Agri Online – Privacy Policy
UPDATE – 22 September 2026
New Section Added: AI-Assisted Editorial Operations, News Research & Personal Information
This update adds specific privacy provisions relating to Agri Online’s use of artificial-intelligence tools in its newsroom and editorial operations, including the research and processing of publicly available information for journalistic and editorial purposes.
The remainder of the Privacy Policy remains unchanged.
For clarity, this update relates to privacy and the processing of personal information. It does not replace the separate Terms & Conditions governing Agri Online’s editorial content, RSS feeds, third-party content, copyright, content use or other Platform services.
AI-ASSISTED EDITORIAL & NEWSROOM PROCESSING
Agri Online may use artificial-intelligence tools and other automated technologies to assist with newsroom, editorial and publishing activities.
These tools may assist with activities including, but not limited to:
• identifying potential news developments;
• researching publicly available information;
• locating, comparing and analysing sources;
• analysing documents, reports and publicly available data;
• organising and summarising information for editorial purposes;
• assisting with factual verification and source comparison;
• preparing and refining article drafts;
• translation and language assistance;
• headline and summary development;
• search-engine optimisation;
• preparation of publishing information; and
• creation of AI-generated or AI-assisted editorial illustrations and other visual material.
Where information processed during these activities constitutes personal information, Agri Online aims to process such information in accordance with applicable South African law, including the Protection of Personal Information Act, 4 of 2013 (“POPIA”), where applicable.
PERSONAL INFORMATION USED FOR JOURNALISTIC & EDITORIAL PURPOSES
In conducting news research and producing editorial content, Agri Online may obtain and process personal information from publicly available or lawfully accessible sources.
Such sources may include, but are not limited to:
• government publications and official websites;
• legislation, regulations and Government Gazettes;
• court judgments and other lawfully accessible court information;
• public registers and official records;
• official statistics and datasets;
• agricultural, commodity and producer organisations;
• universities and research institutions;
• companies and other organisations;
• public statements and media releases;
• recognised news organisations;
• official or publicly accessible social-media accounts;
• public professional profiles;
• industry publications;
• international organisations; and
• other publicly available sources relevant to legitimate journalistic or editorial activities.
Personal information processed for these purposes may include, where relevant to a story or editorial purpose:
• names;
• professional positions, occupations and roles;
• organisational affiliations;
• publicly made statements;
• information contained in official or public records;
• business or professional contact information;
• publicly available photographs or visual information;
• information concerning public, regulatory, legal, commercial, scientific or agricultural matters; and
• other personal information reasonably relevant to the subject being researched or reported.
The fact that personal information is publicly accessible does not automatically mean that Agri Online will republish all such information.
Agri Online aims to consider the relevance, newsworthiness, context, privacy interests and potential impact of publishing personal information and, where appropriate, to avoid publishing unnecessary private or sensitive details that are not materially relevant to the legitimate editorial purpose.
USE OF AI TO PROCESS PUBLICLY AVAILABLE INFORMATION
Publicly available information researched by Agri Online may be processed using AI tools to assist with activities such as source analysis, comparison, organisation, summarisation, translation, drafting and verification.
The use of AI tools for these purposes does not change the status or ownership of the underlying information and does not mean that all information processed by an AI system will be published.
Agri Online may exclude information from publication where it is considered unnecessary, insufficiently verified, irrelevant, excessively intrusive or otherwise inappropriate for the editorial purpose concerned.
Where AI-assisted research identifies personal information, Agri Online’s editorial process may involve further verification of that information before publication where reasonably appropriate.
SPECIAL & SENSITIVE PERSONAL INFORMATION
Agri Online recognises that certain categories of personal information may require heightened care.
Depending on the circumstances, this may include information relating to matters such as health, children, alleged or actual criminal conduct, identification information, private addresses, financial information and other information of a particularly private or sensitive nature.
Agri Online aims not to publish sensitive or private personal information merely because it can be found online.
Where such information is relevant to legitimate news reporting or another editorial purpose, Agri Online may consider factors including the public interest, relevance, accuracy, source, context, applicable law and potential impact of publication before deciding whether and how the information should be used.
Agri Online does not intend to publish private identification numbers, passwords, private account credentials or similar information that would create an unnecessary security or privacy risk.
AI SERVICE PROVIDERS & THIRD-PARTY PROCESSING
Agri Online may use third-party technology, hosting, analytics, artificial-intelligence, content-management and other service providers in operating the Platform and supporting its editorial and publishing activities.
Where personal information is processed through such services, information may be transmitted to or processed by the relevant service provider to the extent reasonably necessary to provide the applicable service.
