Privacy Policy

Effective Date: August 1, 2026

1. Introduction

Welcome to CLOUD265 ("we," "our," or "us"). We are committed to protecting your privacy and personal data. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our Digital Business Operating System ("Service"), including our website, applications, and related services.

By using the CLOUD265 platform, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy. If you do not agree with any part of this Privacy Policy, please do not use our Service.

2. Data Controller & Contact

Data Controller: CLOUD265 Digital Business OS

Contact Email: sales@cloud265.net

Phone: +265 999 011 689

Address: Lilongwe, Malawi

3. Information We Collect

We collect several types of information from and about users of our Service:

3.1 Personal Information You Provide

• Account Information: Name, email address, phone number, company name, job title, and password when you register for an account.
• Billing Information: Payment details, billing address, and transaction history (processed securely through our payment partners).
• Profile Information: Profile photo, bio, preferences, and other information you choose to provide.
• Business Data: Contacts, customers, vendors, products, services, inventory, sales, invoices, expenses, projects, files, and other business information you upload or create within the platform.
• Communication Data: Messages, support tickets, feedback, and correspondence with our team.

3.2 Information We Collect Automatically

• Usage Data: IP address, browser type, device information, operating system, pages visited, time spent, and actions taken within the platform.
• Cookies & Tracking: We use cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience, remember preferences, and analyze usage patterns.
• Log Data: Server logs that record activity on our platform, including timestamps and request details.

3.3 Information from Third Parties

• Payment Processors: Payment confirmation and transaction details from Airtel Money, TNM Mpamba, PayChangu, Flutterwave, and other payment gateways.
• Integrations: Data from third-party services you connect to your CLOUD265 account (e.g., email providers, SMS gateways, GitHub, GitLab).
• Social Media: Public profile information if you choose to link your social media accounts.

4. How We Use Your Information

We use the collected information for the following purposes:

• Service Delivery: To provide, maintain, and improve the CLOUD265 platform and its features.
• Account Management: To create and manage your account, process payments, and communicate with you about your subscription.
• Customer Support: To respond to your inquiries, troubleshoot issues, and provide technical assistance.
• Data Processing: To process your business data and provide the functionality of the Digital OS modules.
• Security: To monitor and protect the platform from unauthorized access, fraud, and security threats.
• Analytics: To analyze usage patterns, improve user experience, and develop new features.
• Marketing: To send you updates, newsletters, and promotional materials (you can opt out at any time).
• Legal Compliance: To comply with applicable laws, regulations, and legal processes.

5. Legal Basis for Processing

We process your personal data based on the following legal grounds:

• Contractual Necessity: Processing is necessary to perform our contract with you (e.g., providing the Service).
• Legitimate Interests: Processing is necessary for our legitimate interests, such as improving the Service, preventing fraud, and marketing (provided these interests are not overridden by your data protection rights).
• Consent: Where you have given explicit consent for specific processing activities (e.g., marketing communications).
• Legal Obligation: Processing is necessary to comply with applicable laws and regulations.

6. Data Storage & Security

We take data security seriously and implement robust measures to protect your information:

• Encryption: All data is encrypted both in transit (TLS/SSL) and at rest using industry-standard encryption protocols.
• Access Controls: Strict access controls and authentication mechanisms protect your data from unauthorized access.
• Regular Audits: We conduct regular security audits and vulnerability assessments to maintain system integrity.
• Backups: Regular backups are maintained to ensure data recovery in case of system failures.

7. Data Sharing & Disclosure

We do not sell your personal data. We may share your information in the following circumstances:

7.1 Service Providers

We engage trusted third-party service providers to assist with:

• Cloud infrastructure and hosting (Oracle, Digital Ocean, Local data centers)
• Payment processing (Airtel Money, TNM Mpamba, Local Banks and International Payment Gateways )
• Communication services (SMS, email, WhatsApp Business API)
• Analytics and monitoring

7.2 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required by law, court order, or governmental regulation, or if we believe disclosure is necessary to:

• Protect the rights, property, or safety of CLOUD265, our users, or others.
• Investigate and prevent fraud or security breaches.
• Comply with applicable legal obligations in Malawi and other jurisdictions.

7.3 Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your data may be transferred as part of the transaction. We will notify you of any such change in ownership.

8. Your Rights

You have the following rights regarding your personal data:

• Access: You can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
• Correction: You can request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data.
• Deletion: You can request deletion of your personal data (subject to legal retention requirements).
• Restriction: You can request restriction of processing your data in certain circumstances.
• Portability: You can request a copy of your data in a structured, machine-readable format.
• Objection: You can object to processing for marketing purposes or based on legitimate interests.
• Withdraw Consent: You can withdraw consent at any time where we rely on consent for processing.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at sales@cloud265.net.

9. Data Retention

We retain your personal data for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide the Service. When you close your account, we will retain your data for a 30-day grace period during which you can reactivate your account. After this period, we will securely delete or anonymize your data, except where we are required to retain it for:

• Legal compliance (e.g., tax and accounting records)
• Fraud prevention and security
• Legitimate business interests

10. Cookies & Tracking

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to:

• Essential Cookies: Enable core functionality like login and session management.
• Preference Cookies: Remember your preferences and settings.
• Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how users interact with our platform.
• Marketing Cookies: Deliver relevant advertisements (with your consent).

You can control cookie preferences through your browser settings. However, disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of the Service.

11. Third-Party Links

Our Service may contain links to third-party websites, applications, or services. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of these third parties. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit.

12. Children's Privacy

Our Service is not intended for children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we learn that we have inadvertently collected such data, we will take steps to delete it promptly.

13. International Data Transfers

Your data may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your home country. We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, such as:

• Data processing agreements with standard contractual clauses
• Ensuring data is stored in secure, compliant data centers
• Offering dedicated infrastructure options for enterprise clients requiring full data sovereignty

14. Data Breach Notification

In the event of a data breach that is likely to result in a risk to your rights and freedoms, we will notify you and the relevant regulatory authorities within 72 hours of becoming aware of the breach, as required by applicable law.

15. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or technology. We will notify you of significant changes via:

• Email notification to registered users
• Prominent notice on the platform
• Updated "Last updated" date at the top of this policy

Your continued use of the Service after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.

16. Contact Us

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

• Email: sales@cloud265.net
• Phone: +265 999 011 689
• Address: CLOUD265 Digital Business OS, Lilongwe, Malawi

We will respond to your inquiry within a reasonable timeframe, typically within 30 days.