How your information is used

What is public, what stays private, and why.

Mtaani splits what you give us into two groups. Public information is what other members see. Private information is kept for verification, security, and running the site — it is never shown on your profile or next to your posts.

Public information

Visible to everyone on Mtaani, including visitors who are not signed in.

  • Display nameAlways visible. It identifies you on your profile and next to everything you post.
  • Profile pictureAlways visible. Optional — if you do not upload one, we show a plain placeholder.
  • Location (county, constituency, ward)Shown when you post, comment or list something, so neighbours know where the content comes from. It is not a home address and we never show your exact position.

Private information

Used for identity checks (KYC), account security, and operating the site. Not shown to other members.

  • Legal namesUsed to verify who you are (KYC) for trusted selling, payouts, and dispute resolution.
  • Phone numberYour account identifier and sign-in method. Verified by SMS code and used for payment confirmations and important account notices. Where a seller or buyer needs to reach you, only the last digits are shown.
  • Email addressOptional. Used for account recovery, receipts and notifications you opt into.
  • Date of birth and genderUsed to confirm you are old enough to use Mtaani and to keep age-restricted sections appropriate.
  • Your PINYour login credential. It is stored in hashed form — nobody at Mtaani can read it.
  • Payment and order detailsKept to process M-Pesa payments, show your order history, handle refunds, and meet record-keeping obligations.
  • Referral codeOptional. Links your account to whoever invited you so earnings are credited correctly.

We do not sell personal data. You can request deletion of your account and personal data at any time. For the wider security overview, see Trust & Security.