Privacy & Data Protection
We translate the Saudi Personal Data Protection Law, its Implementing Regulations and the Personal Data Transfer Regulations into an operating privacy system: defined processing activities, accountable owners, controlled sharing, usable rights procedures, defensible supplier terms and tested incident-response decision-making.
Begin with the processing, not the template
Privacy compliance is an operating model. We map what personal data is processed, why, by whom, for whose benefit, in which systems, from which locations and for how long. That map supports the legal analysis under the Personal Data Protection Law and its implementing instruments; it also exposes the contractual, security, employment and product decisions that a privacy notice alone cannot resolve.
The result should be a controlled record of processing and responsibility. Each material activity needs an owner, an identified purpose, a documented legal route, appropriate transparency, a retention position, security coordination and a method for responding to the people whose data is involved.
Product, supplier and data-sharing governance
Privacy decisions should be made before a product or supplier is locked in. We review the user journey, collection points, permissions, analytics, marketing, automated functions, data recipients and hosting model. Supplier and data-sharing terms should then match the facts rather than rely on a generic “data protection” clause.
For technology and AI systems, the privacy review connects to data provenance, model inputs and outputs, human oversight, cloud access, cybersecurity assurance and exit. Cross-border access is analysed under the Personal Data Transfer Regulations and any separate sector or technology conditions engaged by the actual architecture.
Rights, incidents and regulator-facing records
A privacy programme must work when challenged. Rights procedures need identity checks, internal routing, search capability, decision criteria and a record of the response. Incident procedures need legal and technical escalation, evidence preservation, fact development, decision ownership and a documented assessment of every applicable notification route.
We do not publish a universal deadline or outcome for a fact-dependent incident. The current instrument, scope and facts are checked at the time of the event.
Our work
We advise on privacy governance, processing inventories, notices and permissions, controller and processor arrangements, data sharing, product and marketing privacy, impact assessments, rights procedures, retention, cross-border access and transfers, supplier diligence, privacy aspects of AI, incident preparation and response, regulator-facing records and coordination with cybersecurity, cloud, employment and dispute-resolution work.
Saudi authority basis
The primary public source for this page is SDAIA’s official collection of the Personal Data Protection Law, its Implementing Regulations and the Personal Data Transfer Regulations. The current Arabic text controls the legal review; article-level conclusions are verified against the facts before advice is given.
Frequently asked questions
Which Saudi instruments govern personal data?
The starting point is the Personal Data Protection Law, together with its Implementing Regulations and the separate Personal Data Transfer Regulations. Other sector, cybersecurity, communications, employment and contractual rules may also apply to the same processing.
Does every privacy question have the same answer?
No. The answer depends on the data, purpose, parties, roles, affected individuals, systems, locations and sector. Those facts should be mapped before selecting a lawful route or drafting a notice.
How should an overseas-access question be reviewed?
Identify whether personal data leaves or is accessed from outside the Kingdom, the parties and locations involved, the purpose, safeguards, transfer mechanism, exceptions and any separate cloud or sector conditions.
What should a processor contract address?
It should reflect the actual processing and allocate instructions, confidentiality, security, subprocessors, assistance, incidents, return or deletion, audit evidence, transfers and regulatory cooperation.
How should a personal-data incident be handled?
Preserve facts and evidence, contain the event, identify affected processing and people, assess the applicable notification and communication rules, document the decision and coordinate privacy, cybersecurity, contractual and sector workstreams.
Tell us about your matter.
A few sentences are enough. We aim to respond within one business day. Please leave out confidential details at this stage.