Effective Date: December 08, 2023
This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, share, and protect information in relation to the Bloggshouse social network (hereinafter referred to as "Platform") and any services provided on or in connection with the Platform (the "Service"), and Your choices about the collection and use of Your information.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: IF YOU DO NOT AGREE TO THE PROCESSING OF YOUR PERSONAL DATA IN THE WAY THAT THIS POLICY DESCRIBES, PLEASE DO NOT PROVIDE YOUR INFORMATION (WHEN THE COMPANY REQUESTS) AND STOP USING ANY SERVICES. BY USING THE PLATFORM, USERS ARE EXPLICITLY AND SPECIFICALLY AGREEING TO THE COLLECTION, USE AND ANY OTHER WAYS OF OPERATION OF THEIR PERSONAL DATA AS OUTLINED IN THIS PRIVACY POLICY.
For the purposes of this Privacy Policy:
- the term “Company” means BHC PLATFORMS FZCO, registered at the address: 29214-001, IFZA Business Park, DDP, Dubai, UAE. The Company can also be referred to as “we”, “us”, or “our” in the Privacy Policy.
- the term "User" means a person who has registered the Account on the Platform and uses it to socialize, post content and interact with other Users or uses the Platform services without registering such an Account. Users may interact with the Platform without creating an Account; however, its interaction is limited to viewing content via Web version only. Users also can be referred to as “You”, “Your” in the Terms.
- the term "Personal Data" refers to any information that can be directly or indirectly linked to an identified or identifiable individual. This includes but is not limited to names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, usernames, social media profiles, IP addresses, geolocation data, financial information, and any other data that can identify a User. In the context of the Platform, Personal Data may also include video content itself, comments, likes, and other interactions associated with them.
By using our Service/Platform You understand and agree that We are providing the Platform for You to post content, including photos, comments, and other materials ("User-Generated Content" or “UGC”) to the Platform and to share UGC publicly. This means that other Users may search for, see, use, or share any of Your UGC that You make publicly available through the Platform, consistent with the terms and conditions of this Privacy Policy and our Terms (which can be found at [link]).
PLEASE NOTE: We are committed to respecting and protecting your privacy, and we understand that privacy laws and regulations may vary depending on your location. In the event that the privacy laws and regulations in Your jurisdiction impose more stringent requirements for the protection of Your personal information than those outlined in this Privacy Policy, we will give precedence to the stricter requirements mandated by the local legislation (if applicable).
- INFORMATION WE COLLECT
1.1 Information You Provide Directly to Us:
(a) Account Information:
- Username, Password, and Email. When You create an Account with Us.
- Profile Information. Including Your name, profile image, age, gender, preferences, and other information to enhance Your profile.
- Content You Post. Photos, comments, and other content You post on our Platform.
- Communications. Messages and other communications with other Users or with Us.
(b) Transactional Information:
- Payment Information. If You make purchases, We may collect certain payment information (handled by Our payment processors).
1.2 Information We Collect Automatically:
(a) Usage Information:
- Interactions. Details about how You interact with the Service, including search queries, likes, follows, and which users You interact with.
- Content Interactions: How You interact with content, such as views, streaming data, and click rates.
(b) Log and Device Information:
- Log Data. Includes details of how the Service was used, device event information, and the device's Internet Protocol (IP) address.
- Device Information. Includes specific information about Your mobile or web access device, such as the hardware model, operating system version, unique device identifiers, browser type, language settings, and mobile network information.
(c) Location Information:
- GPS and Other Sensor Data. We collect precise or approximate location details from Your mobile device or derived from Your IP address.
(d) Cookies and Similar Technologies:
- Cookies. We use cookies to:
- operate and provide the Service, for example, to remember Your preferences, account settings, and certain login information (for your convenience, e.g. to prevent you from needing to choose settings every time you visit, and security);
- collect information about how you use the Platform, for example, how you downloaded the Platform or where you downloaded it from;
- collect information about what features you use and how well our Services work.
- Web Beacons. These may be used to track the online movements of users of our Service.
- Device Identifiers. To track activities, diagnose problems, and serve You personalized content/advertising.
Use information from browser companies to learn more about how they manage cookies:
Google Chrome | https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/95647?hl=en-GB |
Safari (Desktop) | https://support.apple.com/kb/PH5042?locale=en_US |
Safari (Mobile) | |
Android Browser | https://support.google.com/nexus/answer/54068 |
1.3. Information We Collect from Third Parties
(a) Third-Party Services:
- When You link, connect, or login to our Service with a third-party service (e.g., Facebook, Google), the third party may send Us information such as Your registration and profile information from that Service.
