Privacy Policy

Last Updated: October 19, 2025

1. Introduction

Takuonline (Pty) Ltd ("we", "us", "our", or "Company") operates TakuSlides (the "Service"), an AI-powered presentation creation platform. We are committed to protecting your privacy and personal information.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our Service at https://takuslides.com.

Company Details:

  • Legal Name: Takuonline (Pty) Ltd
  • Address: Cape Town, South Africa
  • Contact Email: [email protected]
  • Website: https://takuslides.com

By using TakuSlides, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Personal Information You Provide

When you create an account and use our Service, we collect:

Account Information:

  • Email address
  • Full name
  • Profile information from third-party authentication providers (Google, LinkedIn, Facebook)

User-Generated Content:

  • Presentations you create
  • Custom themes you design
  • Text, images, and other content you input into the Service
  • Prompts and instructions you provide to our AI

2.2 Automatically Collected Information

We automatically collect certain information when you use our Service:

Technical Information:

  • IP address
  • Browser type and version
  • Device information (type, operating system)
  • Time zone setting and location
  • Browser plug-in types and versions

Usage Data:

  • Pages and features you access
  • Time and date of your visits
  • Time spent on pages
  • Click patterns and navigation paths
  • Credit usage and transaction history
  • Feature usage patterns

Cookies and Similar Technologies:

  • HTTP-only JWT tokens for authentication and session management
  • Analytics cookies (via Google Analytics)
  • Cloudflare cookies for security and performance

2.3 Information from Third Parties

Authentication Providers: When you sign in using Google, LinkedIn, or Facebook, we receive basic profile information such as your name, email address, and profile picture as permitted by those services and your privacy settings.

Payment Information: Payment processing is handled by Paddle. We do not store credit card information on our servers. Paddle collects and processes:

  • Billing information
  • Payment card details
  • Transaction history
  • Billing address

Please review Paddle's Privacy Policy for information about how they handle your payment data.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the collected information for the following purposes:

3.1 Service Delivery

  • Create and maintain your account
  • Authenticate your identity and manage sessions
  • Provide access to the Service features
  • Generate AI-powered presentations based on your input
  • Process credit purchases and track credit usage
  • Enable presentation editing and export to PowerPoint
  • Allow creation and management of custom themes

3.2 Service Improvement

  • Analyze usage patterns to improve the Service
  • Monitor and analyze trends and user preferences
  • Improve our AI models using aggregated, anonymized data only
  • Detect and prevent technical issues and bugs
  • Enhance user experience and interface design

Important Note: We do NOT use your individual presentations or user-specific content to train our AI models. We only use aggregated, anonymized usage data.

3.3 Communication

  • Send service-related notifications and updates
  • Respond to your inquiries and support requests
  • Send account security alerts
  • Provide product updates and feature announcements
  • Send marketing communications (you may opt out)

3.4 Legal and Security

  • Comply with legal obligations and regulations
  • Enforce our Terms of Service
  • Protect against fraud and unauthorized access
  • Maintain security and integrity of the Service
  • Respond to legal requests and prevent harm

3.5 Analytics and Business Operations

  • Understand how users interact with the Service
  • Track credit purchases and financial transactions
  • Maintain business records and accounting
  • Generate internal reports and statistics

4. Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR)

For users in the European Economic Area (EEA), United Kingdom, and Switzerland, we process your personal data based on the following legal grounds:

  • Contractual Necessity: Processing is necessary to provide the Service you requested (account management, service delivery, credit processing)
  • Legitimate Interests: We have legitimate business interests in improving our Service, preventing fraud, and ensuring security
  • Consent: Where we have obtained your explicit consent (e.g., marketing emails, optional cookies)
  • Legal Obligation: Where we must process data to comply with legal requirements

5. Data Storage and Security

5.1 Where We Store Your Data

Your data is stored on servers operated by Hetzner Online GmbH located in Helsinki, Finland (European Union). By using our Service, you consent to the transfer and storage of your data in Finland.

5.2 Security Measures

We implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures to protect your personal information:

  • HTTP-only JWT tokens for secure authentication
  • Encryption of data in transit using SSL/TLS
  • Encryption of sensitive data at rest
  • Regular security assessments and updates
  • Access controls and authentication requirements
  • Monitoring for suspicious activity
  • Regular backups and disaster recovery procedures

5.3 Data Security Limitations

While we strive to protect your personal information, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security of your data.

