Who We Are
PU-Connect ("we", "us", "our") is a campus-based peer-to-peer marketplace platform operated under the university. Our platform enables verified students and campus community members to list, buy, and sell goods and services within their university campus.
[email protected]
Student Affairs Office, University Campus, Ghana
Information We Collect
We collect information you provide directly, information generated through your use of the Platform, and information from third-party services where you choose to connect them.
| Category | Data Collected | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Account Data | Full name, email address, username, profile photo, password (hashed) | You, at registration |
| Social Auth Data | Name, email, profile picture (as permitted by Google/Apple) | Google / Apple OAuth |
| Listing Data | Item title, description, photos, price, category, location tag | You, when posting listings |
| Transaction Data | Purchase history, payment method type, transaction status, timestamps | Platform activity |
| Communication Data | In-app messages between buyers and sellers | Platform messaging system |
| Usage Data | Pages visited, search queries, clicks, session duration, device type, IP address, browser type | Automatically collected |
| Review Data | Ratings and written reviews you leave for other users | You, after transactions |
How We Use Your Data
We use the information we collect only for legitimate purposes directly related to operating PU-Connect. We do not sell your personal data to third parties.
- To create and manage your account and verify your identity.
- To display your listings and facilitate transactions between users.
- To enable in-app messaging between buyers and sellers.
- To send you transactional notifications (e.g. listing status, message alerts, payment confirmations).
- To send service announcements and important updates about the Platform.
- To enforce our Terms and Conditions and investigate reports of misconduct.
- To improve the Platform through analysis of aggregated, anonymised usage data.
- To comply with legal obligations and respond to lawful requests from authorities.
We will only send you marketing communications if you have explicitly opted in to receive them. You may opt out at any time through your account notification settings.
Legal Basis for Processing
We process your personal data on the following legal bases under applicable data protection law:
- Contract Performance: Processing necessary to provide you with the services described in our Terms and Conditions.
- Legitimate Interests: Processing necessary for our legitimate interests in operating, improving, and securing the Platform, where such interests are not overridden by your rights.
- Legal Obligation: Processing required to comply with applicable laws and regulations.
- Consent: Where we rely on consent (e.g. for marketing emails), you have the right to withdraw that consent at any time.
Sharing Your Information
We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal data. We may share your information only in the following limited circumstances:
- With other users: Your public profile (name, username, profile photo, ratings) is visible to other Platform users to facilitate transactions.
- With payment processors: Transaction data is shared with Mobile Money providers or our escrow service solely to process payments.
- With service providers: We use trusted third-party vendors (e.g. cloud hosting, email delivery) who are contractually bound to process data only on our instructions.
- With university authorities: We may share information with university management where required to investigate serious misconduct or safety concerns.
- With law enforcement: We will disclose data where required by law or in response to a valid legal order.
- In a business transfer: In the event of a merger or acquisition, your data may be transferred to the successor entity, subject to the same privacy protections.
Data Retention
We retain your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by law:
- Active accounts: Data is retained for the duration of your account's active status.
- Closed accounts: Account data is anonymised or deleted within 90 days of account deletion, unless retention is required for legal or fraud-prevention purposes.
- Transaction records: Retained for a minimum of 7 years to comply with financial recordkeeping obligations.
- In-app messages: Retained for 12 months after the conversation ends, then permanently deleted.
- Usage logs: Retained in aggregated, anonymised form indefinitely for analytics purposes.
Your Rights
Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have the following rights regarding your personal data. To exercise any of these rights, contact us at [email protected]. We will respond within 30 days.
Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data.
Request deletion of your data where no longer necessary.
Request that we limit how we use your data in certain circumstances.
Request a machine-readable copy of data you provided to us.
Object to processing based on legitimate interests or for direct marketing.
You also have the right to lodge a complaint with a relevant supervisory authority if you believe we have not handled your data in accordance with applicable law.
Cookies & Tracking
PU-Connect uses cookies and similar technologies to operate the Platform, remember your preferences, and understand how users interact with our services.
| Cookie Type | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Essential | Session management, authentication, security (cannot be disabled) | Session / 30 days |
| Functional | Remembering your preferences, language, and notification settings | 1 year |
| Analytics | Understanding usage patterns to improve the Platform (anonymised) | 2 years |
You can manage cookie preferences through your browser settings. Disabling non-essential cookies will not prevent you from using the Platform's core features.
Children's Privacy
PU-Connect is not directed at or intended for use by children under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal data from minors. If we become aware that a user is under 18 years of age, we will take immediate steps to deactivate their account and delete their personal data.
If you believe a minor has registered on the Platform, please contact us immediately at [email protected].
Security
We implement industry-standard technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data against unauthorised access, loss, destruction, or alteration. Our security practices include:
- All data transmitted between your device and our servers is encrypted using TLS/HTTPS.
- Passwords are stored using a one-way cryptographic hash function and are never stored in plain text.
- Access to personal data is restricted to authorised personnel on a need-to-know basis.
- We conduct periodic security assessments and vulnerability testing of our Platform.
- In the event of a data breach that affects your rights and freedoms, we will notify you and the relevant authorities within the timeframes required by law.
Changes to this Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, or legal requirements. When we make significant changes, we will notify you by:
- Sending a notification to your registered email address.
- Displaying a prominent notice on the Platform.
- Updating the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page.
Your continued use of PU-Connect after the effective date of any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy. We encourage you to review this page periodically.
Contact Us
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or the way we handle your personal data, please contact our Privacy Team:
Email: [email protected]
Address: Student Affairs Office, University Campus
Response Time: Within 30 days of receipt
For general support queries, please email [email protected] or visit our Help Centre on the Platform.