Privacy Policy
How lookuae.com collects, uses, and protects your information.
1. Introduction
This Privacy Policy explains how lookuae.com (the "Platform", "we", "us", or "our") collects, uses, discloses, and protects your personal data when you browse, post, or respond to classifieds on our website and related services.
lookuae.com is an online classifieds marketplace operating in the United Arab Emirates and is governed by applicable UAE laws, including Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021 on the Protection of Personal Data ("PDPL") and related executive regulations.
By using lookuae.com, you agree to this Privacy Policy and our Terms of Use. If you do not agree, please do not use the Platform.
The data controller responsible for your personal data in connection with this Platform is:
- Entity name: Look UAE Classifieds FZ-LLC
- Registered address: Jumeirah Village Circle, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
- Trade / licence number: 000000
- Contact email: [email protected]
- Contact phone: +971 4 000 0000
If appointed, you may also contact our Data Protection Officer at [email protected].
2. User Data
We collect different categories of data about you depending on how you interact with lookuae.com. Some data is provided directly by you, some is generated automatically when you use the Platform, and some may be obtained from third parties in accordance with UAE law.
2.1 Account and Profile Data
Information you provide directly. When you create or manage an account, we may process:
- Full name or display name
- Email address and mobile number
- Password or login credentials (stored in encrypted form)
- Profile photo or avatar (if you upload one)
- Language preferences and communication preferences (for example, marketing opt-ins)
2.2 Verification and Compliance Data
To protect the Platform and comply with UAE regulations, we may request and process, where lawful and necessary:
- Copies or details of Emirates ID, passport, or other identification documents
- Trade licence details for business sellers
- Proof of address or other supporting documents
- Results of checks performed with third-party verification, anti-fraud, or sanctions-screening partners
2.3 Usage and Technical Data
When you access or use lookuae.com, we may automatically collect:
- Device information (device type, operating system, browser type and version)
- Log information (IP address, access dates and times, pages viewed, referring/exit pages)
- Interaction data (clicks, searches, filters used, saved ads, time spent on pages)
- App diagnostics and performance data if you use our mobile or web app components
We use this information to operate the Platform, improve user experience, secure our systems, and produce aggregated statistics that do not identify you personally.
2.4 Communication Data
If you contact us via our contact form, email, or support channels, we collect the content of your message and any information you choose to provide so we can respond and keep records of our communications with you.
2.5 Information we receive from other sources
Information from trusted partners. In some situations, we may receive personal data about you from third parties. This can include data from identity-verification providers, anti-fraud services, payment processors (where applicable), analytics providers, and other partners who support our operations.
For example, verification partners may confirm that your ID or trade licence is valid, or that a phone number belongs to you. Analytics and technical partners may provide aggregated or pseudonymised information about how users interact with the Platform, which helps us diagnose issues, keep the service secure, and improve performance.
Where we combine information from other sources with data we already hold, we treat the combined information as personal data and handle it in line with this Privacy Policy and applicable UAE data protection laws, including the PDPL.
2.6 How and why we use your information
Operating and improving the marketplace. We use the personal data described above to run the core features of lookuae.com, including creating and managing accounts, publishing and promoting your listings, and enabling buyers and sellers to communicate safely.
Legal, security, and compliance purposes. We also use your information to detect and prevent fraud or abuse, secure our systems, enforce our Terms of Use, and comply with our obligations under UAE law (for example, record-keeping and responding to lawful requests from authorities).
Personalisation and service quality. Where permitted, we may use your activity and preferences to customise the content you see (such as recommended categories or saved searches) and to improve the relevance and quality of search results across the Platform.
3. Ad Listings
As a classifieds marketplace, lookuae.com relies on the data you provide when creating or managing ads ("Listing Data"). This includes information necessary for buyers to find and evaluate your listings.
