Privacy Policy

Last updated: 2026-04-29

  1. Introduction

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, store and protect information when you use our website and services, including our online classifieds, business listings, promoted listings and advertising platform (“Platform”).

The Platform is a global online classifieds and business listings service intended primarily for businesses, organisations, sole traders and their authorised representatives to publish, manage, promote and browse business listings and advertisements.

This Privacy Policy is provided for transparency and does not replace our Terms & Conditions. If you use the Platform on behalf of a business or organisation, you confirm that you are authorised to do so and that you have the right to provide any information submitted through the Platform.

  1. Data Controller

The data controller responsible for the processing of personal data is:

Paul George
Trading as: World Business Zone
Email: admin(a)world-business-zone.com
Address: 48 Grove Road WF1 1RL Wakefield Great Britain

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your privacy rights, you can contact us using the email address above.

  1. Information We Collect

We aim to minimise the amount of personal data we collect. However, depending on how you use the Platform, we may collect the following categories of information.

3.1 Information provided by users

This may include:

  • business name;
  • business contact email;
  • account email;
  • business telephone number, if provided;
  • business address, service area or location;
  • website or social media links, if provided;
  • business registration number, tax ID, VAT ID, GST number, ABN, EIN, CRN or similar business identifier, where provided or required;
  • listing content, including descriptions, images and other submitted materials;
  • advertising materials, banners, images, logos, links and promotional content submitted by users;
  • account login details, such as username, email address and password in encrypted or hashed form;
  • billing details, invoice details and payment-related information, where paid services are purchased;
  • business tax information, where required for invoicing, tax handling, fraud prevention or legal compliance;
  • messages, support requests, complaints or other communications sent to us;
  • any other information voluntarily submitted through the Platform.

3.2 Automatically collected data

When you access or use the Platform, we may collect limited technical and security-related information, including:

  • IP address;
  • browser type and version;
  • device information;
  • operating system;
  • approximate location derived from technical data, where applicable;
  • access dates and times;
  • pages viewed and actions taken on the Platform;
  • security logs;
  • registration, login and activation logs;
  • cookie identifiers and similar technologies, as described in our Cookie Policy.

3.3 Public listing and advertising information

Information submitted as part of a business profile, listing, promoted listing or advertisement may be published publicly on the Platform and may be visible to users worldwide.

This may include business contact details, descriptions, images, links, advertisements, banners and any other information submitted by the user for publication.

  1. Legal Basis for Processing

Where UK GDPR, EU GDPR or similar data protection laws apply, we rely on one or more of the following legal bases.

4.1 Contract

We process data where necessary to provide the Platform, create and manage accounts, publish listings, provide promoted listings or advertising features, process orders, provide requested services, and perform our Terms & Conditions.

4.2 Legitimate interests

We process data where necessary for our legitimate interests, including to:

  • operate, maintain and improve the Platform;
  • protect the Platform from abuse, fraud, spam and unauthorised access;
  • maintain security logs;
  • verify business accounts where appropriate;
  • respond to business enquiries;
  • review, approve, reject, moderate or remove listings, promoted listings and advertisements;
  • detect and prevent advertising abuse, fraud, misleading content or unlawful promotions;
  • enforce our Terms & Conditions;
  • manage technical errors and service reliability;
  • protect our legal rights and reputation.

Where we rely on legitimate interests, we consider and balance our interests against the rights and freedoms of affected individuals.

4.3 Consent

We rely on consent where required, including for certain non-essential cookies, analytics technologies, optional marketing communications, or optional features that require consent.

You may withdraw consent at any time where processing is based on consent.

4.4 Legal obligation

We may process data where necessary to comply with applicable laws, lawful requests, court orders, tax, accounting, regulatory or reporting obligations.

  1. How We Use Data

We use information for the following purposes:

  • to provide, operate and maintain the Platform;
  • to create, verify and manage user accounts;
  • to publish and display business listings;
  • to provide paid services, promoted listings and advertising features;
  • to process orders, billing, invoices, payments and payment-related support;
  • to allow users to manage their listings, promoted listings and advertisements;
  • to review, approve, reject, moderate or remove advertisements, promoted listings and other user-submitted content;
  • to maintain security and prevent abuse, spam, fraud or unauthorised access;
  • to detect and prevent advertising abuse, misleading content, unlawful promotions or unsafe external links;
  • to monitor performance, troubleshoot errors and improve usability;
  • to respond to enquiries, support requests, reports, complaints or disputes;
  • to send service-related messages, such as account activation, security, listing, payment, billing, advertising or administrative notifications;
  • to enforce our Terms & Conditions;
  • to comply with legal, tax, accounting or regulatory obligations.

