1. Information We Collect

We collect the following categories of information:

Information You Provide

• Account information: name, email address, phone number, username, password (stored as a secure hash), date of birth, profile photo, bio, and region/location preferences
• Content: videos, articles, reels, podcasts, comments, messages, live streams, and any other content you create, upload, or share on the Service
• Communications: information you provide when you contact us for support, report a problem, or participate in surveys or promotions

Information Collected Automatically

• Usage data: pages and content viewed, search queries, interactions (likes, follows, shares, comments), time spent on content, scroll behaviour, and navigation patterns
• Device information: browser type and version, operating system, device type, screen resolution, unique device identifiers, and language settings
• Network information: IP address, approximate geographic location (derived from IP for region detection and content personalisation), timezone, and referring URL
• Performance data: crash reports, system activity, and diagnostic data used to maintain and improve the Service

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Provide, operate, maintain, and improve the Service, including content recommendations, search, and personalised feeds
• Create and maintain your account, authenticate your identity, and provide customer support
• Communicate with you, including sending notifications, updates, security alerts, and administrative messages
• Develop, train, test, and improve our recommendation algorithms, content moderation systems, and platform features using aggregated and anonymised usage data
• Detect, investigate, and prevent fraud, spam, abuse, security incidents, and other harmful or unauthorised activities
• Enforce our Terms of Service, Community Guidelines, and other applicable policies
• Comply with legal obligations, respond to lawful requests from authorities, and protect the rights, property, and safety of Sheeko, our users, and the public
• Conduct research and analytics to understand how users interact with the Service and to measure the effectiveness of our features

3. How We Share Your Information

We may share your information in the following circumstances:

• With other users: Your profile information and public content are visible to other users of the Service. Private messages are only visible to participants.
• With service providers: We share information with trusted third-party service providers who perform services on our behalf, such as cloud hosting, email delivery, analytics, and payment processing. These providers are bound by contractual obligations to protect your data.
• For legal reasons: We may disclose your information if required to do so by law, in response to a court order, subpoena, or other lawful government request, or when we believe disclosure is necessary to protect the rights, property, or safety of Sheeko, our users, or the public.
• Business transfers: If Xirfad Technologies is involved in a merger, acquisition, reorganisation, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you of any such change and any choices you may have regarding your information.
• With your consent: We may share information with third parties when you give us explicit consent to do so.

4. What We Do Not Do

• We do not sell your personal data to third parties
• We do not use third-party advertising trackers or behavioural advertising networks
• We do not share your personal data with data brokers
• We do not read the content of your private messages for advertising or commercial purposes
• We do not use facial recognition technology

5. Data Storage & Security

Your data is stored on servers located in the European Union (Hetzner, Germany and Finland). We implement industry-standard security measures, including: encryption in transit (TLS 1.2+); hashed passwords (bcrypt with salt); encrypted object storage for media files; role-based access controls; regular security audits; and automated threat detection.

While we take reasonable measures to protect your data, no method of electronic storage or transmission is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security and are not responsible for unauthorised access resulting from factors beyond our reasonable control, including your failure to safeguard your account credentials.

6. Cookies & Similar Technologies

We use strictly essential cookies for authentication, session management, and security. We use self-hosted, privacy-respecting analytics (no third-party tracking cookies). We do not use cookies for advertising, behavioural profiling, or cross-site tracking.

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling essential cookies may prevent you from using certain features of the Service.

7. Your Rights

Depending on your location and applicable law, you may have the right to:

• Access the personal data we hold about you and receive a copy
• Request correction or rectification of inaccurate or incomplete data
• Request deletion of your account and personal data
• Export your data in a commonly used, machine-readable format (data portability)
• Object to or restrict certain processing of your personal data
• Withdraw consent for optional data processing at any time
• Lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at [email protected].

8. Data Retention

We retain your account information and User Content for as long as your account is active and as needed to provide the Service. If you delete your account, we will delete or anonymise your personal data within 30 days, except where we are required to retain it: (a) to comply with legal obligations (e.g., tax, legal reporting, or audit requirements); (b) to resolve disputes; (c) to enforce our agreements; or (d) to protect against fraudulent or illegal activity.

Aggregated, anonymised data that cannot be used to identify you may be retained indefinitely for analytical and research purposes.

9. Children's Privacy

The Service is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 13. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal data, please contact us at [email protected] and we will take steps to delete such information promptly.

10. International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in countries other than your country of residence, including countries in the European Economic Area. These transfers are necessary to operate the Service. Where required by law, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place for international data transfers, including standard contractual clauses approved by relevant authorities.

11. Regional Compliance

Xirfad Technologies is based in Melbourne, Australia and complies with the Australian Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs). We also comply with applicable international data protection laws, including but not limited to: the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) for users in the EU/EEA; the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) for users in South Africa; the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) for users in Nigeria; the Data Protection Act (2019) for users in Kenya; and other applicable national data protection laws across Africa and internationally.

Users in these jurisdictions may have additional rights as specified by their local law. Contact us to exercise any jurisdiction-specific rights.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. If we make material changes, we will notify you by email, in-app notification, or by posting a prominent notice on the Service at least 14 days before the changes take effect. Your continued use of the Service after the effective date constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

13. Contact

For privacy questions, data requests, or concerns, contact our Data Protection team at [email protected].