PRIVACY PROTECTION

This Privacy Protection explains how GLEADS (“GLEADS”, “we”, “us”, or “our”) collects, uses, discloses, and safeguards the personal information of our clients and users (“Client”, “you”, “your”). It sets out the principles and practices we follow in handling your information to ensure transparency, accountability, and compliance with applicable data protection regulations.

This Privacy Protection applies to all services provided by GLEADS, including but not limited to:

It also explains the choices available to you regarding your personal information, including how you can access, update, or request its removal. All personal information we receive during the course of providing our services will be collected, processed, retained, and safeguarded in accordance with applicable data protection laws and regulations, including but not limited to the Personal Data Protection Act 2012 of Singapore and other relevant frameworks where applicable.

By using our website, platforms, and communication channels, or by providing us with your personal information, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agreed to the practices and terms outlined in this Privacy Protection. We encourage you to carefully review this page to understand how we manage and protect your information.

For the purposes of this Privacy Protection, unless the context otherwise requires, the following terms shall have the meanings assigned to them:

“Client” means any individual or legal entity that engages, contracts with, or otherwise interacts with GLEADS for the provision of services, including but not limited to search engine optimization (SEO), search engine marketing (SEM), pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, communication services, website design and development, outsourced marketing team solutions, and all related activities.

“Personal Data” refers to any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person (“Data Subject”). An identifiable natural person is one who can be identified, directly or indirectly, in particular by reference to an identifier such as a name, identification number, location data, online identifier, or to one or more factors specific to the physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural, or social identity of that natural person.

“Usage Data” means data that is automatically collected and generated by the use of our website, platforms, or services, either provided by the Client’s device or infrastructure, or derived from the service infrastructure itself. Usage Data may include, without limitation, IP addresses, browser types and versions, device identifiers, operating systems, pages visited, time and date of visits, session duration, and other diagnostic information.

“Cookies” shall mean small data files placed on a device by a website or online service for the purpose of storing information, tracking user activity, enabling functionality, or enhancing user experience. For the purposes of this Privacy Protection, the term also encompasses similar tracking technologies such as beacons, tags, and scripts.

“Data Controller” means the natural or legal person, public authority, agency, or other body which, alone or jointly with others, determines the purposes and means of the processing of Personal Data. For the purposes of this Privacy Protection, GLEADS shall be deemed the Data Controller.

“Data Processor” means any natural or legal person, public authority, agency, or other body which processes Personal Data on behalf of the Data Controller. This includes, without limitation, third-party service providers, hosting companies, analytics platforms, and advertising networks engaged by GLEADS in the performance of our services.

“Data Subject” refers to any natural person whose Personal Data is collected, held, or otherwise processed by GLEADS in the course of providing our services.

“Services” means all professional solutions, activities, and deliverables offered by GLEADS, including but not limited to: website design and development, custom industry-specific website solutions, brand identity and graphic design, online advertising and media buying, SEO consulting and execution, content creation and marketing, email marketing campaigns, ongoing website support and maintenance, and outsourced marketing team solutions.

GLEADS collects and processes information from Clients in the course of providing our Services. Such information may be obtained directly from you, automatically through your interaction with our platforms, or indirectly through third-party sources. The types and methods of information collection are as follows:

We collect information that you voluntarily provide when you engage with us through our communication channels (including but not limited to telephone, fax, email, Skype, or other platforms) or when completing application forms and service-related documentation. Such information may include:

When you access our website, platforms, or digital channels, certain information is automatically collected through log files and analytics tools. This may include:

This information, which does not by itself identify an individual user, is used for system administration, trend analysis, security monitoring, and to improve the quality and functionality of our Services.

We employ cookies, tracking pixels, clear gifs, and similar technologies to enhance user experience, measure engagement, and analyze performance. Third-party partners may also deploy such technologies in connection with advertising or analytics. GLEADS does not control these third-party technologies and is not responsible for their handling of data.

Our website may include social media widgets or interactive features (such as “Like” or “Share” buttons). Your interaction with these features is subject to the privacy policies of the companies providing them.

We use the information we collect for the following purposes, depending on the context in which the data was obtained and the expectations you have as our Client or user:

We use your personal and usage data to deliver, manage, support, and improve our Services.. This includes:

We may use your Personal Data to communicate with you regarding:

Your data is used to provide ongoing customer support, to address your technical or service-related inquiries, and to facilitate the resolution of any issues or disputes that arise. This includes:

We analyse aggregated and individual-level usage data to better understand how Clients and users engage with our Services. Specific uses include:

We may use collected data to personalize your experience across our touchpoints, including:

We may use your personal and transactional data as necessary to comply with applicable legal, regulatory, or contractual obligations, including:

GLEADS processes Personal Data in compliance with the Personal Data Protection Act 2012 (“PDPA”) of Singapore, as well as other applicable data protection regulations in jurisdictions where our Services are provided. The legal bases on which we rely for the collection, use, and disclosure of Personal Data are as follows:

We will collect, use, and disclose your Personal Data when you have given consent for such purposes. Consent may be expressed, provided directly by you, or implied, where you voluntarily supply information and it is reasonable for you to expect that it will be used for the stated purpose. You have the right to withdraw consent at any time, subject to legal or contractual restrictions and reasonable notice.

