Privacy Policy

01About this Notice

This Privacy Notice explains how E.A.K Global Group FZE ("EAK", "BlockDown", "we", "us" or "our") collects, uses, discloses, stores and protects personal data in connection with BlockDown Festival in Dubai, our websites, ticketing and registration channels, event applications, marketing activities, and our relationships with attendees, speakers, media, suppliers, business partners and other professional contacts (together, the "Services").

For the purposes of applicable data protection law, E.A.K Global Group FZE is the controller of the personal data described in this Notice. Service providers may process personal data on our documented instructions and under appropriate contractual, confidentiality and security requirements. Some third parties, such as payment providers, venue operators, event partners or public authorities, may instead act as independent controllers for their own purposes; where they do, their own privacy notices apply. We do not provide a general attendee contact list to sponsors, exhibitors, speakers, media, partners or other attendees.

This Notice is intended to support compliance with UAE Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021 Concerning the Protection of Personal Data (the "UAE PDPL") and other privacy laws that may apply to particular individuals or processing activities, including the EU General Data Protection Regulation and UK GDPR where applicable.

02Who We Are and How to Contact Us

Controller: E.A.K Global Group FZE

Registered address: Al Shmookh Business Center, One UAQ, UAQ Free Trade Zone, Umm Al Quwain 7072, United Arab Emirates

Privacy contact: privacy@eakglobal.com

If you have a privacy question, wish to exercise a right, or want to raise a concern, please contact us using the details above and write "Privacy Request" in the subject line.

03Scope of this Notice

This Notice applies when you:

• visit a BlockDown or EAK website, landing page or online registration page that links to this Notice;
• register for, purchase a ticket to, attend or participate in BlockDown Festival or a related official event;
• use an official event app, attendee portal, Wi-Fi service, badge or access-control feature provided by or for us;
• apply to speak, sponsor, exhibit, partner, volunteer, work with, supply or provide media coverage for the event;
• subscribe to updates, enter a promotion, complete a survey or communicate with us; or
• otherwise interact with EAK or BlockDown in a professional capacity.

A third-party website, platform, app, payment provider or social network may have its own privacy notice. This Notice does not govern an organisation's independent use of personal data where that organisation determines its own purposes and means of processing.

04Personal Data We May Collect

The personal data we collect depends on how you interact with us. It may include:

Identity and contact data

Name, title, email address, telephone number, country, city, postal or business address, profile photograph and social-media handle.

Professional data

Employer or organisation, job title, sector, seniority, professional biography, areas of interest, website, social profiles and business contact details.

Registration and ticket data

Ticket type, order and registration number, promo code, check-in status, access permissions, attendance history, session selections and accompanying guest details.

Payment and transaction data

Billing details, payment status, invoice and refund information and limited payment-card metadata. Full card details are processed directly by payment providers and are not stored by us.

Event participation data

Sessions attended, meetings requested or accepted, app activity, badge scans, competition entries, survey responses, feedback, customer-service interactions and professional networking preferences.

Business relationship data

Professional biography, headshot, presentation materials, application or contract details, deliverables, travel or logistics information, banking or tax details where necessary, and authorised representative information.

Images and recordings

Photographs, video, audio, livestream footage, interviews, testimonials and other recordings made at or in connection with the event.

Technical and usage data

IP address, device and browser information, identifiers, approximate location, website interactions, referring pages, cookie data, log data and security records.

Access, safety and special-requirement data

Emergency contact information and accessibility, dietary, allergy or other requirements you choose to provide. This information may reveal health, religious or other sensitive information.

Communications and preferences

Emails, messages, call notes, support requests, marketing choices, consent records and unsubscribe history.

Please do not provide sensitive personal data unless it is necessary for a stated purpose. If you provide personal data about another person, you must be authorised to do so and, where appropriate, make this Notice available to that person.

05How We Collect Personal Data

We may collect personal data:

• directly from you through forms, ticket purchases, applications, surveys, email, telephone, social media, meetings or in-person interactions;
• from a person or organisation booking on your behalf, such as your employer, colleague, guest host, speaker agency or travel coordinator;
• from ticketing, payment, event-technology, registration, analytics, advertising, communications and customer-relationship platforms;
• from venues, event partners, contractors and service providers where they collect or process information for EAK in connection with the event;
• from publicly available professional sources, such as company websites, conference programmes and professional social networks; and
• automatically when you use our websites, online services, event app, Wi-Fi or other technology, including through cookies and similar technologies.

