African Film Digital Archive logo AFRICAN FILM Digital Archive
Account Support

Privacy Policy

Last updated: 1 November 2026

African Film Digital Archive (“AFDA”, “we”, “us” or “our”) operates africanfilmarchive.com and provides restored digital magazine sales, memberships, protected PDF downloads, online Reader access and customer support. This Privacy Policy explains what personal data we collect, why we use it, who may process it, how long we keep it and the choices available to you.

1. Who controls your data

AFDA is the data controller for personal data whose use we determine through this website. Privacy questions and requests may be sent to archive@africanfilmarchive.com.

2. Information we collect

  • Account and profile information: name, username, email address, password credentials in protected form, billing details and information you add to your account.
  • Orders and payments: products purchased, amounts, currency, billing address, telephone number where supplied, payment method, payment status and transaction or order references. We do not receive your full PayPal password, card credentials or M-Pesa PIN.
  • Membership and archive access: plan, subscription status, credit allocations and use, Reader access, download permissions, download attempts, expiry and extension records, and related account activity.
  • Protected digital editions: purchased PDFs may be personalised or watermarked with account or order information to identify authorised access and discourage unauthorised sharing.
  • Support and chat information: your name, email address, questions, chat messages, attachments and the history of assistance provided by Spear or a human agent.
  • Technical and security information: IP address, browser and device type, operating system, referring pages, dates and times, cookies, session identifiers, login and Reader-session activity, and logs used to operate and secure the service.
  • Communications: messages sent to us, support requests, consent choices and email subscription or opt-out preferences.

3. How and why we use personal data

We use personal data to create and secure accounts; process orders and memberships; confirm payments; provide Reader and PDF access; allocate and manage story-set credits; apply download limits and expiry rules; deliver receipts and service notices; provide support; prevent fraud, abuse and unauthorised redistribution; maintain and improve the website; meet accounting, tax and legal obligations; and establish or defend legal claims.

Depending on the activity and applicable law, our legal basis is performance of a contract with you, compliance with a legal obligation, our legitimate interests in operating and protecting the archive, or your consent. Where processing relies on consent, you may withdraw it at any time without affecting processing that occurred before withdrawal.

4. Payments

Payments may be handled through PayPal, Safaricom M-Pesa or an authorised payment integration. Information necessary to initiate, verify, reconcile or support a payment may be shared with the relevant provider. AFDA may receive details such as the payer name or telephone number, transaction reference, amount, currency and payment status. Payment providers process data under their own privacy terms and security controls.

5. Memberships, Reader access and downloads

We record membership status, credits, issue selections, access periods, Reader sessions and download activity so that we can provide the service purchased and enforce account, session and download rules. These records also help us restore access, investigate failed downloads and protect the archive’s intellectual property. Do not share personalised PDFs, account credentials or protected Reader access with others.

6. Live chat and the Spear AI assistant

Our support chat is provided through tawk.to. Spear, our AI assistant, may process the current conversation and relevant AFDA knowledge sources to answer questions. Visitors may request transfer to Kenney Kimeli or another available human agent. The chat interface may collect your name and email address, or use details already associated with your signed-in account. Chat content and technical information may be processed by tawk.to to provide, secure and administer the service. Spear does not make decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects.

7. Cookies, local storage and analytics

The website uses cookies and similar storage needed for sign-in, carts, checkout, memberships, Reader sessions, security and user preferences. Optional analytics or performance services, including Google services connected through Site Kit where enabled, may collect device, usage and page-interaction information.

Visitors in the EU and EEA, and visitors in supported U.S. states, are shown the applicable tawk.to consent form before chat-related cookies or local storage are used. You can accept or decline that prompt. You may also control cookies through your browser, although blocking necessary cookies can prevent accounts, carts, checkout, Reader access or chat from working correctly.

8. Emails and announcements

We send transactional messages needed to operate your account, orders, payments, subscriptions, downloads and support requests. Weekly archive-release announcements may be sent to previous buyers and registered users with confirmed email addresses. Marketing or announcement emails include an opt-out method where required. Opting out of announcements does not stop essential service or transaction messages.

9. Who may receive or process your data

  • website hosting, security, backup and technical service providers;
  • WordPress, WooCommerce and membership or download components operating on our website;
  • PayPal, Safaricom M-Pesa and relevant payment or reconciliation providers;
  • tawk.to for live chat, tickets and AI-assisted support;
  • email delivery and mailbox providers;
  • analytics and performance providers where enabled;
  • professional advisers, regulators, courts or public authorities where disclosure is legally required or necessary to protect rights and prevent fraud.

AFDA does not sell or rent personal data.

10. International processing

Some service providers may process or store data outside Kenya or outside your country. Where required, we use provider commitments, contractual protections, consent or other legally recognised safeguards for cross-border processing.

11. How long we keep data

We keep personal data only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes described above. Retention is determined by the life of your account or membership, the duration of purchased access, support needs, security and fraud-prevention requirements, contractual limitation periods, backup cycles, and accounting, tax, consumer-protection or other legal obligations. Order and payment records may therefore be retained after an account closes. When data is no longer required, we delete, anonymise or securely isolate it, subject to lawful backup and record-keeping requirements.

12. Security

We use reasonable administrative, technical and organisational measures to protect personal data. These include access controls, protected account credentials, secure connections, restricted administrative access, service-provider safeguards and monitoring intended to detect misuse. No internet or storage system can be guaranteed completely secure, so users should protect their passwords and contact us promptly if they suspect unauthorised account use.

13. Your privacy rights

Subject to applicable law, you may ask to be informed about our use of your data; access it; correct inaccurate or misleading data; object to or restrict certain processing; request deletion; request portability; and withdraw consent. Some requests may be limited where retention is required for payments, taxation, fraud prevention, legal claims or other legal duties.

Send requests to archive@africanfilmarchive.com. We may need to verify your identity before acting. Kenyan users may also lodge a complaint with the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner. EU or EEA users may contact their local data-protection authority, and eligible U.S. residents may exercise rights available under applicable state law.

14. Children

AFDA’s purchasing, membership and account services are not directed to children. A parent or legal guardian should contact us if they believe a child has provided personal data without appropriate permission.

15. External links and embedded services

The website may link to or embed services operated by other organisations. Their handling of personal data is governed by their own privacy policies, not this policy.

16. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy when the website, archive services, providers or legal requirements change. The current version and its revision date will remain available on this page. Material changes may also be communicated through the website or by email where appropriate.

17. Contact us

For privacy questions, requests or complaints, contact African Film Digital Archive at archive@africanfilmarchive.com.