URBANCHOICES
Urban Policies

Confidentiality, Data Protection & Security Policy

How Urban Choices handles personal, professional and operational information and the safeguards we apply as the Platform develops.

Effective: 23 August 2026Last updated: 23 August 2026POPIA-aligned

1. Purpose and scope

This policy explains how Urban Choices collects, uses, stores, shares and protects information relating to visitors, registered users, subscribers, suppliers, partners and people who contact us. It applies to the Platform and to supporting operational systems used to provide it.

Urban Choices aims to process personal information lawfully and responsibly under the Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013 (POPIA). This public policy describes our current commitments; more specific notices or agreements may apply to particular services.

2. Our data protection principles

  • Accountability: we take responsibility for personal information under our control.
  • Purpose and minimality: we collect information that is reasonably needed for stated service, security, verification, communication and legal purposes.
  • Transparency: we explain material uses and do not sell personal information.
  • Quality: we take reasonable steps to keep information accurate and relevant.
  • Security: we use safeguards appropriate to the information, risk and stage of the service.
  • Retention: we keep information only while reasonably required for its purpose, legal duties, disputes, security or legitimate records.

3. Information we handle

Depending on how you use the Platform, we may handle:

  • account and contact details, such as name, organisation, role, email address and telephone number;
  • professional verification information and subscription or account status;
  • enquiries, supplier-contact requests, corrections, submissions and correspondence;
  • usage, device, browser, diagnostic, security and access-log information;
  • public or supplier-provided company, product and professional information;
  • preferences, consents and records needed to administer the relationship.

Please do not send confidential or special personal information unless Urban Choices has specifically requested it through an appropriate channel.

4. Why we use information

We use information to operate and improve the Platform; create and secure accounts; verify appropriate access; respond to enquiries; connect legitimate industry participants; manage subscriptions; maintain catalogues and submissions; measure service performance; detect misuse; keep records; and comply with legal obligations.

Our justification may be consent, a contract or requested step, a legal duty, protection of a legitimate interest, or another basis permitted by POPIA. Where consent is the basis, you may withdraw it, subject to lawful consequences already explained to you.

5. Sharing and service providers

We do not sell or lease personal information. We may disclose limited information:

  • to service providers supporting hosting, authentication, analytics, communications, support, security or administration, subject to suitable confidentiality and data-protection terms;
  • to a supplier or partner when you ask us to make an introduction or submit an enquiry;
  • to professional advisers, insurers, auditors or authorities where reasonably necessary or legally required;
  • in connection with a genuine business reorganisation, subject to appropriate safeguards.

Where information is processed outside South Africa, we take reasonable steps to use a lawful transfer arrangement and suitable protection.

6. Confidentiality and security

Urban Choices applies safeguards proportionate to the nature of the information and reasonably foreseeable risks. These may include encrypted connections, access controls, strong authentication, restricted administrative access, managed hosting, logging, backups, software updates and contractual confidentiality duties.

No online service is risk-free. We review safeguards as the Platform develops, but cannot promise absolute security or uninterrupted availability. Users must protect their credentials, use secure devices and tell us promptly about suspected account misuse.

7. Your choices and rights

Subject to POPIA and lawful limitations, you may ask whether we hold your personal information; request access, correction or deletion; object to certain processing; withdraw consent; or complain about our handling of your information.

Send privacy requests to privacy@urbanchoices.co.za. We may need to verify your identity before acting. You may also contact South Africa’s Information Regulator.

8. Retention and disposal

Retention periods depend on the information and purpose. We consider account activity, service delivery, legal and tax requirements, security logs, complaint and dispute periods, supplier-content provenance and backup cycles. When information is no longer reasonably required, we delete, anonymise or securely dispose of it. Residual backup copies may remain until normal rotation completes.

9. Security incidents and oversight

Suspected incidents are assessed, contained, investigated and documented. Where there are reasonable grounds to believe that personal information has been accessed or acquired by an unauthorised person, Urban Choices will notify the Information Regulator and identifiable affected data subjects as soon as reasonably possible, subject to any lawful direction or permitted delay.

Responsibility for privacy and information security is assigned within Urban Choices and supported by relevant technical and professional advisers as needed. The policy is reviewed as systems, service providers and legal requirements change.

10. Changes to this policy

The latest version and effective date will be published here. Material changes may also be communicated to registered users through the Platform or their recorded contact details.