Privacy Policy

Last Updated: 20 March 2026

This Privacy Policy applies to all visitors and users of Student Daily (studentdaily.co.za).

By using our website you agree to the collection and use of information as described below.

We comply with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), GDPR, ECTA, Google Publisher Policies, and Reader Revenue Manager terms.

1. Who We Are

Student Daily (studentdaily.co.za) is a South African education and career guidance website dedicated to helping students, job seekers, and young people access information about learnerships, bursaries, TVET colleges, universities, and career opportunities. We are operated from South Africa and our primary audience is South African youth.

Contact: darforumtz@gmail.com | Website: https://studentdaily.co.za

2. Legal Framework & Compliance

We process personal information in accordance with the following laws and standards:

Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA) — primary South African privacy law
Electronic Communications and Transactions Act 25 of 2002 (ECTA)
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) — applicable to EU/EEA visitors
Google AdSense & Google Publisher Policies (including EU User Consent Policy)
Google Reader Revenue Manager Partner Terms
Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) Transparency and Consent Framework (TCF)
Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008 (CPA) — where applicable

3. Information We Collect

3.1 Information You Provide Voluntarily

We collect information you actively submit to us, including:

Full name and email address (contact forms, newsletter sign-ups)
Comments submitted on articles
Reader account details (if you create an account via Google Reader Revenue Manager)
Payment and billing information (processed securely by Google — we do not store card details)
Subscription preferences and communication preferences
Any other information you choose to share with us

3.2 Automatically Collected Information

When you visit Student Daily, our systems and third-party service providers automatically collect:

IP address and approximate geographic location
Browser type, version, and language settings
Device type (desktop, mobile, tablet) and operating system
Pages visited, time spent on pages, and scroll depth
Referring URLs and exit pages
Search terms used to find our site
Unique device identifiers and advertising identifiers
Cookie data and local storage data (see Section 5)

3.3 Reader Revenue Manager Data

If you register for a reader account, access premium content, or interact with subscription prompts powered by Google Reader Revenue Manager (RRM), we and Google may collect:

Google Account information (name, email, profile picture) — as authorised by you
Subscription status, tier, and payment history
Content access and reading behaviour (to personalise your experience)
Reader entitlement data (which content you are permitted to access)
Device and session identifiers linked to your reader account

Google’s processing of data within RRM is governed by Google’s Privacy Policy (https://policies.google.com/privacy) and the Google Reader Revenue Manager Partner Terms.

4. How We Use Your Information

We use your personal information only for the following lawful purposes under POPIA and, where applicable, GDPR:

4.1 Service Delivery

Providing access to website content and educational resources
Managing your reader account and subscription (via Google RRM)
Processing subscription payments and issuing receipts
Responding to your inquiries, comments, and support requests
Sending newsletters and content updates (where you have subscribed)

4.2 Advertising & Monetisation

Displaying personalised and contextual display advertisements via Google AdSense
Measuring ad performance, click-through rates, and revenue metrics
Enabling Google’s interest-based advertising and remarketing (where consent is obtained)
Sharing aggregated, anonymised audience data with advertising partners
Facilitating sponsored content disclosures and affiliate tracking

4.3 Analytics & Improvement

Analysing website traffic, user behaviour, and content performance via Google Analytics
Improving website content, structure, and user experience
Conducting A/B testing and content optimisation
Generating performance reports and SEO analysis

4.4 Legal & Security

Complying with POPIA, GDPR, and other applicable legal obligations
Preventing fraud, abuse, and security threats
Enforcing our Terms of Service
Responding to lawful requests from regulatory authorities

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to any third party for their own marketing purposes.

5. Cookies & Tracking Technologies

Student Daily uses cookies, web beacons, pixels, and similar tracking technologies to operate the website, deliver advertising, and analyse usage.

5.1 Types of Cookies We Use

Essential / Strictly Necessary Cookies — required for the website to function (e.g., session management, security, Reader Revenue Manager authentication). These cannot be disabled without affecting core functionality.
Analytics Cookies — used to measure website traffic and user behaviour (e.g., Google Analytics). Data is aggregated and anonymised.
Advertising Cookies — used by Google AdSense and advertising partners to deliver relevant ads, track conversions, and measure ad effectiveness. These include the Google DoubleClick/DFP cookie and other third-party ad cookies.
Reader Revenue Manager Cookies — used to authenticate reader accounts, track subscription entitlements, and personalise the reading experience.
Social Media Tracking Pixels — placed by Facebook, Twitter/X, and other platforms when you interact with social sharing buttons or embedded content.
Preference / Functional Cookies — remember your settings and preferences (e.g., language, display settings).

