1. Introduction
This Privacy Policy explains how GSS Security (operating the TechGuard brand, “we”, “us”, “our”) collects, uses, shares and protects personal data when you visit https://techguard.ng, contact us, purchase or use TechGuard products, or use the TechGuard mobile application (the “App”) on iOS or Android.
We process personal data in accordance with the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 (NDPA) and the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR). Using the Site, creating an App account, or continuing to use our services after this policy is posted constitutes notice of these practices. Related contractual terms are in our Terms of Service.
2. Who we are
GSS Security is a Nigerian security company with its head office at 4 Morija Close, Wuse 2, Abuja, Nigeria. TechGuard is our smart hardware and software brand. We are the data controller for personal data processed through the Site and the App, except where a third-party platform (for example a device cloud such as Tuya or a GPS platform such as Jimi) processes data as an independent controller under its own privacy notice.
For privacy questions, data-subject requests, or complaints, contact support@techguard.ng or +234 9166459000.
3. Scope
This policy applies to:
- The TechGuard website and marketing communications.
- The TechGuard mobile app (Apple App Store and Google Play), including Emergency SOS, device pairing, live camera view, GPS trackers, locks, lights, alerts, support and account settings.
- Cloud APIs, live SOS map links, push notifications, and support tools that power the App.
- Sales, installation and after-sales support for TechGuard hardware.
It does not govern third-party websites, WhatsApp (Meta), payment pages, or device-cloud dashboards that are not operated by us, except to describe how we share data with those parties so the App can function.
4. Information we collect
We collect the categories below. Some data is required to create an account (phone number). Other data is collected only if you use a feature or grant a permission.
4.1 Account and identity
- Phone number — used to create and sign in to your account via one-time SMS codes.
- Name, email, country — profile details you provide; email may be verified with a code.
- Profile photo URL — if you set one.
- Account status and subscription tier — for example free, plus, pro or business.
4.2 Precise and coarse location
- Emergency SOS live location — GPS from your phone while an SOS session is active, including in the background and with the screen off, so emergency contacts can follow a live map link. See Section 6.
- Directions to a tracker — when you ask the App to show where you are relative to a GPS device, we use location while the App is in use.
- Device GPS (trackers) — location, speed and related telemetry from paired vehicle or personal GPS hardware, processed so you can see the device on a map, set geofences and receive enter/exit alerts.
We do not use your phone's location for advertising, marketing, or passive tracking when SOS is not active and you have not requested directions.
4.3 Audio, photos and video
- Optional SOS audio evidence — if you enable “Record audio during SOS”, the microphone records clips while SOS is active. Clips upload to our media host (about every 30 seconds, plus a final clip when you mark yourself safe). On Android, recording may continue in the background via a microphone foreground service. On iPhone, keep the App open to keep recording; we do not enable iOS background audio mode.
- Optional SOS photo evidence — if you enable “Capture photos during SOS”, the App takes still photos (including alternating cameras on a timer) and uploads them. Capture is best-effort if the operating system limits the camera while the App is backgrounded. We do not run a camera foreground service.
- Security cameras — live video and two-way talk with paired cameras, processed through the device manufacturer's cloud (currently Tuya) so you can view and speak through the camera.
- Save to Photos — if you choose to keep a camera snapshot or download SOS evidence, we request write-only access to save the file. We do not read your photo or video library.
- QR pairing — the camera is used to scan device QR codes. Those frames are used locally for pairing, not stored as your photo library.
4.4 Contacts
If you allow Contacts access, you can pick people from your address book as emergency contacts. We store only the people you select: name, phone number, optional email and relationship, plus your notification preferences (SMS, email). We do not upload your full address book, and we do not write to or modify device contacts.
4.5 Device, app and diagnostics
- Push notification tokens (Apple, Firebase/FCM or Expo) so we can send alerts.
- App version, device OS, language, and crash/error reports.
- Product-interaction events (for example pairing a device, starting SOS, changing a notification preference) via PostHog. See Section 8.
- Bluetooth identifiers needed to pair nearby smart devices.
4.6 Hardware telemetry
For products you pair (cameras, locks, lights, smoke devices, GPS trackers), we and the relevant device cloud may process online/offline status, events (motion, door, geofence, ignition), recordings or snapshots according to the device capabilities, geofence names you create, and commands you send (arm, unlock, engine immobiliser, and similar).
4.7 Payments and SIM data
If you buy tracker SIM data in the App, licensed processors (currently Paystack and/or Flutterwave) handle card or bank details. We receive payment references, amount, status and the phone/account needed to fulfil the bundle. We do not store full card numbers.
4.8 Support, sales and website
- In-app support tickets and messages, plus WhatsApp, email and call records when you contact us.
- Order, installation address and payment references for hardware purchases.
- SMS one-time codes and related delivery logs from our licensed SMS provider.
4.9 Data processed only on your device
Optional biometric app lock (Face ID, Touch ID or fingerprint) stays on the device. We do not receive your biometric templates. Biometrics may also confirm ending an active Emergency SOS if you enabled app lock.