3.1 Listing Data We Collect
When you post or edit an ad, we may collect and display, as applicable:
- Ad title and description
- Category and sub-category (for example, vehicles, jobs, services, real estate)
- Photos, videos, and other media you upload
- Price, currency, and negotiability information
- Location associated with the ad (such as Emirate, city, neighbourhood)
- Contact options (for example, phone number, email, in-platform messaging)
- Any custom attributes for that category (for example, car year, property size, job type)
3.2 How We Use Listing Data
We use Listing Data to:
- Publish and promote your ad on lookuae.com and related placements
- Index your listing in search results and category pages
- Show key information to interested buyers so they can contact you
- Improve our search relevance and user experience
- Monitor for fraud, policy violations, or prohibited content
3.3 Moderation and Removal
We reserve the right, but not the obligation, to review listings and user-generated content to protect users and comply with UAE law. Where we reasonably suspect that content is fraudulent, misleading, illegal, or in breach of our Terms of Use, we may:
- Refuse to publish, edit, or remove the listing
- Limit, suspend, or close associated user accounts
- Inform affected users where appropriate
- Report suspected criminal activity to competent UAE authorities
4. Location Tracking
Location is an essential part of a classifieds marketplace, helping users find relevant items and services near them. We may process both approximate and precise location data, depending on your settings and permissions.
4.1 Approximate Location
We may infer an approximate location using:
- Your chosen city, Emirate, or area when posting or searching for ads
- Your IP address or general device region information
Approximate location helps us show you relevant listings and categories but normally does not pinpoint your exact address.
4.2 Precise Location
With your explicit consent (for example, through your browser or device prompt), we may access precise location data such as GPS coordinates. This is used to:
- Show listings near your current location
- Pre-fill location fields when posting an ad
- Improve search and map-based experiences
You can withdraw permission for precise location at any time via your device or browser settings. However, some location-dependent features may not work correctly without it.
4.3 Location Data and Privacy
We do not sell your location data. We use reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect location information and only retain it for as long as necessary for the purposes set out in this Policy or as required by UAE law.
5. Data Sharing in the UAE
We do not sell your personal data. We may share your information with carefully selected third parties and UAE authorities where necessary and lawful, in line with the PDPL.
5.1 Sharing with Other Users
When you post an ad, certain information is visible to other users, including Listing Data and the contact details you choose to display (for example, phone number or in-platform chat). Buyers who contact you may also see your display name and any information you choose to provide in messages.
5.2 Service Providers and Partners
We may share your data with trusted third parties that help us operate the Platform, such as:
- Hosting, cloud storage, and infrastructure providers
- SMS and email communication providers
- Analytics and error-monitoring services
- Payment service providers (where applicable)
- Identity verification, KYC/AML, and anti-fraud partners
These providers process your data only on our instructions and subject to appropriate contractual safeguards consistent with the PDPL.
5.3 UAE Authorities and Legal Obligations
We may disclose your information to competent UAE authorities, regulators, courts, or law enforcement where required or permitted by law, for example to:
- Comply with lawful requests, subpoenas, or court orders
- Protect our rights, property, or safety, or that of users or the public
- Investigate, prevent, or respond to suspected fraud, crime, or security incidents
5.4 Business Transfers
If we undergo a merger, acquisition, reorganisation, or sale of all or part of our business, your data may be transferred to the acquiring entity, which will continue to use it in accordance with this Privacy Policy and applicable UAE law.
5.5 International Transfers
Some of our service providers may be located outside the UAE. When we transfer personal data internationally, we take steps required by the PDPL, which may include:
- Transferring to jurisdictions approved as providing adequate protection; or
- Implementing appropriate safeguards, such as contractual clauses or equivalent measures.
You can contact us at [email protected] for more information about international transfers applicable to your data.
6. User Rights under the UAE PDPL
As a data subject under the PDPL, and subject to certain conditions and exemptions, you may have the following rights regarding your personal data:
- Right to be informed: To receive clear information about how we process your personal data, which we provide through this Privacy Policy and any additional notices at the point of collection.
- Right of access: To request confirmation as to whether we process your personal data and obtain a copy of such data.
- Right to rectification: To request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal data. You can often update your basic details directly via your account settings.
- Right to erasure: To request deletion of your personal data in specific circumstances, for example where it is no longer necessary for the purposes for which it was collected or where you have withdrawn consent and there is no other valid legal basis.
