BlockMarshal is a community safety application designed and operated in Ghana. We help residents report incidents, track stolen items, coordinate neighbourhood watch groups, and access emergency tools. This Privacy Policy explains what personal data we collect, how we use it, who we share it with, and what rights you have.
If you have questions or concerns about your data, please contact us at privacy@blockmarshal.com.
We collect several types of data in order to provide the BlockMarshal service. Below is a complete list.
When you create an account we collect your phone number and, optionally, your name, email address, and profile photo. If you sign in with Google or Apple, we receive the name and email address associated with that account.
If you grant location permission, we collect your GPS coordinates. Before your location is stored or shared with other users, we apply "coordinate fuzzing" — a random offset that hides your exact position. We also record the area label (neighbourhood or street name) for display purposes. When you opt in to emergency SOS alerts, we use your approximate real-time location to match you with nearby emergencies.
You may capture or upload photos and videos as incident evidence, asset registration photos, or a profile picture. These files are stored securely and are only shared when you choose to attach them to a community alert, case file, or asset listing.
If you record audio as part of a case file, the recording is stored as evidence linked to that case. Voice recordings are private to you unless you explicitly share the case file.
You may add emergency contact names and phone numbers. These are used to notify your designated contacts during SOS alerts and overdue safety checks. Emergency contact data is stored securely and is not visible to other users.
We collect basic device information such as device type, operating system, and app version. This helps us troubleshoot issues and optimise the app for your device.
If you enable push notifications, your device generates a unique token that allows us to deliver alerts to your device. We do not use this token for any other purpose.
We log anonymous feature interactions and timestamps to understand how the app is used and to improve it. This data is not linked to your identity.
If you set a Safety PIN, it is stored as a cryptographic hash (PBKDF2-SHA256 with 100,000 iterations). We never store your PIN in plain text and cannot recover it.
Subscription payments are processed by Paystack. We store a transaction reference and plan details to verify your subscription status. We do not store your card number, CVV, or other payment card details. Please refer to Paystack's Privacy Policy for how they handle your payment information.
Some data is stored locally on your device for offline functionality. This includes an offline SOS queue (so an SOS can be sent when you reconnect), app preferences, and cached data. This data stays on your device and is cleared when you sign out or delete the app.
We use your data only to provide, improve, and secure the BlockMarshal service.
We do NOT use your data for advertising, behavioural profiling, or selling to third parties.
Location is central to how BlockMarshal works. Here is exactly how we handle it:
We use the following third-party services to operate BlockMarshal. Each provider processes data according to their own privacy policy:
We will only share your data with law enforcement or government authorities if required by Ghanaian law (for example, a court order) or with your explicit consent. We will notify you if we receive such a request unless we are legally prohibited from doing so.
We never sell your personal data.
No system is perfectly secure. If you believe your account has been compromised, please contact us immediately at privacy@blockmarshal.com.
You have the following rights over your personal data:
You can delete your BlockMarshal account and the personal data attached to it at any time. You do not need to contact us first, and you do not need to give a reason.
In the app: go to Settings > Privacy & Legal > Delete Account. Deletion is immediate and irreversible.
Without the app: if you have uninstalled BlockMarshal or cannot sign in, email privacy@blockmarshal.com from the email address on your account, or from an address we can verify against your phone number, and ask us to delete your account. We will confirm your identity, action the deletion, and confirm in writing within 14 business days.
What is deleted: your account, profile, name, phone number and email address; your face verification data (the biometric template is held on our own systems, so there is no third party to chase); your private verification selfie and any government ID image; your registered assets, case files, safety checks and trusted circle; your Block Watch memberships and posts; your location history and any queued reports on your device.
What is kept, and why: incident reports you submitted remain in the community feed with your identity removed, because deleting them would erase safety information other residents rely on and they can no longer be linked to you; records we are legally required to retain, such as payment and tax records; and, for accounts terminated for serious abuse, the face template alone, solely to prevent re-registration.
Uninstalling the app does not delete your account, and deleting your account does not require you to uninstall the app first.
BlockMarshal is intended for users aged 18 and older. We do not knowingly collect personal data from anyone under the age of 18. If we become aware that a user is under 18, we will promptly delete their account and all associated data. If you believe a minor is using BlockMarshal, please contact us at privacy@blockmarshal.com.
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, or legal requirements. When we make changes, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page and notify you via an in-app notification. If the changes are significant, we will ask you to review and accept the updated policy before continuing to use the app. Your continued use of BlockMarshal after a policy update constitutes your acceptance of the revised terms.
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests related to this Privacy Policy or your personal data, please contact us:
BlockMarshal · Ghana