5. App permissions
The App asks for system permissions only for the purposes below. You can deny a permission; related features will not work until you enable it in system Settings. Before Emergency SOS, the App shows an in-app disclosure and links to this policy.
| Permission | When used | Required? |
|---|---|---|
| Location (when in use) | SOS live share; showing you relative to a tracker when you request directions. | Required for SOS. Optional for directions. |
| Location (Always / background) | Only while Emergency SOS is active, so the live map keeps updating when the App is backgrounded or the screen is off. Continuous background GPS may reduce battery life. Sharing stops when you mark yourself safe or cancel. Not used for ads or analytics. | Required for background SOS updates. |
| Microphone | Two-way talk on a live camera view; optional SOS audio evidence while SOS is active. Not used for always-on listening. | Optional. |
| Camera | QR pairing, live camera view, optional SOS still photos. | Optional (needed to pair cameras / capture SOS photos). |
| Contacts (read) | Pick emergency contacts. Only selected people are stored on our servers. | Optional (you can type a number instead). |
| Photos (add / write-only) | Save camera snapshots or downloaded SOS evidence when you choose. We do not request broad library read access. | Optional. |
| Bluetooth | Pair compatible smart devices. | Optional (needed to pair some hardware). |
| Notifications | Device alerts, SOS status on this phone, account and support messages. | Optional. |
| Face ID / biometrics | Optional app lock on this device; optional confirmation when ending SOS. Processed on-device only. | Optional. |
On Android, Emergency SOS may use foreground services with a persistent notification (“Emergency SOS active — Sharing your live location…”) and, if audio evidence is enabled, a microphone foreground service. We do not declare a camera foreground service.
6. Emergency SOS
Emergency SOS is a user-started safety feature. You add emergency contacts (and optional groups such as Family or Office), then press the SOS control in the App. After a countdown (or immediately if you choose Send Now), we:
- Send SMS and/or email to your selected contacts with your first name, an optional custom message, and a live map link.
- Publish your phone GPS to our servers so the map can update, including in the background.
- Notify you on this phone that contacts have been alerted.
- If you enabled evidence preferences, capture and upload photo and/or audio clips.
Anyone who has the live link can view the map until the link expires or is revoked. Treat the link as sensitive. By default the public link is revoked when you mark yourself safe or cancel, and the share token expires within 24 hours of session start. In Emergency Safety settings you may choose a longer post-emergency validity (for example 24 hours to 90 days after the session ends) so contacts can still open last-known location for that period.
SOS is separate from hardware “SOS numbers” stored on a GPS tracker. Tracker SOS uses the device maker's network, not this live-link feature.
Emergency SOS is not a substitute for calling the police or emergency services, and delivery of SMS, email or GPS is not guaranteed (network, battery, permissions and device conditions apply). See our Terms of Service.
7. Connected devices
Pairing a device creates an association between your TechGuard account and that hardware. Device clouds (including Tuya for many cameras, locks, lights and sensors, and Jimi for many GPS trackers) receive the identifiers and telemetry needed to operate the product. Their processing is also governed by their own privacy notices. We access device data to provide the App, support, firmware/pairing flows, and to show you maps, live video and event history.
Unpairing a device from the App, or deleting your account, unpairs hardware from your TechGuard account. Historical cloud recordings held solely by a manufacturer may follow that manufacturer's retention rules.
8. Analytics, diagnostics and PostHog
We use PostHog in the App to understand whether features work, to measure product usage, and to capture crashes and unexpected errors so we can fix them. When PostHog is configured for a build, it may:
- Identify you by your TechGuard user ID and attach properties such as name, email (if set), account status and subscription tier.
- Record app lifecycle (for example open / background) and product events (examples: device paired or unpaired, SOS session ended, emergency contact saved, notification preference changed, data-purchase checkout started, engine command requested).
- Capture exception and crash diagnostics (stack traces and related device/app context).
We do not send your live SOS GPS trail, SOS evidence media, address book, camera video, or payment card numbers to PostHog. We do not use PostHog for third-party advertising, and we do not sell analytics data. On iOS we do not use App Tracking Transparency because we do not track you across other companies' apps and websites for advertising.
PostHog may process data on servers outside Nigeria. See Section 12. Signing out resets the PostHog identity on that device.
9. How we use your data
We use personal data to:
- Create and authenticate your account (SMS OTP and sessions).
- Provide Emergency SOS, live maps, evidence upload and contact alerts.
- Pair, monitor and control devices; send push and in-app alerts.
- Fulfil SIM data purchases and hardware orders/installations.
- Provide customer support and safety-guide content.
- Secure the service, prevent fraud and abuse, and debug failures.
- Improve the App using analytics and crash reports as described above.
- Send transactional messages (OTPs, SOS alerts, order and support email).
- With your consent, send marketing updates. You can opt out at any time.
- Comply with Nigerian law, tax and regulatory obligations.
10. Legal bases
We process personal data on the following legal bases under the NDPA:
- Contract — to provide the App, SOS, device services, purchases and support you request.
