Privacy Policy

Squid Innovation ("we", "us", "our") is a technology company based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. We design and build websites, mobile apps, AI solutions, cloud services and 3D experiences, and we manage social media for our clients. We are responsible for the personal data described in this policy.

Address: Office No. 1503-128, Al Musalla Tower (Fahidi Heights), Al Hamriya, Burdubai, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Email: info@squidinnovation.com. Phone / WhatsApp: +971 56 668 5357.

This policy applies to personal data we handle when you visit squidinnovation.com, contact us, request a quote, buy or pay for our services, or work with us as a client. It does not cover third-party websites or platforms that we link to, such as Instagram or WhatsApp, which have their own policies.

Where we build or host a product for a client, we usually process the end users' data on that client's behalf and under their instructions. In that case the client's own privacy policy governs, and we handle the data only as needed to provide the service.

Depending on how you deal with us, we may collect:

• Contact details and enquiries: the name, email address, company, phone number, budget range and message you give us through our contact form, email, phone or WhatsApp.
• Client and billing details: your business name, billing address, tax or VAT number (if applicable), the services you purchase, invoices and payment status.
• Payment information: payments are processed by Stripe (see section 5). We receive the payment result, amount, date, transaction reference, and limited details such as the card brand and last four digits. We never see or store your full card number or security code.
• Project materials: content, files, credentials, access rights and other information you share so that we can deliver your project or manage your accounts.
• Technical data: our server keeps standard logs (IP address, browser and device type, pages requested, date and time) for security, abuse prevention and troubleshooting.
• Administrator data: for our own staff only, an email address and a securely hashed password used to sign in to the site's admin area.

We do not knowingly collect sensitive personal data (such as health, biometric or religious information) and ask that you do not send it to us unless a project specifically requires it and we have agreed how it will be protected.

We use personal data only for the following purposes, relying on the legal basis that applies under UAE data-protection law (including Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021 on the Protection of Personal Data) and, where relevant, other laws that apply to you:

• To reply to your enquiry, prepare proposals and communicate with you (your consent, or steps taken at your request before a contract).
• To provide, deliver, support and bill for our services, and to take payment (performance of our contract with you).
• To keep our website, systems and clients secure, prevent fraud and abuse, and fix faults (our legitimate interests in running a safe business).
• To keep financial, tax and accounting records and to comply with legal requests (legal obligation).
• To improve our services and the clarity of our website (our legitimate interests).

We do not sell your personal data. We do not use it for advertising profiling, and we do not make decisions about you based solely on automated processing.

We use Stripe to accept card and other online payments. When you pay, your payment details are entered on Stripe's secure pages or fields and are sent directly to Stripe. Stripe processes that data under its own privacy policy and security standards (including PCI-DSS), and in some cases acts as an independent controller of it, for example to prevent fraud and meet its legal obligations.

Stripe's privacy policy is available at https://stripe.com/privacy. Stripe may set cookies or similar technologies on its own pages to process payments securely and detect fraud.

We keep a record of each payment (amount, date, reference, payer name and email) for accounting and dispute purposes. Payments made by bank transfer are recorded in the same way.

We share personal data only where it is needed and only with:

• Payment providers: Stripe, to take and reconcile payments and prevent fraud.
• Email and hosting providers: services that deliver our email, host our website and store our data (currently including Hostinger for email and our hosting infrastructure).
• Communication platforms you choose to use: for example WhatsApp or Instagram, if you message us there. Those platforms handle your data under their own policies.
• Software and AI providers: where a project you commission involves them, and only to the extent needed for that project and agreed with you.
• Professional advisers (such as accountants and lawyers), banks, and insurers, under duties of confidentiality.
• Public authorities, courts or regulators where the law requires us to, or to protect our rights, our clients or others.
• A buyer or successor, if our business is sold or reorganised, who must continue to protect your data under this policy.

Our staff and contractors can access personal data only if they need it for their work and are bound by confidentiality.

Some of the providers we use (including Stripe and email or hosting providers) may process data outside the United Arab Emirates. Where that happens, we take steps to make sure your data stays protected, such as using providers that apply recognised security standards and contractual safeguards, in line with applicable law.

We keep personal data only for as long as needed for the purpose it was collected, and then delete or anonymise it:

• Enquiries that do not lead to a project: kept for a reasonable period (generally up to 24 months) in case you get back in touch, then deleted.
• Client records, contracts, invoices and payment records: kept for the period required by UAE accounting, tax and commercial law, and for as long as needed to handle any claim.
• Project materials and credentials: kept while we provide the service, and deleted or returned to you within a reasonable time after the project or support period ends, unless you ask us to keep them or the law requires otherwise.
• Server logs: kept for a short period (generally up to 90 days) unless needed to investigate a security incident.

You can ask us to delete your data sooner (see section 10). We may need to keep some records where the law requires it.

We use measures appropriate to the risk, including encrypted connections (HTTPS), hashed passwords, access limited to people who need it, rate limiting and spam protection on our forms, regular software updates and backups. No online service can be guaranteed completely secure. If a personal-data breach affects you, we will notify you and the authorities as required by law.

Subject to applicable law, you may ask us to:

• tell you whether we hold your personal data and give you a copy;
• correct data that is inaccurate or incomplete;
• delete your data or restrict or stop certain uses of it;
• transfer data you gave us to you or another provider where this is technically feasible;
• withdraw consent you have given, at any time (this does not affect earlier lawful use).

To make a request, email info@squidinnovation.com. We may need to confirm your identity first and will respond within a reasonable time and in any case within the period required by law. If you are not satisfied with our response, you may complain to the UAE Data Office or the data-protection authority where you live.

squidinnovation.com does not use advertising, analytics or tracking cookies. A strictly necessary session cookie is set only when an authorised administrator signs in to manage the site.

If you are redirected to a Stripe payment page or to a third-party platform, that service may set its own cookies, which are covered by its own policy.

Our website and services are intended for businesses and adults. We do not knowingly collect personal data from anyone under 18. If you believe a child has given us data, please contact us and we will delete it.

We may update this policy from time to time. The latest version is always on this page with its date. If we make a significant change, we will take reasonable steps to let you know.

Questions or requests about privacy: info@squidinnovation.com, +971 56 668 5357, or by post at Office No. 1503-128, Al Musalla Tower (Fahidi Heights), Al Hamriya, Burdubai, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.