Privacy Policy

This policy explains how AS Hosting collects and uses your personal information, in line with the Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013 (POPIA).

1. Responsible party and Information Officer

2. What we collect

• Account details: your name, company name, email address, phone number and physical address.
• Billing records: invoices, payments and payment references. Card details are captured by Payfast, not by us.
• Domain contact details: the registrant and contact information that registries require.
• Technical information: IP addresses, login records and server logs, used for security and to run the services.
• Support messages: the content of tickets and emails you send us.

3. Why we use it

• To set up, run, bill and support the services you order (needed to perform our agreement with you).
• To register and manage domain names, as registries require.
• To keep our systems secure and prevent fraud and abuse (our legitimate interest).
• To meet legal duties, such as keeping financial records and responding to lawful requests.
• To send you service notices. We will only send marketing with your consent, and you can opt out at any time from your client area or by emailing us.

4. Who we share it with

We do not sell your personal information. We share it only as needed to provide our services:

• Our hosting provider, which operates the servers that store your account and website data.
• Domain registrars and registries, such as the ZA Central Registry and ICANN-accredited registrars, which may publish some details in WHOIS records.
• Payfast, to process card and instant EFT payments.
• Authorities, where the law, a court order or a regulator requires it.

Each of these operates under its own legal and contractual duties to protect your information.

5. Information sent outside South Africa

Our hosting servers are located outside South Africa, in Luxembourg (European Union) and the United States, so your account and website data is stored there. Some domain registries and registrars also process information outside South Africa. We transfer information abroad only where the recipient is bound by laws or agreements giving protection similar to POPIA, or where the transfer is needed to perform our agreement with you, as section 72 of POPIA allows.

6. How long we keep it

We keep account information for as long as you have an account with us. After that, we keep billing records for at least 5 years, as tax law requires, and delete or anonymise other information when we no longer need it.

7. Security

We protect your information with encrypted connections (SSL), access controls, strong passwords and limited staff access. If a breach affects your personal information, we will notify you and the Information Regulator as POPIA requires.

8. Your rights

You may ask us to:

• confirm what personal information we hold about you and give you a copy
• correct or update inaccurate information (you can also do this in your client area)
• delete information we no longer need or are not allowed to keep
• stop processing your information, or stop sending you marketing.

Email billing@ashosting.co.za with your request. We may ask you to prove your identity first. If you are not satisfied with our response, you may complain to the Information Regulator at inforegulator.org.za.

9. Cookies

Our website and client area use cookies to keep you logged in, remember your cart and keep the site secure. They are needed for the site to work. We do not use advertising cookies.

10. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy. The current version is always on this page with its effective date.