Privacy Policy
Your privacy matters to us. This policy explains how GuardianAI collects, uses, protects, and handles your personal information.
Information We Collect
We collect different types of information depending on how you interact with our Services:
| Data Type | Examples | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Account Information | Name, email address, phone number, company name | Account creation, communication, support |
| Payment Information | Billing address, payment method details | Processing subscriptions and payments |
| Technical Data | IP address, device type, browser, camera model | Service delivery, troubleshooting, security |
| Usage Data | Alert history, arm/disarm logs, feature usage | Service improvement, support, billing |
| Image Data | Motion-triggered snapshots from your cameras | AI analysis for threat detection (not stored) |
What We Don't Collect: We never have access to your continuous video feeds or stored recordings. We only receive and process individual snapshots when motion is detected, and these are immediately discarded after analysis.
How We Use Your Data
We use your personal information for the following purposes:
- Service Delivery: To provide AI-powered security monitoring, send alerts, and operate our platform
- Account Management: To create and manage your account, process payments, and handle billing
- Communication: To send service updates, security alerts, and respond to your enquiries
- Support: To provide technical assistance and troubleshoot issues with your setup
- Improvement: To analyse usage patterns and improve our AI detection accuracy and services
- Security: To protect against fraud, unauthorized access, and maintain system integrity
- Legal Compliance: To comply with applicable laws and respond to lawful requests from authorities
Legal Basis (POPIA): We process your data based on: (a) your consent, (b) performance of our contract with you, (c) our legitimate business interests, or (d) compliance with legal obligations.
Image Processing & AI Analysis
Understanding how we handle images from your cameras is central to our privacy commitment:
- Trigger-Based Only: We only receive images when your camera detects motion – we never access live feeds or continuous recordings
- Instant Processing: Images are analysed by our AI within 2-3 seconds to detect human presence
- Immediate Deletion: After AI analysis, images are immediately and permanently deleted from our servers
- No Storage: We do not store, archive, or retain any camera images or footage
- Alert Images: When a human is detected, the alert image is sent to your Telegram – this transmission is encrypted
- No Facial Recognition: Our AI detects human shapes and presence only – we do not perform facial recognition or identification
Your Control: All images belong to you. The snapshots sent to your Telegram are under your control. We have no access to images once they leave our processing pipeline.
Data Sharing & Third Parties
We are committed to keeping your data private. Here's when and how we may share information:
Service Providers: We work with trusted partners who help us deliver our services:
- Cloud Infrastructure: Secure South African data centres for processing
- Payment Processors: To handle subscription payments securely
- Telegram: For delivering alerts (you control your Telegram account)
- Communication Tools: For sending service emails and notifications
Legal Requirements: We may disclose information if required by law, court order, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of GuardianAI, our users, or others.
Business Transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your data may be transferred. We will notify you of any such change.
We Never: Sell your personal data to third parties, share your data for marketing purposes, or provide access to your camera images to anyone outside of the alert delivery process.
Data Security
We implement comprehensive security measures to protect your information:
- Encryption in Transit: All data transmitted between your cameras, our servers, and your devices is encrypted using TLS/SSL
- Secure Infrastructure: Our servers are hosted in secure South African data centres with physical and digital security controls
- Access Controls: Strict access controls limit who can access systems containing personal data
- Regular Audits: We conduct regular security assessments and vulnerability testing
- Employee Training: Our team is trained on data protection and security best practices
- Incident Response: We have procedures in place to detect, respond to, and report security incidents
Your Role: Security is a shared responsibility. Please keep your account credentials secure, use strong passwords, and notify us immediately if you suspect unauthorized access to your account.
Data Retention
We retain different types of data for different periods:
| Data Type | Retention Period |
|---|---|
| Camera Images | Immediately deleted after AI processing (seconds) |
| Alert Logs | 90 days (for support and troubleshooting) |
| Account Information | Duration of account + 2 years after closure |
| Billing Records | 7 years (legal/tax requirements) |
| Support Communications | 2 years after resolution |
After the retention period expires, data is securely deleted or anonymized. You may request earlier deletion of certain data, subject to our legal obligations.
Your Rights Under POPIA
Under the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), you have the following rights regarding your personal data:
Right to Access
Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
Right to Correction
Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data
Right to Deletion
Request deletion of your personal data in certain circumstances
Right to Object
Object to processing based on legitimate interests
Right to Restrict
Request restriction of processing in certain situations
Right to Portability
Receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at privacy@guardianai.co.za. We will respond to your request within 30 days.
If you believe we have not adequately addressed your concerns, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa.
Children's Privacy
GuardianAI services are not intended for use by individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children.
If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately at privacy@guardianai.co.za. We will take steps to delete such information from our systems.
Our security monitoring services may capture images of minors if they appear in areas monitored by your cameras. As the account holder, you are responsible for ensuring appropriate use of security monitoring on your property in accordance with applicable laws.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or for other operational reasons.
How We Notify You:
- Material changes will be communicated via email to your registered address
- We will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this policy
- For significant changes, we may provide additional notice through our Services or website
We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically. Your continued use of our Services after any changes indicates your acceptance of the updated policy.
Questions? If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please don't hesitate to contact our privacy team. We're committed to transparency and happy to address your concerns.
Privacy Questions or Concerns?
Our privacy team is here to help. Reach out with any questions about how we handle your data.