THIS DOCUMENT IS AN ELECTRONIC RECORD IN ACCORDANCE WITH PROVISIONS UNDER THE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ACT, 2000 AND RULES MADE THEREUNDER. THIS DOCUMENT IS GENERATED BY A COMPUTER SYSTEM AND DOES NOT REQUIRE ANY PHYSICAL OR DIGITAL SIGNATURES.

 

INTRODUCTION

 

1.1 This Privacy Policy (“Privacy Policy”) describes how we protect information about our users and shall be read in conjunction with the Terms and Conditions. For the purposes of this Privacy Policy, the capitalised terms: (a) used herein shall have the meaning as described hereunder; and (b) used herein but not defined shall have the meaning so ascribed under the Terms and Conditions.

 

1.2  We have adopted this Privacy Policy to inform you of what information We collect from you through Website, how We collect the information, how We may use it and the steps We take to protect it. For the purposes of this Privacy Policy, any information that uniquely identifies Our user such as your name, address, contact number or email address, is referred to as “Personal Information”. We lay great emphasis on Our privacy and security standards to guard against identity theft and provide security for your Personal Information. We regularly re-evaluate Our privacy and security policies and adapt them as necessary to respond to new challenges.

 

1.3 By using the Website, you unconditionally agree to the terms and conditions of this Privacy Policy and consent to usage, storage and handling of the information submitted by you in accordance with the terms contained hereunder. If you do not agree with the terms and conditions of this Privacy Policy, please do not proceed further to use the Website.

 

 

USER INFORMATION

 

2.1 We collect your Personal Information when you successfully submit content to Us on the Website (“User Information”). User Information is the data that can be used to uniquely identify or contact a person and/or the business entity that a person represents and shall include, but not be limited to, information regarding your Personal Information, information associated to your social networking platform and such other information for the purposes of identification and verification.

 

2.2 When you submit User Information on the Website, it shall be deemed that you have granted Us the right to collect, store, process, handle and use such User Information, in accordance with this Privacy Policy (as amended from time to time).

 

2.3 You may visit the Website and browse the Website without having to provide User Information. Where possible, We indicate which fields are mandatory and which fields are optional to be filled on the Website while submitting any content. You always have the option to not provide information by choosing not to submit particular information or features on the Website. When you visit the Website, We may collect certain non-personal information such as your internet protocol address, operating system, browser type, and internet service provider. This type of information does not identify you personally during your visit to the Website.

 

2.4 By using this Website, you consent to the collection, storage and use of the User Information that you provide for any of the services that We may offer and you consent to Our collection of any changes or updates that you may provide to the User Information. We collect only such User Information that We believe to be relevant for the purpose of identification and verification and is required to understand you.

 

2.5 We clarify that We shall not be liable, for any reason whatsoever, for the authenticity of any User Information provided by you to Us. You hereby confirm that the User Information provided by you is and shall continue to be valid, true and accurate to the best of your knowledge. In case of any change in the User Information, you may intimate Us in writing.

 

3.COLLECTION OF INFORMATION

 

3.1 To enhance your use of the Website, We may collect technical and navigational information each time you visit the Website, which are saved in server logs. These are encrypted statistics, which help Us in improving the efficiency of the Website by giving Us information relating to your use of the Website. Such information may include details of:

 

(i) the server (internet protocol) from where the Website is being accessed;

 

(ii) the browser and operating system used to browse the Website;

 

(iii) pages visited;

 

(iv) details of your last visit to the Website, including time, date and the duration of your session on the Website; etc.

 

3.2 This information may be used by Us, for example, to understand the number of users visiting the Website, to alert you to any software compatibility issues, or it may be to gather broad demographic information for aggregate use of the Website in improving Our functionality. While collecting such information, your anonymity is maintained at all times and, at no time We can identify you personally, unless you submit the User Information on the Website or submit such content which requires Us to identify you or through the email feature.

 

3.3 We may make anonymous or aggregate User Information and disclose such data only in a non-personally identifiable manner to:

 

(i) Advertisers and other third parties for their marketing and promotional purposes, such as the number of users and how many users clicked on a particular proposal/project;

 

3.4 Such information does not identify you individually. Access to User Information and any other Personal Information provided by you is strictly restricted and used in accordance with specific internal procedures and safeguard governing access, in order to operate, develop or improve the services provided by Us. We assure that the above mentioned parties have been selected in accordance with our security policies and practices and are bound by confidentiality obligations, and may be subject to discipline, including termination and criminal prosecution, if they fail to meet these obligations.

