1. Purpose
This Privacy and Data Protection Policy explains how UrbanBook collects, uses, shares, protects, and manages personal information when people use UrbanBook as customers, vendors, staff users, business owners, guests, promoters, applicants, support contacts, or visitors.
UrbanBook handles personal information to operate a marketplace, process orders and bookings, support payments, improve safety, verify users and vendors, resolve disputes, prevent fraud, and comply with law.
2. Information We Collect
UrbanBook may collect information that users provide directly, including name, phone number, email address, business name, location, profile information, account details, listing information, identity or verification information, support messages, reviews, photos, documents, booking details, delivery details, guest details, order details, and payment-related information.
UrbanBook may also collect information generated through use of the platform, including searches, viewed listings, saved items, messages, bookings, order history, payment status, device information, location-related information where enabled, and records needed for safety, support, fraud prevention, and service improvement.
UrbanBook may receive information from vendors, payment providers, delivery or service partners, verification providers, support contacts, business team members, public sources, and other lawful sources.
3. How We Use Information
UrbanBook uses personal information to:
- Create and manage accounts.
- Show listings, prices, availability, orders, bookings, receipts, and support records.
- Process payments, refunds, fees, payouts, settlements, and adjustments.
- Connect customers and vendors where appropriate.
- Verify vendors, staff users, accounts, listings, and certain transactions.
- Provide customer support and dispute resolution.
- Protect users, vendors, UrbanBook, and the public from fraud, abuse, unsafe conduct, and policy violations.
- Personalize search, recommendations, marketplace content, and notifications.
- Send necessary service messages and permitted marketing messages.
- Improve platform quality, reliability, and user experience.
- Comply with legal, tax, accounting, regulatory, law enforcement, and risk management obligations.
4. Mobile App Privacy Disclosures
When UrbanBook is available through Google Play, the Apple App Store, or another app store, UrbanBook provides the privacy information required for that store. This may include information about the types of data the app collects, whether that data is linked to a user, whether data is shared with service providers or other parties, whether data is used for advertising or tracking, how users can request deletion, and what privacy choices are available.
UrbanBook keeps its app store privacy disclosures consistent with this policy and with the way the app actually works. If UrbanBook changes its data collection, use, sharing, advertising practices, location features, app permissions, account deletion options, or privacy choices, UrbanBook will update this policy and the relevant app store disclosures where required.
Depending on the features a user chooses, UrbanBook may collect or use the following app-related information:
- Contact details, such as name, phone number, email address, delivery address, business address, and support contact details.
- Account and transaction references, such as customer references, vendor references, booking references, order references, ticket references, payout references, and staff access references.
- Order, booking, and payment-related information, such as purchases, bookings, tickets, receipts, refunds, subscriptions, deposits, settlement records, and customer support history.
- Location-related information, such as saved places, delivery areas, pickup points, business locations, map searches, and device location when the user allows location access.
- User content, such as listing content, photos, reviews, messages, support attachments, documents, verification uploads, and other media a user chooses to provide.
- Sensitive or regulated information where needed for a specific service, such as identity verification documents, pharmacy-related details, health or safety notes, waivers, emergency contacts, age or eligibility information, and vendor compliance documents.
- Usage and diagnostic information, such as app interactions, feature use, crash reports, performance information, device type, and general troubleshooting records.
- Marketing and communication preferences, such as notification choices, email preferences, and promotional communication settings.
UrbanBook only requests device permissions or sensitive information where it supports a clear platform feature, a user request, a legal or compliance obligation, safety, fraud prevention, payment protection, customer support, or service delivery. Where an app store or applicable law requires a separate in-app notice or consent, UrbanBook provides that notice or consent request before collecting or using the relevant information.
5. App Permissions
UrbanBook may request device permissions only where they support a clear feature. Examples may include location for nearby listings or delivery support, camera or photos for uploads and verification, notifications for booking and order updates, and files or media access for support attachments or listing content.
