding Corporate Rules

For intra-organizational transfers, we implement Binding Corporate Rules where appropriate.

Derogations

In limited circumstances, we may rely on derogations for specific situations, such as explicit consent or the necessity for the performance of a contract.

8. Data Protection Officer

We have appointed a Data Protection Officer (DPO) to oversee our data protection strategy and ensure compliance with GDPR:

Our DPO is responsible for:

• Informing and advising us on our data protection obligations
• Monitoring compliance with GDPR and other data protection laws
• Providing advice regarding Data Protection Impact Assessments
• Acting as a contact point for data subjects and supervisory authorities

9. Contact Us

If you have any questions about our GDPR compliance or wish to exercise your data rights, please contact us:

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority if you believe our processing of your personal data infringes the GDPR.