Privacy Policy

1. Who we are & scope

Puthiya Kural Newspaper Publications is a Tamil media organization based in Scarborough, Ontario, Canada. We publish news, magazines and books, and provide digital, web, app and streaming services.

This Privacy Policy applies to personal information we collect through our Services. It does not apply to third-party websites, apps or platforms we link to or that carry our content (for example, app stores, social media pages, or a payment provider) — those have their own privacy policies, and we encourage you to read them.

We handle personal information in accordance with Canada’s Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and applicable Ontario privacy law.

2. Information we collect

a. Information you give us directly

• Contact & enquiry forms: when you use our contact form, we collect your name, email address, phone number (if provided), the service you’re interested in, and your message.
• Newsletter subscription: when you subscribe, we collect your email address.
• WhatsApp / phone / email: if you reach out through WhatsApp, phone or email, we receive the information you choose to share and a record of that correspondence.
• News tips, submissions & manuscripts: if you send us a story, press release, letter or manuscript, we collect whatever you include in it.

b. Information collected automatically

When you visit our website or use our apps, some information is collected automatically:

• Usage & log data: pages or articles viewed, links clicked, date and time of access, and referring pages.
• Device & technical data: IP address, browser type, operating system, device type and language settings.
• Cookies & similar technologies: small files that help the site function and help us understand how the Services are used (see Section 8).

c. Information from other sources

Our newsroom section may display headlines and links drawn from our own publication feed. This is our editorial content and does not involve collecting personal information about you.

3. Mobile app information

Our mobile apps may collect additional information specific to how apps work on your device:

• Device identifiers: such as an advertising or app-instance identifier, used to keep the app working reliably and, where enabled, to measure usage.
• Push notification tokens: if you allow notifications, we store a token so we can send you breaking news and updates. You can turn notifications off at any time in your device settings.
• App permissions: the app only requests permissions it needs (for example, network access for news and radio streaming, and storage if you save or download content). Some features may ask for optional permissions, which you can decline.
• Crash & performance data: anonymous diagnostic information that helps us fix bugs and improve stability.
• Streaming data: for the radio/streaming service, we may log which streams are played and for how long, to keep the service running and improve programming.

4. How we use your information

We use the information we collect to:

• Respond to your enquiries, requests and submissions;
• Send you newsletters, editions and updates you’ve subscribed to;
• Deliver news, articles, radio and streaming content across our website and apps;
• Send push notifications you’ve opted into;
• Operate, maintain, secure and improve our Services;
• Understand which content and features are useful to our community;
• Prevent fraud, abuse and misuse, and protect our users and our organization; and
• Comply with legal obligations.

We do not sell your personal information.

5. Consent & legal basis

We collect and use personal information with your consent, which may be express (for example, subscribing to our newsletter or opting into notifications) or implied (for example, sending us an email so we can reply). Where the law allows, we may also handle information without consent — for instance, to comply with a legal requirement or to protect our legitimate interests in running the Services securely.

You may withdraw your consent at any time, subject to legal and contractual limits, by contacting us using the details in Section 15. Withdrawing consent may mean we can no longer provide certain features (such as the newsletter).

6. Sharing & disclosure

We share personal information only in limited circumstances:

• Service providers: trusted vendors who help us operate the Services — for example, web and app hosting, email/newsletter delivery, analytics, push-notification and streaming providers — who may only use the information to perform services for us.
• Legal reasons: when required by law, court order, or to respond to a lawful request from a public authority, or to protect the rights, safety and property of our users, the public or Puthiya Kural.
• Business changes: if our organization is involved in a merger, acquisition or reorganization, information may be transferred as part of that transaction, subject to this policy.

We do not sell or rent your personal information to third parties for their own marketing.

7. Third-party services

Our Services rely on third-party providers who process some data on our behalf. Depending on the features you use, these may include hosting providers, an email/newsletter platform, website and app analytics, push-notification services, streaming/media delivery, and communication tools such as WhatsApp. Each provider handles data under its own privacy terms.

Our pages may also contain links to external websites (including news sources and social media). We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those sites.

8. Cookies & tracking

Our website uses cookies and similar technologies to:

• Keep the site working (essential cookies for basic functionality);
• Remember preferences such as language; and
• Measure usage so we can improve content and performance (analytics cookies).

You can control or delete cookies through your browser settings. Blocking some cookies may affect how parts of the site work. Our mobile apps use device-level identifiers rather than browser cookies; you can reset or limit these in your device’s privacy settings.

9. Data retention

We keep personal information only as long as needed for the purposes described in this policy, or as required by law. For example, we retain enquiry correspondence long enough to handle and follow up on your request, and newsletter details until you unsubscribe. When information is no longer needed, we take reasonable steps to delete or anonymize it.

10. How we protect your data

We use reasonable administrative, technical and physical safeguards to protect personal information against loss, theft, and unauthorized access, use or disclosure. Our website supports secure (HTTPS) connections. However, no method of transmission or storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

11. Your rights & choices

Subject to applicable law, you may:

• Access the personal information we hold about you;
• Correct information that is inaccurate or incomplete;
• Withdraw consent or ask us to stop certain uses of your information;
• Unsubscribe from our newsletter at any time using the link in our emails or by contacting us; and
• Turn off push notifications in your device settings.

To make a request, contact us using Section 15. We may need to verify your identity before acting. If you have a concern we can’t resolve, you may contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada.

12. Children’s privacy

Our Services are intended for a general audience and are not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will take steps to delete it.

13. International users

We are based in Canada, and your information is processed in Canada and, where our service providers operate, potentially in other countries. Those jurisdictions may have different data-protection laws than yours. Where required, we take steps to ensure your information receives appropriate protection.

14. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we’ll revise the “Last updated” date at the top of this page. For significant changes, we may provide additional notice through our Services. Your continued use of the Services after an update means you accept the revised policy.

15. Contact us

If you have questions, requests or concerns about this policy or your personal information, please contact us:

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