Privacy Policy

Effective date: 11 September 2026 · Last updated: 11 September 2026

Castalore is operated by Schmarc Technologies (“Schmarc Technologies”, “Castalore”, “we”, “us”, or “our”).

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect information when you use Castalore, an online platform for forecasting, public trends, and collective intelligence focused on Africa.

By using Castalore, you agree to the practices described in this Privacy Policy.

1. Information We Collect

We collect information that is necessary to provide and improve Castalore.

Information you provide

When you create an account or use Castalore, you may provide information such as:

your name or display name;
email address;
account credentials;
forecasts and predictions you submit;
information you provide when contacting us; and
other information you voluntarily provide while using the platform.

Information collected automatically

When you use Castalore, certain information may be collected automatically, such as:

IP address;
browser and device information;
pages and features you access;
dates and times of activity; and
information necessary to maintain the security and functionality of the website.

We collect only information that is reasonably necessary for operating Castalore and providing its services.

2. How We Use Your Information

We may use information we collect to:

create and manage your account;
provide Castalore’s forecasting features;
maintain your forecasting history and profile;
provide relevant content and features;
improve the platform and user experience;
understand how Castalore is used;
communicate with you about your account or the Service;
respond to questions and support requests;
protect Castalore against fraud, abuse, and unauthorized activity;
enforce our Terms of Service; and
comply with applicable laws and legal obligations.

We do not sell your personal information to advertisers.

3. Information About Your Forecasts

Forecasts and other information you choose to submit through Castalore may be associated with your account and may form part of your public forecasting profile.

Depending on the features you use, other users may be able to see information such as your display name, forecasts, forecasting performance, reputation, or rankings.

We may also use forecasting information to provide community statistics and improve the forecasting experience.

4. Publicly Available Information

Castalore may use information available from public sources, including news websites, public online discussions, social platforms, and other publicly accessible sources.

This information may be used to identify subjects and events that may be relevant to Castalore’s Trending and Banter features.

Castalore does not claim ownership of information published by independent third parties and does not control the privacy practices of those third parties.

5. Cookies and Similar Technologies

Castalore may use cookies and similar technologies to:

keep you signed in;
maintain necessary website functionality;
remember certain preferences;
protect the security of your account; and
understand how users interact with Castalore.

You can control or disable cookies through your browser settings. Some parts of Castalore may not function correctly if necessary cookies are disabled.

6. Artificial Intelligence

Castalore may use artificial intelligence services to support certain features of the platform.

Information used by these services is limited to what is reasonably necessary for the relevant feature.

AI-generated information may be reviewed, modified, or evaluated before being used on Castalore.

We do not use AI to replace your responsibility for the forecasts you submit.

7. How We Share Information

We may share information where necessary to operate Castalore.

This may include sharing information with trusted service providers that help us provide services such as website hosting, communications, security, infrastructure, or other essential business functions.

We may also disclose information when reasonably necessary to:

comply with applicable law;
respond to lawful legal requests;
protect the rights and safety of Castalore, our users, or others;
investigate fraud or abuse; or
protect the security and integrity of the Service.

We do not sell personal information to advertisers or data brokers.

8. Data Security

We take reasonable measures to protect information from unauthorized access, loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure.

However, no website or internet-based service can guarantee complete security. You should use a strong password and take reasonable steps to protect your account credentials.

9. How Long We Keep Information

We retain information for as long as reasonably necessary to provide Castalore, maintain appropriate records, protect the Service, comply with legal obligations, and resolve disputes.

Some information may be retained for longer where necessary for legitimate operational, security, legal, or historical purposes.

When information is no longer reasonably required, we may delete or anonymize it where appropriate.

10. Your Account and Deletion Requests

You may request the deletion of your Castalore account.

Account deletion may be subject to a reasonable verification process.

Some information may need to be retained where necessary to:

comply with legal obligations;
protect the integrity of the platform;
prevent fraud or abuse;
resolve disputes; or
maintain legitimate business records.

Information that has already been incorporated into aggregated or anonymized information may not be individually removable.

Where an account is under investigation for a suspected violation of our Terms of Service, deletion may be delayed where reasonably necessary to complete the investigation or protect the integrity of the Service.

11. Age Requirement

Castalore is intended for individuals 18 years of age or older.

We do not knowingly permit individuals under 18 to create or maintain accounts.

If we become aware that an individual under 18 has created an account, we may take appropriate steps to remove the account and associated information, subject to applicable law.

12. International Users

Castalore is an online service designed for people interested in events, developments, trends, and conversations across Africa.

Because Castalore may use service providers located in different countries, your information may be processed or stored outside the country where you live.

By using Castalore, you acknowledge that your information may be processed internationally, subject to applicable legal requirements and appropriate safeguards.

13. Your Privacy Rights

Depending on the laws that apply to you, you may have rights concerning your personal information, including the right to:

request access to your personal information;
request correction of inaccurate information;
request deletion of certain information;
object to certain uses of your information;
request a copy of certain information; and
withdraw consent where applicable.

To make a privacy-related request, contact us at editor@castalore.com.

We may need to verify your identity before processing certain requests.

14. Third-Party Websites and Services

Castalore may contain links to or information from third-party websites and services.

Those third parties operate independently from Castalore and may have their own privacy policies.

We encourage you to review the privacy policies of third-party services you choose to use or access.

15. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time as Castalore develops or as legal requirements change.

When we make significant changes, we may provide notice through Castalore or by other appropriate means.

The updated policy will include a revised “Last updated” date.

16. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal information, please contact:

Schmarc Technologies · Castalore
Email: editor@castalore.com
Website: castalore.com