1. Who We Are
Dubai Syndicate (operated by Internext Information Technology, United Arab Emirates) is the data controller responsible for the personal data described in this policy. This policy explains what we collect, how we use it, how long we keep it, and your rights under the UAE Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021 on the Protection of Personal Data (PDPL).
2. Information We Collect
When you interact with Dubai Syndicate, we may collect the following types of information:
- Personal and business details you provide (name, mobile number, email, business name, business category)
- Communication data through email or other correspondence
- Usage data through cookies and analytics tools when you browse our website
- Membership and payment information for Premium Members
- KYC verification documents you choose to upload (e.g. trade licence, Emirates ID, passport, residence visa, VAT certificate)
3. How We Use Your Information
We use the collected information to:
- Process membership enquiries and applications
- Communicate about meetups, events, and community updates
- Facilitate networking and referral opportunities between members
- Verify member identity and business legitimacy (KYC)
- Improve our website, services, and user experience
- Display relevant advertisements through Google AdSense
4. KYC Documents — Storage, Use, Retention & Deletion
Uploading verification documents is optional and based on your consent. We handle them with data minimisation in mind:
- Access: uploaded documents are stored privately and are visible only to you and authorised Dubai Syndicate administrators. They are never shown to other members or published.
- Expiry scanning: for documents that carry an expiry date, we use automated scanning to read key details (such as the expiry date) so we can remind you before it lapses. The image is processed by a third-party AI provider (Anthropic) solely for extraction; it is not used to train any AI model. You always confirm or correct the extracted date, and you may enter it manually instead.
- Deletion after verification: once an administrator verifies a document, the file is removed from our public web servers. A single secure copy is retained in a private, off-web archive (and/or sent to the operator's secure mailbox) purely as a verification record. After that point, only the document type, reference number and expiry date remain in your portal — the image itself is no longer accessible online.
- On account closure: if your membership is terminated or you ask us to delete your data, we delete the archived verification copies, subject to any minimum retention we are legally required to observe.
5. Google AdSense & Cookies
We use Google AdSense to display advertisements on our website. Google may use cookies and web beacons to serve ads based on your prior visits to our website or other websites. You can opt out of personalized advertising by visiting Google's Ads Settings.
6. Data Sharing
We do not sell your personal data. We may share limited information with:
- Other Dubai Syndicate members for networking purposes (your public profile only, with your consent)
- Service providers who help us operate the platform (e.g. hosting, email, the AI expiry-scan provider), under appropriate confidentiality obligations
- Legal or regulatory authorities when required by law
We do not transfer your KYC documents to other members under any circumstances.
7. Data Retention
We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes described above: profile and membership data for the life of your membership; verified KYC records as a secure off-web archive for the period needed to evidence verification and meet legal obligations; and analytics/marketing data per the relevant tool's retention settings. When data is no longer needed, it is deleted or anonymised.
8. Data Security
We implement reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information, including access controls, restricting uploaded documents to non-public storage, and moving verified KYC documents off our public web servers. However, no method of transmission or storage over the internet can be guaranteed 100% secure. In the event of a personal-data breach that poses a risk to your rights, we will act in accordance with the UAE PDPL, including notifying the competent authority and affected individuals where required.
9. Your Rights under the UAE PDPL
Subject to applicable law, you have the right to:
- access the personal data we hold about you and request a copy;
- request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data;
- request deletion of your data;
- object to or request restriction of certain processing;
- withdraw consent at any time (including consent to store KYC documents or to feature you in marketing);
- request that your data be transferred where technically feasible; and
- lodge a complaint with the UAE Data Office.
To exercise any of these rights, contact us using the details below. We may need to verify your identity before acting on a request.
10. Governing Law
This Privacy Policy is governed by the laws of the United Arab Emirates, including the PDPL, as applied in the Emirate of Dubai.
11. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with the updated date.
12. Contact Us
For any questions about this Privacy Policy or to exercise your rights, contact us at:
Email: [email protected]
Website: dubaisyndicate.com
Data controller: Internext Information Technology, United Arab Emirates.