6. How We Share Your Information

We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties. We may share your information in the following limited circumstances:

6.1 Service Providers

We share data with trusted third-party service providers who assist us in operating our Service:

Hetzner Online GmbH (Finland)

  • Purpose: Web hosting and data storage
  • Data shared: All user data and content

Paddle (United Kingdom/United States)

  • Purpose: Payment processing and billing
  • Data shared: Name, email, billing information, transaction details

Google Analytics (United States)

  • Purpose: Website analytics and usage tracking
  • Data shared: Anonymized usage data, IP addresses (anonymized), device information

Cloudflare (United States)

  • Purpose: Content delivery, security, and DDoS protection
  • Data shared: IP addresses, browser information, request data

Authentication Providers (Google, LinkedIn, Facebook)

  • Purpose: User authentication and login
  • Data shared: Authentication requests and tokens

These service providers are contractually obligated to protect your data and use it only for the purposes we specify.

6.2 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required to do so by law or in response to:

  • Valid legal requests from government authorities
  • Court orders or subpoenas
  • Legal processes or investigations
  • Protection of our rights, property, or safety
  • Prevention of fraud or illegal activities

6.3 Business Transfers

If Takuonline (Pty) Ltd is involved in a merger, acquisition, sale of assets, or bankruptcy, your personal information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you of any such change and the choices you may have.

6.4 With Your Consent

We may share your information for other purposes with your explicit consent.

7. International Data Transfers

Our Service is operated from South Africa, but data is stored in Finland (EU). If you access our Service from outside these jurisdictions, your information will be transferred to and processed in these locations.

For users in the EEA, UK, or Switzerland, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place for international data transfers in compliance with GDPR and applicable data protection laws.

8. Data Retention

8.1 Active Accounts

We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide you with the Service.

8.2 Account Deletion

When you delete your account:

  • Your presentations and user-generated content are deleted immediately
  • Your personal information is deleted immediately
  • Your account data is permanently removed from our active systems

8.3 Legal and Financial Records

We retain certain information as required by law or legitimate business purposes:

  • Financial and transaction records: 7 years (for tax and accounting purposes)
  • Legal records: As required by applicable law
  • Aggregated, anonymized analytics data: Indefinitely

8.4 Third-Party Data Retention

  • Google Analytics: Retains data according to their retention policies (typically 26 months, but configurable)
  • Cloudflare: Retains logs and security data according to their retention policies
  • Paddle: Retains payment records according to their policies and legal requirements

8.5 Backups

While we delete data immediately upon account deletion, data may persist in backup systems for a short period as part of our disaster recovery procedures. These backups are securely stored and eventually overwritten.

9. Your Rights and Choices

9.1 Access and Portability

You have the right to:

  • Access the personal information we hold about you
  • Export your presentations from the Service
  • Request a copy of your data in a structured, machine-readable format (where technically feasible)

Currently, you can export your presentations directly from the Service interface. For other data access requests, contact us at [email protected].

9.2 Correction and Update

You can update your account information at any time through your account settings. If you need assistance, contact [email protected].

9.3 Deletion

You have the right to request deletion of your personal information. You can delete your account at any time using the self-service account deletion feature in your account settings.

Exceptions: We may retain certain information where:

  • Required by law (e.g., financial records for tax purposes)
  • Necessary for legal claims or compliance
  • Part of aggregated, anonymized data that cannot be attributed to you

9.4 Marketing Opt-Out

You can opt out of marketing emails by:

  • Clicking the "unsubscribe" link in any marketing email
  • Contacting us at [email protected]
  • Adjusting your email preferences in account settings

Note: You cannot opt out of essential service-related communications (e.g., security alerts, billing notifications).

9.5 Cookie Preferences

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Note that disabling cookies may affect the functionality of the Service, particularly authentication features.

9.6 GDPR Rights (EEA, UK, Switzerland)

If you are located in the EEA, UK, or Switzerland, you have additional rights under GDPR:

  • Right to restriction: Limit how we use your data
  • Right to object: Object to processing based on legitimate interests
  • Right to withdraw consent: Where processing is based on consent
  • Right to lodge a complaint: File a complaint with your local data protection authority

9.7 California Privacy Rights (CCPA)

If you are a California resident, you have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA):

  • Right to know what personal information is collected
  • Right to know if personal information is sold or disclosed
  • Right to opt-out of the sale of personal information (Note: We do not sell personal information)
  • Right to deletion
  • Right to non-discrimination for exercising your privacy rights

10. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

10.1 Types of Cookies We Use

Essential Cookies:

  • Authentication tokens (HTTP-only JWT): Required for logging in and maintaining your session. These cookies are essential for the Service to function and cannot be disabled.

