Privacy Policy
Last updated: October 4, 2026
This policy explains how Pointales (“we”, “us”) handles personal data when you visit pointales.com, contact us, or subscribe to our newsletter. We collect as little as we need.
Who is responsible
Pointales is operated by Pointales, Delhi, India, which is the data fiduciary (under India’s Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023) and data controller (under the EU General Data Protection Regulation) for the data described here.
Contact for privacy matters and grievances: Chander Prakash, Founder & Editor, [email protected].
What we collect and why
| Data | When | Purpose | Legal basis (GDPR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Name, email, message and any details you choose to share | When you use our contact, advertising or pitch forms, or email us | To read and reply to your message, and to handle advertising or contributor discussions | Your consent; our legitimate interest in replying; steps before entering a contract (advertising) |
| Email address | When you subscribe to our newsletter (once launched) | To send the newsletter you asked for | Your consent |
| Technical data: IP address, browser type, pages requested, timestamps | Every visit, in server and security logs | To deliver the site, keep it secure, and prevent abuse | Legitimate interest in security |
| Usage analytics: pages viewed, approximate location, device type | Only if you accept analytics cookies | To understand which content is useful | Your consent |
We do not sell personal data. We do not use your data for automated decision-making that has legal or similarly significant effects on you.
Cookies
We use only essential cookies unless you agree to analytics. You can change your choice at any time with the “Cookie settings” link in the footer. See our Cookie Policy.
Who we share data with
We use trusted service providers who process data on our behalf, under contracts that require them to protect it:
- Web hosting provider: stores the website and its server logs.
- Cloudflare: content delivery, security and protection from attacks.
- Email provider: delivers form notifications and our replies.
- Google Analytics: only if you consent to analytics.
- Newsletter provider: only if you subscribe (to be named here when the newsletter launches).
We may disclose data if required by law, or to protect our rights, our readers, or the public.
International transfers
Some providers process data outside India and the EU. Where we transfer EU personal data, we rely on appropriate safeguards such as the European Commission’s Standard Contractual Clauses. Transfers of Indian personal data follow the DPDP Act and any restrictions notified under it.
How long we keep data
- Form messages and related email: up to 24 months after our last contact, unless a longer period is needed for an ongoing partnership or legal obligation.
- Newsletter data: until you unsubscribe.
- Server and security logs: generally no longer than 90 days.
- Analytics data: according to the retention setting in Google Analytics (we use 14 months).
Your rights
In India (DPDP Act, 2023), you can:
- request a summary of your personal data and how it is processed,
- request correction, completion, updating or erasure of your data,
- withdraw consent at any time (this doesn’t affect processing done before withdrawal),
- nominate another person to exercise your rights in case of death or incapacity,
- raise a grievance with us. If you aren’t satisfied with our response, you may complain to the Data Protection Board of India.
In the EU/EEA (GDPR), you also have the right to access, rectify, erase, restrict or object to processing, to data portability, and to lodge a complaint with your local supervisory authority.
To use any of these rights, email [email protected] with the subject “Privacy request”. We will respond within 30 days, and may need to verify your identity first.
Children
Pointales is intended for adults. We do not knowingly collect personal data from anyone under 18. If you think a child has sent us personal data, contact us and we will delete it.
Security
We use HTTPS throughout the site, keep software up to date, and restrict administrative access to named editors. No system is perfectly secure, but we work to protect your data.
Changes to this policy
We will post any changes on this page and update the date above. Significant changes will be highlighted on the site.