Privacy Policy for Mental Health Support Chatbot

Effective Date: 26/10/2023

Thank you for using our Mental Health Support Chatbot (“Maria Chatbot). As a user, we are committed to protecting your privacy and maintaining the confidentiality of your personal information. This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, store, and disclose your data when you interact with our Chatbot.

1. Information We Collect:

1.1 Personal Information: When you use our Chatbot, we may collect personal information that you provide voluntarily, such as your name, email address, and any other information you share during the conversation.

1.2 Health Information: In the course of using our Chatbot for mental health support, you may choose to share sensitive health-related information, such as your emotions, feelings, and experiences. We treat this information with utmost care and confidentiality.

1.3 Non-Personal Information: We may collect non-personal information such as your IP address, device information, browser type, and usage patterns to improve our Chatbot’s performance and enhance user experience.

2. How We Use Your Information:

2.1 Providing Support: We use the information you provide to deliver mental health support through the Chatbot, personalize responses, and suggest relevant resources and coping strategies.

2.2 Improving Chatbot: Your interactions with the Chatbot may be used for analyzing user trends, refining our algorithms, and enhancing the effectiveness of the mental health support provided.

2.3 Communication: We may use your contact information to respond to your inquiries, provide important updates about the Chatbot, and inform you about new features or services related to mental health support.

2.4 Legal Compliance: In certain circumstances, we may use your information to comply with legal obligations, protect our rights, and respond to law enforcement requests.

3. Data Security:

We implement robust security measures to safeguard your personal information from unauthorized access, disclosure, or alteration. We use encryption, firewalls, and access controls to protect your data. However, it is essential to understand that no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

4. Third-Party Access:

We do not sell, rent, or share your personal information with third parties for marketing purposes. However, we may engage third-party service providers to assist us in delivering the Chatbot’s functionality and services, subject to strict confidentiality agreements.

5. Data Retention:

We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to provide mental health support and fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy. If you decide to delete your account or stop using our Chatbot, we will delete or de-identify your data, except as required by law.

6. Minors:

Our Chatbot is not intended for use by individuals under the age of 18. If we become aware that we have collected personal information from minors without parental consent, we will take steps to delete such data.

7. Consent:

By using our Mental Health Support Chatbot, you consent to the collection, use, and disclosure of your information as described in this Privacy Policy.

8. Changes to the Privacy Policy:

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for legal, operational, or regulatory reasons. We will notify you of any significant changes through our website or other appropriate means. Continued use of the Chatbot after such updates constitutes your acceptance of the revised Privacy Policy.

9. Contact Us:

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests related to this Privacy Policy or the use of your personal information, please contact us at connect@dlab.or.tz

Please take the time to review this Privacy Policy carefully. Your use of our Mental Health Support Chatbot constitutes your agreement to the terms and practices described herein.