06Why We Use Personal Data and Our Legal Grounds

We use personal data only for specified purposes and on a legal ground available under the law that applies to the processing. Depending on the circumstances, the relevant ground may be your consent, performance of or steps connected with a contract, compliance with a legal obligation, protection of public or individual interests, establishment or defence of legal claims, or our legitimate interests where that ground is recognised and those interests are not overridden by your rights.

Registration and ticketing

How we use data: To process orders, issue tickets and credentials, manage admissions, changes, transfers, refunds and customer support.

Legal ground(s): Contract; consent or another permitted ground where required.

Event delivery and logistics

How we use data: To plan attendance, manage access, scheduling, seating, speakers, event stakeholders, meetings, catering, accessibility and event communications.

Legal ground(s): Contract; consent for sensitive data; legitimate interests where permitted.

Safety, security and fraud prevention

How we use data: To protect people, systems, premises and property; verify credentials; prevent misuse, fraud and security incidents; and respond to emergencies.

Legal ground(s): Legal obligations; public or vital interests where applicable; legitimate interests where permitted.

Networking and app features

How we use data: To create profiles, recommend connections, enable meetings or messaging and display information according to your settings.

Legal ground(s): Contract and/or consent, depending on the feature.

Speakers and business partners

How we use data: To review applications, manage contracts and deliver agreed services, content, publicity, logistics and relationship management.

Legal ground(s): Pre-contract steps; contract; consent; legitimate interests where permitted.

Photography, filming and content

How we use data: To document, livestream, report on and promote BlockDown and related EAK activities, subject to the recording arrangements described below.

Legal ground(s): Consent where required; legitimate interests where permitted; contract for commissioned contributors.

Marketing and professional outreach

How we use data: To send news, event announcements, offers and invitations, maintain professional relationships and measure engagement.

Legal ground(s): Consent or another ground permitted by applicable direct-marketing law; legitimate interests where permitted.

Website and service operation

How we use data: To provide and secure websites and online services, remember settings, troubleshoot, analyse performance and improve user experience.

Legal ground(s): Contract; legitimate interests where permitted; consent for non-essential cookies where required.

Analytics and improvement

How we use data: To understand attendance, engagement and campaign performance, improve programming and services, and create aggregated reports and insights.

Legal ground(s): Legitimate interests where permitted; consent where required. We use anonymous or aggregated data where reasonably possible.

Legal, regulatory and corporate purposes

How we use data: To keep required records, respond to authorities, enforce agreements, handle disputes, obtain advice, conduct audits and support a reorganisation or transaction.

Legal ground(s): Legal obligations; legal claims; contract; legitimate interests where permitted.

Where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time. Withdrawal does not affect processing carried out lawfully before withdrawal. Where we rely on legitimate interests, we assess the purpose, necessity and impact on individuals before processing.

07If You Do Not Provide Personal Data

Some information is required to register you, issue a ticket, meet security requirements, perform a contract or provide a requested service. If you do not provide required information, we may be unable to complete your registration, grant access, process a request or provide the relevant feature. Optional fields will be identified where practicable.

08Sensitive Personal Data and Special Requirements

Information about accessibility, health, allergies, dietary requirements or other special needs may be sensitive personal data. We request only information reasonably necessary to support you, limit access to personnel and providers who need it, and rely on explicit consent or another lawful ground available under applicable law. Please contact us if you prefer to discuss a requirement privately.

09Photography, Filming, Audio and Livestreaming

BlockDown is a public-facing industry event. Official photographers, videographers, production teams, accredited media, speakers and attendees may create photographs, video or audio in event areas. We may use official event recordings for livestreaming, reporting, archives, social media, editorial content and promotion of BlockDown, EAK and future editions.

We will use reasonable measures such as ticket terms, notices, signage and staff guidance to make official recording visible. Close-up interviews, testimonials, staged shoots and similar featured content may be subject to a separate release or consent process. If you have a concern about official close-up photography or filming, please speak to event staff or contact privacy@eakglobal.com. We will consider reasonable requests, but cannot guarantee exclusion from incidental crowd or background footage, third-party recordings or live broadcasts.

Accredited media and other attendees are responsible for their own recording activities and compliance with applicable law. Their independent use of content is governed by their own terms and privacy practices.

