1. Introduction
Lango News ("we", "us", "our"), operated by Hakateq Solutions Limited, is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal information when you use our platform at langonews.com and our mobile application.
By using our platform, you consent to the data practices described in this policy.
2. Information We Collect
2.1 Information You Provide
- Account information: First name, last name, email address, phone number, password, username
- Profile information: Bio, avatar photo, cover image, district, website URL
- Content: Articles, videos, comments, live stream recordings
- Payment information: Mobile Money number, Mobile Money provider (MTN/Airtel), transaction history
- Advertisement data: Ad images, titles, descriptions, target districts, business URLs
- Communication: Contact form messages, support requests
2.2 Information Collected Automatically
- Device information: Device type, operating system, browser type and version
- Usage data: Pages visited, articles read, videos watched, time spent on platform
- IP address and approximate geographic location
- Interaction data: Likes, comments, follows, shares, ad clicks
- Cookies and similar tracking technologies
- Push notification tokens (FCM tokens for mobile app)
2.3 Information from Third Parties
- Google OAuth: Name, email, and profile picture when you sign in with Google
- Payment providers: Transaction status and confirmation from Pesapal
- YouTube: Video performance data for content uploaded to our channel
3. How We Use Your Information
We use your information to:
- Provide, maintain, and improve our platform services
- Process account registration and authentication
- Deliver personalized content and recommendations
- Process payments including tips, live stream tickets, ad purchases, and subscriptions
- Credit creator wallets and process withdrawal requests
- Calculate and apply platform commissions on earnings
- Display and track advertisements
- Send notifications about your account, content, earnings, and platform updates
- Moderate content and enforce community guidelines
- Detect and prevent fraud, abuse, and policy violations
- Generate analytics and reports for creators (views, engagement, earnings)
- Comply with legal obligations
4. Financial Data
We handle financial data with extra care:
- Payment processing: We do not store credit card or full Mobile Money account details. Payments are processed by Pesapal, a PCI-compliant payment processor.
- Wallet data: We store your wallet balance, total earnings, total withdrawals, and payout method (Mobile Money provider and number) to facilitate withdrawals.
- Transaction records: We maintain records of all transactions (tips sent/received, ad payments, subscription payments, withdrawals) for accounting and dispute resolution.
- Commission records: We record the platform commission deducted from each earning for transparency.
5. Advertising Data
When you purchase or interact with advertisements:
- We collect ad creative content (images, titles, URLs) you submit
- We track ad impressions and clicks for performance reporting
- We may use your district/location to serve targeted ads
- Ad performance data is shared with the advertiser (aggregate, not personal)
- We do not share your personal browsing data with advertisers
6. Information Sharing
We do not sell your personal information. We may share information with:
- Payment processors (Pesapal): Name, email, phone, and payment amount to process transactions
- YouTube/Google: Video content and metadata uploaded to our YouTube channel
- Other users: Your public profile (name, bio, avatar, content) is visible to all users
- Advertisers: Aggregate ad performance data only (no personal user data)
- Law enforcement: When required by law, court order, or to protect rights and safety
- Service providers: Hosting, email delivery, and analytics services under strict data processing agreements
7. Data Storage and Security
We implement appropriate security measures to protect your data:
- Encrypted data transmission (SSL/TLS) for all connections
- Secure password hashing (bcrypt)
- Role-based access controls for admin and staff
- Regular security reviews and updates
- Secure cloud hosting infrastructure
- Database backups with encryption
While we strive to protect your information, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure. You are responsible for maintaining the security of your account credentials.
8. Your Rights
You have the right to:
- Access — Request a copy of your personal data
- Correction — Update or correct inaccurate information via your profile settings
- Deletion — Request deletion of your account and associated data
- Portability — Request your data in a machine-readable format
- Opt-out — Unsubscribe from marketing communications and push notifications
- Restriction — Request that we limit processing of your data in certain circumstances
To exercise these rights, contact us at info@langonews.com. We will respond within 30 days.
9. Cookies and Tracking
We use cookies and similar technologies to:
- Keep you logged in (session cookies)
- Remember your preferences
- Track ad impressions and clicks
- Analyze platform usage and performance
- Deliver relevant content recommendations
You can control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect platform functionality.
10. Push Notifications
Our mobile app may send push notifications for:
- Breaking news alerts
- New followers and interactions on your content
- Earnings and withdrawal updates
- Content approval/rejection notifications
- Live stream announcements
You can disable push notifications in your device settings or app preferences at any time.
11. Children's Privacy
Lango News is not intended for children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal data, please contact us and we will delete it promptly.
12. Third-Party Links and Services
Our platform may contain links to third-party websites and integrates with third-party services including:
- YouTube (video hosting)
- Pesapal (payment processing)
- Google (authentication, analytics)
- Social media platforms (sharing)
We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these external services. We encourage you to review their privacy policies.
13. Data Retention
- Account data: Retained for as long as your account is active
- Transaction records: Retained for 7 years for legal and accounting purposes
- Content: Retained until you delete it or your account is terminated
- Analytics data: Retained in aggregate form indefinitely
- Deleted accounts: Personal data removed within 30 days, except where retention is required by law
14. International Data
Our servers are located in secure data centers. If you access our platform from outside Uganda, your data may be transferred to and processed in Uganda or other countries where our service providers operate. By using our platform, you consent to this transfer.
15. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of significant changes via email or platform notification at least 7 days before they take effect. Continued use after changes constitutes acceptance.
16. Contact Us
For questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or your data, contact us at:
- Email: info@langonews.com
- Phone: +256 743 102 612
- Address: Lira City, Lango Sub-region, Northern Uganda
- Company: Hakateq Solutions Limited
- Data Protection Contact: info@langonews.com