- Right to restriction: To request that we temporarily limit the processing of your data in certain situations, such as while we verify its accuracy.
- Right to object: To object to certain types of processing, including direct marketing, at any time.
- Right to data portability: Where applicable, to receive certain personal data in a structured, commonly used, machine-readable format and to transmit it to another controller.
- Right to withdraw consent: Where processing is based on your consent, you may withdraw that consent at any time without affecting the lawfulness of processing based on consent before withdrawal.
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us via our contact page or by email at [email protected]. We may ask you to verify your identity before responding to your request, in order to protect your privacy and security.
You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the competent supervisory authority in the UAE if you believe that your PDPL rights have been infringed. We encourage you to contact us first so that we can do our best to address your concerns.
7. Security and Data Retention
7.1 Security Measures
We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures designed to protect your personal data against unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, and destruction. These measures may include encryption, access controls, secure development practices, and regular security testing.
Despite these measures, no online platform can be completely secure. You are responsible for keeping your account credentials confidential and for notifying us promptly if you suspect any unauthorised access to your account.
7.2 Data Retention Periods
We retain your personal data only for as long as reasonably necessary to fulfil the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements.
- Listings: Active listings remain visible while they are live. When a listing is removed or expires, we may retain Listing Data for up to 12 months for purposes such as fraud prevention, dispute resolution, and compliance with UAE record-keeping requirements, unless a longer or shorter period is required by law.
- Accounts: If you close your account, we will deactivate your profile and remove listings from public view. We may retain certain Account Data for up to 6 years or longer where required by law (for example, for tax, anti-money laundering, or legal defence purposes).
- Communications and logs: User-to-user messages, support tickets, and system logs may be stored for up to 2 years, or as necessary to investigate security incidents or enforce our terms.
Aggregated or anonymised information that no longer identifies you may be retained for longer periods for analytics, research, and business planning.
8. Messages and Marketing We Send You
Service and transactional messages. We may use your contact details to send you essential service communications, such as verification codes, notifications about your ads, security alerts, and updates to our terms and policies. These are part of running the Platform and you generally cannot opt out of them while keeping your account active.
Promotional and marketing updates. Where allowed by UAE law or with your consent, we may send you marketing messages about new features, offers, or services on lookuae.com that we think may be relevant to you based on your activity and preferences. You can manage your marketing choices at any time, for example by updating your account settings or using the unsubscribe options in our emails or SMS messages.
Turning off marketing communications will not affect your ability to receive important service messages, but it may mean you miss out on some offers, recommendations, or news about improvements to the Platform.
9. Children and Use of Our Services
Intended users. lookuae.com is designed for adults and is not intended for children below the age permitted by applicable UAE laws and guidance (for example, 18 years of age, unless local rules specify otherwise). We do not knowingly allow children who do not meet the minimum age requirement to create accounts or post listings without appropriate consent or authorisation.
Handling children’s data. If we become aware that we have collected personal data from a child in a way that is not permitted by law, we will take reasonable steps to delete that data and, where appropriate, close the related account or restrict access. If you believe a child has provided us with personal data, please contact us using the details in this Policy so that we can review the situation.
10. Links to Other Websites and Services
External sites we do not control. The Platform may contain links or integrations with third-party websites, apps, or services—for example, partner sites, external payment providers, social media pages, or content operated by advertisers and other businesses.
These third parties have their own privacy notices and security practices, which may differ from ours. This Privacy Policy does not apply to information collected by those external services, and we are not responsible for how they handle your personal data. We encourage you to review the privacy information provided by any third-party service you visit or use before sharing your data with them.
12. Changes and Contact
12.1 Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, legal requirements, or data protection practices. When we make material changes, we will take reasonable steps to notify you, for example by posting a prominent notice on lookuae.com or by emailing you (where appropriate).
Your continued use of lookuae.com after the effective date of any changes will constitute your acceptance of the updated Policy.
12.2 How to Contact Us
If you have any questions, requests, or complaints regarding this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal data, you can contact us using the details below:
- Contact form: /contact
- Email: [email protected]
- Postal address: Jumeirah Village Circle, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
- Attention: Data Protection Officer
