Privacy Policy
At Phil Media, your privacy is not an afterthought — it's a foundation. This policy explains exactly what data we collect, why we collect it, how we use it, and the rights you hold over your personal information.
🏢 Who We Are
Phil Media ("we", "us", "our") is a digital marketing and brand identity agency based in Nigeria. We provide services including website design and development, brand identity creation, SEO, social media management, and digital marketing strategy.
Our primary website is philmedia.name.ng. For the purposes of this Privacy Policy, Phil Media is the data controller responsible for your personal information collected through our website, blog, and communications.
📋 Information We Collect
We collect information about you in the following ways, depending on how you interact with our website and services:
2.1 Information You Provide Directly
- Contact & enquiry forms — your name, email address, phone number, business name, and any message or project details you provide when reaching out via our website forms.
- WhatsApp communications — your name, phone number, and the content of messages exchanged when you contact us via WhatsApp.
- Blog comments — your name, email address, website URL (optional), and comment content when you submit a comment on our blog.
- Newsletter subscriptions — your name and email address when you subscribe to our marketing newsletters or updates.
- Service enquiries and bookings — business details, project specifications, budget ranges, preferred timelines, and any other information you share when requesting a quote or booking a service.
- Client onboarding — for active clients, we may collect brand assets, business descriptions, login credentials for platforms we manage, and any other information necessary to deliver our services.
2.2 Information Collected Automatically
When you visit our website, certain information is collected automatically by our website infrastructure and analytics tools:
- IP address — your internet protocol address, which may indicate your approximate geographic location.
- Browser and device data — browser type and version, operating system, device type (mobile, tablet, desktop), and screen resolution.
- Usage data — pages you visit, time spent on pages, links clicked, scroll depth, and the URL you came from (referrer).
- Session data — time and date of your visit, session duration, and navigation patterns across our website.
- Cookie data — information stored in cookies placed on your device. See Section 5 for full details.
2.3 Information from Third Parties
- Social media platforms — if you interact with our social media accounts (Instagram, Facebook, X/Twitter), those platforms may share limited profile data with us in accordance with their own privacy policies.
- Referral sources — if someone refers you to Phil Media and provides your contact details, we may receive basic contact information to follow up with you.
We do not collect: sensitive personal data such as government identification numbers, financial account details, health information, biometric data, or any information from children under 13 years of age.
⚙️ How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect for clearly defined purposes only. We do not use your data for any purpose beyond what is described below without obtaining your consent first.
| Purpose | Data Used | Legal Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Responding to enquiries and service requests | Name, email, phone, message content | Legitimate interest / Contract |
| Delivering website design and digital marketing services | Business details, brand assets, project specs | Contract performance |
| Sending service quotes and proposals | Name, email, business info | Legitimate interest / Contract |
| Sending marketing emails and newsletters | Name, email address | Consent |
| Processing blog comments | Name, email, comment text | Consent / Legitimate interest |
| Improving our website and services | Usage data, session data, analytics | Legitimate interest |
| Analysing traffic and user behaviour | IP address, browser data, usage data | Legitimate interest / Consent |
| Communicating project updates to clients | Name, email, phone, WhatsApp | Contract performance |
| Complying with legal obligations | Any data required by applicable law | Legal obligation |
| Preventing fraud and ensuring security | IP address, usage data | Legitimate interest |
⚖️ Legal Basis for Processing
Phil Media processes your personal data in compliance with the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 (NDPA) and, where applicable, international data protection standards including the GDPR for visitors from the European Union or United Kingdom.
The lawful bases on which we rely are:
- Consent — where you have freely given, specific, informed, and unambiguous agreement to processing. You have the right to withdraw consent at any time without affecting the lawfulness of processing before withdrawal.
- Contract performance — where processing is necessary to perform a contract with you (e.g. delivering a website design project you commissioned).
- Legitimate interests — where we have a genuine business reason for processing that does not override your rights and freedoms. For example, analysing website traffic to improve our services.
- Legal obligation — where processing is necessary to comply with a law applicable to us in Nigeria or another jurisdiction.
Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 (NDPA): Phil Media is committed to full compliance with the NDPA and the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) regulations. If you are a Nigerian data subject, you have the rights described in Section 10 of this policy.
🍪 Cookies & Tracking Technologies
Our website uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience, analyse site usage, and support our marketing activities.
5.1 What Are Cookies?
Cookies are small text files stored on your device by your browser when you visit a website. They help websites remember your preferences and understand how you interact with the site.
5.2 Cookies We Use
| Cookie Type | Purpose | Duration | Essential? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strictly Necessary | Enable core website functions (security, login sessions, form submissions) | Session | Yes — cannot be disabled |
| Functional / Preferences | Remember your preferences and settings across visits | Up to 1 year | No |
| Analytics (Google Analytics) | Collect anonymised data about how visitors use our site to help us improve it | Up to 2 years | No |
| Marketing / Advertising | Track visits and conversions from paid advertising campaigns (Meta Pixel, Google Ads) | Up to 90 days | No |
| WordPress CMS Cookies | Session management, comment authentication, admin login | Session / 1 year | Yes (for functionality) |
5.3 Managing Cookies
You can control and manage cookies through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to refuse, delete, or be notified about cookies. Note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of our website.
- Google Chrome: Settings → Privacy and Security → Cookies
- Mozilla Firefox: Settings → Privacy & Security → Cookies and Site Data
- Safari: Preferences → Privacy → Manage Website Data
- Microsoft Edge: Settings → Cookies and Site Permissions
To opt out of Google Analytics specifically, you can install the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.
🔗 Third-Party Services We Use
We use trusted third-party tools and platforms to operate our website and deliver our services. These providers may process some of your data as part of their service to us. We only work with providers who maintain appropriate data protection standards.
| Service Provider | Purpose | Data Processed | Privacy Policy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Analytics | Website traffic analysis | Anonymised usage data, IP address | View → |
| Google Fonts | Typography rendering on website | IP address (brief, on font load) | View → |
| Meta (Facebook/Instagram) Pixel | Ad conversion tracking and retargeting | IP address, browser data, page views | View → |
| WhatsApp (Meta) | Client communication and enquiries | Phone number, message content | View → |
| WordPress (Automattic) | Content management system powering our website | User data, comments, session data | View → |
| Elementor | Website page builder | Form submissions, usage data | View → |
| Hosting Provider | Website hosting and server infrastructure | Server logs, IP addresses | Refer to your hosting provider's policy |
| Email Service Provider | Sending newsletters and transactional emails | Name, email address | Refer to your ESP's policy |
⚠️ Note: We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for their own marketing purposes. Third-party services listed above only receive data necessary for the specific function they perform.
🤝 Data Sharing & Disclosure
We do not sell your personal data. We may share your information only in the following limited circumstances:
- Service delivery partners — trusted contractors or freelancers who assist in delivering your project (e.g. a copywriter or developer working under Phil Media's supervision). These parties are bound by confidentiality agreements and may only use your data for the specific task assigned.
- Legal compliance — if required by Nigerian law, a court order, or a request from a legitimate government authority, we may disclose data to comply with our legal obligations.
- Protection of rights — where necessary to prevent fraud, protect the safety of individuals, or defend the legal rights of Phil Media.
- Business transfers — in the unlikely event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets involving Phil Media, your data may be transferred as part of that transaction. You will be notified via email or a prominent notice on our website before any such transfer occurs.
- With your explicit consent — in any other case not covered above, we will only share your data after obtaining your clear and informed consent.
🗂️ Data Retention
We retain your personal data only for as long as is necessary for the purposes it was collected, or as required by law. The following retention periods apply:
| Data Type | Retention Period | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Enquiry and contact form data | 12 months from last contact | Follow-up and business records |
| Active client project data | Duration of project + 3 years | Contract performance and dispute resolution |
| Invoice and financial records | 7 years | Tax and legal compliance (FIRS requirements) |
| Newsletter subscriber data | Until unsubscription + 30 days | Email marketing |
| Blog comment data | Duration the comment exists on the site | Publication and moderation |
| Website analytics data | Up to 26 months (Google Analytics default) | Performance analysis |
| WhatsApp conversation data | As governed by WhatsApp's own retention policy | Communication record |
When data is no longer required, we securely delete or anonymise it. Anonymised data (which cannot identify you) may be retained indefinitely for statistical analysis.
🔐 Data Security
We take the security of your personal data seriously and have implemented reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect it from unauthorised access, loss, misuse, disclosure, or alteration.
- SSL/TLS encryption — our website uses HTTPS, encrypting all data transmitted between your browser and our server.
- Access controls — access to personal data is restricted to authorised personnel who need it to carry out their responsibilities.
- Secure hosting — our website is hosted on a secure server with regular security updates and monitoring.
- Regular updates — we keep our WordPress installation, plugins, and themes updated to protect against known vulnerabilities.
- Password policies — administrative access is protected with strong passwords and, where possible, two-factor authentication.
- Data minimisation — we only collect the data we genuinely need, reducing the risk associated with data breaches.
