Privacy Policy
Last updated: 4 July 2026 · Effective: 4 July 2026
This Privacy Policy explains how BodaLink ("BodaLink", "we", "us", or "our") collects, uses, shares, and protects your personal information when you use our mobile applications and related services. It applies to all three of our apps:
- BodaLink — the shopper app (
com.bodalinkuser.app) - BodaLink Driver — the rider/delivery app (
com.bodalinkdriver.app) - BodaLink Merchant — the seller app (
com.bodalinkmerchant.app)
By downloading, accessing, or using any BodaLink app, you agree to the practices described in this policy. If you do not agree, please do not use the apps.
1. Who we are
BodaLink is an on-demand commerce and delivery platform operating in Tanzania. We connect shoppers with local merchants and independent delivery riders ("boda" riders). The data controller responsible for your personal information is:
- [Registered Company Name] (placeholder — insert your legal entity)
- [Physical/registered address, city, Tanzania]
- Email: privacy@bodalink.co.tz
2. Information we collect
We collect the following categories of information, depending on which app you use and how you use it.
2.1 Information you provide
| Data | Applies to | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Phone number | All apps | Account creation and one-time-password (OTP) sign-in |
| Name and profile details | All apps | Identifying your account and orders |
| Delivery & saved addresses | Shopper app | Delivering your orders |
| Order contents & history | Shopper, Merchant | Processing and fulfilling orders |
| Shop details, product listings, prices, stock | Merchant app | Running your shop on the platform |
| Product & shop photos | Merchant app | Displaying listings (via camera / gallery) |
| KYC / verification documents | Driver, Merchant | Verifying identity and eligibility to sell or deliver |
| Vehicle & financing details | Driver app | Delivery matching and rider financing / boda plans |
| Payout / settlement details | Driver, Merchant | Paying you your earnings or sales proceeds |
| Support messages & feedback | All apps | Responding to enquiries and improving service |
2.2 Information collected automatically
- Location data — see Section 3.
- Device information — device model, operating system version, app version, language, and unique device/push identifiers.
- Usage data — screens viewed, actions taken, order and delivery events, and timestamps, used to operate and improve the apps.
- Diagnostics — crash reports and performance logs.
- Push notification tokens — provided by Firebase Cloud Messaging / Apple Push Notification service to deliver notifications.
2.3 Information from third parties
We may receive information from payment and mobile-money providers (e.g. transaction status), and from other BodaLink participants involved in your order (for example, a rider receives the delivery address for an order they accept).
3. Location data
Location is central to a delivery service. How we use it depends on the app:
- Shopper app — we use your device location (while you use the app) to show nearby shops, set your delivery point, and let you follow your order on a map.
- Driver app — we collect precise location, including in the background and while the screen is off, whenever you are online/available or on an active delivery. This is required to match you to nearby jobs, provide navigation, share your live position with the customer and merchant for that order, and calculate distances and earnings. Background location stops when you go offline.
- Merchant app — we use location to set and verify your shop's pickup location.
You can control location permissions in your device settings at any time. Disabling location will limit or prevent core features (for riders, you cannot receive deliveries without it).
4. How we use your information
- Create and secure your account and authenticate you via OTP.
- Process, route, and fulfil orders and deliveries.
- Match shoppers, merchants, and riders, and enable communication about an order.
- Process payments and pay out earnings and settlements.
- Verify identity (KYC) for riders and merchants and prevent fraud and abuse.
- Send transactional and status notifications about your orders and deliveries.
- Provide customer support and respond to your requests.
- Operate, maintain, analyse, and improve the apps and platform.
- Comply with legal obligations and enforce our terms.
5. Legal basis for processing
Where applicable data-protection law requires it, we process your information on the basis of: performance of a contract (to provide the service you request), your consent (e.g. for location and push notifications, which you can withdraw), our legitimate interests (to secure, operate, and improve the platform and prevent fraud), and compliance with legal obligations.
6. How we share information
We do not sell your personal information. We share it only as needed to run the service:
- Between platform participants — to complete an order, a merchant sees the items and the information needed to prepare it, and the assigned rider receives pickup and delivery details and can view the customer's delivery location. Shoppers can see the assigned rider's name and live location during delivery.
- Payment & mobile-money providers — to process payments and payouts (e.g. M-Pesa / mobile-money partners).
- Service providers — cloud hosting and storage, Google Firebase (authentication support, cloud messaging, analytics/crash reporting), and mapping providers (e.g. Google Maps), who process data on our behalf under contract.
- Legal & safety — where required by law, regulation, legal process, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of BodaLink, our users, or the public.
- Business transfers — in connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, subject to this policy.
7. Payments
Payments are handled through mobile-money and payment providers. When you pay by M-Pesa or mobile money, the transaction is processed by that provider; we receive confirmation of the transaction status and the amount, but we do not collect or store your full mobile-money PIN or bank card numbers. Cash-on-delivery orders are settled directly with the rider on delivery.
8. Notifications
With your permission, we send push notifications about order and delivery status, promotions, and important account updates. Riders may receive full-screen, high-priority alerts for incoming deliveries. You can turn notifications off in your device settings, though this may affect timely delivery updates.
9. Device permissions
The apps request only the permissions needed for their features. You may grant or revoke these in your device settings:
| Permission | Used by | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Location (precise & approximate) | All apps | Nearby shops, delivery routing, live tracking |
| Background location | Driver app | Matching and live tracking while on a delivery, even with the screen off |
| Notifications | All apps | Order, delivery, and account alerts |
| Camera | Merchant app | Taking product and shop photos |
| Photos / media | Merchant app | Uploading product images from your gallery |
| Foreground service, wake lock, exact alarm, full-screen alerts | Driver app | Reliable, timely incoming-delivery alerts and location updates |
| Internet / network | All apps | Connecting to our services |
10. Data retention
We keep your personal information for as long as your account is active and as needed to provide the service. We retain certain records longer where required for legal, tax, accounting, dispute-resolution, or fraud-prevention purposes. Order, delivery, and transaction records are typically retained for the period required by applicable law. When data is no longer needed, we delete or anonymise it.
11. Security
We protect your information using industry-standard measures, including encryption in transit (HTTPS/TLS), access controls, and authenticated APIs with token-based sessions. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, but we work to protect your data and to promptly address any incident. Keep your device and phone number secure, since OTP sign-in relies on access to your phone.
12. Your rights & choices
Subject to applicable law, you may:
- Access the personal information we hold about you.
- Correct inaccurate or incomplete information (much of it is editable in-app).
- Request deletion of your account and personal data (see Section 13).
- Withdraw consent for location or notifications via device settings.
- Object to or restrict certain processing.
- Request a copy of your data in a portable format.
To exercise any of these rights, contact us at privacy@bodalink.co.tz. We will respond within a reasonable time and as required by law.
13. Account & data deletion
You can request deletion of your account and associated personal data at any time by:
- Using the in-app option in your profile settings (where available), or
- Emailing privacy@bodalink.co.tz from the phone number or email associated with your account.
On request, we will delete your personal information, except records we are legally required to retain (such as completed transaction and settlement records for tax and accounting). This satisfies the account-deletion requirements of the Google Play and Apple App stores.
14. Children's privacy
BodaLink is not intended for anyone under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal data, contact us and we will delete it.
15. Changes to this policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last updated" date above and, where appropriate, notify you in the app. Your continued use of the apps after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.
16. Contact us
If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this policy or your data, contact us:
- [Registered Company Name]
- Email (privacy): privacy@bodalink.co.tz
- Email (support): support@bodalink.co.tz
- Address: [Physical/registered address, city, Tanzania]