Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Welcome to Tamil Sangam ("we," "our," or "us"). This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website tamilsangam.org and use our Tamil literary platform services.

By accessing or using our services, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with our policies and practices, please do not use our services.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Personal Information

We may collect the following types of personal information:

• Account Information: Name, email address, profile picture (from Google OAuth)
• Profile Information: Tamil name, bio, location, writing experience, preferred genres
• Literary Submissions: Poems, stories, articles, and other creative works you submit
• Payment Information: Billing details for competition entry fees (processed securely through Stripe/Razorpay)
• Communication Data: Messages, feedback, and correspondence with us

2.2 Automatically Collected Information

• Usage Data: Pages visited, time spent, features used, competition participation
• Device Information: IP address, browser type, operating system, device identifiers
• Cookies and Tracking: Session cookies, authentication tokens, analytics data
• Performance Data: Error logs, response times, system performance metrics

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your information for the following purposes:

3.1 Core Services

• Providing access to Tamil literary competitions and events
• Managing your account and profile
• Processing competition submissions and entries
• Facilitating judging and results publication
• Generating certificates and awards

3.2 Communication

• Sending important platform updates and notifications
• Competition reminders and deadline alerts
• Results announcements and achievement notifications
• Responding to your inquiries and support requests

3.3 Platform Improvement

• Analyzing usage patterns to improve our services
• Developing new features and competitions
• Ensuring platform security and preventing abuse
• Conducting research on Tamil literary trends

4. Information Sharing and Disclosure

4.1 We DO NOT Sell Your Personal Information

Tamil Sangam does not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for their marketing purposes.

4.2 Limited Sharing

We may share your information only in the following circumstances:

• Public Submissions: Literary works you submit to public competitions may be displayed with your name/pen name
• Competition Results: Winner announcements may include your name and submitted work titles
• Service Providers: Trusted partners who help us operate our platform (Google, Stripe, AWS) under strict confidentiality agreements
• Legal Requirements: When required by law, court order, or to protect our rights and safety
• Business Transfer: In case of merger, acquisition, or sale of assets (with advance notice)

5. Data Security

We implement robust security measures to protect your personal information:

• Encryption: All data is encrypted in transit (TLS 1.3) and at rest
• Access Controls: Strict employee access controls and authentication requirements
• Regular Audits: Security assessments and vulnerability testing
• Secure Infrastructure: AWS cloud services with enterprise-grade security
• Data Backups: Regular, encrypted backups with disaster recovery procedures

6. Your Privacy Rights

6.1 Account Control

• Access: View all personal information we have about you
• Update: Modify your profile and account information at any time
• Download: Export your data in a portable format
• Delete: Request deletion of your account and associated data

6.2 Communication Preferences

• Opt out of marketing communications while keeping essential service notifications
• Choose your preferred notification methods (email, in-app, SMS)
• Set frequency preferences for competition updates

6.3 Data Portability

You can request a copy of your personal data in a machine-readable format, including all your literary submissions and competition history.

7. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

7.1 Types of Cookies We Use

• Essential Cookies: Required for authentication and core platform functionality
• Performance Cookies: Help us understand how users interact with our platform
• Preference Cookies: Remember your settings and language preferences

7.2 Cookie Management

You can control cookie settings through your browser preferences. Note that disabling essential cookies may affect platform functionality.

8. Children's Privacy

Tamil Sangam is designed for users aged 13 and above. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a child under 13, we will take steps to delete such information promptly.

9. International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your own. We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your data in accordance with this Privacy Policy and applicable laws.

10. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as:

• Your account remains active
• Necessary to provide our services
• Required by legal obligations
• Needed to resolve disputes and enforce agreements

Specific Retention Periods:

• Account information: Retained while account is active + 3 years after deletion
• Literary submissions: Retained for historical/archival purposes unless specifically requested for deletion
• Payment records: 7 years for tax and legal compliance
• Usage logs: 2 years for security and analytics purposes

11. Third-Party Services

Our platform integrates with the following third-party services:

• Google OAuth: For secure authentication
• Stripe/Razorpay: For payment processing
• AWS: For cloud hosting and storage
• SendGrid: For email communications

Each service has its own privacy policy, and we encourage you to review them.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any material changes by:

• Posting the updated policy on our website
• Sending an email notification to registered users
• Displaying a prominent notice on our platform

Changes will be effective immediately upon posting unless otherwise specified.

13. Legal Compliance

This Privacy Policy complies with:

• GDPR: European Union General Data Protection Regulation
• CCPA: California Consumer Privacy Act
• PIPEDA: Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (Canada)
• Other applicable privacy laws in jurisdictions where we operate