Privacy Policy

Emerald Media ("we", "us", "our", "the Agency") is a digital marketing agency operating from South Africa. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect personal information when you visit emeraldmedia.io (the "Site"), engage us as a client, or otherwise interact with our services.

We process personal information in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA). Where we handle personal information of individuals located in the European Union or United Kingdom on behalf of clients, we also have regard to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

If you do not agree with this Policy, please do not use the Site or our services.

Responsible Party / Data Controller: Emerald Media

Website: emeraldmedia.io

Contact for privacy queries: info@emeraldmedia.io

Information Officer: Suané Rens

a) Information you give us directly

• Name, email address, phone number
• Company name and job title
• Billing and payment details
• Content of enquiries, briefs, and correspondence

b) Information collected automatically

• IP address, browser type, device information
• Pages visited, time on site, referral source
• Cookies and similar tracking technologies (see our Cookie Policy)

c) Information collected via advertising platforms

When we manage advertising campaigns (e.g. Meta Ads) for clients, we may process audience data, pixel/conversion data, and campaign performance data on the client's behalf. This is typically processed as an "operator" under POPIA, acting on the instructions of our client (the responsible party for that data).

d) Information from third parties

• Analytics platforms (e.g. Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager)
• Advertising platforms (e.g. Meta Business Suite)
• Client-provided customer lists (for lookalike/custom audience purposes), where the client warrants they have obtained proper consent

We use personal information to:

• Provide, manage, and improve our marketing services
• Respond to enquiries and communicate with clients and prospects
• Set up and manage advertising campaigns, pixels, and analytics
• Process payments and maintain business records
• Send marketing communications (only where you have consented or as permitted by law)
• Comply with legal and regulatory obligations
• Protect against fraud, misuse, or security incidents

We process personal information on one or more of the following grounds:

• Your consent
• Performance of a contract with you or your organisation
• Our legitimate business interests (e.g. service improvement, direct marketing to existing clients)
• Compliance with a legal obligation

Our Site uses cookies and similar technologies, including for analytics (Google Analytics/GTM) and advertising (Meta Pixel). Full details are set out in our separate Cookie Policy. You can manage your preferences through our cookie banner or your browser settings at any time.

We may share personal information with:

• Service providers who support our operations (e.g. hosting providers, email platforms, accounting software)
• Advertising and analytics platforms (e.g. Meta, Google) as required to deliver campaigns
• Professional advisors (e.g. accountants, legal counsel) where necessary
• Regulatory or law enforcement authorities, where required by law

We do not sell personal information to third parties.

Where a client's customer or audience data is shared with advertising platforms for campaign purposes, this is done under the platform's own data processing terms, and the client remains responsible for ensuring they have a lawful basis to share that data with us.

Some of the platforms and service providers we use (e.g. Meta, Google) store or process data outside South Africa, including in the United States and European Union. Where this occurs, we take reasonable steps to ensure such transfers are subject to appropriate safeguards, as required by POPIA section 72.

We retain personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes described in this Policy, or as required by law (e.g. tax and accounting records are generally retained for 5 years in South Africa).

We implement reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal information against loss, unauthorised access, alteration, or disclosure. However, no method of transmission or storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

Under POPIA, you have the right to:

• Request access to the personal information we hold about you
• Request correction or deletion of your personal information
• Object to the processing of your personal information
• Withdraw consent at any time (where processing is based on consent)
• Lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at info@emeraldmedia.io

Information Regulator (South Africa)

Website: justice.gov.za/inforeg

Email: complaints.IR@justice.gov.za

Our services are not directed at children, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children without appropriate consent from a parent or guardian.

Our Site may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those sites and encourage you to review their policies separately.

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The "Last updated" date at the top of this page reflects the most recent revision. Continued use of the Site after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the updated Policy.

For any questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact:

Emerald Media

Email: info@emeraldmedia.io

Website: emeraldmedia.io