PRIVACY POLICY
Effective Date: 1 September 2026
At Bit by Smile, we build apps, plugins, games and web experiences that we hope make life a little easier—or simply a little more fun.
When you use one of our Services, we may need to collect and use information about you to make it work.
This Privacy Policy explains what personal information we collect, why we collect it, how we use it, who we may share it with, how long we keep it, and the choices and rights available to you.
This Privacy Policy applies to the websites, applications, mobile applications, web applications, games, plugins, software and related services operated by Bit by Smile (Pty) Ltd, trading as Bit by Smile ("Bit by Smile", "we", "us" or "our").
The categories of information we collect depend on the Service you use and the features you choose to use.
Contact Us
If you have a question about this Privacy Policy, want to exercise a privacy right, or have a concern about how we handle your personal information, contact us:
Bit by Smile (Pty) Ltd
Trading as Bit by Smile
3A Howe Street
Observatory
Cape Town
South Africa
Where applicable under South African law, Bit by Smile acts as the responsible party for personal information processed through its Services.
The Information We Collect
The information we collect depends on the Service you use.
We may collect information that you provide directly, information generated when you use our Services, and information processed by third-party providers that help us operate our Services.
We aim to collect information that is adequate, relevant and reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it is collected.
Information You Provide Directly
Depending on the Service, you may provide:
Your name.
Email address.
Account or login information.
Profile information.
Information you submit through forms.
Text, messages or other content you choose to submit.
Images or files you choose to upload.
Product or service preferences.
Feedback, suggestions or support requests.
Information you provide when using a particular feature.
You are generally free to decide whether to provide information unless that information is necessary for a particular feature or Service to function.
Where information is required, the relevant Service may explain what happens if you choose not to provide it.
Information About Other People
Some Services allow you to provide information about another person.
For example, Awwli may ask you to tell us about the person you are shopping for, including their interests, preferences, relationship to you or the occasion.
You are responsible for ensuring that you have the right to provide information about another person.
Please do not provide sensitive personal information about another person unless it is necessary, lawful and appropriate for you to do so.
Information Collected When You Use Our Services
Depending on how a Service is built and which features you use, we may automatically receive technical and usage information such as:
IP address.
Browser or device type.
Operating system.
Language and regional settings.
Device or application information.
Information about how you interact with a Service.
Diagnostic or error information.
Information necessary to maintain security and prevent abuse.
Not every Service collects every category of technical information.
Awwli
Awwli is designed to help you find thoughtful gifts without the overthinking.
When you use Awwli, you may provide information about the person you're shopping for, including:
Their interests.
Things they enjoy.
The occasion.
Your relationship to them.
Preferences relevant to finding a gift.
Other information you choose to provide.
We use this information to help generate and present gift suggestions.
Awwli is designed around the information you choose to provide. You do not need to provide sensitive personal information about another person to use the core gift-finding experience.
AI and Awwli
Awwli may use artificial intelligence to help generate recommendations.
Information you provide to Awwli may therefore be processed by the AI technology used to provide the recommendation feature.
AI-generated recommendations are suggestions. They may not always be accurate, complete or suitable for the person or occasion.
We do not represent AI-generated recommendations as professional advice or as a guarantee that a particular gift or product is appropriate.
OneLynk
OneLynk is designed to make sharing and accessing digital work easier across devices.
Depending on the features you use, OneLynk may process information that you choose to provide to the Service, including links or other information necessary to provide the functionality you request.
OneLynk may also process technical information necessary to operate, secure and maintain the Service.
The exact information processed by OneLynk may change as the product develops. Where material changes affect how personal information is processed, this Privacy Policy may be updated accordingly.
Sharlo
Sharlo is currently marked Coming Soon.
When Sharlo becomes available, the Service may process information necessary to provide its relationship, game and multiplayer features.
This may include:
Account information.
Profile information.
Player information.
Couple or partner information.
Game and session information.
Progress or achievement information.
Information exchanged as part of multiplayer functionality.
Content you choose to provide while using the Service.
Some information may need to be shared or synchronised between participants so that shared and multiplayer features work as intended.
Sharlo is not currently available as a launched public Service. The information described in this section reflects the intended operation of the product and may be updated before launch.
Why Do We Collect Your Information?
We use personal information for the following purposes.
To Provide the Services
We process information necessary to:
Provide the features you request.
Create and manage accounts where applicable.
Save information required for a Service to function.
Generate recommendations.
Provide shared or multiplayer functionality.
Respond to support requests.
Communicate with you about the Services.
To Improve Our Services
We may use information to understand how our Services are used and to identify problems, improve features, test changes and develop new products.
We build things, learn from them and improve them. Understanding how people use our products helps us make them better.
To Keep Our Services Safe
We may process information where reasonably necessary to:
Detect and prevent fraud.
Protect accounts.
Prevent abuse.
Investigate security incidents.
Maintain the security and integrity of our Services.
Enforce our Terms of Service.
To Communicate With You
We may use your information to send:
Service-related communications.
Account or security notifications.
