1. Introduction
This Privacy Policy explains how Explore Ghana ("we", "us", or "our") collects, uses, discloses, and safeguards your information when you use our platform at exploregh.com and any related services and features.
We process personal data in line with the Ghana Data Protection Act 2012 (Act 843). By using the platform, you consent to the practices described in this policy. If you do not agree, please discontinue use of the platform.
2. Data We Collect
Information you provide
- Account details: name, email address, and a password we store only as a secure hash, plus an optional profile photo
- Content you create: reviews, photos, bookmarks, saved trips, and, for business owners, listing details, guides, and events
- Form submissions: inquiries, contact messages, listing requests, and reports, which may include your name, email, and phone number
- Trip planner inputs: days, party size, budget, starting city, and interests
- Newsletter signup: your email address
Information from third parties
- When you sign in with Google, we receive your name, email address, and profile photo from Google
- When you pay for a subscription, Paystack shares the payment status, plan, billing period, and reference codes with us. Your card and mobile money numbers are handled entirely by Paystack and never reach our servers
3. How We Use Your Data
- To operate your account, bookmarks, saved trips, and reviews
- To respond to inquiries, reports, and listing requests
- To process subscription payments and manage billing
- To send transactional emails such as verification, receipts, and listing updates. We do not send marketing emails without your explicit consent, and every newsletter includes an unsubscribe link
- To show business owners aggregated statistics about their own listing, never your identity
- To prevent spam and abuse through rate limiting and moderation
- To comply with legal obligations
4. Data Sharing
We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal data. We share data only with:
- Service providers that run the platform on our behalf: payment processing (Paystack), email delivery (Resend), hosting (Vercel), database (Neon), image storage (Cloudflare), abuse prevention (Upstash), and error monitoring (Sentry)
- AI providers: features like the trip planner and review summaries send the content needed for the task, such as your trip preferences or published review text, to our AI provider (OpenAI). Your account identity is not included
- External platforms: when you tap a WhatsApp, social, or external link, you leave our platform and those services' own privacy policies apply
- Legal requirements: we may disclose data where required by law or to protect rights, safety, and property
- Business transfers: if Explore Ghana is involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your data may be transferred as part of that transaction, subject to this policy
6. Analytics
Our analytics are built and hosted by us, not a third party. We count page views and clicks (such as directions, phone, and share taps) per listing per day. These counts are aggregated, cookieless, and not linked to individual visitors. Business owners see totals for their own listing only.
7. Your Rights
Under the Ghana Data Protection Act 2012 (Act 843) and applicable international privacy standards, you have the right to:
- Access the personal data we hold about you
- Request correction of inaccurate data
- Request deletion of your data
- Object to processing and opt out of non-essential communications
- Withdraw consent at any time
- Lodge a complaint with the Data Protection Commission of Ghana if you believe your rights have been violated
To exercise any of these rights, email us at hello@exploregh.com. Most account data can also be viewed and updated directly in your settings.
8. Data Security
- Passwords are hashed with industry-standard algorithms and never stored in plain text
- All data is transmitted over HTTPS encryption
- Rate limiting and abuse detection protect against brute-force attacks
- Payment webhooks are verified with cryptographic signatures before processing
- We review our security practices regularly
9. International Transfers
Our service providers may store and process data on servers located outside Ghana, including in the United States and Europe. We use reputable providers with strong security practices, and we transfer only what is needed to run the platform. By using the platform, you consent to this transfer and processing.
10. Children's Privacy
Explore Ghana is not directed at children under 16, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from anyone under 16. If we discover that we have collected data from a child under 16, we will delete it promptly. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, contact us at hello@exploregh.com.
11. Retention & Deletion
- We keep your data only as long as needed to provide our services or as required by law
- You can delete your account at any time from your settings or by emailing us. Personal data is removed within 30 days
- Published reviews may remain in anonymized form after account deletion, with your name and profile removed. You can ask us to delete them entirely
- Billing records are retained for as long as tax and accounting laws require
12. Changes to This Policy
We may update this policy as the platform evolves. Material changes will be communicated by email to account holders and by notice on the platform, and the date at the top of this page will always reflect the latest version.
13. Contact
For privacy-related inquiries or to exercise your data rights, contact us at:
Explore Ghana
Email: hello@exploregh.com