1. Who we are

This transcription service ("the Service") is provided by Saigen (Pty) Ltd ("we", "us", "our"), a South African speech recognition company. This policy explains what information we collect when you use the Service, how we look after it, and the choices you have.

If you have any questions, you can contact us at info@saigen.co.za.

2. What information we collect

• Account details. Your name, email address and login details when you sign up, either directly or through a sign-in provider such as Google.

• Your recordings. The audio and video files you upload for transcription.

• Your transcriptions. The transcripts we produce from your recordings, including any edits you make to them.

• Payment and usage records. A record of credit purchases and the recordings you have transcribed. Card payments are handled by our payment provider (PayFast) — we do not see or store your card details.

• Preferences. Settings such as light/dark mode and editor preferences.

• Messages you send us. Anything you send through the contact or feedback forms.

3. How we use your information

We use your information only to:

• Create and manage your account;

• Transcribe your recordings and let you view, edit and download the results;

• Process payments and keep track of your credits;

• Respond to your questions, feedback and support requests;

• Keep the Service secure and working properly.

We do not sell your information, and we do not use it for advertising.

4. Data protection: how we keep your data safe

• Secure, private storage. Your recordings and transcriptions are stored in dedicated, secure cloud storage with access restricted to your account. Only you — and anyone you have been authorised to share a workspace with — can access your data.

• Encryption. Your recordings and transcriptions are encrypted, both while being sent to us and while stored on our systems.

• Deletion is permanent. You can delete a recording at any time. When you do, the recording and its transcription are permanently deleted everywhere on our systems — we do not keep hidden copies.

• No AI training on your data. We do not use your recordings or transcriptions to train or improve our speech recognition or any other AI models. Your data is used only to provide the Service to you.

• Private by default. Only you can see your recordings and transcripts. Our platform administrators work under strict access controls and only look at your content if you ask us to help fix a problem, or if the law requires it.

5. Where your data is stored

The Service runs on Amazon Web Services (AWS), a trusted cloud provider. Your data is currently stored in AWS data centres in the European Union (Ireland), which are subject to data protection laws at least as strong as those in South Africa. AWS acts only as our infrastructure provider and does not use your data for its own purposes.

6. Who we share information with

We only share information with the service providers we need to run the Service:

• Amazon Web Services — secure hosting, storage and processing;

• PayFast — payment processing when you buy credits;

• Google — if you choose to sign in with Google, and reCAPTCHA spam protection on our contact form.

We may also disclose information if we are legally required to do so. We do not share your recordings or transcriptions with anyone else.

7. How long we keep your data

We keep your recordings and transcriptions until you delete them, or until your account is closed. Payment records may be kept for longer where the law requires us to (for example, for tax purposes).

8. Cookies and local storage

We use your browser's storage to keep you signed in, remember your preferences, and allow recent transcripts to load quickly and be available offline. We do not use advertising or tracking cookies. Signing out clears your session.

9. Your rights

We process personal information in line with South Africa's Protection of Personal Information Act, 4 of 2013 ("POPIA"). You have the right to:

• Ask what personal information we hold about you;

• Ask us to correct or delete your personal information;

• Object to how we process your personal information;

• Lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa.

You can delete your recordings and transcriptions yourself at any time from within the Service. For anything else, including closing your account, email us at info@saigen.co.za.

10. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. If we make significant changes, we will let you know. The "Last updated" date at the top of this page shows when it was last changed.

11. Contact us