We do not use account activation emails or other necessary service messages for marketing purposes.

  1. User-Generated Content, Public Listings and Advertisements

The Platform allows users to submit business listings, promoted listings, advertisements and other content. Information submitted in listings, profiles or advertisements may be publicly visible and accessible worldwide.

Users are responsible for ensuring that:

  • they have the right and authority to publish the submitted information;
  • the information is accurate, lawful and not misleading;
  • they do not publish personal data of individuals unless they have a lawful basis or permission to do so;
  • advertising materials, banners, images, logos and links do not infringe third-party rights;
  • linked websites are lawful, safe and not misleading;
  • the content complies with our Terms & Conditions and applicable laws.

We may remove, restrict, reject or edit listings, promoted listings or advertisements where we believe they may be unlawful, misleading, harmful, infringing, abusive, spam-related, unsafe, fraudulent or otherwise in breach of our Terms & Conditions.

  1. Data Sharing

We do not sell personal data.

We may share limited data where necessary with:

  • hosting providers;
  • website maintenance and technical service providers;
  • email delivery providers;
  • payment processors, where paid services are purchased;
  • billing, accounting or invoicing service providers;
  • security, anti-spam or fraud-prevention providers;
  • analytics providers, if enabled and where permitted;
  • map or location service providers, if used;
  • professional advisers, where necessary;
  • legal, regulatory or public authorities, where required by law or necessary to protect our rights.

Service providers are expected to process data only as necessary to provide their services to us and, where required, under appropriate data processing terms.

If third-party services are integrated into the Platform, such as maps, analytics, embedded content, payment tools or external links, those providers may process data according to their own privacy policies.

  1. Payments and Payment Providers

If you purchase paid services, such as promoted listings, featured placements, graphical advertisements or other advertising services, payment may be processed by third-party payment providers.

We may receive and store limited payment-related information, such as:

  • payment status;
  • transaction reference;
  • billing details;
  • invoice details;
  • service purchased;
  • payment date;
  • tax-related information.

We do not normally store full payment card details unless explicitly stated. Payment card details are usually processed directly by the payment provider.

Your use of a payment provider may be subject to that provider’s own terms and privacy policy.

  1. International Data Transfers

The Platform is intended for international use. Your data may be processed in the United Kingdom, the European Economic Area, or other countries where we or our service providers operate.

Where data protection laws require safeguards for international transfers, we use appropriate measures where applicable, such as:

  • adequacy regulations or adequacy decisions;
  • standard contractual clauses or equivalent transfer mechanisms;
  • contractual, technical and organisational safeguards.

Please note that data submitted in public business listings, promoted listings or advertisements may be accessible globally.

  1. International Users

The Platform is operated from the United Kingdom and is intended for international business use.

If you access the Platform from outside the United Kingdom, you understand that your information may be processed in the United Kingdom and in other countries where we or our service providers operate.

Data protection laws in these countries may differ from the laws in your country. Where required by applicable law, we use appropriate safeguards for international transfers.

You are responsible for ensuring that any business information, listing content, advertising content, contact details or external links you submit to the Platform may lawfully be published, displayed and accessed internationally.

  1. Data Retention

We retain data only for as long as necessary for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law.

Typical retention periods include:

  • Account data: for as long as the account exists and for a reasonable period after deletion where necessary for security, legal or dispute purposes;
  • Listings: for as long as they remain published or stored in the user account, and for a reasonable period after removal where necessary for moderation, legal, security or dispute purposes;
  • Advertising records: for as long as necessary to provide the advertising service and for a reasonable period afterwards for legal, moderation, security, reporting or dispute purposes;
  • Payment, billing and invoice records: for as long as required for tax, accounting, legal, dispute resolution and compliance purposes;
  • Security logs: for a limited period necessary to protect the Platform and investigate abuse;
  • Support communications: for as long as necessary to handle the request and maintain records of our response;
  • Legal records: for as long as required to comply with applicable laws or defend legal claims.

Where possible, we delete, anonymise or minimise data that is no longer needed.