Agri Online aims to use service providers and technologies subject to appropriate contractual, technical or organisational safeguards where required.
The manner in which a particular third-party provider processes information may also be governed by that provider’s applicable contractual terms, data-processing arrangements and privacy practices.
Agri Online does not regard the use of an external technology or AI service provider as granting that provider ownership of Agri Online’s editorial content or third-party source material.
CROSS-BORDER PROCESSING
Some technology, hosting, cloud, analytics or artificial-intelligence service providers used by Agri Online may operate infrastructure or process information outside South Africa.
Where personal information is transferred or processed outside South Africa, Agri Online aims to handle such processing in accordance with applicable requirements relating to cross-border processing of personal information.
EDITORIAL RETENTION & RECORDS
Agri Online may retain information used in the preparation of editorial content where reasonably necessary for legitimate journalistic, editorial, evidentiary, administrative, legal, security, correction or record-keeping purposes.
This may include, where appropriate:
• published articles;
• research records;
• source references;
• publicly available source material or references to such material;
• verification records;
• editorial notes;
• correction and update records;
• publication records; and
• records relating to the preparation and approval of editorial content.
Retention periods may vary depending on the nature and purpose of the information, legal requirements, legitimate editorial requirements and the need to maintain an accurate historical record of published journalism.
Publication of an article may result in information forming part of Agri Online’s historical news archive.
CORRECTIONS, PRIVACY CONCERNS & PERSONAL INFORMATION
Persons who believe that personal information concerning them has been published inaccurately, unnecessarily or inappropriately may contact Agri Online at:
admin@agrionline.co.za
Requests should identify the relevant content and explain the correction, privacy or personal-information concern.
Agri Online may assess requests having regard to the available evidence, applicable law, legitimate journalistic and editorial purposes, the public interest, freedom of expression, the integrity of the historical news record and the rights and interests of the person concerned.
A request concerning personal information does not automatically require the deletion of a news article, editorial record or other information.
Where appropriate, Agri Online may correct, update, clarify, restrict, anonymise or remove information after considering the circumstances of the particular request.
RELATIONSHIP WITH “OOM JAN” & OTHER AI FEATURES
This update concerns Agri Online’s editorial and newsroom processing activities.
The existing provisions of this Privacy Policy dealing specifically with the interactive AI chatbot “Oom Jan” and other user-facing AI functionality remain applicable to those services and are not replaced by this newsroom privacy update.
Information submitted directly by a user to an interactive AI service and information researched or processed by Agri Online for legitimate editorial and journalistic purposes are different categories of processing and may be handled differently as described in this Privacy Policy.
CONTINUED APPLICATION OF THE PRIVACY POLICY
Except as expressly supplemented by this update, the remainder of the Agri Online Privacy Policy remains unchanged and continues to apply.
This update should be read together with the existing Privacy Policy and Agri Online’s separate Terms & Conditions.
UPDATE – 7 March 2026
New Section Added: Chat & AI Interactions
This update adds specific terms for the AI chatbot “Oom Jan”. The remainder of the document remains unchanged.
Chat & AI Interactions
When you use interactive chat features on the Platform (including but not limited to “Oom Jan”), we may temporarily process the text content of your messages solely for the purpose of generating relevant responses in real time.
We do not store, log, retain or keep any record of chat conversations after the session ends. No chat history is saved on our servers.
The only personal information that may be processed during a chat session includes:
- The content of the messages you send (transiently, for response generation only)
- Technical metadata necessary for the chat to function (e.g. session identifiers, approximate location derived from IP address, device language)
This transient processing is carried out under our legitimate interest in providing and improving the interactive service, and in accordance with the purposes described in this Policy.
No chat content is used for training AI models, shared with third parties for marketing, or retained beyond the end of the active session.
All other provisions of this Privacy Policy (including your rights under POPIA) continue to apply.
Date Published: 14 February 2026
Agri Online (“Agri Online”, “we”, “us”, “our”) is committed to protecting personal information and complying with applicable data protection laws, including the Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013 (POPIA) of South Africa and, where applicable, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) of the European Union.
This Privacy Policy explains how personal information is collected, used, disclosed, and protected when you access or use the Agri Online website, application, listings platform, and related services (collectively, “the Platform”).
1. Scope and Acceptance
This Privacy Policy applies to:
Visitors to the Platform
Users of the Agri Online website and application
Users submitting listings, advertisements, enquiries, or content
Users interacting with syndicated content, embedded media, or third-party links
By accessing or using the Platform, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy and consent to the processing of personal information as described herein.
