Privacy Policy

The Botswana Speaks platform privacy policy

Effective Date: 01 September 2024

 

1. Introduction

Welcome to Botswana Speaks, a website and mobile application provided by the Parliament of Botswana ("we", "our", "us"). This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our app. We are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring a safe user experience. By using our app, you agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy.

 

2. Government Affiliation

This application is officially developed for use by citizens of the Republic of Botswana to access and utilize government services provided by the Parliament of Botswana. The collection, use, disclosure, and safeguarding of your personal information is regulated by the Data Protection Act, 2018 under the laws of Botswana.

 

3. Information We Collect

Personal Information:

  • Contact Information: Email address, phone number.

  • Identification Information: Government-issued ID numbers, if applicable.

  • Location Information: GPS or other location-based data, if necessary for the service.

 

Non-Personal Information:

  • Usage Data: Information about how you use the app, such as features accessed, frequency of use, and performance data.

  • Device Information: Information about your device, including device model, operating system, and unique device identifiers.

 

4. How We Use Your Information

We use your information for the following purposes:

  • To Provide Services: To deliver and manage the services and features of the app.

  • To Communicate: To contact you regarding updates, changes, or other important information related to the app.

  • To Improve Our Services: To analyse usage patterns and improve app functionality and user experience.

  • For Legal Compliance: To comply with legal obligations and enforce our terms of service.

  • With Service Providers: We may share information with third-party service providers who perform services on our behalf, subject to confidentiality agreements.

  • For Legal Reasons: We may disclose your information if required by law or to respond to legal processes.

 

5. How We Share Your Information

We only share your personal information with third parties to the extent necessary to provide the services offered by Botswana Speaks. Below are the third-party service providers we use and the purposes for which we share your information:

 

  • ViB Group (SMS Services): We use ViB Group to send SMS notifications and communications related to the services provided through Botswana Speaks. Your phone number may be shared with ViB for the purpose of delivering these SMS messages.

 

  • Amazon Web Services (AWS): We utilize AWS for secure data storage, server hosting, and email communications. AWS provides us with a cloud infrastructure to store and manage your personal information, such as email addresses and other service-related data.

 

  • Google Analytics: We use Google Analytics to track and analyze user interactions with our app. This helps us improve our services and enhance user experience by understanding how the app is used. The data shared with Google Analytics includes usage patterns, device information, and other anonymized data, but no personally identifiable information is shared.

 

These third parties are bound by confidentiality agreements and are only permitted to use your information as necessary to provide their services to us. We do not sell or share your personal information with any other third parties for their own marketing purposes.

 

6. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your information from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, and destruction. However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security.

 

7. Data Retention and Deletion

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, comply with legal obligations, and enforce our agreements.

 

Users can request deletion of their data by contacting us at parliament@gov.bw. Once a request is confirmed, we will permanently delete your data from our servers.

 

8. Your Rights and Choices

You have the following rights regarding your personal information:

  • the right of access to personal data through subject access requests,

  • the right to correct inaccurate personal data,

  • the right in certain cases to have personal data erased,

  • the right to object to the processing of data for certain purposes, and

  • the right to obtain a copy of the personal data in the possession of a data processor or a data controller, as the case may be.

 

To exercise these rights, please contact us at parliament@gov.bw.

 

9. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any changes will be posted in the app and on our website. Your continued use of the app after any changes signifies your acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.

 

10. Contact Us

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

Botswana Parliament
P O Box 240, Gaborone
parliament@gov.bw
3616869