We may process Personal Data where it is necessary for the performance of a contract to which you are a party, or in order to take steps at your request prior to entering into a contract. This includes the provision of quotations, execution of agreements, delivery of Services, billing, and ongoing support.

We may process and retain Personal Data where required for compliance with legal obligations, regulatory requirements, or professional standards applicable to our business. This includes, but is not limited to, obligations relating to tax reporting, anti-money laundering, fraud prevention, and other statutory duties imposed under Singapore law or other applicable jurisdictions.

We may process Personal Data where such processing is necessary for the legitimate interests of GLEADS, provided that these interests are not overridden by your fundamental rights and freedoms. Legitimate interests include: ensuring the security and integrity of our systems and networks; improving and developing our Services; conducting analytics and business planning; and protecting our rights, property, or operations.

In rare circumstances, we may process Personal Data where it is necessary to protect the vital interests of an individual. This applies, for example, in situations involving threats to personal safety or other emergencies.

GLEADS retains Personal Data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected or as required by applicable laws or contractual obligations. In determining appropriate retention periods, we consider:

Accordingly, typical retention periods may include:

Where applicable, we may anonymize or aggregate data to remove direct identifiers and retain such anonymized/aggregated data for longer periods for internal analytics and reporting purposes.

In certain circumstances, GLEADS may retain Personal Data beyond the usual retention period where required for legal or business purposes, including:

GLEADS implements procedures for the periodic review and disposal of Personal Data that is no longer required. These procedures include:

Even when Personal Data is retained beyond active use, you retain the rights to access, correct, or request deletion of your Personal Data, subject to applicable legal and practical limitations. If you wish to request deletion of your Personal Data, please contact us using the methods described in Section 15.

GLEADS recognizes the importance of safeguarding Personal Data when it is shared with third parties. In the course of providing our Services and conducting legitimate business operations, we may disclose or transfer Personal Data to certain categories of recipients. Such sharing will always be limited to what is necessary, carried out under appropriate safeguards, and in accordance with applicable data protection laws and this Privacy Protection.

GLEADS may share Personal Data internally with our subsidiaries, affiliates, or partner entities for the purpose of fulfilling service delivery, operational coordination, administrative support, or as otherwise necessary to effectively provide our Services. Such internal sharing will only occur under controlled circumstances and with appropriate safeguards in place.

We engage third-party service providers (“Service Providers”) to support our operations, including but not limited to analytics providers, web hosting services, digital advertising platforms, email marketing service providers, payment processors, and customer relationship management tools. When we share your Personal Data with such Service Providers, we do so under contractual arrangements that require them to implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your data and to use Personal Data only for the specific purposes for which we engaged them.

In the event that GLEADS undergoes a merger, acquisition, reorganization, sale of assets, or other business transition, your Personal Data may be transferred as part of that transaction. If such a transaction occurs, GLEADS will take reasonable steps to ensure that your Personal Data remains subject to privacy protections that are at least as protective as those set out in this Privacy Protection. We will notify affected Clients and users before your Personal Data becomes subject to a different privacy policy.

We may disclose your Personal Data if required to do so by law, or in response to valid legal processes, such as court orders, subpoenas, or governmental or regulatory requests. We may also disclose Personal Data to protect our rights, to prevent or investigate fraud or illegal activities, or to protect the safety of our Clients, website users, or the public, to the extent permitted or required by applicable law.

Because GLEADS is based in Singapore and may operate globally, Personal Data collected from you may be transferred to and processed in countries outside your home jurisdiction. These countries may have different (or less stringent) data protection laws compared to your own.

When your Personal Data is transferred or stored outside your jurisdiction, GLEADS will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your data in accordance with applicable legal requirements and expectations. These safeguards may include, where relevant:

Where required by applicable law, GLEADS will obtain your consent to transfer your Personal Data internationally, or will provide you with notice of such transfers and an opportunity to opt out, or to withdraw consent, unless an exception under applicable law applies.

While GLEADS seeks to safeguard your Personal Data through contractual, technical, and organizational measures, no method of data transmission over the internet or method of electronic storage is completely secure. Once your Personal Data has been transferred to a third party, GLEADS cannot always control how that third party processes or protects your data.

