Cookie Policy

Effective Date: 2026-03-11

1. What Are Cookies?

Cookies are small text files that are placed on your device (computer, tablet, or smartphone) when you visit a website. They are widely used across the internet to make websites work properly, to remember your preferences, and to gather information about how visitors interact with a site.

Cookies are not programs and cannot run code on your device. They simply store small amounts of data that your browser sends back to the website each time you return. Some cookies are set by the website you are visiting (first-party cookies), while others are set by external services that appear on the page (third-party cookies).

This Cookie Policy explains which cookies MyProtektor uses, why we use them, and how you can control them. It covers our website at www.myprotektor.co.za, our web application, and the equivalent technologies used in our mobile applications (collectively, the "Service").

2. Types of Cookies We Use

We organise the cookies on our platform into four categories based on their purpose.

2.1 Essential Cookies

Essential cookies enable the following functions:

• Authentication Session: Maintains your logged-in state so you do not need to re-enter your credentials on every page. Set by our authentication service. Expires when you sign out or after the session timeout period
• CSRF Protection Token: A security token that prevents cross-site request forgery attacks by verifying that form submissions and API requests originate from our platform. Regenerated per session
• Organisation Context: Stores the identifier of the organisation you are currently working in so that the correct data, permissions, and settings are loaded. Persists until you switch organisations or sign out
• Role and Permission Cache: Locally caches your assigned role and feature permissions to reduce the number of server requests needed to enforce access controls
• Cookie Consent Preference: Records your cookie category selections so that we do not repeatedly prompt you with the cookie banner. Persists for 12 months

2.2 Functional Cookies

Functional cookies handle the following:

• Theme Preference: Remembers whether you selected light mode, dark mode, or system-default appearance. Persists for 12 months
• Language Setting: Stores your preferred language so pages display in the correct language when you return. Persists for 12 months
• Dashboard Layout: Remembers your dashboard configuration, such as which widgets are visible, their arrangement, and any custom filter settings you have applied. Persists for 6 months
• Map View Preferences: Stores your preferred map type (satellite, terrain, roadmap), default zoom level, and last-viewed location. Persists for 6 months
• Notification Preferences: Caches your notification settings locally so that the mobile application can determine which alert categories to display without contacting the server each time. Persists for 3 months

2.3 Analytics Cookies

We use the following analytics technologies:

• Web Analytics Cookies (_ga, _gid, _gat): Track page views, session duration, bounce rates, and traffic sources for the web application. Data is anonymised through IP masking. _ga persists for 2 years; _gid for 24 hours; _gat for 1 minute
• Mobile Analytics SDK: Collects usage data from the mobile application, including screen views, feature interactions, crash reports, and device demographics
• Performance Analytics: Measures page load performance, web vitals (LCP, FID, CLS), and geographic distribution of web traffic. Privacy-focused with no personally identifiable data collected. Session-based

2.4 Marketing Cookies

Marketing cookies may include:

• Google Ads Conversion Tracking: Measures whether visitors who click on our advertisements subsequently register for an account or subscribe. Does not track your browsing activity on unrelated websites. Persists for up to 90 days
• Facebook Pixel: Tracks conversions from Facebook and Instagram advertisements and enables us to build targeted audiences for future campaigns. Persists for up to 180 days
• Affiliate Tracking Cookie: Identifies visitors who arrive through our affiliate programme links so that we can correctly attribute commissions to the referring affiliate partner. Persists for 60 days

3. Specific Cookies Listed

The following table provides a detailed inventory of the cookies currently deployed on our platform:

4. Third-Party Cookies

Some cookies on our platform are set by third-party services that we integrate with. These services have their own privacy and cookie policies that govern how they process data:

4.1 Core Platform Services

• Authentication Service: Manages user sign-in sessions and identity tokens.
• Mapping Service: Loads map tiles and geocoding data. May set cookies related to map preferences and usage.
• Analytics Service: Collects anonymised usage statistics for product improvement.

4.2 Payment Processing

• Payment Service: Sets cookies for secure payment processing, fraud detection, and session management during the checkout flow. These cookies are classified as essential because they are necessary for safe payment transactions.

4.3 Error Monitoring

• Monitoring Service: Captures application error data and performance metrics. May set cookies or use local storage for session tracking and error deduplication.