- Consent — for optional permissions (Always location, microphone, camera, contacts, notifications, marketing) and optional SOS evidence. You can withdraw consent in system Settings or by turning the feature off; that does not affect processing already completed.
- Legitimate interest — to operate, secure and improve our services, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights.
- Legal obligation — where Nigerian law requires us to retain or disclose data.
12. International transfers
Some processors (including Tuya, Jimi, Cloudinary, PostHog, Apple, Google and Expo) may store or access data outside Nigeria. Where we transfer personal data abroad, we take reasonable steps required by the NDPA to ensure an adequate level of protection, including contractual safeguards with processors.
13. Retention
We keep data only as long as needed for the purposes above, including:
| Data | How long we keep it |
|---|---|
| Account profile | For the life of the account. On deletion, all associated personal data is deleted. (see Section 14). |
| SOS public live map link | Revoked when you end or cancel SOS (unless you chose a longer post-emergency validity), and immediately when you delete the account. Share token otherwise expires within 24 hours of session start. |
| SOS session history and GPS trail | Kept in your in-app SOS history while the account is active. Deleted in when your account gets deleted. |
| SOS photo and audio files | Deleted with the account. If you keep the account, media files are also purged after 30 days, and you can delete an evidence item in the App sooner. |
| Emergency contacts | Until you remove them or delete your account. |
| Device telemetry and events | While the device is paired and as needed for history. Unpaired and deleted when you delete your account. Manufacturer clouds may retain their own copies under their policies. |
| Analytics / crash data | Linked to your user ID while the account exists. Deleted or de-identified when you delete the account (and reset on logout on that device). |
| Orders, invoices, tax records | Typically up to seven years, as required for Nigerian commercial and tax records. |
14. Account deletion and data export
If you create a TechGuard account, you can permanently delete that account and the personal data associated with it. This meets Apple App Store Guideline 5.1.1(v) and Google Play's account-deletion requirements. Deletion is completed in the App. You do not have to visit a website or email us first. Deletion is not the same as deactivation, and it is not a temporary hold.
14.1 How to delete your account
- Open the TechGuard App and sign in.
- Go to Settings → Account.
- Choose Delete account and type DELETE to confirm.
If you cannot open the App, email support@techguard.ng from the phone number on the account and we will complete the account deletion.
14.2 What account deletion includes
Deletion is permanent and cannot be undone. When you confirm, we delete the account and associated personal data from TechGuard systems, including:
- Profile data (name, email, phone number, avatar).
- Login sessions, OTPs and push-notification tokens.
- Emergency contacts and SOS groups.
- Emergency SOS sessions, live-map links, GPS trails, events, and photo/audio evidence (including hosted media files).
- Device pairings on TechGuard, notification preferences, and other personal data we store for the account.
- Analytics identity linked to your account.
After deletion you cannot sign in, restore the account, or recover SOS history. You may create a new account later with the same phone number; it will be a new account, not a restore.
Copies that we do not control are outside this deletion: SMS or email already delivered to your emergency contacts; files you saved to this phone's Photos; and data held independently by device manufacturers after hardware is unpaired. Encrypted backups of our systems are overwritten within 30 days. We may keep payment, invoice or tax records where Nigerian law requires it; those records are limited to what the law requires and are not used to operate a TechGuard account.
14.3 Deactivate (not deletion)
Settings also offers Deactivate. That only signs you out and blocks login until support restores access. It does not delete your account or personal data. To delete your account, use Delete account instead.
14.4 Request a copy of your data
Before you delete, you can request an NDPA data export in Settings. We queue the request and email you when it is ready, usually within a few business days.
15. Your rights
Under Nigerian data protection law you have the right to:
- Access personal data we hold about you.
- Request correction of inaccurate data.
- Request deletion (subject to legal retention requirements).
- Object to or restrict certain processing.
- Withdraw consent for optional permissions and marketing.
- Lodge a complaint with the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC).
To exercise these rights, use the in-app account tools or email support@techguard.ng.
16. Security
We use HTTPS for data in transit, access controls on our systems, session tokens stored in the device secure store, and vetted processors. No system is perfectly secure. Notify us promptly at support@techguard.ng if you suspect unauthorised access to your account.
18. Children
TechGuard is intended for adults. You must be at least 18 to create an account or purchase products. The App is not directed at children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If you believe a child has provided data, contact us and we will delete it.
19. Advertising and tracking
We do not use your location, SOS media, contacts or account data for third-party advertising. We do not sell personal data. We do not track you across other companies' apps or websites for advertising (no App Tracking Transparency prompt). First-party analytics and crash reporting are used only to operate and improve TechGuard.
20. Changes
We may update this policy as the App or the law changes. The “Last updated” date above reflects the latest revision. Material changes will be posted on this page and, where appropriate, shown in the App or sent to the email or phone on your account.
21. Contact
Privacy requests: support@techguard.ng
Phone: +234 9166459000
Postal: 4 Morija Close, Wuse 2, Abuja, Nigeria.
In-app copies of this policy and the Terms are linked from Settings → Legal, and from the Emergency SOS permission disclosure.