Analytics Cookies:

  • Google Analytics: Tracks how you use the Service to help us improve user experience. You can opt out using browser settings or Google's opt-out tools.

Security and Performance Cookies:

  • Cloudflare: Used for security, performance optimization, and DDoS protection.

10.2 Managing Cookies

You can control cookie preferences through your browser settings:

  • Most browsers allow you to refuse cookies or delete existing cookies
  • Browser settings typically allow you to be notified when you receive a cookie
  • You can use Google's opt-out browser add-on for Google Analytics

Important: Blocking essential cookies (authentication) will prevent you from using the Service.

11. Third-Party Links and Services

Our Service may contain links to third-party websites, applications, or services that are not operated by us. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third parties. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party services you access.

12. Children's Privacy

TakuSlides is not intended for users under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18 years of age. If you believe we have collected information from someone under 18, please contact us immediately at [email protected], and we will delete such information.

13. AI and Automated Decision-Making

13.1 AI-Generated Content

Our Service uses artificial intelligence to generate presentation content based on your input. This AI processing:

  • Does not involve automated decision-making that produces legal effects or significantly affects you
  • Is used solely to provide the content generation features you request
  • Does not use your individual presentations to train AI models
  • May use aggregated, anonymized data to improve the AI system

13.2 Your Control

You maintain full control over:

  • What prompts and information you provide to the AI
  • Whether to use, edit, or discard AI-generated content
  • How you use the final presentations

14. Data Breach Notification

In the event of a data breach that affects your personal information, we will:

  • Notify affected users by email within 72 hours of becoming aware of the breach
  • Provide information about the nature of the breach and data affected
  • Advise on steps you can take to protect yourself
  • Report the breach to relevant authorities as required by law

15. Do Not Track Signals

Our Service does not currently respond to "Do Not Track" (DNT) signals from browsers. We may implement DNT support in the future.

16. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. When we make material changes, we will:

  • Update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this Privacy Policy
  • Notify you by email at the address associated with your account
  • Display a prominent notice on our website

Your continued use of the Service after changes become effective constitutes acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically.

17.Fair Use Policy

Unlimited AI Generations

Paid subscription plans (Essential, Pro, and Ultimate) include unlimited AI-powered presentation generations, subject to this Fair Use Policy.

"Unlimited" means you can create as many presentations as you reasonably need for your personal or business use without worrying about running out. It does not mean unrestricted or automated bulk generation.

What's Covered

  • Creating presentations for your work, education, or personal projects
  • Generating multiple drafts or variations to find the right content
  • Regular, human-initiated use of AI features during normal working patterns

What's Not Covered

  • Automated, scripted, or bot-driven generation
  • Bulk generation for resale or redistribution
  • Sharing account access with multiple users (each user needs their own seat)
  • Usage patterns that suggest abuse or place unreasonable load on our systems

Rate Limits

To ensure a quality experience for all users, we apply reasonable rate limits:

| Plan | Generations per Hour | Generations per Day | Max Slides per Generation | |------|---------------------|---------------------|---------------------------| | Free | Credit-based (10 credits) | Credit-based | 8 slides | | Essential | 7 | 20 | 15 slides | | Pro | 10 | 25 | 30 slides | | Ultimate | 20 | 50 | 80 slides |

If you exceed these limits, you can continue generating using your monthly credits at standard rates. Rate limits reset hourly and daily.

What Happens If You Exceed Fair Use

  1. First occurrence: We'll reach out to understand your use case
  2. Continued excessive use: We may temporarily throttle your account
  3. Persistent abuse: We reserve the right to suspend access or require an enterprise agreement

We're not trying to catch you out—these policies exist to keep the service fast and affordable for everyone. If you have legitimate high-volume needs, contact us at [support email] to discuss enterprise options.

Our Commitment

We won't arbitrarily restrict your access. If your usage is clearly human-driven and for your own presentations, you're fine. We only intervene when usage patterns suggest automation or abuse.

18. International Users

TakuSlides is operated from South Africa with data storage in Finland (EU). By using our Service, you consent to the transfer of your information to these jurisdictions, which may have different data protection laws than your country of residence.

19. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

Data Protection Contact: Email: [email protected]

Response Time: We will respond to your inquiry within 30 days. For urgent matters, please indicate this in your subject line.

20. Supervisory Authority

If you are located in the EEA, UK, or Switzerland and believe we have not adequately addressed your concerns, you have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection supervisory authority.

By using TakuSlides, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy and consent to the collection, use, and disclosure of your information as described herein.