Privacy Policy

Last updated: July 2026

Sortly (“Sortly”, “we”, “us”) is an independent digital engagement platform. This policy explains what personal information we collect, why we collect it, and what rights you have over it, in line with South Africa’s Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013 (POPIA).

This policy applies whether you’ve reached us through this website, through a WhatsApp conversation, or through any other channel we operate.

1. Who we are

Sortly is operated by Thrive Online CC, trading as Thrive Online (registration number 2010/135420/23). Thrive Online is the responsible party for the personal information described in this policy. Thrive Online is referenced here in a compliance capacity only — Sortly operates as an independent, separately branded platform.

2. What information we collect

Depending on how you engage with us, we may collect:

  • From a WhatsApp conversation: your mobile number, first name (where available), your answers to the qualification questions we ask, your consent status, and timestamps of each step in the conversation.
  • From this website: your name, email address, and the content of any message you send us through the contact form.
  • Automatically: we do not currently use analytics or advertising tracking technologies on this website. If that changes, this policy and our Cookie Policy will be updated in advance.

3. How we use your information

We use your information to:

  • Understand what you’re looking for and whether we can help;
  • With your explicit consent, introduce you to a suited service provider;
  • Keep an accurate record of your consent and any opt-out instructions, as required by law;
  • Respond to enquiries submitted through this website;
  • Meet our own legal, regulatory and record-keeping obligations.

We do not use your information for anything beyond what’s described here, and we do not sell your personal information.

4. Our legal basis for processing

We rely primarily on your consent to process your personal information. Where you engage with a WhatsApp conversation, tapping to proceed and answering questions serves as your consent signal for that specific engagement. You can withdraw consent at any time — see Section 8.

5. Who we share your information with

We share your information only with the specific service provider you’ve explicitly consented to be introduced to. We may also share limited information with service providers who help us operate the platform itself, such as messaging and hosting infrastructure providers, all of whom are bound to protect your information and use it only for the purpose we’ve engaged them for.

We do not share your information with any party you have not consented to, and we do not sell or rent personal information to third parties.

6. Data retention

We keep your information for as long as is reasonably necessary for the purpose it was collected, including the period needed to demonstrate compliance with consent and opt-out obligations, after which it is deleted or de-identified.

7. Security

We apply reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information against loss, unauthorised access, and misuse. No system is completely without risk, and we continually review our safeguards as the platform grows.

8. Your rights

Under POPIA, you have the right to:

  • Know what personal information we hold about you and request access to it;
  • Ask us to correct or update inaccurate information;
  • Ask us to delete your information, subject to any legal retention requirements;
  • Object to the processing of your personal information on reasonable grounds;
  • Withdraw consent at any time — replying STOP at any point in a WhatsApp conversation immediately stops further contact and is logged as your opt-out instruction, across every channel we operate;
  • Lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator if you believe we’ve mishandled your information.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at info@sortly.co.za. If you’re not satisfied with our response, you can contact the Information Regulator of South Africa at inforegulator.org.za, or by email at POPIAComplaints@inforegulator.org.za.

9. Children

Our services are intended for adults. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under the age of 18.

10. Cross-border transfers

We do not transfer your personal information outside South Africa unless it is subject to safeguards consistent with POPIA, such as a data subject’s consent or a binding agreement upholding equivalent protections.

11. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time as our platform evolves. Material changes will be reflected here with an updated date at the top of this page.

12. Contact us

Questions about this policy or how your information is handled can be directed to our Information Officer at info@sortly.co.za.