Privacy Policy

PRIVACY POLICY

Ahmed Khan Books / “The System Broke You”

It is the policy of Ahmed Khan Books / “The System Broke You” to respect your privacy regarding any information we may collect from you or which you may provide to us, in the circumstances set out below. Accordingly, we have developed this privacy policy in order for you to understand how we collect, use, communicate, disclose, safeguard and otherwise make use of your personally identifiable information (“Personal Data”).

We will only collect and use your Personal Data where:

  • we have lawful grounds to do so, including to comply with our legal obligations,
  • we are performing a contract with you for our service, and
  • we have legitimate interests in using your Personal Data and your interests and fundamental rights do not override those interests.

For the purposes of the Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013 (Act No. 4 of 2013) (“POPIA”), and where applicable, the EU General Data Protection Regulation ((EU) 2016/679) (“GDPR”), we, “Ahmed Khan Books”, are the “responsible party” / “data controller”.

Registered Address: No2 Ncondo Place, Umhlanga, 4319, Republic of South Africa.

 

If you have any questions about this policy or about how we use your Personal Data, please contact us via our contact details at the end of this policy.

This policy is effective as of 25 October 2025. We review our privacy policies on an ongoing basis, and as such we may change this privacy policy from time to time. Please check this page frequently to ensure you are familiar with its current content.

  1. Personal Data we collect via our website www.thesystembrokeyou.com / www.ahmedkhanbooks.com (known as the website)

 

Personal Data that you provide to us

 

We only collect Personal Data where you choose to interact with us on the Website in the following ways:

 

Activity

Types of Personal Data Collected

When you sign up to receive: 

  • Free content, including eBooks, news and updates
  • Foundation newsletter
  • • Book updates and announcements

• Email address

• First name

• Last name

When you purchase a book directly from us:

• Name

• Email address

• Phone number (optional)

• Delivery/Shipping address

• Any Personal Data which you provide to us in the free text box of the form

• Payment method choice (payment details are held by our payment processor, not us)

When you contact us via the contact form or media enquiries:

• Name

• Email address

• Phone number (optional)

• Any Personal Data which you provide to us in the free text box of the form

When you participate in programs, workshops, or events:

• Name

• Email address

• Phone number

• Demographic information (if voluntarily provided)

• Any Personal Data shared during participation

When you contribute your story or participate in community discussions:

• Name or pseudonym (your choice)

• Email address

• Any Personal Data you voluntarily share in your story or contribution

• Optional demographic information

Data that we collect automatically

We automatically collect certain information when you visit our Website – such as the type of browser and operating system you are using, and the domain name of your Internet service provider. We do not link this information with any Personal Data.

We may also collect data automatically through our use of cookies on the Website. Please see our cookie policy to find out about the types of cookies we set and why, and how you can adjust your settings to disable cookies.

  1. Use of your Personal Data

We will only use your Personal Data when the law allows us to. Most commonly, we use your Personal Data to:

  • process and manage your use of our Website,
  • respond to your questions, comments and requests,
  • process book orders and deliver purchased products to you,
  • manage your participation in programs, workshops, and events,
  • where you have opted-in to receive marketing from us, deliver communications that are relevant to your preferences / may be of interest to you,
  • improve our services and Website through analysis of information,
  • comply with legal obligations, including POPIA and tax requirements,
  • send you updates about our activities, impact reports, and opportunities to participate (if you have opted-in),
  1. Sharing of your Personal Data

We share Personal Data as necessary with third parties who provide services or functions on our behalf and who require the information to provide those specific services to us. We take your privacy seriously and will not share your Personal Data with others, except as permitted by applicable law or as set out below.

These may include:

  • Payment processors: example – PayPal, Stripe and PayFast for processing book purchases,
  • Email marketing platforms: example – Mailchimp and ConvertKit for sending newsletters and updates,
  • Crowdfunding platforms: example – Thundafund, Indiegogo, Kickstarter and other platforms when you back our campaigns,
  • Shipping and fulfilment services: example – local courier services and PostNet for delivering books,
  • Cloud storage providers: example – Google Workspace and Microsoft Azure, for storing necessary operational data,
  • Social media advertising platforms: such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, Google Ads for the purpose of custom audience generation and the development of targeting criteria for other audiences,
  • Analytics providers: such as Google Analytics to understand how visitors use our Website,
  • Professional advisors: including lawyers, accountants, and auditors who assist with compliance and governance.

Please note that we have appropriate data privacy safeguards in place with third parties with whom we share Personal Data as described above and who are providing services or functions on our behalf.

Regulatory Authorities and Legal Obligations:

We may also share your Personal Data where required by law, including:

  • South African Revenue Service (SARS) for tax compliance purposes,
  • Law enforcement or regulatory authorities when legally required to do so.
  1. International Data Transfers

If using international services: Some of our service providers may be located outside of South Africa, including in countries such as the United States, the European Union, Canada. Where we transfer your Personal Data internationally, we ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your Personal Data, including:

  • Standard contractual clauses approved by relevant data protection authorities,
  • Ensuring service providers comply with GDPR (where applicable),
  • Implementing appropriate technical and organizational security measures.
  1. Keeping your Personal Data secure

We have implemented security policies and technical measures to safeguard the Personal Data we collect. We maintain physical, electronic and procedural safeguards that comply with applicable law, including POPIA and where applicable GDPR, to safeguard Personal Data from accidental loss, destruction or damage and unauthorized access, use and disclosure.