5. Cookie Duration

Cookies have different lifespans depending on their purpose:

5.1 Session Cookies

Session cookies are temporary and exist only while your browser or app is open. They are automatically deleted when you close your browser window, sign out, or end your session. Examples include CSRF protection tokens and authentication session identifiers.

5.2 Persistent Cookies

Persistent cookies remain on your device for a set period or until you manually delete them. They allow the Service to recognise you when you return and restore your preferences:

• Short-lived (up to 24 hours): Analytics identifiers like _gid that distinguish visitors within a single day
• Medium-lived (1 to 6 months): Dashboard layout preferences, map view settings, and affiliate tracking identifiers
• Long-lived (6 to 24 months): Cookie consent records, theme preferences, language settings, and the Google Analytics _ga identifier

6. Managing Cookies in Your Browser

You have full control over which cookies are stored on your device. Most web browsers provide settings that allow you to view, manage, and delete cookies. Here is how to access cookie settings in common browsers:

• Google Chrome: Open Settings, then navigate to Privacy and Security, then select Cookies and other site data. You can block third-party cookies, clear cookies on exit, or manage exceptions for specific sites
• Mozilla Firefox: Open Settings, then navigate to Privacy and Security. Under the Cookies and Site Data section, you can manage stored data and set blocking preferences
• Apple Safari: Open Preferences, then select the Privacy tab. You can block all cookies, prevent cross-site tracking, and manage stored website data
• Microsoft Edge: Open Settings, then navigate to Cookies and site permissions. You can choose to block third-party cookies, clear cookies when you close the browser, or manage individual site permissions

Please note that blocking essential cookies may prevent you from signing in or using core features of the Service. If you block functional cookies, the Service will still work but will not remember your preferences between sessions.

7. Mobile App Data Storage

Our mobile applications (Android and iOS) use technologies that serve a similar purpose to browser cookies but operate differently on mobile devices:

• AsyncStorage / SecureStorage: Stores your authentication tokens, user preferences, and cached data locally on your device. This data persists between app sessions and is cleared when you sign out or uninstall the application
• Push Notification Tokens: A unique token generated by your device's operating system (via our mobile push notification service) that enables us to deliver push notifications. This token is stored on our servers and linked to your account
• Location Permissions: The mobile app requests permission to access your device's GPS. Location data is transmitted to our servers only during active shifts (for guards) or when you trigger a panic alert. You can revoke location permission at any time through your device settings
• Mobile SDK Local Data: The mobile SDK stores authentication state, cached application data, and analytics identifiers locally on your device. This data is managed by the SDK and follows the applicable provider data handling policies

8. Data Protection

All data collected through cookies and similar technologies is protected by the same security measures described in our Privacy Policy:

• Cookie data transmitted between your device and our servers is encrypted using TLS
• Locally stored cookie data is accessible only to the originating domain (first-party cookies) or the specific third-party service that set the cookie
• We conduct regular reviews of our cookie inventory to remove cookies that are no longer necessary
• Analytics data is anonymised and aggregated so that individual users cannot be identified from the collected statistics

9. Your Rights

Under the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) and other applicable data protection laws, you have the following rights in relation to cookie data:

• Right to Consent: You have the right to give or withhold consent for non-essential cookies. We will not place analytics or marketing cookies on your device without your explicit consent
• Right to Withdraw Consent: You may withdraw your consent for non-essential cookies at any time by adjusting your preferences through our cookie banner, your account privacy settings, or your browser settings
• Right to Information: You have the right to be informed about which cookies we use, what data they collect, and how long they persist. This policy fulfils that obligation
• Right to Deletion: You can delete cookies from your device at any time using your browser settings. You can also request that we delete any cookie-related data we hold on our servers by contacting us
• Right to Object: You have the right to object to the use of certain cookie categories for purposes such as profiling or targeted advertising

10. Updates to This Policy

We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect changes in the cookies we use, the technologies we deploy, or applicable privacy regulations. When changes are made:

• The "Effective Date" at the top of this document will be updated
• Material changes will be communicated through our website and, where appropriate, by email
• If changes affect cookies that require consent, we will present the cookie banner again so that you can review and update your preferences

11. Contact Information

If you have any questions about this Cookie Policy, how we use cookies, or how to manage your cookie preferences, please contact us: