Privacy Policy

1) Information We Collect

• Account Data: name, username, phone/email, password hash, profile photo, bio, links.
• Content & Activity: posts (micro, long-form, threads), drafts, media, likes/saves, follows, comments (if enabled), messages (if messaging exists), and associated timestamps/metadata.
• Device & Technical: IP address, device IDs, app version, OS/browser, language, crash logs, diagnostics, approximate location (from IP), and cookies or similar technologies.
• Usage Analytics: views, reading time, screens visited, referral source, campaign tags; we may use in-house analytics or privacy-centric third parties.
• User Support: details you share in tickets/emails and related logs.

2) How We Use Information

• Provide and improve the Service, personalize feeds, and recommend content responsibly.
• Authentication, account security, fraud prevention, and abuse/spam moderation (which may involve automated checks).
• Analytics, research, A/B tests, and product development.
• Communications: service messages (e.g., security, changes), and—with your consent—marketing updates you can opt out of.
• Compliance with legal obligations and enforcement of our Terms.

3) Sharing & Disclosure

• Public Content: posts, profile info you set to public, and public interactions are viewable by others and may be indexed by search engines.
• Service Providers: hosting, analytics, push notifications, content delivery, moderation, payments—bound by confidentiality and data-processing terms.
• Legal/Protection: to comply with law, respond to lawful requests, or protect rights, safety, and security.
• Business Transfers: as part of a merger, acquisition, or asset sale, with notice where required.

4) Cookies & Similar Technologies

We use cookies, SDKs, and local storage to remember preferences, keep you logged in, measure usage, and improve performance. Where required, we’ll ask for consent and provide controls to manage non-essential cookies.

5) Data Retention

We retain information for as long as needed to provide the Service, comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce agreements. You can delete content; residual copies may persist in backups for a limited period.

6) Your Rights

• Access & Correction: view and fix your profile and content data in-app or by contacting us.
• Deletion: request account deletion; we’ll delete or anonymize data unless retention is legally required.
• Consent & Preferences: manage marketing emails/notifications and certain analytics/cookies.
• Portability & Objection (where applicable): request a copy or object to certain processing.

Depending on your region, you may have additional rights (e.g., under India’s Digital Personal Data Protection Act, GDPR in the EEA/UK, or CCPA/CPRA in California). We honor applicable local rights and will verify your request before acting.

7) India (DPDP Act) Notes

• We are a “Data Fiduciary” for personal data we process. Purposes include providing the Service, security, and compliance.
• You may withdraw consent for optional features at any time (this won’t affect lawful processing already performed).
• Grievance redressal: contact us using the details below; we aim to resolve within reasonable timelines required by law.

8) Security

We employ technical and organizational measures (encryption in transit, access controls, monitoring). No method is 100% secure; please use a strong password, enable available protections, and report suspicious activity.

9) Children’s Privacy

The Awaken Buddha is not directed to children under the age required by local law (e.g., 13). If we learn we’ve collected data from a child without appropriate consent, we’ll take reasonable steps to delete it.

10) International Transfers

Your data may be processed in countries other than your own. Where required, we use appropriate safeguards for cross-border transfers.

11) Third-Party Links & Embeds

Content on The Awaken Buddha may link to external sites or include embeds (e.g., videos). Their privacy practices are governed by their own policies.

12) Changes to This Policy

We may update this Policy to reflect changes to our practices or legal requirements. We’ll update the “Effective” date and, where appropriate, provide additional notice.

13) Contact Us

Questions or requests about privacy? Reach us at editor@theawakenbuddha.com or by mail at The Awaken Buddha Labs Pvt. Ltd., Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India.

This page is provided for general informational purposes and is not legal advice. Please consult your counsel to adapt for your exact features, data flows, and jurisdictional requirements.