Users can control many permissions through device settings. If a permission is disabled, some features may not work properly.
6. Sensitive Information
Some services may require sensitive information, such as identity documents, business documents, health-related booking notes, prescription-related information, safety waivers, emergency contacts, or information about children or vulnerable persons.
UrbanBook only asks for sensitive information where it is needed for a lawful, safety, verification, service, or compliance purpose. Users should not send sensitive information through general messages unless UrbanBook or a vendor specifically requests it for a legitimate reason.
7. Sharing Information
UrbanBook may share relevant information with:
- Vendors, where needed to fulfill an order, booking, request, ticket, quote, delivery, check-in, rental, appointment, or customer support issue.
- Customers, where needed to confirm a vendor commitment, booking, order, delivery, receipt, or support response.
- Payment, communication, storage, verification, analytics, support, fraud prevention, hosting, and operational service providers.
- Vendor staff or business team members authorized to manage a listing or transaction.
- Authorities, regulators, courts, law enforcement, professional advisers, insurers, or other parties where required or allowed by law.
- Buyers or successors if UrbanBook is involved in a merger, acquisition, restructuring, sale, financing, or transfer of business assets.
UrbanBook does not sell private customer identity documents, private payment credentials, or private support messages as standalone products.
8. Sale, Advertising, and Tracking
UrbanBook does not sell personal and sensitive user data as a standalone product.
If UrbanBook uses advertising, measurement, analytics, or marketing partners, UrbanBook should disclose those practices in the relevant app store forms and offer any choices required by law or app store policy. UrbanBook should not use sensitive information, private payment information, identity documents, pharmacy-related details, private support messages, or safety records for targeted advertising.
9. Vendor Use of Customer Information
Vendors receive customer information only for legitimate UrbanBook-related purposes, such as fulfilling an order, confirming a booking, issuing an invoice, checking in a guest, preparing a service, handling a refund, or resolving a support issue.
Vendors must not misuse customer information, add customers to unrelated marketing lists without permission, contact customers outside the purpose of the transaction, sell customer data, or use customer details to move UrbanBook transactions off-platform where that is not allowed.
10. Choices and Rights
Users may request access, correction, deletion, restriction, or other action regarding personal information where allowed by law. Some information may need to be kept for legal, accounting, safety, fraud prevention, dispute, or platform integrity reasons.
Users can update certain account details directly in their account. Marketing preferences may be changed through available settings or unsubscribe options, but service messages related to active accounts, orders, bookings, security, or legal notices may still be sent.
If UrbanBook allows account creation in a mobile app, UrbanBook should provide a clear in-app path and a public web path for requesting account and data deletion, subject to lawful retention needs.
11. Data Protection and Security
UrbanBook uses reasonable organizational and technical measures to protect personal information. No online service can guarantee perfect security. Users must also protect their accounts by keeping sign-in details private, using secure devices, and reporting suspicious activity quickly.
UrbanBook does not publish private security controls, internal review methods, or detailed risk procedures.
12. Retention
UrbanBook keeps personal information for as long as needed for the purposes described in this policy, including active service use, legal compliance, accounting, tax, dispute handling, safety, fraud prevention, and legitimate business records.
More detail is provided in the Data Retention, Deletion, and Account Closure Policy.
13. Cross-Border Services
UrbanBook may use service providers or systems located in or outside Zambia where lawful and necessary to operate the platform. UrbanBook takes appropriate steps to protect personal information when it is handled by third parties.
14. Children
UrbanBook is not intended for unsupervised use by children. Some bookings, activities, pharmacy-related services, events, or rentals may involve children only where a responsible adult provides required information and consent.
15. Changes
UrbanBook may update this policy from time to time. Material updates may be communicated through the platform, email, or other reasonable notice.
16. Contact
Privacy questions or requests may be sent to UrbanBook support through official support channels.