5.2 Managing Cookies

You may manage or disable cookies at any time through:

Your browser settings (e.g., Chrome → Settings → Privacy and Security → Cookies)
Google Ads Settings: https://www.google.com/settings/ads
Google Analytics Opt-Out: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout
NAI Opt-Out Tool: https://optout.networkadvertising.org
IAB Transparency and Consent Framework (TCF) consent manager (displayed on first visit)

Please note that disabling certain cookies — particularly essential and Reader Revenue Manager cookies — may prevent you from accessing subscription content or using core website features.

6. Display Advertising — Google AdSense

Student Daily participates in the Google AdSense programme to display advertisements on our website. By using our website, you acknowledge and agree to the following:

Google AdSense uses cookies (including the DoubleClick cookie) to serve ads based on your prior visits to our site and other websites.
Google may use your browsing data to show you interest-based (personalised) advertisements.
Third-party advertising vendors, including Google, use cookies to serve ads based on a user’s prior visits.
We have implemented Google Funding Choices / Consent Management Platform (CMP) on our site to obtain and manage consent in line with Google’s EU User Consent Policy where required.
Ads displayed on Student Daily are clearly identified as advertisements. We do not control the content of third-party ads but require all advertising partners to comply with applicable laws.
Student Daily complies with Google Publisher Policies, including restrictions on ad placement near sensitive content and requirements for valid traffic.

To opt out of personalised advertising by Google, visit: https://www.google.com/settings/ads or https://www.aboutads.info/choices

7. Google Reader Revenue Manager (RRM)

Student Daily uses Google Reader Revenue Manager to offer reader accounts, subscription tiers, and managed access to premium content. Reader Revenue Manager is a Google product and its use involves the following data practices:

7.1 Account Creation & Authentication

If you create a reader account, you will sign in using your Google Account. By doing so, you authorise Google to share certain profile information (name, email address, profile picture) with Student Daily. We store only the information necessary to manage your account and subscription.

7.2 Subscription & Payment Processing

All subscription payments processed through Google Reader Revenue Manager are handled by Google. Student Daily does not receive or store your payment card details. Payment transactions are governed by Google’s payments terms. You will receive a receipt from Google for any subscription payment.

7.3 Entitlement & Access Control

Reader Revenue Manager tracks your subscription entitlements to determine which content you may access. This data is shared between Google and Student Daily and is used solely to enforce subscription access rules and personalise your reading experience.

7.4 Google’s Data Practices

Google acts as a data processor for certain Reader Revenue Manager functions. Google’s processing of your data is governed by the Google Privacy Policy (https://policies.google.com/privacy) and the Google Reader Revenue Manager Partner Terms. We encourage you to review Google’s privacy policy to understand how Google handles your data.

8. Analytics Services

We use the following analytics tools to understand how visitors use our website:

Google Analytics — tracks page views, session duration, traffic sources, and user behaviour. Data is aggregated and de-identified. You can opt out at: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout
Google Search Console — monitors search performance and technical site health (no personal data stored on our servers)
Social media analytics — native analytics from Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter/X for our social media pages

We do not use analytics data to identify individual users. All reports are reviewed in aggregate form.

9. Email Marketing & Newsletters

If you subscribe to the Student Daily newsletter:

We collect your email address and, if provided, your name
We use your email to send educational content updates, bursary alerts, learnership opportunities, and general information relevant to South African students
You may unsubscribe at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in any email
We do not share your email address with unauthorised third parties
Your subscription data may be processed by our email service provider, which maintains appropriate data protection standards

We obtain your explicit consent before adding you to our mailing list and honour all unsubscribe requests within 10 business days.