(b) Information from Partners:
- We may collect information about You from Our partners, including marketing and research firms, to help Us offer personalized ads and improve Our Services.
2. PURPOSES WE PROCESS YOUR DATA FOR
2.1. At the Platform We are committed to safeguarding Your privacy and ensuring the responsible handling of Your Personal Data. Here the purposes for which We process Your Personal Data when You use our Platform.
No. | Name | Purpose | Legal Basis |
1 | Account Creation and Management | To provide You with access to our Platform and its features, including UGC creation and publishing, We collect and process Personal Data such as Your name, email address, and username. | Contractual necessity and legitimate interests. |
2 | UGC Creation and Publishing | To allow You to create, edit, and publish UGC on our Platform, We process the content You upload, including videos, images, and captions. | Contractual necessity and consent (where applicable). |
3 | Social Interactions and Networking | To facilitate social interactions among Users, such as comments, likes, and shares on Your videos and other Users' content. | Legitimate interests |
4 | Personalization and Content Recommendations | To enhance Your user experience, We analyze Your interactions with our Platform and use this data to recommend relevant videos, content, and features. | Consent (where applicable) and legitimate interests. |
5 | Analytics and Improvements | To improve our Platform's performance and features, We collect and process data on how Users interact with our Platform. | Legitimate interests. |
6 | Communication and Support | To provide You with customer support, respond to inquiries, and send important service-related updates. | Contractual necessity and legitimate interests. |
7 | Legal and Compliance Obligations | To comply with legal obligations, respond to legal requests, and protect our rights and interests. | Legal obligations and legitimate interests |
8 | Marketing and Promotions | With Your consent (where applicable), We may use Your contact information to send You promotional offers, newsletters, and updates about our Platform. | Consent (where applicable). |
9 | Security and Fraud Prevention | To protect the security of our Platform and Users, We may process Personal Data for fraud prevention and security purposes. | Legitimate interests. |
10 | Research and Development | To conduct research and development activities aimed at improving our Services and developing new features. | Legitimate interests. |
11 | Other purposes | We will seek Your explicit consent before processing Personal Data for certain purposes, such as marketing. You have the right to withdraw Your consent at any time. | Consent |
2.2. We will only process Your Personal Data for the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy statement or for any other purpose that is explicitly communicated to You at the time of data collection. We will not use Your Personal Data for purposes incompatible with those described above unless required or permitted by applicable laws.
2.3. By using our Platform, You acknowledge and agree to the processing of Your Personal Data for the purposes specified in this Privacy Policy statement.
2.4. If You have any questions or concerns about how We process Your personal data, please review our full Privacy Policy or contact Us at [email protected].
2.5. In the course of providing our Services/Platform, it may be necessary to transfer Your Personal Data across borders to ensure the seamless operation of our Platform. This Privacy Policy outlines how We handle the international transfer of Personal Data. We undertake cross-border data transfers in accordance with applicable data protection laws and regulations. Such transfers are conducted based on one or more legal grounds, which may include:
2.5.1. User Consent. We may transfer Your Personal Data if You have provided explicit consent for such transfers.
2.5.2. Contractual Necessity. Transfers may be necessary for the performance of a contract between You and our Platform.
2.5.3. Legitimate Interests. Data transfers may occur based on our legitimate interests in providing efficient and effective Services.
2.6. Your Personal Data may be transferred to recipients outside Your country, including but not limited to our affiliates, service providers, or business partners. These recipients are obligated to adhere to data protection standards equivalent to those outlined in this Privacy Policy.
PLEASE NOTE ! Despite the Company’s best efforts to ensure the security and protection of Your Personal Data, the Company cannot guarantee absolute invulnerability to Your privacy. In today's world, there are numerous factors and risks that can impact the security of Your Personal Data, and despite our protection standards, some of them may remain beyond our control. Please exercise caution and prudence when providing Your Personal Data online and when using our Services/Platform.
2.7. We implement appropriate safeguards to ensure the security and confidentiality of Your Personal Data during cross-border transfers. These safeguards may include:
2.7.1. Encryption. Personal Data may be encrypted during transfer to protect it from unauthorized access.
2.7.2. Contractual Agreements. We enter into agreements with third parties that specify the necessary Personal Data protection measures.
2.7.3. Compliance Certification. We may choose to work with service providers who adhere to recognized Personal Data protection frameworks or certifications.