  1. User Rights

Depending on your location and applicable law, you may have rights in relation to your personal data, including the right to:

  • request access to your personal data;
  • request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data;
  • request deletion of your personal data;
  • request restriction of processing;
  • object to processing based on legitimate interests;
  • withdraw consent where processing is based on consent;
  • request data portability;
  • lodge a complaint with a data protection authority.

To exercise your rights, contact us at:

admin(a)world-business-zona.com

We may need to verify your identity before responding to a request.

If you are located in the United Kingdom, you may also contact the UK Information Commissioner’s Office:

Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO)
Website: https://ico.org.uk/

If you are located in the European Economic Area, you may contact your local data protection authority.

  1. Additional Privacy Rights by Region

Depending on your location, you may have additional privacy rights under local laws. We will respond to valid privacy requests in accordance with applicable law.

13.1 United States and California

If you are located in the United States, including California, you may have rights under applicable state privacy laws, such as the right to know, access, correct or delete certain personal information, and the right to opt out of certain forms of data sharing or targeted advertising where applicable.

We do not sell personal data for money. We do not currently use personal data for targeted advertising or behavioural advertising.

If this changes, we will update this Privacy Policy and provide any required choices or opt-out mechanisms.

13.2 Canada

If you are located in Canada, you may have the right to access and correct your personal information and to ask questions about how your information is handled.

You may contact us using the details in this Privacy Policy. If you are not satisfied with our response, you may contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada or your relevant provincial privacy authority.

13.3 Australia

If you are located in Australia, you may have rights under the Privacy Act 1988, including the right to request access to or correction of your personal information.

If you have a privacy complaint, please contact us first so we can try to resolve it. If you are not satisfied with our response, you may contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.

13.4 New Zealand

If you are located in New Zealand, you may have rights under the Privacy Act 2020, including rights to access and correct your personal information.

13.5 Brazil

If you are located in Brazil, you may have rights under the Lei Geral de Proteção de Dados, including rights to access, correct, delete, anonymise or request information about the processing of your personal data, where applicable.

13.6 Other Regions

Users in other countries may also have privacy rights under local laws. We will consider and respond to privacy requests in accordance with applicable law.

  1. Do Not Track and Global Privacy Control

Some browsers or devices may offer “Do Not Track”, Global Privacy Control or similar privacy signals.

We do not currently use personal data for targeted advertising or behavioural advertising. If we introduce technologies that require recognition of opt-out preference signals under applicable law, we will update our practices and this Privacy Policy accordingly.

  1. Security

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures designed to protect information against unauthorised access, loss, misuse, alteration or disclosure.

These measures may include:

  • SSL/TLS encryption;
  • secure server configuration;
  • access controls;
  • password hashing;
  • security logging;
  • spam and abuse prevention;
  • regular updates and maintenance.

However, no website, server or method of transmission over the Internet is completely secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security.

  1. Cookies

We use cookies and similar technologies as described in our Cookie Policy.

Where required by law, non-essential cookies are used only with consent. You can manage cookie preferences through the cookie banner or settings available on the Platform, where applicable.

  1. Third-Party Services and Links

The Platform may use or link to third-party services, including:

  • map providers, such as OpenStreetMap or Google Maps;
  • analytics tools, if enabled;
  • hosting, security or content delivery services;
  • payment providers;
  • embedded content or external websites;
  • advertiser websites linked from user advertisements.

Third-party services may collect and process data independently according to their own privacy policies. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of third-party websites or services.

  1. Children

The Platform is intended for business use and is not directed to children.

Users must be at least 18 years old or the age of legal majority in their country of residence, whichever is higher, unless a different age requirement is stated in our Terms & Conditions.

We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If you believe that a child has provided personal data to us, please contact us so that we can take appropriate action.

  1. Marketing Communications

We do not send marketing communications unless you have opted in or unless otherwise permitted by applicable law.

Service-related messages, such as account activation, security notices, listing notifications, payment notifications, billing messages, advertising service messages or administrative messages, are not marketing communications and may be sent where necessary to provide and secure the Platform.

You can opt out of marketing communications at any time, where applicable.

  1. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, legal requirements or operational practices.

The updated version will be posted on this page with a revised “Last updated” date. Where required by law or where changes are material, we may provide additional notice.

  1. Contact

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, our data practices or your privacy rights, please contact:

Paul George
Trading as: World Business Zone
Email: admin(a)world-business-zone.com
Address: 48 Grove Road WF1 1RL Wakefield Great Britain