Privacy Policy

Omuze — Herero Family Lineage App · Effective 24 March 2026

1. Who We Are

Omuze ("the App") is a mobile application that helps members of the Otjiherero-speaking community record, preserve and explore their family lineage. The App is developed and maintained by the Omuze team ("we", "us", "our").

2. Information We Collect

We collect only the information necessary to provide the App's features:

• Account information — email address and password (password is hashed and never stored in plain text).
• Profile information — display name and optional profile photo.
• Family tree data — names, birth/death dates, gender, village/town/region, clan affiliation (eanda), and family relationships (parents, spouses, siblings, children) that you enter.
• Community posts — text, images, and metadata for news items you publish (e.g. death notices, wedding announcements, historical person entries).
• Comments & reactions — content you post in response to community items.
• Payment references — for paid post types, we collect the payment method and reference number you provide. We do not collect or store credit/debit card numbers or bank account details.
• Device photos — only when you choose to upload a profile picture or post image, with your explicit permission.

3. How We Use Your Information

• Authenticate your account and keep it secure.
• Display your family tree and connect you with relatives.
• Show community news posts to relevant audiences based on surname and clan filters you set.
• Process and verify payment submissions for paid post types.
• Enable content moderation and respond to reported content.

4. Data Storage & Security

Your data is stored securely on Supabase infrastructure (PostgreSQL database and file storage). All data is transmitted over HTTPS/TLS encryption. Passwords are hashed using industry-standard algorithms. We apply Row-Level Security (RLS) policies so users can only access data they are authorised to see.

A local copy of your family tree is also stored on your device using an encrypted SQLite database for offline access.

5. Third-Party Services

The App uses the following third-party services:

• Supabase — authentication, database, and file storage (Supabase Privacy Policy).

We do not use any analytics, advertising, or crash-reporting services.

6. Data Sharing

We do not sell, rent, or share your personal information with third parties for marketing or advertising. Your family tree data is visible to other authenticated users of the App in accordance with the app's visibility settings. Community posts are visible to their targeted audience within the App.

7. Your Rights

• Access & correction — you can view and edit your profile and family tree data at any time within the App.
• Email change — you can update your email address from the Settings screen.
• Account deletion — you can permanently delete your account and all associated data from Settings → Delete Account. This action is irreversible.
• Data portability — contact us to request an export of your data.

8. Device Permissions

The App may request the following permissions, only when needed:

• Camera — to take a new profile photo or post image.
• Photo library — to select an existing photo for your profile or a post.

You can revoke these permissions at any time in your device settings.

9. Children's Privacy

The App is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us with personal data, please contact us so we can remove it.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The "Effective" date at the top of this page indicates when it was last revised. Continued use of the App after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

11. Contact Us

If you have questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or your data, please contact us at:
omuze.app@gmail.com