 

3.5 We may also use third-party vendors or service providers to help Us provide the service to you, such as sending e-mail messages on Our behalf or hosting and operating a particular feature or functionality of the Website. Our contractual arrangements with these third parties outline the appropriate use and handling of your information and prohibit them from using any of your Personal Information and/or User Information for purposes unrelated to the product or service they provide. We require such third parties to maintain the confidentiality of the information We provide to them.

 

3.6 Third-party service providers used by Us include without limitation Google Analytics, Google Adsense, Google Tag Manager, Comscore and Hotjar.

 

3.7 You acknowledge that apart from your User Information, if you voluntarily upload or exchange or submit any data, content, information, pictorial representations and/or images including comments on the Website, such content may contain information including User Information and the same may be available to the other users of the Website. The Logical Indian will not be liable in any case whatsoever for the voluntary disclosure and dissemination of such User Information on the Website.

 

3.8 The User Information collected and/or processed by Us is saved, at Our sole discretion, on servers provided by An Indian Company. However, We do not store any User Information submitted to Us voluntarily while notifying Us of any errors that you find in any content on the Website.

 

3.9 All User Information and/or Personal Information collected for the purposes of providing any services is retained by Us for the duration of such services and an additional duration of 30 (thirty) days following the date on which such services are terminated. Upon expiry of this duration, all User Information and/or Personal Information in relation to such services is automatically deleted from Our servers.

 

COOKIES

 

4.1 Like most other websites, We use data collection devices known as “cookies” to collect and store information of users visiting the Website. A cookie is an alpha-numeric identifier, which is small amount of data that is sent to a user’s browser from a web server and is eventually stored on a user’s computer hard drive. Cookies are a reliable mechanism to remember the activities of the user on the Website and help in improving your experience on the Website.

 

4.2 We may set and access cookies on your computer to track and store preferential information about you. We may gather information about you through cookie technology. For example, We may assign a cookie to you, to help better determine which of Our news stories appeal to your interests. This anonymous information is maintained distinctly and is not linked to the User Information you submit to Us.

 

4.3 The option of accepting cookies is up to you, however certain features of the Website including certain content may not be accessible without accepting cookies. Please note that most internet browsers will allow you to stop cookies from being stored on your computer and to delete cookies stored on your computer. If you choose to eliminate cookies, the full functionality of the Website may be impaired for you.

 

4.4 To browse anonymously, you may set your browser to disable cookies or delete cookies. Most cookies are session cookies that are automatically deleted from your hard drive when you close the browser. Additionally, you may encounter cookies or other similar devices on certain pages of the Website that are placed by third parties. We do not control the use of cookies by third parties and shall not be liable for any reason whatsoever for these third-party cookies.

 

4.5 We may use third-party service providers to help Us analyse certain online activities. For example, these service providers may help Us measure the performance of Our online campaigns or analyse visitor activity on the Website. We may permit these service providers to use cookies and other technologies to perform these services for Us. We do not share any Personal Information with these third-party service providers, and these service providers do not collect such information on Our behalf. Our third-party service providers are required to comply fully with this Privacy Policy.

 

USE OF USER INFORMATION

 

5.1 User Information provided by you is used by Us only to provide information that you request. We do not and will not sell or rent User Information to anyone, anytime for any reason. Our use of User Information includes the following:

 

(i) verifying your identity;

 

(ii) facilitating your use of the Website;

 

(iii) personalizing your experience on the Website by presenting news and stories of interest to you;

 

(iv) responding to your queries or complaints;

 

(v) providing you with information about Us and to deliver to you any administrative notices, notifications regarding your usage of the Website and other materials, news updates and campaigns supported by Us;

 

(vi) fulfilling your requests for certain services and providing you with related user service;

 

(vii) sending you surveys and marketing communications that We believe may be of interest to you;

 

(viii) helping you address trouble-shooting problems, detecting and protecting against error, fraud or other criminal activity;

 

(ix) conducting internal reviews and data analysis for the Website (for example, to determine the number of visitors to specific pages on the Website);

 

(x) sharing such information with third-party contractors that provide services to Us and are bound by the same privacy restrictions;

 

(xi) improving the Content on the Website;

 

(xii) protecting the integrity of the Website;

 

(xiii) responding to judicial process and provide information to law enforcement agencies or in relation to an investigation on matters concerning public safety, as permitted by law; and

 

(xiv) as otherwise set forth in the Privacy Policy.

 

SHARING OF USER INFORMATION

 

6.1 User Information may be shared with such third parties as are required for:

 

(a) the purposes of providing you with the Content and/or services on the Website, and may be subject to the practices of such third parties; or

 

(b) to grow Our business which may include Our affiliates, strategic partners, investors, suppliers and service providers, as the case maybe.

