Effective date:
1. Introduction
At PARADOX, we believe good relationships start with trust. That includes how we collect, use and protect your personal information.
This Privacy Policy explains how PARADOX Collective (“PARADOX”, “we”, “us” or “our”) collects, processes, stores, shares and protects personal information when you visit our website, interact with our content or communicate with us.
We are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal information responsibly, in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA) and other applicable South African legislation.
This policy applies to visitors of our website, prospective clients, newsletter subscribers and other individuals who interact with us through our digital channels.
2. Who we are
PARADOX is a Cape Town-based Marketing-as-a-Service business providing integrated marketing capabilities through our Marketing OS.
Responsible party: PARADOX Collective
Location: Cape Town, South Africa
Privacy contact: admin@paradoxcollective.co.za
For the purposes of POPIA, PARADOX is the responsible party for personal information collected through its website, except where we act as an operator on behalf of a client or another responsible party.
3. Personal information we collect
We only seek to collect personal information that is reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this policy.
Depending on how you interact with us, this may include:
3.1 Information you provide directly
When you complete a contact form, request a marketing diagnosis, subscribe to our newsletter or otherwise communicate with us, we may collect:
- Your name and surname.
- Your business email address.
- Your telephone number.
- Your company or organisation.
- Your job title or professional role.
- Information about your business, marketing requirements and commercial objectives.
- Any other information you voluntarily provide in your communication with us.
3.2 Technical and usage information
When you visit our website, certain technical information may be collected automatically, depending on the technologies we use. This may include:
- Your IP address.
- Browser type and version.
- Device type and operating system.
- Pages visited and time spent on our website.
- Referring websites and traffic sources.
- Website interactions and navigation behaviour.
- Approximate geographic location derived from technical information.
3.3 Information from third parties
We may receive relevant professional or business information from publicly available sources, business partners or service providers where this is lawful and necessary for our business activities.
We do not intentionally collect sensitive personal information through our general website forms. Please avoid submitting identity numbers, financial account details, health information or other sensitive information unless it is specifically requested through an appropriate, secure process.
4. How we use your personal information
We process personal information for specific, legitimate business purposes, including:
| Purpose | How we use the information |
|---|---|
| Responding to enquiries | To answer questions, respond to contact forms and arrange commercial conversations. |
| Marketing diagnosis | To understand your stated business requirements and prepare relevant discussions or proposals. |
| Business development | To manage prospective client relationships and follow up on legitimate commercial enquiries. |
| Newsletter and communications | To send requested publications, insights, updates and marketing communications where legally permitted. |
| Website improvement | To understand website usage, identify technical issues and improve the visitor experience. |
| Marketing measurement | To measure the performance of our website and marketing activities, where appropriate. |
| Security | To protect our website, systems and users against fraud, misuse and unauthorised access. |
| Legal compliance | To meet applicable legal, regulatory, accounting and record-keeping obligations. |
We will not use your personal information for purposes materially different from those described here without an appropriate legal basis and, where required, informing you or obtaining your consent.
5. Our legal basis for processing
We process personal information only where a lawful basis exists under POPIA.
Depending on the circumstances, this may include:
- Consent: Where you have voluntarily agreed to a specific use of your personal information, such as subscribing to marketing communications.
- Contractual necessity: Where processing is necessary to take steps at your request before entering into a contract or to perform an existing contract.
- Legitimate interests: Where processing is necessary for a legitimate business purpose and does not unjustifiably prejudice your rights.
- Legal obligations: Where processing is necessary to comply with applicable laws or regulations.
Where consent is the basis for processing, you may withdraw it at any time. Withdrawal does not affect the lawfulness of processing that took place before the withdrawal.
6. Direct marketing and communications
We may use your contact information to communicate with you about PARADOX, our Marketing OS, relevant publications, events and services.
We distinguish between communications you request and promotional communications.
Enquiries and business communications
If you contact us, we may respond to your enquiry and communicate with you about the specific matter you raised.
Marketing communications
We will only send unsolicited electronic direct marketing where permitted under POPIA. Where consent is required, we will obtain it before sending marketing communications. Where the existing-customer exception applies, we will comply with its applicable conditions.
Every marketing email will provide a practical way to unsubscribe or opt out. You may also contact us directly to withdraw your consent or object to direct marketing.
We will honour valid opt-out requests and stop using your information for the relevant direct marketing purposes.
7. Cookies and similar technologies
Our website may use cookies and similar technologies to support functionality, understand visitor behaviour and improve performance.
These technologies may include:
- Essential cookies: Necessary for core website functionality, security or the operation of requested features.
- Analytics cookies: Used to understand how visitors interact with our website and identify opportunities for improvement.
- Marketing cookies: Used, where implemented and legally permitted, to measure campaigns or support relevant advertising.
