Privacy Policy

Effective 21 September 2026. Gabbi (“we”, “us”) is a free personal-safety check-in service provided over WhatsApp.

Gabbi is not an emergency service. It helps notify people you choose if you don’t check in — it does not replace the police or medical services. In an emergency call 10111 (SAPS) or 112 from any mobile.

What Gabbi does

You tell Gabbi you’re heading out and set a timer. If you don’t reply SAFE in time, Gabbi alerts the trusted contacts you added — and, where available, verified community responders near you — with your name and the last location you shared.

Information we collect

Your WhatsApp number and profile name, so we can talk to you and identify you in an alert.
Emergency contacts you add — the name and WhatsApp number of each (up to three).
Trip information — when you start a check-in and its duration.
Location you choose to share — only the most recent location pin you send during a trip. Sharing location is optional.
Responder details — if you volunteer as a responder: your name, the area you cover, and an optional base location.

We do not collect your contacts list, browsing activity, or any payment information.

How we use it

To run your check-in timer and, if you don’t check in, to alert your chosen contacts and matched verified responders.
To let a responder who accepts see how to reach you and where you last were.
To let everyone alerted know when you’re safe (a “stand-down” message).

We do not sell your information, use it for advertising, or share it with anyone other than the people described here.

Who we share it with, and when

Your emergency contacts — only when an alert triggers (a missed check-in or an SOS), and only your name and last shared location.
Verified responders — only when an alert triggers and only if they cover your area or are near your shared location.
WhatsApp / Meta — messages are delivered through the WhatsApp Business Platform and are subject to Meta’s own terms.
Our hosting provider — the service runs on secure cloud infrastructure that stores data on our behalf.

How long we keep it

Location is kept only as the single most recent pin for an active trip, to include in an alert. We do not keep a location history; it is cleared when the incident is resolved.
Emergency contacts are kept until you remove them (reply REMOVE).
We keep only what is needed to provide the service and delete data you ask us to remove.

Your choices

Remove a contact anytime with REMOVE; cancel a trip with SAFE or CANCEL.
Stop using Gabbi at any time — simply stop messaging it.
Request access, correction or deletion of your information by contacting us (below). Under South Africa’s POPIA you have these rights over your personal information.

Security

We limit access to your information and rely on WhatsApp’s encrypted transport for messages. No service can promise perfect security, but we keep what we collect to a minimum.

Children

Gabbi is intended for adults. We do not knowingly collect information from children without a parent or guardian’s involvement.

Changes

We may update this policy; the effective date above will change when we do.

Contact

Questions or requests about your information: privacy@gabbi.co.za.

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