 

6.2 Except as provided in Clause 6.1 above, We shall disclose the User Information only in circumstances where:

 

(i) The user has provided instructions or consent towards such disclosure;

 

(ii) We, in good faith, believe that access, use, preservation or disclosure of such information is reasonably necessary to: (a) satisfy any applicable law, regulation, legal process or enforceable governmental or regulatory request; (b) enforce the applicable Terms and Conditions or Privacy Policy; (c) detect, prevent, prohibit or otherwise address fraud, security or technical issues; (d) enforce Our rights against you or in connection with a breach by you of this Privacy Policy; or (e) protect against imminent harm to the rights, property or safety of Whispers in the Corridors, its users or the public as required or permitted by law; and (iii) If We sell or transfer any of Our business or assets, certain User Information may be a part of that sale or transfer.

 

SECURITY PRECAUTIONS

 

7.1 To prevent any form of unlawful interception or misuse of User Information, We use reasonable physical, electronic and managerial procedures to safeguard and secure the User Information collected. We use reasonable secure and technologically appropriate measures, in compliance with the Information Technology Act, 2000 and the rules related thereto to protect you against loss or misuse of your User Information including internal reviews of data collection, storage and processing practices and other reasonable security measures which are equivalent to security measures that The Logical Indian uses to protect its own confidential information. However, as you are aware, no website is completely free of security risks and We do not make any representation and warranty in respect of the same.

 

7.2 We do not warrant that Our Website or any electronic communication made by Us is free from virus or other harmful effects. In the event of any errors in transmission or due to an act of a third-party, We shall have no liability whatsoever.

 

7.3 You explicitly agree that your use of the Website is at your own individual risk. You agree and confirm that your User Information may be transferred, processed and stored. You hereby confirm that you have been made aware of the security measures undertaken by Us and you expressly consent to Us for storing, handling and using your User Information.

 

BLOGS AND OTHER FORUMS ON THE WEBSITE

8.1 If You use a bulletin board, blog or chat room on the Website, You should be aware that any information/content you voluntarily submit to Us there can be read, collected or used by other users and could be used to send you unsolicited messages.

 

8.2 We, hereby, disclaim from any and all liabilities that may arise from your action and specify that We are not responsible for the Personal Information you choose to submit in these forums. These forums may be hosted by Us or by one of Our third-party service providers or featured individuals or organisations on Our behalf.

 

CHANGE IN PRIVACY POLICY

9.1 We reserve the right to update, modify and amend any of the terms of Our Privacy Policy, at any time without prior intimation to you. We will post these changes on the Website for your information. These changes will become effective immediately on posting.

 

9.2 We shall not be liable to you whatsoever including but not limited to any failure or negligence on your part to review the updated Privacy Policy before accessing the Website. Your continued use of the Website, following changes to the Privacy Policy, will constitute your acceptance of those changes.

 

CONTACTING US

 

If you have any questions about (i) this Privacy Policy; or (ii) practices of the Website, you may contact Us at: whispersinthecorridors.com@gmail.com.

 

EMAIL OPT-OUT

 

You can opt out of receiving Our marketing and update emails. To stop receiving Our promotional emails, please drop an email at: whispersinthecorridors.com@gmail.com. Please note that it may take about 10 (ten) days to process your request.

 

RIGHTS OF EUROPEAN UNION INDIVIDUALS

 

In addition to the foregoing provisions contained in this Privacy Policy, you have the following data protection rights if you are a resident of the European Union (“EU”) and you can at any time write to us at: whispersinthecorridors.com@gmail.com

 

(i) if you wish to obtain a copy of your User Information (this is your right to access);

 

(ii) if you wish to rectify, change, alter, access, update or delete any of your User Information (this is your right to rectification);

 

(iii) if you wish your User Information to be deleted from Our systems (this is your right to erasure);

 

(iv) if you wish to object the processing of your User Information by Us (your right to object to processing);

 

(v) if you wish to restrict the processing of your User Information by Us (this is your right to restrict processing);

 

(vi) if you wish to be supplied with a copy of your User Information in an understandable format which can also be transferred to another entity by Us (this is your right to data portability);

 

(vii) if you wish to withdraw your consent to collect and/or process your User Information by Us (this is your right to withdraw your consent); and

 

(viii) if you wish to exercise any of your rights under the applicable data protection laws. Please note that if you are below the age of 16 years, then your parent or guardian is required to give or authorize consent for you when you submit any User Information to Us.

 

 

Code of Ethics

 

CODE OF ETHICS

 

Whispers in the Corridors is deeply committed to transparency and dignified conduct in all its affairs. We are governed and guided by the overarching principles contained in Our Code of Ethics and which We share herein for your information.

