This Privacy Policy details how TECH-ARABIA.NET (the "Site") collects, uses, and shares your online information. In addition, it details the use of "cookies" and user access to third-party websites. By registering as a user, agreeing to the registration terms and conditions of Tech Arabia (the "Terms and Conditions"), or by browsing or using the platform, you expressly agree to be bound by this Privacy Policy and consent to our collection, usage, and sharing of your personal information as set out below.

Tech Arabia is the digital news and media trade name of Al Hilal Publishing & Marketing Group (the "Owner"), operating as a Hilal Media publication within the Group. The Owner reserves the right to amend, update, and change the Privacy Policy at any time. Please review the Privacy Policy on a regular basis to ensure that you are aware of current Site policies and practices.

The Owner, acting as Data Controller, is firmly committed to the protection of your privacy and takes its responsibility regarding the security of reader and subscriber information very seriously. Our Privacy Policy reflects the requirements of the Kingdom of Bahrain’s privacy legislation, as well as our continuous commitment to protecting your personal information in line with best practice international standards such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). All terms not defined in this document have the meanings ascribed to them in the Terms of Service Agreement.

1. The Information We Collect

• Personal Data: Personal data means any information relating to you which allows us to identify you, such as your name, corporate address, job title, company name, and contact details (including email address and phone number). We collect personal data when you contact us directly, subscribe to our digital newsletters, or register for premium editorial access.
• Device & Technical Data: We may track aggregate or real-time technical data, including your IP address, browser software, operating system, pages viewed, number of sessions, unique visitor counts, and generalized geographic location data when you interact with our online services.
• Registration Information: Access to certain premium features and news alerts posted on the Site requires registration. When you register to become a Registered User, you will be asked to complete a form providing your name, company details, address, phone number, and email address, and confirming that you are above the age of 13. Certain non-obligatory fields will be marked with an asterisk (*). Should you choose to supply non-obligatory information, it will be safeguarded under these same privacy terms.
• Publishing Information: If you submit any editorial text, commentary, letters to the editor, or press releases to be published on the Site through our digital platform tools or discussion forums, you consent to the public display of that information along with your provided author attribution name.

2. How We Use Your Information

• Service Fulfillment: We use your information to provide digital services you request, manage your subscriber profile, analyze reader habits, improve our journalistic offerings, and customize the platform's layout specifically for you.
• Communications: We may use your email address or contact details to send you news updates, editorial alerts, reader surveys, or promotional offerings relevant to your technological or business sector.
• Third-Party Campaigns: We may use your Collected Information to execute highly targeted marketing campaigns or advertising messages on behalf of third parties; however, your personal contact details are never disclosed to such third parties unless you explicitly respond to or interact with their advertisement.
• Intellectual Property & Submissions: Content voluntarily submitted for public article comments or editorial features becomes viewable by any internet user. While you or your company retain primary ownership and copyrights to your submitted commentary or industry announcements, you grant the Owner a non-exclusive, royalty-free, perpetual license to display, archive, and syndicate this text. You should exercise caution when deciding to include sensitive or proprietary details in public media submissions.
• Payment Security: Tech Arabia is generally free to access. However, if you purchase an archive subscription, premium tier, or corporate service, any credit card information you provide is directly submitted to a secure payment server of the processing bank. The Site does not maintain electronic or physical copies of your credit card data.

3. Data Retention

We will not retain your data for longer than is necessary to fulfill the purpose it is being processed for. To determine the appropriate retention period, we consider the amount, nature, and sensitivity of the personal data, the potential risk of harm from unauthorized use or disclosure, the purposes for which we process it, and applicable legal or regulatory requirements in the Kingdom of Bahrain. When your personal data is no longer required, it will be securely deleted, destroyed, or fully anonymized.

4. Your Consent & Opt-Out Rights

By providing us with your personal information, you consent to our collection, use, and disclosure of that information as described in this Policy. If you do not want your personal information processed in this manner, please do not submit it. If you have submitted personal information and wish to withdraw your consent to its retention or use, please send an email to our data team at: privacy@tech-arabia.net.

5. Disclosing Your Information

We do not sell, rent, trade, or exchange any personally identifying information of our Users. We reserve the right to disclose Collected Information to relevant authorities where we have reason to believe that such disclosure is necessary to identify, contact, or bring legal action against someone who may be infringing or causing injury to the title, rights, operations, or property of Tech Arabia, our corporate partners, or fellow users. We also disclose information in response to a subpoena, judicial order, or when required by law or administrative mandate of any court or governmental authority in Bahrain.

6. Logging In Using Social Networking Credentials

• Facebook Login: If you log in using Facebook, you grant permission to Facebook to share your user details with us (including name, email address, date of birth, and location) to form your website identity. This is governed by your individual Facebook privacy settings.
• Google Login: If you log in using Google, you grant Google permission to share your name, email address, date of birth, and profile picture to establish your account identity.
• X Login: If you log in using X, we receive your avatar and username to establish your site credentials.

7. Cookies, Site Tracking, and Targeted Advertising

We use cookies to store session details, recognize your logged-in subscriber state, track aggregate reader navigation habits, and help target advertisements based on your specific professional interests (for example, displaying software enterprise advertisements if you frequently read technology editorials).

Our webpages may also feature social media plugins (such as the 'Facebook Recommend' tool). If you browse our pages while logged into your external social network accounts, those organizations may connect your visit to your personal account profile. You can configure your device's browser to reject cookies, though this may require you to re-enter your login information more frequently and limit certain interactive tools on the platform.

8. Security of Your Data

We follow strict security procedures in the storage and disclosure of your personal data to protect it against accidental loss, destruction, or damage. Data transmissions are protected using SSL (Secure Socket Layer) encryption technology.

Your account profiles are password-protected. We recommend that you do not share your password with anyone; our corporate personnel will never ask you for your password in an unsolicited call or email.

9. Updating Information, Changes, and Feedback

You can update or correct your personal information at any time, or submit continuous feedback regarding our privacy practices, by emailing our compliance team directly at: privacy@tech-arabia.net. Any updates to this policy will be communicated by posting an amended version on the Site, taking effect immediately upon publication.