Legal
Privacy Policy
This Privacy Policy explains how Apnakul (“we”, “us”, “our”) collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data when you use our websites, Android/iOS apps, and related community services (together, the “Services”). We process personal data in line with India’s Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (DPDP Act) and, where practical, with widely recognised data-protection principles (lawful purpose, minimisation, security, and respect for individual rights).
1. Who we are
Apnakul is a community platform for members of Kirar, Dhakad & Malav Samaj and related community services (including membership profiles, directories, help requests, news, and matrimony-adjacent features). For privacy requests, contact us at admin@apnakul.com.
2. Data we collect
Depending on how you use the Services, we may collect:
- Account & identity: phone number, name (and optional Hindi name), email, date of birth / age, gender, photographs, digital ID details, and registration type.
- Profile & community content: address and location fields (village, tehsil, district, state), occupation, family or community details you choose to share, shop or directory listings, help requests, posts, comments, and media you upload.
- Matrimony / matchmaking-related data (if you use those features): profile preferences and information you submit for moderated listings.
- Authentication & security: OTP verification records, session tokens, device/platform and app version metadata, and login activity needed to secure your account.
- Usage & technical: approximate activity timestamps (for example last active), push notification tokens (if enabled), and basic diagnostics needed to operate and improve the Services.
- Communications: messages you send to other members where the product allows contact, and messages you send to our team (for example via Team info or email).
We do not require you to provide more data than needed for the features you use. Some fields are optional; others are required to create or verify an account.
3. Purpose of processing
We use personal data to:
- Create and authenticate member accounts (including phone OTP / sign-in);
- Provide community features: digital ID, directories, listings, help, news, and related tools;
- Moderate content and maintain community safety;
- Enable member-to-member contact where you and the product settings allow it;
- Send transactional notices (for example OTP, security, or service messages) and optional push notifications you enable;
- Prevent fraud, abuse, and unauthorised access;
- Comply with applicable law and respond to lawful requests;
- Improve reliability, support, and product experience.
Under the DPDP Act, we process personal data for these specified purposes with your consent and/or for legitimate uses recognised by law (for example fulfilling a contract-like membership service you request, or complying with legal obligations).
4. Consent and choices
By creating an account or using features that require personal data, you consent to processing described in this Policy for those purposes. You may withdraw consent for optional processing by updating settings, deleting content, disabling notifications, or requesting account deletion. Withdrawal does not affect processing already completed lawfully before withdrawal, or data we must retain for legal, security, or dispute-resolution reasons.
5. Sharing and disclosure
We do not sell your personal data. We may share data only as needed to operate the Services:
- Other members: profile or listing information you make visible according to product rules and moderation;
- Administrators / moderators: authorised team members who review registrations, listings, and reports;
- Service providers: infrastructure, SMS/OTP, hosting, storage, analytics, or push delivery vendors acting on our instructions;
- Legal / safety: when required by law, or to protect rights, safety, and integrity of users and the platform.
6. Retention
We retain personal data while your account is active and as needed to provide the Services. After account deletion, we deactivate public listings, end active sessions, and anonymise or replace identifiers such as phone numbers where feasible. Limited residual records may be kept for a reasonable period for safety, moderation history, fraud prevention, backups, accounting, or legal compliance, after which they are deleted or irreversibly anonymised where practicable.
7. Security
We use reasonable technical and organisational measures appropriate to the nature of the data — including access controls, encrypted transport (HTTPS), authenticated APIs, and session management. No method of transmission or storage is perfectly secure; please protect your device and do not share OTP codes.
8. Your rights
Subject to applicable law (including the DPDP Act), you may request to:
- Access personal data we hold about you;
- Correct inaccurate or incomplete personal data;
- Erase personal data / delete your account (see Delete account or in-app Settings);
- Withdraw consent for optional processing;
- Nominate a contact for certain rights-related communications where the law provides;
- Raise a grievance with us regarding personal data processing.
To exercise these rights, email admin@apnakul.com from a reachable contact associated with your account, or use in-app profile/settings tools. We may need to verify your identity before fulfilling a request.
9. Children & child safety (CSAE)
The Services are intended for adults (18+) and community members who can lawfully create an account. Registration flows include adult age checks. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children in a manner prohibited by applicable law (including, where relevant, India’s DPDP Act and child-protection laws). If you believe a child’s data was submitted inappropriately, contact us and we will take reasonable steps to delete it.
Apnakul maintains a zero-tolerance policy against child sexual abuse and exploitation (CSAE), including child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Our full publicly published standards — covering prohibited conduct, moderation, law-enforcement cooperation, and compliance framing — are available at apnakul.com/child-safety.
Report child safety / CSAE concerns: email admin@apnakul.com with subject “Child safety / CSAE report”, or use in-app Complaints / Raise a request, Suggestions, Help, or Team info in Settings and follow up by email for urgent cases. See the reporting section on our Child Safety Standards page for details. Do not redistribute suspected CSAM when reporting.
10. Cross-border processing
Our primary operations are oriented to users in India. If we use processors or infrastructure that involve transfer outside India, we will do so in accordance with applicable Indian law and any government restrictions or conditions then in force.
11. Cookies and similar technologies
Our marketing website is largely static. Admin or authenticated web tools may use local storage or similar browser storage for session tokens. Mobile apps store auth tokens securely on-device as needed for login persistence.
12. Changes
We may update this Policy from time to time. The “Last updated” date will change when we publish material revisions. Continued use of the Services after an update constitutes notice of the revised Policy where permitted by law; material changes may be highlighted in-app or on the website.
13. Contact for data requests & grievances
Apnakul
Website: https://apnakul.com/
Privacy / data requests: admin@apnakul.com
Child safety / CSAE reports:
admin@apnakul.com
· Standards: apnakul.com/child-safety
Account deletion: apnakul.com/delete-account
If you are not satisfied with our response, you may also pursue remedies available under the DPDP Act and rules framed thereunder, including approaching the Data Protection Board of India where applicable.