10. Affiliate Marketing & Sponsored Content

Student Daily may participate in affiliate marketing programmes. Where affiliate links or sponsored content appear:

We clearly disclose all sponsored posts, advertorials, and paid promotions
Affiliate links may use tracking cookies; any commission we earn does not affect the price you pay
All sponsored content is clearly labelled ‘Sponsored’, ‘Advertorial’, or ‘Paid Partnership’
We only promote products and services that we believe are relevant and useful to our South African student audience
Affiliate partnerships comply with the Advertising Regulatory Board (ARB) standards and Google’s Publisher Policies on native advertising

11. Data Sharing & Third Parties

We share personal information only with the following categories of recipients, and only to the extent necessary:

Google LLC — for AdSense advertising, Analytics, Reader Revenue Manager, and Search Console (subject to Google’s Privacy Policy)
Hosting providers — our web hosting company stores website data securely on servers that may be located outside South Africa
Email marketing service providers — to send newsletters and transactional emails
Legal authorities — if required by law, court order, or to protect the rights and safety of Student Daily and its users
Business transfers — in the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, user data may be transferred (you will be notified)

We do not sell personal information to data brokers, marketers, or other third parties.

12. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organisational security measures to protect your personal information, including:

SSL/TLS encryption for all data transmitted to and from our website (HTTPS)
Secure, reputable hosting environments with regular security updates
Access controls limiting employee and contractor access to personal data
Regular security monitoring and vulnerability assessments
Data minimisation — we collect only what is necessary

Despite these measures, no internet transmission or electronic storage system is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security and you use our website at your own risk with respect to cybersecurity threats beyond our reasonable control.

13. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for the following periods:

Account and subscription data — for the duration of your subscription and up to 3 years thereafter for legal and audit purposes
Email subscriber data — until you unsubscribe, plus 1 year for record-keeping
Comment data — indefinitely, unless you request deletion
Analytics data — in aggregate form, up to 26 months (Google Analytics default)
Server logs — up to 12 months for security and performance monitoring

Where we are required by law to retain data for a longer period, we will do so. Where a shorter retention period is required by law or your request, we will comply subject to any legal obligations.

14. Your Rights Under POPIA & GDPR

Depending on your location and applicable law, you may have the following rights regarding your personal information:

Right to Access — request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
Right to Rectification — request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal information
Right to Erasure — request deletion of your personal information (‘right to be forgotten’), subject to legal obligations
Right to Restrict Processing — request that we limit how we use your data in certain circumstances
Right to Data Portability — receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format (GDPR only)
Right to Object — object to processing based on legitimate interests or for direct marketing
Right to Withdraw Consent — withdraw consent at any time without affecting the lawfulness of prior processing
Right to Lodge a Complaint — with the Information Regulator (South Africa) or your local Data Protection Authority (EU/EEA)

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at: darforumtz@gmail.com. We will respond within 30 days (POPIA) or one month (GDPR).

South African Information Regulator:

Website: https://www.justice.gov.za/inforeg/ | Email: inforeg@justice.gov.za

15. Children’s Privacy

Student Daily is a general-audience website targeting students, including those in secondary school. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 13 (or 16 for EU residents under GDPR) without verifiable parental or guardian consent.

If you believe a minor has provided personal information to us without appropriate consent, please contact us immediately at darforumtz@gmail.com and we will take prompt steps to delete that information from our systems.

16. International Data Transfers

Student Daily is operated from South Africa. Your personal information may be stored or processed by our service providers (including Google) in countries outside of South Africa, including the United States and European Union member states.

Where we transfer personal information outside South Africa, we take steps to ensure appropriate safeguards are in place as required by POPIA and, where applicable, GDPR, including relying on standard contractual clauses and the adequacy decisions of relevant regulatory authorities.

17. Do Not Track

Our website does not currently respond to ‘Do Not Track’ (DNT) browser signals, as there is no uniform standard for how such signals should be interpreted. You can manage your tracking preferences through our cookie consent tool and the opt-out links provided in Section 5.2.

18. 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 page
Post a notice on our website homepage for material changes
Where required by law, notify you directly by email

Continued use of Student Daily after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy. We encourage you to review this page periodically.

19. Contact Us

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

Student Daily

Website: https://studentdaily.co.za

Email: darforumtz@gmail.com

We aim to respond to all privacy-related inquiries within 5 business days.

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