Last update: March 19, 2026.
Privacy Policy
Demico (Pty) Ltd ("Demico", "we", "us", "our") operates the MilaNet application, website(s), and related services (collectively, the "Platform").
Demico is committed to protecting your privacy.
This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard personal information when you use the Platform.
1. Information We Collect
Depending on how you use the Platform, we may collect the following categories of personal information:
Email address
Display name
Profile photo (stored as a URL to your uploaded image)
Social links you provide (e.g., LinkedIn, Twitter/X, Facebook, Instagram)
Notification preferences (your in-app toggles for notification types)
Blocked chat participant identifiers (to control who can message you)
Subscription details that help manage your access (e.g., tier/interval/active status)
1.2 User-generated content
You may upload or create content using the Platform, including (as applicable):
Networks, organizations, and related profile details
Deals, classifieds, events, notices, and other listings
Messages (chat content) and related chat metadata
Uploaded images and documents (stored in our file storage)
1.3 Messaging data
We store metadata about your messages (for example: sender, encrypted message payload, read/delete states).
1.4 Notification and device data (push notifications)
To deliver push notifications, we may collect and store:
Your device push token (FCM token for Android/iOS, and APNs token is used by the push system)
The notification types you opt into
Notification preview content we generate for you (for example, message/notice text included in the notification payload)
1.5 Search data
We may process search queries and provide search results using a third-party search provider (Algolia).
We also index certain platform data to make search work.
1.6 Location data (for networks and organizations)
When network or organization administrators provide address details, we may geocode that address to derive geographic coordinates.
We store coordinates (latitude/longitude) for networks and organizations to support maps and "nearby" features.
2. How We Use Your Information
We use personal information to:
Provide, operate, and maintain the Platform
Manage user accounts and authentication
Enable core features (networks, organizations, classifieds, deals, events, notices, and messaging)
Provide search using Algolia
Deliver notifications (including push notifications) based on your settings
Generate notification previews (where applicable)
Respond to support requests
Monitor and protect the Platform against abuse, violations of our policies, and security threats
Manage subscriptions and access to features
3. How We Share Personal Information
We share personal information only as described in this Policy:
3.1 Service providers
We use the following third parties to operate the Platform, who process personal information on our behalf:
Firebase Authentication, Cloud Firestore, and Cloud Storage (Firebase/Google)
Firebase Cloud Messaging (Firebase/Google)
Algolia (search indexing and search)
Google Sign-In (for Google authentication)
Sign in with Apple (for Apple authentication)
Local notification tooling (device notification presentation)
3.2 Push notification delivery and notification previews
For push notifications, we may send notification payloads to your device via Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM).
For notification previews, we may include message or notice text in the notification payload to improve usefulness.
3.3 Search indexing
Algolia indexes certain content/metadata so you can search.
This may include participant names and emails (where available) and content metadata (for example, titles/descriptions and file URLs) depending on the indexed dataset.
4. Client-side Encryption and Push Notification Previews
Chat messages are encrypted on the device before being stored.
However, to generate push notification previews, our server may decrypt the content for the purpose of constructing notification text (for example, sender name and message/notice preview text).
This means that notification preview generation involves server-side decryption of the relevant content.
5. Security
We employ industry-standard technical and organizational safeguards designed to protect your personal information.
No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.
6. Data Retention
We retain personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this Policy, including to:
Provide the Platform and maintain user access
Comply with legal obligations
Resolve disputes and enforce our agreements
In general:
Subscription/access-related data is retained while your subscription is active and/or as needed for billing/subscription status management with the app store.
Network and organization data (including stored coordinates) is retained while the relevant network/organization remains available on the Platform.
Uploaded files/images are retained while associated with user content, and may be removed when you or an authorized user deletes the content (subject to backup/retention cycles).
If you request deletion of your account, we will process the request in line with the deletion approach described below.
Unless you request otherwise, we may keep limited records for legal, security, and fraud-prevention purposes.
7. Account Deletion and Soft-Delete Approach
If you request account deletion, we will, where applicable:
Soft-delete your account and associated data for a period of approximately 30 days, during which restoration may be possible; and then
Permanently delete the relevant data after that period (subject to legal obligations, backups, and safety/security requirements).
8. Cookies and Similar Technologies
Our website may use cookies and similar technologies to operate the website and remember preferences.
Your browser settings control cookie preferences.
The MilaNet mobile app does not rely on cookies to operate.
9. Third-Party Links
The Platform may include links to third-party websites or services (for example, organization websites and social media links).
We are not responsible for those third parties' privacy practices.
10. International Transfers
Because Firebase/Google and Algolia are global services, your personal information may be processed and stored in countries other than South Africa.
We use commercially reasonable safeguards intended to protect personal information in transit and at rest.
11. Your Rights and Contact Us
Depending on applicable law, you may have rights to request access to, correction of, deletion of, or other processing-related actions for your personal information.
If you would like to exercise these rights, contact us at legal@milanet.app.
12. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time.
The updated version will be posted on the Platform.