IMPORTANT: This is placeholder content. You MUST consult with a legal professional to draft your actual Privacy Policy, ensuring compliance with Indian laws like the IT Act, 2000 and its rules (e.g., SPDI Rules).
1. Introduction
Apna Consultant ("Platform", "we", "us", "our") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our website, services, and applications (collectively, the "Services"). Please read this policy carefully. If you do not agree with the terms of this privacy policy, please do not access the site.
This policy is intended to comply with applicable Indian laws, including the Information Technology Act, 2000, and the Information Technology (Reasonable Security Practices and Procedures and Sensitive Personal Data or Information) Rules, 2011 ("SPDI Rules").
2. Information We Collect
We may collect information about you in a variety of ways. The information we may collect on the Site includes:
Personal Data: Personally identifiable information, such as your name, email address, phone number, organization name (for clients), area of consultancy (for consultants), and other details you provide when you register for an account or interact with our Services. If you provide sensitive personal data or information (SPDI) as defined under Indian law, we will handle it in accordance with applicable legal requirements.
Derivative Data: Information our servers automatically collect when you access the Site, such as your IP address, browser type, operating system, access times, and the pages you have viewed directly before and after accessing the Site.
Financial Data: We currently do not process payments directly. Any financial transactions between users are managed outside our Platform. Should this change, this section will be updated.
User Content: Information you post to the Services, such as consultant profiles, client requirements, messages, and feedback.
3. How We Use Your Information
Having accurate information about you permits us to provide you with a smooth, efficient, and customized experience. Specifically, we may use information collected about you via the Site to:
- Create and manage your account.
- Facilitate connections between Clients and Consultants.
- Email you regarding your account or order.
- Improve the efficiency and operation of the Site.
- Monitor and analyze usage and trends to improve your experience with the Site.
- Notify you of updates to the Site.
- Offer new products, services, and/or recommendations to you.
- Prevent fraudulent transactions, monitor against theft, and protect against criminal activity.
- Comply with legal and regulatory requirements.
4. Disclosure of Your Information
We may share information we have collected about you in certain situations. Your information may be disclosed as follows:
- By Law or to Protect Rights: If we believe the release of information about you is necessary to respond to legal process, to investigate or remedy potential violations of our policies, or to protect the rights, property, and safety of others, we may share your information as permitted or required by any applicable law, rule, or regulation. This includes exchanging information with other entities for fraud protection and credit risk reduction.
- Third-Party Service Providers: We may share your information with third parties that perform services for us or on our behalf, including data analysis, email delivery, hosting services, customer service, and marketing assistance.
- Interactions with Other Users: If you interact with other users of the Site (e.g., a Client posting a requirement or a Consultant applying for one), those users may see your name, profile photo, and descriptions of your activity, including your area of consultancy or organization name.
- Business Transfers: We may share or transfer your information in connection with, or during negotiations of, any merger, sale of company assets, financing, or acquisition of all or a portion of our business to another company.
- With Your Consent: We may disclose your personal information for any other purpose with your consent.
5. Data Security
We use administrative, technical, and physical security measures to help protect your personal information. While we have taken reasonable steps to secure the personal information you provide to us, please be aware that despite our efforts, no security measures are perfect or impenetrable, and no method of data transmission can be guaranteed against any interception or other type of misuse.
6. Data Retention
We will retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law (such as tax, accounting, or other legal requirements).
7. Your Rights and Choices
Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have certain rights regarding your personal information. In India, these rights may include:
- The right to access and review the personal information we hold about you.
- The right to correct or update any inaccurate or deficient personal information.
- The right to withdraw consent for the use of your personal information (where consent is the basis for processing). Withdrawal of consent may affect your ability to use certain Services.
- The right to data portability (if applicable).
- The right to be forgotten or request erasure of your data (subject to legal limitations).
To exercise these rights, please contact us using the contact information provided below.
8. Cookies and Tracking Technologies
We may use cookies, web beacons, tracking pixels, and other tracking technologies on the Site to help customize the Site and improve your experience. For more information on how we use cookies, please refer to our Cookie Policy (if applicable, or expand this section).
9. Third-Party Links
The Site may contain links to third-party websites and applications of interest, including advertisements and external services, that are not affiliated with us. Once you have used these links to leave the Site, any information you provide to these third parties is not covered by this Privacy Policy, and we cannot guarantee the safety and privacy of your information.
10. Children's Privacy
Our Services are not directed to individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18. If we become aware that a child under 18 has provided us with personal information, we will take steps to delete such information.
11. Grievance Officer
In accordance with the Information Technology Act, 2000 and rules made thereunder, the name and contact details of the Grievance Officer are provided below:
Name: [Name of Grievance Officer]
Email: grievance@apnaconsultant.com
Address: [Your Company's Registered Address, India]
(Please specify working hours for contact)
The Grievance Officer shall acknowledge the complaint within twenty-four hours and dispose of such complaint within a period of fifteen days from the date of its receipt.
12. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the "Last Updated" date. You are advised to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes.
13. Contact Information
If you have questions or comments about this Privacy Policy, please contact us at:
Apna Consultant
[Your Company's Email for Privacy Queries, e.g., privacy@apnaconsultant.com]
[Your Company's Registered Address, India]