Non-essential cookies and tracking technologies will be used in accordance with applicable consent requirements.
You can manage cookies through your browser settings and, where provided, our website’s cookie preferences. Disabling certain cookies may affect website functionality.
Our use of cookies may change as our website and technology evolve. Where required, we will update our cookie disclosures and obtain appropriate consent.
8. Sharing your personal information
We do not sell your personal information.
We may share personal information with carefully selected third parties where this is necessary for the purposes described in this policy.
These may include:
- Technology providers: Website hosting, cloud infrastructure, analytics, CRM, email and automation providers.
- Form and communication platforms: Providers that support website contact forms, newsletter subscriptions and other communications.
- Professional advisers: Legal, accounting, auditing and other professional service providers.
- Specialist service providers: Relevant suppliers who help us operate our business and deliver our services.
- Regulatory authorities: Public bodies or law enforcement agencies where disclosure is legally required or authorised.
Where third parties process personal information on our behalf, we will take appropriate steps to ensure that they are subject to suitable confidentiality and security obligations.
We will only share information to the extent reasonably necessary for the relevant purpose, subject to applicable law.
9. International transfers of personal information
Some of our technology and service providers may store or process personal information outside South Africa.
Where personal information is transferred internationally, we will take reasonable steps to ensure that the transfer complies with POPIA, including its requirements concerning transfers to countries outside South Africa.
Depending on the circumstances, this may involve appropriate contractual safeguards, adequate protection under applicable law or another lawful basis for the transfer.
10. How we protect your information
We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal information against loss, damage, unauthorised access, unlawful processing and disclosure.
These measures may include:
- Access controls and appropriate user permissions.
- Secure systems and protected communications.
- Appropriate security measures with our technology providers.
- Limiting access to personal information to authorised individuals.
- Reviewing our information-handling practices as our business evolves.
No electronic system or method of transmitting information over the internet can be guaranteed to be completely secure. However, we take reasonable steps to reduce the risk of unauthorised access and other security incidents.
If a security compromise occurs that triggers our legal notification obligations, we will notify the Information Regulator and affected individuals as required by POPIA.
11. How long we retain personal information
We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law.
Retention periods may vary depending on the nature of the information and the purpose for which it is held.
For example:
- Enquiry information may be retained while we manage a prospective business relationship and for a reasonable period afterwards.
- Client-related information may be retained for the duration of our commercial relationship and any applicable statutory or contractual retention period.
- Newsletter information may be retained while you remain subscribed, subject to any necessary suppression records.
- Technical and analytics information may be retained according to the retention settings of the relevant systems.
When personal information is no longer required, we will take reasonable steps to delete, destroy or de-identify it securely, subject to any applicable legal retention requirements.
12. Your privacy rights
Under POPIA, you have rights relating to your personal information, subject to applicable legal limitations.
These include the right to:
- Access: Request confirmation of whether we hold your personal information and request access to it.
- Correction: Request the correction or deletion of personal information that is inaccurate, irrelevant, excessive, outdated, incomplete, misleading or unlawfully obtained.
- Object: Object to certain forms of processing, including processing based on legitimate interests, where the applicable legal grounds exist.
- Withdraw consent: Withdraw consent where processing is based on your consent.
- Opt out: Object to the use of your personal information for direct marketing.
- Complain: Lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator if you believe your personal information has been processed unlawfully.
To exercise these rights, please contact us using the privacy contact details provided above. We may need to verify your identity before responding to your request.
Some requests may be subject to statutory limitations, including circumstances where we are legally required to retain certain information.
13. Third-party websites and platforms
Our website may contain links to third-party websites, social media platforms or other external services.
These services operate independently of PARADOX and may have their own privacy policies, cookies and data-handling practices.
We are not responsible for the privacy practices of external websites. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing them with personal information.
14. Children’s privacy
Our website and services are intended primarily for businesses and professional audiences.
We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 18 through our general website forms for marketing or commercial purposes.
If we become aware that we have inadvertently collected such information without the necessary legal basis or authorisation, we will take appropriate steps to address it in accordance with applicable law.
15. Changes to this Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our business, website, technology, legal obligations or information-handling practices.
Any updates will be published on this page, together with a revised effective date.
Where changes materially affect how we process personal information, we will take reasonable steps to communicate those changes where required by law.
We encourage you to review this policy periodically to remain informed about how we handle your personal information.
16. Contact us
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, wish to exercise your privacy rights or want to raise a concern about how we process your personal information, please contact us.
PARADOX Collective
Cape Town, South Africa
Privacy enquiries: admin@paradoxcollective.co.za
Information Officer: Calvin Buthelezi
Website: https://www.paradoxcollective.co.za
You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the South African Information Regulator:
Information Regulator (South Africa)
Email: enquiries@inforegulator.org.za
Telephone: 010 023 5200
Website:
inforegulator.org.za