1. Introduction

Find My Next VA (“we”, “us”, “the Platform”) is committed to protecting your personal information and complying with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) of South Africa.

This Privacy Policy explains:

• What information we collect
  
• How we use and store it
  
• Your rights as a user
  
• How we protect your data
  
• How international users’ data is handled
  
  

By using the Platform, you consent to the practices outlined below.

2. Who This Policy Applies To

This policy applies to:

Virtual Assistants (VAs)

Paid members who create listings and share personal/business info.

Clients / Users

People who browse the directory or contact VAs through the platform (free users).

International Users

Clients from the US, UK, EU, and other countries who use the site.

3. Information We Collect

3.1 Information You Provide to Us

For VAs (paid members):

• Full name
  
• Email address
  
• Business name
  
• Phone number (optional)
  
• Profile information (bio, skills, rates, portfolio)
  
• Social media links
  
• Calendly/booking links
  
• Payment information (processed securely by our payment provider — we do not store card details)
  
  

For Clients (free users):

• Name and email if submitting an RFP or contact form
  
• Project information
  
• Any details voluntarily shared
  
  

3.2 Automatically Collected Data

We may collect:

• IP address
  
• Device type
  
• Browser information
  
• Usage statistics
  
• Pages viewed
  
• Referring URLs
  
  

This helps us improve user experience and security.

4. How We Use Your Information

For VAs

• To create and display your public profile
  
• To process your subscription and payments
  
• To send service updates, billing notices, and renewal reminders
  
• To manage your account and provide support
  
• To promote your profile in search results and ads (Premium plan)
  
  

For Clients

• To share RFP information with selected VAs
  
• To allow VAs to respond
  
• To improve search tools and matching features
  
• To send optional updates and newsletters (opt-in only)
  
  

For All Users

• To maintain and secure the platform
  
• To comply with legal obligations
  
• To analyse site performance and improve features
  
  

5. How We Store & Protect Your Data

We take data protection seriously.

• Your data is stored securely using encrypted systems.
  
• Payment information is handled by secure third-party processors (PCI-compliant).
  
• Access to data is restricted to authorised personnel only.
  
• We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information.
  
  

6. Sharing of Information

We may share information with:

Virtual Assistants

When a client posts an RFP, relevant details are shared with VAs.

Clients

Any information you make public in your VA profile is visible to clients.

Service Providers

Only when absolutely necessary, such as:

• Payment processors
  
• Email service providers
  
• Analytics tools
  
  

All partners comply with POPIA and/or international privacy standards.

We do NOT share your information with:

• Advertisers
  
• Data brokers
  
• Third parties for profit
  
  

7. International Users & Cross-Border Data Transfers

Clients from the US, UK, EU, and other countries may access the platform.

By using the site:

• You consent to your information being processed and stored in South Africa,
  
• You acknowledge that South African laws apply to your data,
  
• You understand data protections may differ from your country.
  
  

We take all reasonable steps to ensure your data is secure regardless of location.

8. Your POPIA Rights

Under POPIA, you have the right to:

• Access your personal information
  
• Correct or update your information
  
• Request deletion of your data (where legally possible)
  
• Object to certain processing
  
• Withdraw consent
  
• Lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa
  
  

To exercise these rights, contact:
admin@findmynextva.com

9. Data Retention

We retain information only as long as necessary to:

• Provide services,
  
• Meet legal obligations,
  
• Prevent abuse, and
  
• Resolve disputes.
  
  

If you cancel your VA membership, your listing is removed, but certain records may be kept for financial and legal compliance.

10. Cookies & Tracking Technologies

We may use cookies to:

• Improve your browsing experience
  
• Keep you logged in
  
• Analyse traffic
  
• Personalize search results
  
  

You can disable cookies in your browser, but some features may not work properly.

11. Minors

This platform is not intended for users under 18 years of age.
We do not knowingly collect data from minors.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time.
Continued use of the platform indicates acceptance of the updated policy.

13. Contact Information

For privacy or POPIA-related queries, contact us at:
admin@findmynextva.com
South Africa