Privacy policy
Last updated 28 October 2026
This policy explains what personal information we collect when you use the free hosting service at hostking000.com and hostking000.net, why, and your rights. The service is run by Hostking (Pty) Ltd, which is the responsible party for this information under South Africa's Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA).
What we collect
- Account details: your name, email address and password (stored only as a secure hash).
- Sign-up and login records: IP address, browser details, and the dates and times you sign up and log in. We use these to stop abuse and duplicate accounts.
- Your website: the files and database of your website, and the server logs of visits to it (IP address, page requested, browser, time).
- Messages: emails and reports you send us.
Cookies on hostking000.com
The hostking000.com website uses Google Analytics, to count visits and see how people use the site, and the Meta (Facebook) Pixel, to see which of our adverts bring visitors and sign-ups. They set cookies and send Google and Meta information about your visit, such as the pages you view and whether you start a sign-up. In Europe and a few other places it stays off until you allow it; elsewhere it is on unless you refuse. You can change your choice at any time with "Cookie settings" at the bottom of every page. Your choice is kept in a cookie called hk_consent for 6 months.
The free websites on hostking000.net belong to their owners, who decide which cookies their own sites use.
Why we use it
- To create and run your account and website.
- To send you emails about your account: confirming your email address, login reminders, limits, security and service changes.
- To prevent spam, phishing, malware and other abuse, and to keep the servers fast and secure.
- To tell you about moving to a paid Hostking plan. You can turn these emails off at any time.
- To see which of our adverts bring visitors, when you allow advertising cookies.
- To meet legal obligations.
Who we share it with
We do not sell personal information. We share it only:
- with suppliers that help us run the service, such as server and email delivery providers, who may only use it for that purpose;
- with Hostking's paid hosting team if you move to a paid plan;
- with Google and Meta (Facebook), to count visits and measure our adverts, when these cookies are allowed (see Cookies);
- when the law requires it, or with authorities when we report serious abuse.
Some of these suppliers and servers may be outside South Africa. Where information leaves South Africa, we make sure it is protected as POPIA requires.
How long we keep it
- Your website files and database: until you delete the website or it is removed for inactivity.
- Account details: for as long as the account exists.
- Closed or removed accounts: a sealed record (your account details, sign-up and login records, and any abuse reports) is kept for 12 months, only so we can answer legal and law-enforcement requests. Nobody at Hostking uses it for anything else, and it is deleted after 12 months.
- Server logs: up to 90 days.
Security
We protect information with encrypted connections (https), hashed passwords, access controls and monitoring. No system is perfectly secure; if a breach affects your information, we will tell you and the Information Regulator as POPIA requires.
Your rights
You can ask to see, correct or delete your personal information, or object to how we use it, by emailing privacy@hostking.host. You can also delete your account yourself at any time. If you are not happy with how we handled your request, you can complain to the Information Regulator of South Africa (inforegulator.org.za).
Information Officer
Abdul-Aziz Arnold, Hostking (Pty) Ltd. Email: privacy@hostking.host.
Changes
We may update this policy. The date at the top shows when it was last changed. For important changes we will email account holders.