Where third parties operate in accordance with their own privacy policies or data handling practices, GLEADS encourages you to review their policies and measures. We remain accountable for personal data transferred to third-party service providers or partners on our behalf and strive to only engage reputable providers who adhere to appropriate data protection standards.

GLEADS utilizes cookies and other tracking technologies as part of our commitment to improving user experience, ensuring security, and optimizing the performance of our Services. This section outlines the purposes for which cookies are employed, as well as the choices available to you in managing them.

Cookies and tracking technologies may be used for the following purposes:

You have the ability to manage or disable cookies through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to refuse cookies, delete existing cookies, or set preferences for how cookies are handled. Please note, however, that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality and user experience of our Services.

Some cookies used on our Services may originate from third parties, such as analytics providers, advertising networks, or social media platforms. These third parties may collect information about your online activities over time and across different websites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of such third parties for further details on their practices.

If you do not wish to have your information collected through analytics or marketing cookies, you may opt out by adjusting your browser settings or by following the opt-out mechanisms provided by analytics providers (e.g., Google Analytics opt-out browser add-on).

GLEADS is committed to giving Clients and users control over their Personal Data. Depending on the applicable jurisdiction (for example, Singapore under the Personal Data Protection Act 2012), you may exercise certain rights regarding how your Personal Data is collected, used, disclosed, or retained by us.

You generally have the following rights, subject to applicable legal limits:

If you wish to exercise any of the above rights, you may contact GLEADS using the contact details provided in Section 15 of this Privacy Protection.

When submitting a request, please include sufficient detail to allow us to locate the relevant information. A request may be made in writing or through other reasonable means. We may ask you to provide further information to clarify your request or verify your identity.

Upon receipt of a valid request, GLEADS will respond within a reasonable timeframe and in accordance with applicable law. If your request is complex or involves a large amount of data, we may contact you to discuss the scope and timing of our response, or to seek clarification.

To ensure the security of your Personal Data and to protect your privacy, GLEADS may require you to verify your identity before granting access to or making changes to your Personal Data. Verification may involve the following steps:

GLEADS is committed to protecting the personal information we collect through a combination of technical and organizational measures designed to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of your data. These measures include, but are not limited to:

Despite our efforts to protect your Personal Data, it is important to recognize that no method of data transmission over the internet or method of electronic storage is completely secure. Accordingly:

GLEADS may occasionally use your Personal Data to share information that we believe is relevant to your interests and beneficial to your use of our Services. This section outlines how we manage direct marketing activities and the mechanisms available for you to control such communications.

GLEADS may use your contact information to communicate with you regarding matters relevant to our Services. This includes:

Where required by applicable law, we will only send direct marketing communications if you have provided your consent. In other circumstances, you may receive such communications because you have previously engaged with our Services.

You may opt out of receiving marketing or promotional communications at any time by following the unsubscribe instructions included in our emails or by contacting us directly through the details provided in this Privacy Protection.

Please note that opting out of marketing communications will not affect your receipt of essential service-related messages, such as billing information, operational updates, or responses to inquiries.

Protecting the privacy of minors is a matter of priority for GLEADS. Our Services are not intended for individuals under the age of eighteen (18), and we take steps to avoid the collection and processing of data belonging to minors.

GLEADS’s Services are designed for and intended to be used by individuals who are at least eighteen (18) years of age. We do not knowingly collect, process, or store Personal Data from minors.

If you are a parent or legal guardian and believe that a minor under your care has provided us with Personal Data, we encourage you to contact us immediately. Upon verification, we will take reasonable steps to delete such information from our systems.

Should we become aware that Personal Data belonging to a minor has been collected inadvertently, we will promptly remove such data and take necessary measures to ensure compliance with applicable data protection laws.

Our Services may contain references, links, or integrations with third-party platforms. This section explains how such external sites and tools operate independently from GLEADS and clarifies our responsibility with respect to your interactions with them.

Our Services may include links to external websites, applications, or platforms operated by third parties. These may include advertising networks, analytics providers, or social media services used to enhance our offerings.

Please note that these third-party sites and tools operate independently from GLEADS. We do not control, endorse, or assume responsibility for their privacy practices, content, or security standards. We strongly encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party services you choose to interact with.

Your use of third-party sites and tools is subject to their own terms and privacy notices. GLEADS shall not be held liable for any issues, damages, or data handling practices arising from your interaction with such third parties.

To ensure transparency and compliance with evolving legal and operational requirements, GLEADS may update this Privacy Protection periodically. This section explains how we handle revisions and notify users of any significant changes.

GLEADS reserves the right to amend or revise this Privacy Protection from time to time to reflect changes in our Services, legal requirements, or operational practices.

Where appropriate, we will notify you of significant updates by:

Each revised version of this Privacy Protection will include an updated “Effective Date” at the top of the document. Your continued use of our Services following the posting of updates will constitute your acknowledgment and acceptance of such changes.