Privacy Policy.

01Who We Are and Where This Policy Applies

Donaldson Music Group (DMG) is an independent South African music administration, publishing and record label Solutions company, headquartered in Seshego, Polokwane, Limpopo. DMG acts as the parent company of a group of music-related subsidiary companies and brands (together, the “DMG Group”).

This Privacy Policy applies to the Site, to our Solutions, and to every website, platform, form or portal operated by DMG or any DMG Group company that links to this policy. Subsidiary companies do not need to publish their own privacy policy. By linking to this page, a DMG Group company adopts this policy, and DMG and that company will handle your personal information in line with it.

We process personal information in accordance with the South African Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA) and other applicable data protection laws.

02Information We Collect

We may collect the following types of information:

Personal Information: This includes information that can identify you as an individual, such as your name, email address, phone number, billing information, and any other information you provide voluntarily when you interact with our Site (for example, through forms, sign-ups or purchases). Depending on how you deal with us, it may also include:

• your stage name, legal name and WhatsApp contact number;
• links to your music, cloud storage folders and public profiles (such as Facebook, Spotify and YouTube) when you submit music to us;
• information about the music you create, including ownership, composer and split details;
• banking and payment details needed to pay royalties and process transactions;
• identity, tax or other documents we are legally required to hold; and
• the content of your communications with us, including email and messaging apps such as WhatsApp.

Non-Personal Information: This includes data that does not identify you personally, such as your browser type, device type, IP address, language preferences, referring URLs, and other technical details automatically gathered when you access our Site.

Cookies and Tracking Technologies: We may use cookies, web beacons, or similar technologies to enhance your user experience and track usage patterns on our Site. You can control cookie preferences through your browser settings.

Information from Third Parties: We may receive information about you and your music from digital service providers, collecting societies, distribution partners and other rights organisations where this is needed to deliver our Solutions.

03How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

• To provide and improve our Solutions and products.
• To review and respond to music submissions.
• To administer publishing, distribution, label and representation arrangements, including contracts, rights registration, reporting and royalty payments.
• To communicate with you, including responding to inquiries or providing support.
• To send you marketing communications (if you have opted in to receive them).
• To monitor and analyse trends and usage to improve the functionality of the Site.
• To detect, prevent and investigate fraud, misuse and security incidents.
• To comply with legal obligations or protect our rights and interests.

04Lawful Grounds for Processing

We only process personal information where the law allows us to. Depending on the situation, we rely on one or more of the following grounds: your consent; the need to conclude or perform a contract with you; a legal obligation that applies to us; or our legitimate interests, or those of a third party, where these are not outweighed by your rights. Where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

05How We Share Your Information

We do not sell or rent your personal information to third parties. However, we may share your information in the following circumstances:

Third-Party Providers: We may share your information with trusted third-party providers who help us operate the Site, host and store data, handle forms and email, process payments, or provide customer support. These providers are obligated to protect your data and may only use it for the purposes for which it was shared.

Industry Partners: We may share the information needed to deliver our Solutions with digital service providers, distribution partners, collecting societies and rights organisations.

DMG Group Companies: We may share information with other companies in the DMG Group, in line with this policy.

Legal Requirements: We may disclose your information if required to do so by law or in response to a legal request (for example, a subpoena or court order) or if we believe such action is necessary to comply with legal obligations, protect our rights, or prevent fraud or illegal activities.

Business Changes: If DMG or a DMG Group company is involved in a merger, acquisition or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction, subject to this policy.

06Transfers Outside South Africa

Some of our providers and industry partners are located outside South Africa, and music distribution is global by nature. Where we transfer your personal information to another country, we take reasonable steps to ensure it is protected to a standard comparable to the protection it receives under South African law.

07How Long We Keep Your Information

We keep personal information only for as long as it is needed for the purposes described in this policy, including to perform our contracts, keep accurate rights and royalty records, and meet legal, tax and accounting requirements. When information is no longer needed, we delete or de-identify it.

08Data Security

We take the security of your personal information seriously and use reasonable physical, electronic, and administrative safeguards to protect it. However, please note that no method of data transmission over the internet is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee its absolute security. If we become aware of a security compromise that affects your personal information, we will notify you and the Information Regulator as the law requires.

09Your Rights and Choices

You have certain rights regarding the information we collect about you:

Access and Update: You may access and update your personal information by contacting us or through your account settings on the Site.

Opt-Out: You can opt out of receiving marketing emails by following the unsubscribe instructions in the email or by contacting us directly.

Delete Your Data: You may request that we delete your personal data, subject to applicable legal obligations.

Object or Restrict: You may object to, or ask us to restrict, certain processing of your personal information, and you may withdraw any consent you have given.

Complain: If you believe we have not handled your personal information properly, please contact us first so that we can put it right. You also have the right to complain to the Information Regulator (South Africa) at inforegulator.org.za.

10Children’s Privacy

Our Site is not intended for children under the age of 18, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children without the consent of a parent or legal guardian. If you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a child, please contact us so that we can delete the information.

11Third-Party Links

Our Site may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or the content of these external sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party websites you visit.

12Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for other operational, legal, or regulatory reasons. When we update the policy, we will post the updated version on this page and update the “Effective Date” at the bottom of this policy.

13Contact Us

If you have a question about this policy, or want to exercise any of your rights, please reach out through our Contact page. Please mention the DMG Group company or website your question relates to, so that we can respond quickly.