10Badges, Scanning and Networking

Your badge or digital credential may contain an identifier, QR code, NFC or similar technology. EAK and its authorised contractors may use it for check-in, access control, session capacity, security and other event operations.

EAK does not use badges or credentials to provide attendee contact details or a general attendee contact list to sponsors, exhibitors, speakers, media, partners or other attendees. If you independently choose to exchange a business card, contact details or social-media information with another person at the event, that exchange takes place directly between you and that person and is not a disclosure of the attendee list by EAK.

11Event App and Attendee Profiles

If an event app or attendee portal is offered, EAK and its authorised technology contractor may use your registration and profile information to provide access, schedules, notifications, networking features and event support.

By registering for the app and creating a profile, you consent to your profile being visible to other registered app users based on the information you provide. This may include your name, job title, company, profile photograph, biography, interests and any other details you choose to add.

We do not provide or export the general attendee contact list to sponsors, exhibitors, speakers, media, partners or other attendees. The visibility of individual profiles within the app does not constitute disclosure of the general attendee database. Your email address, telephone number or other private contact details will not be visible unless you choose to include or share them through an app feature.

12Marketing and Communications

We may send operational communications that are necessary for your registration or participation, such as ticket confirmations, access instructions, schedule changes, safety information and service messages. These are not promotional messages, although they may contain information relevant to the event.

We may send promotional emails, messages or invitations where you have consented or where another lawful ground is available under applicable law. You can unsubscribe using the link in an email, follow the opt-out instructions in a message, adjust available preference settings, or contact privacy@eakglobal.com. Opting out of marketing will not stop essential service communications connected with an active registration, contract or request.

We will not send promotional SMS or similar electronic marketing to a UAE number without the consent and other conditions required by applicable UAE telecommunications rules.

13Cookies and Similar Technologies

Our websites and online services may use cookies, pixels, software development kits and similar technologies. These may be used to:

• operate essential functions, maintain security, prevent fraud and remember your choices;
• measure traffic, performance and how visitors use our services;
• personalise content and understand campaign effectiveness; and
• support advertising or social-media features where enabled.

Where required, we ask for consent before using non-essential technologies and do not activate them until consent has been obtained. You can manage or withdraw your choices through the cookie banner or settings made available on the relevant website and through your browser. The cookie settings panel available from the website identifies the technologies currently in use, their providers, purposes, categories and durations. Because website tools may change, that panel is the current cookie inventory. Blocking some technologies may affect service functionality.

14When We Share Personal Data

We may disclose personal data, only as reasonably necessary and subject to appropriate controls, to:

• authorised EAK personnel supporting BlockDown;
• ticketing, registration, payment, customer-relationship, communications, website hosting, cloud storage, analytics, advertising, survey, app, badge, access-control and IT-security providers;
• the venue, security, production, audio-visual, photography, catering, accessibility, travel, accommodation and other event contractors;
• banks and payment-service providers; and
• government authorities, regulators, courts, law-enforcement agencies and other parties where disclosure is required or permitted by law or necessary to protect rights, safety and security.

We do not sell, rent, trade or provide a general attendee contact list to sponsors, exhibitors, speakers, media, community partners, other attendees or other third parties. Service providers acting on our instructions may access personal data only as necessary to provide authorised services, and we require them to protect it and comply with applicable legal and contractual requirements. Recipients acting as independent controllers are responsible for their own processing and privacy information. Before appointing a material ticketing, registration, event-app or similar provider, we assess its role, put appropriate contractual safeguards in place and update this Notice where the arrangement materially changes the processing described here. We may disclose individual records to advisers or public authorities only where legally necessary or otherwise permitted by law; this is not disclosure of the attendee list for marketing.

15International Transfers

BlockDown operates internationally and uses global service providers. Personal data may therefore be accessed, stored or processed outside the UAE or outside the country in which you are located. Those countries may have different data protection laws.

Where required, we use an approved transfer mechanism or another lawful basis for the transfer. Depending on the applicable law and circumstances, safeguards may include an adequacy decision, contractual protections, standard contractual clauses, transfer risk assessments, explicit consent, or a transfer necessary for a contract, legal claim or another legally recognised purpose. We also apply organisational and technical controls appropriate to the nature of the data and transfer. You may contact us for information about the relevant categories of recipients, destination countries and safeguards, subject to lawful confidentiality restrictions.

