Privacy Policy

Digital Directory is committed to upholding your privacy rights and protecting your personal information in strict accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), Act No. 4 of 2013. This privacy policy explains how we collect, process, store, and protect your information when you use our website.

1. Who We Are

This website is owned and operated by DB Digital (Pty) Ltd, a registered company in South Africa.

Website Address: https://digitaldirectory.co.za
Information Officer: Daniel Johnathon Bresler
Contact Email: [email protected]
Company Registration Number: 2023 / 926323 / 07

The Information Officer is responsible for ensuring compliance with POPIA, responding to data subject requests, managing internal data procedures, and coordinating breach notifications when required.

2. What Personal Information We Collect

We may collect and process the following categories of personal information:

Identification Information: Name, surname
Contact Information: Email address, IP address, and optional website URL
Technical Data: Browser type, device type, operating system, screen resolution
Usage Data: Pages visited, time spent on pages, and interaction logs
Account Data: Username, login credentials, and screen display preferences (for registered users)
Media Data: Uploaded images (which may include embedded location data)
Comment Data: Comment content and associated metadata
Cookies and Session Data: Cookies that store user preferences, session tokens, and security settings
Reset Data: IP address included in password reset emails

3. How We Collect Your Information

Personal information is collected in the following ways:

Directly from you when you:
- Register an account
- Leave a comment
- Upload media or files
- Contact us via forms or email
Automatically via cookies and analytics tools
Through embedded third-party content (e.g. YouTube, maps)

In some cases, personal data may be collected from public sources, or indirectly when shared by another user.

4. Lawful Grounds for Processing

We only process your personal information when one or more of the following lawful bases apply:

You have given explicit consent
Processing is necessary to fulfil a contract or agreement
Processing is required to comply with legal obligations
It serves a legitimate interest that does not infringe your rights
It is required to protect your or another personâ€™s legitimate interest
It is needed for the proper performance of a public law duty (where applicable)

5. Why We Process Your Data

We use your personal information to:

Facilitate communication and interaction on the website
Provide user account access and customisation
Monitor website usage and improve performance
Ensure security and prevent fraud
Moderate content and prevent spam
Comply with legal obligations and protect user rights
Respond to user queries and data subject access requests

6. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to:

Remember user preferences and login sessions
Track website usage and analytics
Facilitate comment autofill functionality
Maintain security and user authentication

You can manage or disable cookies in your browser settings, although some website functionality may be affected.

7. Data Retention and Destruction

Your personal information is retained only for as long as necessary to fulfil the original purpose for which it was collected, or as required by law.

Comments and metadata: retained indefinitely to maintain discussion context
User accounts: retained until deleted by the user or admin
Cookie preferences: retained based on browser session or user selection
Logs and technical data: retained for operational and security purposes

When personal information is no longer required, we will:

De-identify it so that it can no longer be linked to you, or
Delete it securely and irreversibly

8. Security Safeguards

We have implemented suitable technical and organisational measures to secure your personal information:

HTTPS encryption for secure transmission
Firewall and anti-malware protection
Access controls and authentication protocols
Secure login systems and password hashing
Regular security audits and system updates

We regularly assess risks and adapt our safeguards to address new vulnerabilities.

9. Third-Party Processors

We may engage third-party service providers to assist in operating the website or processing data. These include:

Gravatar: To display profile images in comments
Analytics tools (if used): For performance monitoring
Hosting providers: For website and database storage
Spam detection services: To block malicious activity

All third-party operators are contractually bound to comply with POPIA and process your data only for authorised purposes.

10. Your POPIA Rights

Under the Protection of Personal Information Act, you have the right to:

Access your personal data
Correct or update inaccuracies
Object to the processing of your data
Request deletion of your personal data
Withdraw consent at any time
Request data portability (where applicable)
Submit a complaint to the Information Regulator of South Africa

To exercise any of these rights, contact our Information Officer at [email protected].

11. Sharing and Disclosure

We do not sell or rent personal data. We only share information with:

Service providers and processors under contractual obligation
Authorities or regulators where legally required
Other parties with your explicit consent

We take care to limit disclosures to the minimum required and ensure secure transfers.

12. International Data Transfers

If your data is transferred outside of South Africa, we ensure that:

The country has adequate data protection laws, or
Contractual safeguards (such as Standard Contractual Clauses) are in place

13. Automated Processing and Profiling

We do not engage in automated decision-making or profiling that could significantly affect your rights or access.

14. Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy occasionally. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated revision date. If the changes are material, we will notify users via the website.

15. Contact Us

For any queries or concerns related to this privacy policy or your personal data:

Information Officer: Daniel Johnathon Bresler
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 0799582473
Physical Address: 26 Christiaan Beyers Street, Parow North, Cape Town 7500

You may also contact the Information Regulator at https://inforegulator.org.za.