2.8. As a User, You have the right to:
2.8.1. Be informed about the cross-border transfer of Your Personal Data and the safeguards implemented.
2.8.2. Access and correct Your Personal Data held by us, even if it has been transferred internationally.
2.8.3. Withdraw Your consent for cross-border data transfer, where applicable.
3. TERMS OF COLLECTING THE INFORMATION
3.1. The Company is committed to retaining Your Personal Data only for as long as it is necessary to provide You with our Services. We recognize the importance of protecting our Users' privacy and have implemented measures to ensure that Your Personal Data is kept no longer than required.
3.2. The retention of Your Personal Data will be determined by the following criteria:
3.2.1. Necessity of Service Provision. Personal Data will be maintained as long as it is necessary to deliver the Services effectively to You. Once the Services are no longer required, or You choose to discontinue the use of our Services, We will proceed with the data deletion protocols.
3.2.2. Lawful Basis for Processing. We ensure that a valid lawful basis exists for processing Your Personal Data. Our retention practices are subject to this lawful basis, which may include compliance with our contractual obligations, legal requirements, tax, and accounting rules, or other regulatory purposes.
3.2.3. Completion of Purpose. Upon fulfilling the specific purposes for which Your Personal Data was collected, such as a completed transaction or a resolved customer service issue, We will erase the Personal Data without undue delay.
3.2.4. Withdrawal of Consent. Where Your consent is the basis for the processing of Personal Data, and You withdraw this consent, We will remove Your Personal Data from our records unless another legal ground for processing exists.
3.2.5. Regulatory Requirements. If We are required by law to retain Your Personal Data for a certain period even after the fulfillment of the purposes for which it was collected, We will comply accordingly.
3.3. Upon reaching the end of the retention period or once the purposes for data collection have been achieved, Personal Data will be securely deleted or, where applicable, anonymized. We ensure the deletion process will safeguard Your privacy and security.
4. SHARING OF YOUR INFORMATION
We will not rent or sell Your Personal Data to third parties outside the Platform without Your consent, except as noted in this Policy.
4.1 Parties with whom We may share Personal Data:
We may share UGC and Personal Data with businesses that are legally part of the same group of companies that the Platform is part of, or that become part of that group ("Affiliates").
We also may share Personal Data as well as information from tools like cookies, log files, and device identifiers and location data, with third-party organizations that help us provide the Service to You ("Service Providers").
4.2 Parties with whom You may choose to share Your User Content:
Any information or content that You voluntarily disclose for posting to the Service, such as UGC, becomes available to the public, as controlled by any applicable privacy settings that You set.
4.3. Sale of Business:
If the Company’s business is sold or integrated with another business, Your details may be disclosed to the Company’s advisers and any prospective purchasers and their advisers and will be passed on to the new owners of the business.
5. YOUR CHOICES ABOUT YOUR INFORMATION
5.1. If You wish to make changes to Your account, You can do so by logging in and modifying Your profile settings. This gives You the flexibility to update any necessary information whenever You need to.
5.2. If You no longer wish to receive email communications from us, You have the option to unsubscribe. Simply click on the "unsubscribe link" that is provided in the emails You receive from us. By clicking on this link, You will be removed from our email list and will no longer receive any further communications from us.
5.3. If You need to review, update, correct, or delete any of the Personal Data that is stored in Your Platform account, You can contact us, and We will assist You with this process. We understand that Your Personal Data is important, and We want to ensure that it is accurate and up to date.
You generally have the following rights, which You can usually exercise free of charge:
Your Right | Right Explanation | |
1 | Right to information | You have the right to request information about the scope of Personal Data processed by the Company by notifying in writing. |
2 | Right to access | You have the right to receive one (1) copy of the processed Personal Data without any charge. For further demanded copies, the Company will charge the fee. |
3 | Right to rectification | You have the right to rectify inaccurate Personal Data concerning You via a written request. |
4 | Right to erasure (“right to be forgotten”) and to restrict processing | You have the right to demand deletion or restriction of processing, and the right to object to processing based on legitimate interest under certain circumstances unless the Company has an opposite obligation required by applicable law. In these cases, the Company can stop providing the Services if it is no longer possible so please consider this when deciding to exercise these rights. |
5 | Right to portability | You have the right to exercise the right of data portability, which means a right to get Personal Data and transfer these to another controller. |
6 | Other rights | You have other rights in accordance with this Privacy Policy and applicable laws. |
6. PROCEDURE FOR REMOVAL OF PERSONAL DATA
6.1. This procedure applies to all Users who wish to have their Personal Data deleted from the Platform:
6.1.1. User Request for Data Removal. Users who want their Personal Data removed should submit a formal request to the Platform via email specified in section 11. The request should be made in writing, clearly stating the User's identity and the specific Personal Data it wants to be removed. The User should also provide any relevant supporting documentation to validate their request.