16How Long We Keep Personal Data

We keep personal data only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, including event delivery, relationship management, legal, accounting, tax, reporting, security and dispute-resolution requirements. We consider the nature and sensitivity of the data, risk of harm, purpose, available alternatives and applicable limitation or retention periods.

Typical retention periods are:

Registration and event-operation records

For the event cycle and normally up to 24 months after the event, unless needed longer for a contract, incident, claim or legal requirement.

Contracts, invoices and transaction records

For the period required by applicable accounting, tax and corporate laws, commonly up to seven years.

Marketing contacts and consent records

Until you opt out or consent is withdrawn, and thereafter a limited suppression record; inactive contacts are reviewed and deleted or anonymised under our retention process.

Accessibility, health or dietary information

Only for as long as needed to support the event and address related incidents or legal requirements, then deleted or minimised.

Customer service and business correspondence

Normally up to three years after the last substantive interaction, unless a longer period is justified.

Official event photographs and recordings

For as long as reasonably relevant to event reporting, archives and promotion, subject to applicable rights, releases and legal grounds.

Technical and security logs

For a limited period proportionate to operational and security needs, unless retained for an investigation or legal requirement.

When data is no longer needed, we delete it, anonymise it or place it beyond active use in accordance with our retention and backup processes. Anonymous or aggregated information that no longer identifies an individual may be retained for longer.

17Security

We use reasonable and appropriate technical and organisational measures designed to protect personal data against accidental or unlawful destruction, loss, alteration, unauthorised disclosure or access. Measures may include access controls, least-privilege permissions, encryption where appropriate, secure configurations, backups, staff confidentiality obligations, supplier due diligence, monitoring and incident-response procedures.

No transmission or storage system is completely secure. If a personal data breach occurs, we will investigate, mitigate and make notifications to affected individuals and competent authorities where required by applicable law.

18Automated Decision-Making

We do not currently use personal data to make decisions based solely on automated processing that produce legal or similarly significant effects. Event tools may use automated matching or recommendations to suggest sessions, content or professional connections. These features are intended to assist your choices and do not make binding decisions about you. If this changes, we will provide any additional notice and choices required by law.

19Your Rights and Choices

Subject to the conditions, exceptions and scope of applicable law, you may have the right to:

• receive information about how your personal data is processed and request access to it;
• request correction of inaccurate personal data or completion of incomplete data;
• request deletion of personal data in certain circumstances;
• request restriction or cessation of certain processing;
• object to direct marketing and, where applicable, other processing based on legitimate interests;
• withdraw consent at any time where processing is based on consent;
• receive personal data you provided in a structured, commonly used, machine-readable format and request transfer where applicable;
• object to or request human review of certain solely automated decisions; and
• submit a complaint to a competent data protection authority.

To exercise a right, email privacy@eakglobal.com. Please describe your request and the interaction or event to which it relates. We may request information reasonably necessary to verify identity and protect personal data from unauthorised disclosure. We will respond within the period required by applicable law. Rights are not absolute, and we may retain or continue processing information where the law permits or requires us to do so. We will explain a refusal or limitation where required.

20Complaints

We encourage you to contact us first so that we can try to resolve your concern. You may also have the right to submit a complaint to the UAE Data Office under the UAE PDPL or to another competent supervisory authority in the country where you live, work or believe a violation occurred, where applicable.

21Children

Our business-facing websites, registration channels and professional networking services are not directed to children under 18. We do not knowingly collect personal data from a child through those channels without appropriate authorisation. If a BlockDown activity permits minors, we will use an age-appropriate process and obtain parent or guardian authorisation where required. If you believe a child has provided personal data without appropriate authorisation, contact us so that we can investigate and take appropriate action.

22Third-Party Links and Social Media

Our Services may link to third-party websites, apps or social-media pages. Those services control their own processing and may collect personal data independently. Review their privacy notices before providing information. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of independent third parties.

23Changes to this Notice

We may update this Notice to reflect changes in law, technology, vendors or our practices. We will post the updated version with a revised "Last updated" date and provide additional notice or seek consent where required for a material change.

24Contact

Privacy enquiries and rights requests: privacy@eakglobal.com

E.A.K Global Group FZEAl Shmookh Business CenterOne UAQ, UAQ Free Trade ZoneUmm Al Quwain, United Arab Emirates