Our security measures include:

  • Secure encrypted connections (SSL/TLS) for all data transmission,
  • Password-protected access to systems containing Personal Data,
  • Regular security assessments and updates,
  • Limited access to Personal Data on a need-to-know basis,
  1. Retention periods for use of your Personal Data

We will use and store your Personal Data only for as long as necessary, bearing in mind the uses of your Personal Data as described in this privacy policy and otherwise as communicated to you. We review the Personal Data we hold at regular intervals and delete permanently or anonymize any Personal Data which is no longer necessary.

Specific retention periods:

  • Newsletter subscribers: Until you unsubscribe, plus 12 months after for record-keeping purposes,
  • Book purchase data: Time period may be up to 7 years to comply with tax and accounting obligations,
  • Contact form inquiries: Time period may be up to 2 years after the inquiry is resolved
  1. Children and Minors

This Website and our services are aimed at adults, and we do not knowingly collect any Personal Data relating to children aged under 18 years old. If you are under the age of 18, please do not provide us with any of your Personal Data, including your email address.

However, we recognize that the objective of the Ahmed Khan Books / “The System Broke You” does include creating a better world for future generations. If minors participate in programs with parental consent, we will:

  • Only collect Personal Data with explicit parental/guardian consent,
  • Limit data collection to what is strictly necessary,
  • Provide additional safeguards for minor participants’ data.
  1. Access to and control over your Personal Data

You have legal rights under applicable law (POPIA and, where applicable, GDPR) in relation to your Personal Data. You can ask the following questions, or take the following actions, at any time by contacting us via email at hello@ahmedkhanbooks.com or via our postal address:

  • Access: See what Personal Data we hold about you (if any), including why we are holding it and who it could be disclosed to,
  • Correction: Ask us to change/correct your Personal Data,
  • Deletion: Ask us to delete your Personal Data (right to be forgotten),
  • Objection: Object to the processing of your Personal Data,
  • Restriction: Ask us to restrict the processing of your Personal Data,
  • Withdrawal of consent: Withdraw any consents you have given us to the processing of your Personal Data,
  • Data portability: Request a copy of your Personal Data in a portable format (applicable cost may be incurred to the requester),
  • Concerns: Express any concerns you have about third parties’ use of your Personal Data,
  • Complaints: Lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator (South Africa) if you believe your data protection rights have been violated.

We will respond to your request within the time period of 30 days of receiving it, this is standard under POPIA.

  1. Marketing Communications and Opting Out

If you have opted-in to receive marketing communications from us (such as newsletters and book updates), you can opt-out at any time by:

  • Clicking the “unsubscribe” link in any email we send you,
  • Contacting us directly at hello@ahmedkhanbooks.com 
  • Updating your preferences in your account settings (if applicable).

Please note that even if you opt-out of marketing communications, we may still need to send you essential service-related communications (such as order confirmations, donation receipts, or important updates about our services).

  1. Third-Party Websites and Services

Our Website may contain links to third-party websites, including:

  • Social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.),
  • Crowdfunding platforms (Thundafund, Indiegogo, Kickstarter, etc.),
  • Payment processors,
  • Online bookstores,

This privacy policy does not apply to those third-party websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these external sites. We encourage you to read the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit.

  1. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Our Website uses cookies and similar tracking technologies. Cookies are small text files that are placed on your device when you visit our Website.

Types of cookies we use:

  • Essential cookies: Necessary for the Website to function properly,
  • Analytics cookies: Help us understand how visitors use our Website (e.g., Google Analytics),
  • Marketing cookies: Used to deliver relevant advertisements and track campaign effectiveness,
  • Preference cookies: Remember your settings and preferences.

You can control and manage cookies through your browser settings. Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of our Website.

For more detailed information, please request our full Cookie Policy. 

  1. Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for legal, operational, or regulatory reasons. The current version will always be available on this page with the effective date clearly shown at the bottom.

If we make material changes to this policy, we will notify you by:

  • Posting a prominent notice on our Website,

We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your Personal Data.

  1. Change of Purpose

We will only use your Personal Data for the purposes for which we collected it, unless we reasonably consider that we need to use it for another reason and that reason is compatible with the original purpose. If you wish to have an explanation as to how the processing for the new purpose is compatible with the original purpose, please contact us.

If we need to use your Personal Data for an unrelated purpose, we will notify you and we will explain the legal basis which allows us to do so.

  1. Contact Us

Ahmed Khan Books / The System Broke You

Email for Privacy Questions: hello@ahmedkhanbooks.com

General Contact Email: +27 83 785 8001

Postal Address: No2 Ncondo Place, Umhlanga, 4319, Republic of South Africa

Website: www.ahmedkhanbooks.com / www.thesystembrokeyou.com 

  1. Acknowledgment and Consent

By using our Website, purchasing our products, making donations, or participating in our programs, you acknowledge that:

  • You have read and understood this Privacy Policy,
  • You consent to the collection, use, and disclosure of your Personal Data as described in this policy,
  • You understand your rights under POPIA and (where applicable) GDPR,
  • You know how to contact us if you have questions or wish to exercise your data protection rights,

 

Last Updated: 25 October 2025

Version: 1.0

 

This Privacy Policy is designed to comply with the Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013 (POPIA) of South Africa and, where applicable, the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). If you have any questions or concerns about your privacy, please contact us using the details provided above.