Privacy Policy

Who we are

Thebe is a mobile app that helps people safely report incidents of gender-based violence (GBV) and reach confidential support. The app and this website (thebe.life) are operated by The People's Matrix Association, with technical development by CodeGuys (together, "we", "us").

This policy explains what personal data the Thebe app collects, why we collect it, how it is protected, and the choices you have. Because of the sensitive nature of what Thebe is for, we collect as little as possible and treat everything you share as confidential.

Data we collect

• Account information. When you create a registered account we collect your name, email address, and a password. Your password is never stored in plain text.
• Anonymous accounts. You can instead use Thebe anonymously. An anonymous account is created from a six-word recovery phrase generated on your own device: we never receive the phrase, and we collect no name, email address, or phone number for these accounts. Only you hold the means to open the account, which also means we cannot recover it for you if the phrase is lost.
• Chat messages. Messages you send and receive through the app's support chat, including incident reports you choose to submit, are stored so that our support team can respond to you and so your conversation history is available to you.
• Photos and media. If you choose to attach a photo to a chat (taken with your camera or selected from your gallery), that photo is uploaded and stored with your conversation. The app only accesses photos you explicitly select or capture.
• Files you attach to a report. You may attach photos, video, audio recordings and documents to an incident report. These are encrypted on your phone as soon as you add them and are held there, in storage no other app can read, until the report is sent. We do not remove information the file already carries, such as the date and place a photo was taken, because that can support your case — so please only attach what you are comfortable sharing. If you record video or audio inside the app, it asks for your camera and microphone, and nothing is recorded unless you start the recording yourself. Recordings made in the app are not saved to your phone's photo gallery.
• Device and push notification tokens. We store authentication tokens that keep you signed in, and a push notification token for your device so we can deliver notifications (for example, a reply in your support chat).
• Diagnostics. If the app crashes or malfunctions, we collect crash logs and basic device information (device model, operating system version, app version) so we can fix the problem. Diagnostics do not include the content of your chats or reports.

We do not collect your precise location, your contacts, or your browsing history, and we do not use your data for advertising. We never sell your data.

How we use your data

• To create and secure your account and keep you signed in.
• To deliver the support chat and respond to reports you submit.
• To send you push notifications you would expect, such as replies to your messages.
• To diagnose crashes and keep the app working reliably.
• To comply with legal obligations where required.

Who we share it with

Your data is only visible to the trained support staff who need it to help you. We also rely on a small number of service providers that process data on our behalf:

• Microsoft Azure hosts the Thebe service and the database holding your account details. The application servers run in Azure's South Africa North region.
• Railway hosts the database that stores your conversations, messages, and submitted reports, together with the background service that delivers them.
• OneSignal delivers push notifications. To show you a useful notification, it receives your device's notification token, the sender's display name, and the first 80 characters of the message. If you would rather this preview never leave your device or appear on your lock screen, turn off notifications for Thebe in your device settings.
• Sentry receives crash reports and diagnostics, and is hosted in the European Union. A crash report contains your device model, operating system and app version, and technical details of the error.
• Capgo delivers app updates. It receives your device's app version and an update identifier, not your account data.
• Vercel hosts the thebe.life website and the support staff portal.

These providers are bound by their own privacy and security commitments and may process data on servers located outside your country. We do not share your data with anyone else unless you ask us to, or we are required to by law.

How we protect it

All data is encrypted in transit using HTTPS/TLS. Authentication tokens are kept in secure storage on your device. Access to stored data is restricted to authorised personnel who need it to provide support.

Retention and deleting your data

We keep your account data, chats, and attachments for as long as your account is active so that your history remains available to you.

You can delete your account and all associated data (account information, chat messages, and photos) at any time from inside the app, under Settings → Delete Account. You can also request deletion by contacting us through the in-app support chat or the contact details below; we will delete your data within 30 days of a verified request, except where we are legally required to keep specific records.

Our Delete your account page sets out both routes step by step, and exactly what is removed and what is kept.

Your rights

You can, at any time:

• Ask for a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
• Ask us to correct inaccurate data.
• Ask us to delete your account and data.
• Turn off push notifications in your device settings.

Children

Thebe is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us with personal data, please contact us and we will delete it.

Changes to this policy

If we change this policy, we will update this page and the effective date above. Significant changes will be announced in the app.

Contact us

Questions or requests about your data: reach us through the in-app support chat, or email support@thebe.life.