2. Personal Information We Collect
2.1 Information You Provide Directly
Agri Online may collect personal information you voluntarily provide, including but not limited to:
Personal identification information (name, surname)
Contact details (email address, phone number, physical or business address)
Business or organisation information
Listings, advertisements, enquiries, and communications
Images, videos, and text submitted through forms or listings
Profile images (where applicable)
2.2 Automatically Collected Information
When you use the Platform, certain technical and usage data may be collected automatically:
IP address
Device model (anonymous)
Operating system and version (anonymous)
Device language
Approximate location (country, city or region derived from geolocation, where enabled)
Usage data, interaction logs, and timestamps
3. How Personal Information Is Collected
Personal information is collected when you:
Register or submit information on the Platform
Submit listings, advertisements, or enquiries
Use the Platform where cookies or similar technologies are enabled
Interact with content, links, or embedded media
Agri Online may also receive limited, aggregated, or anonymised data indirectly from analytics and measurement services, including (where applicable):
Flurry – https://www.flurry.com
Firebase – https://firebase.google.com
Countly – https://count.ly
AppsFlyer – https://www.appsflyer.com
Facebook App Events – https://developers.facebook.com/docs/app-events
4. Purpose of Processing
Agri Online processes personal information to:
Operate, maintain, and improve the Platform
Display and manage listings and advertisements
Facilitate communication and enquiries between users
Respond to support or operational requests
Monitor performance, analytics, and platform security
Detect and prevent fraud, abuse, or harmful activity
Comply with legal and regulatory obligations
Agri Online does not sell personal information.
5. Public Listings, Advertising & User Content
Listings, advertisements, and certain submissions may be publicly visible on the Platform.
By submitting such content, you acknowledge that:
You have the legal right to submit the information
The information may be accessed by third parties
Agri Online is not responsible for how publicly visible information is used by others
6. Syndicated Content, RSS Feeds & Embedded Media
Agri Online displays third-party content through RSS feeds, public channels, and embedded media players.
Agri Online does not host or control third-party content
Interaction with such content is governed by the originating platform’s privacy policies and terms
Agri Online is not responsible for third-party tracking, cookies, or data collection
7. Cookies & Similar Tracking Technologies
Agri Online uses cookies and similar technologies to:
Enable core Platform functionality
Improve user experience
Analyse usage and performance
Support advertising and measurement (where applicable)
Cookies may be:
Strictly necessary cookies
Performance / analytics cookies
Functionality cookies
Advertising / targeting cookies (only where applicable and lawful)
You may manage or disable cookies via your browser or device settings. Disabling cookies may affect Platform functionality.
More information: https://www.allaboutcookies.org
8. Analytics & Advertising (Where Applicable)
Agri Online may use analytics and advertising tools, including but not limited to:
Google Analytics – https://policies.google.com/privacy
Facebook / Meta advertising tools – https://www.facebook.com/about/privacy
Users may opt out via:
Google Ads Settings: https://adssettings.google.com
Facebook Ad Preferences: https://www.facebook.com/settings/?tab=ads
Digital Advertising Alliance: https://optout.aboutads.info
9. Data Sharing & Disclosure
Personal information may be disclosed only:
Where required by law or legal process
To protect the rights, safety, or integrity of Agri Online or users
To trusted service providers assisting with Platform operations (subject to confidentiality obligations)
Agri Online does not share personal information for third-party marketing without consent.
10. Data Storage & Retention
Personal information is stored securely using reasonable technical and organisational safeguards.
Data is retained only for as long as necessary to:
Fulfil the purposes outlined in this Policy
Comply with legal, regulatory, or operational requirements
Data is deleted or anonymised when no longer required.
11. Data Protection Rights (POPIA & GDPR)
Where applicable, users have the right to:
Access personal information
Request correction or completion
Request deletion (erasure)
Restrict or object to processing
Request data portability
Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent
Requests will be responded to within the legally required timeframe.
12. Children’s Information
The Platform is not intended for use by persons under 18 years of age.
Agri Online does not knowingly collect personal information from minors.
13. Changes to This Privacy Policy
Agri Online may update this Privacy Policy from time to time.
Updates will be published on the Platform, and continued use constitutes acceptance of the revised Policy.
14. Contact Information
For privacy-related enquiries, data requests, or complaints:
Agri Online
Email: admin@agrionline.co.za
Website: https://www.agrionline.co.za
15. Supervisory Authority
South Africa:
Information Regulator (South Africa)
https://www.justice.gov.za/inforeg/