Privacy & Data Use
How Best in Mauritius handles your information when you nominate or vote.
Who we are
The data controller for Best in Mauritius is Best in Mauritius. We process personal data in line with the Mauritius Data Protection Act 2017.
What we collect
- Your email or phone number, when you vote — used to send a one-time verification code and to ensure one vote per person, per category.
- Technical signals (a hashed IP address, a device identifier) — used only to detect and prevent voting fraud. We do not store your raw IP.
- Optionally, an email you provide when nominating a business.
Verifying your vote (necessary)
To keep the vote fair, we must verify you with a one-time code and keep a record that you voted. This use is necessary for the service and does not require separate consent.
Marketing across our network (optional)
Separately, and only if you tick the consent box, Best in Mauritius and its partner sites may use your email to send you relevant updates, offers and news. Our partner sites are:
- PropertyFinder Mauritius
- Move to Mauritius
- Mauritius Relo
- MauritiusOffers
- MauritiusNews
This is entirely optional — your vote counts whether or not you opt in. We record the exact wording you agreed to, along with the date and a hashed IP, as proof of consent.
Your rights
You can ask us to access, correct or delete your data, and you can withdraw marketing consent at any time — every marketing email carries an unsubscribe link, or you can use our unsubscribe page. Withdrawing is as easy as opting in.
Retention
We keep voting records for the duration of an awards season plus a reasonable period for auditing results. Marketing contacts are kept until you unsubscribe.
Cookies & tracking
We keep tracking to a minimum. We do not sell your data, and we do not build advertising profiles about you. Any analytics we use are limited to understanding how the awards and directory are used so we can improve them, and we never place personal or sensitive details in URLs or share them with third parties you haven't consented to.
Contact
For any privacy request — access, correction, deletion, or withdrawing consent — contact Best in Mauritius. We aim to respond promptly and to make exercising your rights as easy as giving consent in the first place. This policy may be updated from time to time; the version that applies to you is the one shown on the consent you gave at the time.
Privacy FAQs
- What data does Best in Mauritius collect?
- When you vote, we collect the email or phone number you verify with, plus a hashed IP address used only to prevent voting fraud. When you nominate, we optionally collect your email. We do not collect more than we need to run the awards fairly.
- Do you sell or share my data?
- No. We never sell your data or build advertising profiles. We only use your email for marketing across our named partner sites if you tick the optional consent box — and you can withdraw that at any time.
- How do I unsubscribe or withdraw my consent?
- Every marketing email carries an unsubscribe link, and you can also use our unsubscribe page. Withdrawing consent is as easy as giving it, and it takes effect immediately.
- Can I have my data deleted?
- Yes. You can ask us to access, correct or delete your personal data at any time. We handle requests in line with the Mauritius Data Protection Act 2017.
- Is my vote anonymous?
- Your individual votes are not published. We keep a verified record only to ensure one vote per person, per category — the public leaderboards show totals, never who voted for what.