Responses to support requests.
Product updates where you have requested or agreed to receive them.
Marketing communications where permitted by law and where applicable.
Who Can See Your Information?
We do not sell your personal information.
We may share or make personal information available in the following circumstances.
Service Providers
We use third-party providers to help us operate our Services.
Depending on the Service, these providers may provide:
Hosting and infrastructure.
Database services.
Authentication.
Email delivery.
AI processing.
Analytics or technical monitoring.
Security services.
Payment processing.
Other technical services necessary to provide a Service.
These providers may process personal information on our behalf and only to the extent necessary to provide the services we have engaged them to provide.
Other Users
Some Services may include shared, social or multiplayer features.
Where a feature is designed to share information with another user, information you choose or are required to provide as part of that feature may be visible to the relevant users.
We will not make private information publicly available simply because it has been stored by a Service.
Legal and Safety Purposes
We may disclose personal information where reasonably necessary to:
Comply with applicable law.
Respond to a lawful request or legal process.
Protect our rights or property.
Protect our users or other people.
Investigate fraud or unlawful activity.
Protect the security of our Services.
Business Transactions
If Bit by Smile is involved in a merger, acquisition, restructuring, financing, sale of assets or similar transaction, personal information may be transferred as part of that transaction, subject to applicable law.
Third-Party Data Processors
Some of the companies that help Bit by Smile operate its Services may process personal information on our behalf.
Where a third party processes personal information for us, we take reasonable steps to require appropriate confidentiality and security measures and to ensure that the processing is consistent with our instructions and applicable law.
Third-party providers may also have their own privacy policies where they process information independently of Bit by Smile.
Where that happens, their own privacy practices may apply to their processing.
International Data Transfers
Some of our service providers may be located outside South Africa.
As a result, personal information may be transferred to or processed in another country.
Where personal information is transferred outside South Africa, Bit by Smile will take reasonable steps to ensure that the transfer is permitted under applicable law and that appropriate safeguards are in place.
Cookies and Similar Technologies
Our websites and some Services may use cookies, local storage, software development kits, pixels or similar technologies.
These technologies may be used to:
Keep a Service functioning.
Remember preferences.
Maintain sessions.
Understand how a Service is used.
Diagnose technical problems.
Improve our Services.
Protect against fraud or abuse.
The technologies used may differ between Services.
Where applicable law requires consent for non-essential cookies or similar technologies, we will provide appropriate choices before using them.
You can also manage cookies through your browser or device settings, although disabling certain technologies may affect how a Service works.
How We Protect Your Information
We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal information against unauthorised access, loss, misuse, alteration, disclosure or destruction.
These measures may include appropriate access controls, authentication, encryption or other security practices appropriate to the nature of the information and the Service.
No internet-based service can guarantee absolute security.
If we become aware of a security compromise involving personal information, we will take appropriate steps to investigate, contain and respond to the incident and make notifications required by applicable law.
How Long Do We Keep Your Information?
We keep personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law.
Retention periods may depend on:
The type of information.
The Service involved.
Whether your account remains active.
Legal and regulatory requirements.
Security and fraud prevention.
Dispute resolution.
Enforcement of agreements.
When information is no longer required, we may delete it, anonymise it or securely dispose of it.
If you delete content or an account, deletion may not be immediate from every system. We may retain limited information where reasonably necessary to comply with law, resolve disputes, prevent fraud or abuse, maintain security, or enforce our agreements.
Your Rights and Options
Subject to applicable law, you may have the right to:
Ask whether we hold personal information about you.
Request access to personal information we hold about you.
Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information.
Request deletion of personal information where legally applicable.
Object to certain processing.
Request restriction of certain processing where applicable.
Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent.
Object to direct marketing.
Complain about how your personal information is handled.
You may exercise these rights by contacting:
We may need to verify your identity before completing a request in order to protect your information from unauthorised disclosure.
We will respond to requests within the period required by applicable law.
Marketing Communications
If you choose to receive marketing communications from Bit by Smile, we may send you information about our products, launches, updates and other things we think you may find useful or interesting.
You can unsubscribe from marketing communications at any time using the unsubscribe mechanism provided in the communication.
You may still receive non-marketing communications that are necessary to provide a Service or communicate important information about your account, security or transactions.
Children
Some Bit by Smile Services may be used by people of different ages.
We do not knowingly collect personal information from children where doing so would be prohibited by applicable law.
Certain Services may have their own minimum age requirements or additional safeguards.
If you believe that a child has provided personal information to us in circumstances where they should not have done so, contact us at:
If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a child in circumstances where the collection was not permitted, we will take appropriate steps to delete the information, subject to our legal obligations.
Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy as our Services develop.
If we make material changes, we will take reasonable steps to notify you where required by applicable law.
The updated Privacy Policy will be published on this page with a new effective date.
Complaints
If you have a concern about how we have handled your personal information, please contact us first at:
We will make reasonable efforts to address your concern.
If you are not satisfied with our response, you may have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa, subject to the applicable procedures.
Last updated: 1 September 2026