6.1.2. Verification of Request. Upon receiving the removal request, the Company will initiate the verification process. The Company will compare the provided information with the existing User records to ensure the authenticity of the request. If any discrepancies or doubts arise during verification, the Company may request additional information or clarification from the User.
6.1.3. Evaluation of Legitimate Grounds. As part of the verification process, the Company will assess the legitimacy of the User's grounds for Personal Data removal. Legitimate grounds may include violations of privacy rights, infringement of intellectual property, or any other relevant legal obligations. The Company will evaluate the situation and determine whether the User's request aligns with the Platform's policies and legal requirements.
6.1.4. Removal of Personal Data. If the removal request is deemed legitimate, the Company will proceed with removing the requested Personal Data from the User's Account and associated records. The removal process may involve permanently and irreversibly deleting the Personal Data from all storage systems, backups, and any other Personal Data repositories.
6.1.5. Confirmation of Removal. Once the Personal Data is successfully removed, the Company will send a notification to the User, confirming the deletion. The notification will also inform the User about any potential limitations or exceptions to the removal, as dictated by applicable laws or the Platform policies.
6.2. The Company will retain records of the deletion confirmation for a reasonable period, as required by applicable laws and regulations. This retention serves as evidence of compliance with the User's removal request.
6.3. The Company will continuously monitor compliance with this procedure to ensure all removal requests are promptly addressed. Periodic audits and reviews will be conducted to identify any areas for improvement and to ensure ongoing adherence to privacy regulations.
7. CHILDREN'S PRIVACY
7.1. The Platform is committed to protecting the privacy and safety of individuals, particularly children. We do not intentionally gather or request any Personal Data from individuals under the age of 16, nor do We permit them to create an Account on our Platform. Our Service and the content within it are not intended for children under the age of 16.
7.2. If it comes to our attention that We have unintentionally collected Personal Data from a child under the age of 16 without obtaining appropriate parental consent, We will promptly delete that information. Ensuring the security and privacy of our Users, especially young ones, is of utmost importance to Us.
8. DIRECT MARKETING RIGHTS AND OPT-OUT OPPORTUNITIES
- As the Company is entitled to send the User direct marketing messages or emails, the Users entitled to unsubscribe from each of such mailings by exercising the User’s opt-out rights as specified below. The User acknowledges that refusal to receive direct marketing messages from the Company does not affect the Company’s right to send the User other messages, emails or otherwise contact the User as allowed by virtue of this Privacy Policy.
- If the User wishes to opt-out the processing of Personal Data regarding certain purposes, the User should send the Company a request via contact email specified in section 11 of this Privacy Policy.
- Please take into consideration the following:
- opting-out certain processing purposes may lead to impossibility of providing the User certain (or even all) Services in part (or at all). The Company will take the User’s best efforts to minimize such Services limitations.
- opt-out opportunity applies only to the processing of User’s Personal Data based on the User’s consent, unless otherwise is explicitly stated by the applicable law. The Company reserves the right to process Personal Data based on the other lawful basis such as contractual obligations, legitimate interest or legal obligation, if available by virtue of applicable law, even if the User has opted out such processing according to the provisions of this Privacy Policy.
- PUSH NOTIFICATIONS.
After downloading the Platform, You will be asked to accept or refuse push notifications. If You accept push notifications, We will collect and use push notification tokens to send you Platform-specific notifications on Your device. You may disable push notifications at any time by going to Your device settings.
- FOR USERS IN THE EUROPEAN UNION.
10.1. Transfer of Personal Information Outside of the EU. Because the Company and our Service Providers are located in countries outside of the European Union, Your personal information will be transferred to other countries that may not offer the same level of data protection as the laws of Your country of residence. We rely on model contractual clauses for such transfers.
10.2. How to File Complaints. If you believe your rights under the GDPR have been violated, you may lodge a complaint with the supervisory authority of your country of residence. For contact information for your supervisory authority, please visit here:
http://ec.europa.eu/justice/data-protection/article-29/structure/data-protection-authorities/index_en.htm.
- HOW TO CONTACT US
If You have any questions about this Privacy Policy or the Service/Platform, please contact Us at:
e-mail [email protected]; phone: +971561009698.
12. CHANGES TO OUR PRIVACY POLICY
The Company may modify or update this Privacy Policy from time to time, so please review it periodically. We may provide You with notices of modifications or updates as appropriate under the circumstances. Your continued use of the Platform or the Service after any modification to this Privacy Policy will constitute Your acceptance of such modification.