⚠️ Important: Despite our best efforts, no method of internet transmission or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your personal data, we cannot guarantee absolute security. In the event of a data breach that poses a risk to your rights and freedoms, we will notify you and the relevant authorities as required by law.
✅ Your Rights
Under the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 (NDPA) and applicable international data protection law, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:
Right of Access
You have the right to request a copy of the personal data we hold about you and information about how we use it.
Right to Rectification
If your data is inaccurate or incomplete, you have the right to request that we correct or update it without undue delay.
Right to Erasure
Also known as the "right to be forgotten." You can request that we delete your personal data where there is no compelling reason to continue processing it.
Right to Restriction
You can request that we temporarily pause processing of your data — for example, while accuracy is contested or an objection is being considered.
Right to Data Portability
Where processing is based on consent or a contract, you have the right to receive your data in a structured, commonly used, machine-readable format.
Right to Object
You can object to processing based on legitimate interests, including direct marketing. We will stop processing unless we have compelling grounds to continue.
Right to Withdraw Consent
Where processing relies on your consent, you may withdraw it at any time. Withdrawal does not affect the lawfulness of processing before withdrawal.
Right to Lodge a Complaint
If you believe we have violated your data rights, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) at ndpc.gov.ng.
How to Exercise Your Rights
To exercise any of the rights above, please contact us using the details in Section 16. We will respond to all valid requests within 30 days. We may need to verify your identity before fulfilling a request to protect the security of your data.
There is no charge for most requests, unless your request is clearly unfounded, repetitive, or excessive — in which case we may charge a reasonable administrative fee or decline the request.
👶 Children's Privacy
Our website and services are not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 13.
If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information without your consent, please contact us immediately at philmedia01@gmail.com. We will take prompt steps to delete such information from our records.
In Nigeria, where parental oversight is a cultural and legal priority, we take this commitment especially seriously and encourage parents to supervise their children's online activity.
🌍 International Data Transfers
Phil Media is based in Nigeria. However, some of the third-party services we use (such as Google Analytics, Meta, and our hosting provider) may store and process data on servers located outside Nigeria — including in the United States and European Union.
Where your data is transferred internationally, we ensure that:
- The receiving country provides an adequate level of data protection, or
- Appropriate safeguards are in place — such as standard contractual clauses, binding corporate rules, or the recipient being certified under a recognised data protection framework.
- You are informed of such transfers through this policy and, where required, your consent is obtained.
By using our website and services, you acknowledge and consent to such international transfers as described above, subject to the protections noted.
🔍 Links to Other Websites
Our website and blog posts may contain links to third-party websites, social media platforms, or external resources. These links are provided for your convenience and information only.
Phil Media does not control and is not responsible for the privacy practices or content of any external sites. When you click on a third-party link, that site's own privacy policy will govern the collection and use of your information. We strongly encourage you to read the privacy policy of every website you visit.
The inclusion of a link on our website does not imply endorsement of the linked site by Phil Media.
💬 WhatsApp Communications
Phil Media uses WhatsApp as a primary communication channel for client enquiries, quotes, project updates, and support. When you initiate contact with us via WhatsApp:
- Your phone number, display name, and message content are shared with us through the WhatsApp platform.
- Conversations are stored within WhatsApp on both your and our devices in accordance with WhatsApp's own data retention and encryption policies.
- We may reference the content of your WhatsApp messages for the purpose of delivering your requested service or following up on a project.
- We will not share the content of your WhatsApp messages with third parties except as necessary to deliver your service or as required by law.
- You can review WhatsApp's privacy policy at whatsapp.com/legal/privacy-policy.
Opt-out: If you no longer wish to receive communications from us via WhatsApp, simply reply "STOP" or send us a message to that effect and we will remove you from our contact list promptly.
🔄 Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, services, legal requirements, or for other operational reasons. When we make significant changes, we will:
- Update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page.
- Post a prominent notice on our website homepage for at least 30 days after the change.
- Where required by law or where changes significantly affect your rights, notify you directly via email or WhatsApp.
We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we are protecting your information. Your continued use of our website or services after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
Archived versions of previous privacy policies are available upon request.
📩 Contact Us
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or the way we handle your personal data, please do not hesitate to reach out. We are committed to responding to all privacy-related enquiries within 30 days.
Regulatory Authority
If you are not satisfied with our response to your privacy concern, you have the right to escalate your complaint to the relevant data protection authority:
Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC)
Website: ndpc.gov.ng
For Nigerian residents and data subjects whose data is processed by Phil Media.