 

Ethical Principles

 

In furtherance of Our intent expressed above and Our pursuit to be the most reliable platform through which people get news and information on issues that matter the most, We have adopted the following principles:

 

Be a neutral platform that facilitates dialogue and enables people from different backgrounds and political inclinations to come together, discuss and solve issues that matter most.

 

Present the most accurate important information available at the time We are reporting on a particular issue.

 

Credit source wherever needed or applicable. Plagiarism in any form is unacceptable and prohibited.

 

Strive for balanced, unbiased, and logical opinions on issues.

 

Maintain a clear distinction between business interests and editorial decision-making. In no way can the business interest take over editorial decision-making.

 

Include diverse voices in the story to make it fair and balanced.

 

Issue public apology in case of error and rectify the error.

 

Publicise or mention at the outset if a story is not from editorial and is an advertisement/advertorial.

 

Remain strong and resolute in the wake of pressure from people in power. Stand with the editorial in case of any legal dispute and in case of harassment.

 

 

 

3 Corrections Policy

 

We would like to inform you, through this Corrections Policy, about the corrective measures We adopt in case We find that some incorrect information has been published on Our Website. We are conscious of our accountability to Our readers and fully understand that it is Our responsibility to make the correction and also inform you about the same subsequently at the earliest.

 

Premise

 

We strive to present our audience accurate and complete news reports based on all the available information at the time We are reporting the news. We endeavour to be promptly responsive in correcting errors in the material published on Our Website as soon as it comes to Our notice. We being a digital platform run a correction and a clarification on Our social media handles or share an editor’s note presenting the corrections made and what the error was in details apart from updating it in Our content. In case of a major mistake which can amount to spreading misinformation, We apologise to Our readers in a duly and timely manner.

 

Updating a Report

We make it a practice to put notes on stories if a story has been updated. It is important for Us to use a correction, clarification or editor’s note to inform readers whenever We correct a significant mistake or edit a story to include comments, updates from a stakeholder. We provide readers with an option to suggest correction if any.

 

Corrections

 

If We are substantively correcting an article, photo caption, headline, graphic, video or other material, We promptly publish a correction explaining the need for the said change.

 

Clarification

 

When Our journalism is factually correct but the language We used to explain those facts is not as clear or detailed as it should be, the language is rewritten and clarification is added to the story. A clarification is also used to note if We initially failed to seek a comment or response that has since been added to the story or that new reporting has shifted Our account of an event.

 

Editor’s Notes

 

A correction that calls into question the entire substance of an article or raises a significant ethical predicament may require an editor’s note, is followed by an explanation of what is at issue. A senior editor approves the addition of an editor’s note to a story.

 

Other Corrections Policies

 

When an error is found by a reader and posted to the comment stream, Our community engagement team can indicate in comments that it has been corrected.

 

When We publish erroneous information on social networks, We correct it on that platform. We retract the incorrect information if We cannot alter it.

 

We do not attribute blame to individual reporters or editors (e.g. “because of a reporting error” or “because of an editing error”).

 

Reporting inaccuracies

 

If you believe a story we have published is inaccurate, please contact the editorial team via ‘Suggest A Correction’ section that appears at the end of every web-story that is published.

 

Take-down Requests

 

As a matter of editorial policy, We do not entertain take-down requests. If the subject claims that the story was inaccurate, We are prepared to investigate and, if necessary, publish a correction.

 

In situations where fairness demands an update or follow-up on Our previous coverage, We oblige, considering whether further editorial action is warranted, but not to remove the article as though it had never been published.

 

When We publish publicly available personal data, We only review takedown requests if the person involved is under threat of physical harm because of the existence of such material.

 

4 Due accuracy in all Our content

 

For any journalistic platform, trust of its audience is the most important aspect. Trust can only be gained and sustained on the basis of accurate, fair and balanced reporting. It is essential that We remain committed to attaining due accuracy in all Our content to the extent possible. Our understanding of ‘due accuracy’ is that accuracy is not just of the requisite standard but also satisfactory in essence. Factors such as subject and nature of the information being provided, the expectations of the audience etc. are also taken into consideration by Us in pursuit of due accuracy. We strive to give most accurate account which is corroborated by the direct stakeholders of the news in every single news report. We investigate claims with skepticism, question assumptions, and challenge conventional wisdom. We acknowledge areas of uncertainty, which will always exist despite Our best efforts to resolve them.

 

We ensure that any broadcast by Us is derived from a reliable source, based on concrete and corroborated evidence. In case of lack of direct sources, We are mandated to attribute the stories to the platform from where it is sourced.

 

We endeavour to verify any claims or allegations or information attributed to public authorities or from someone, who We believe, has a cause beyond just giving an account of the truthfulness of the event. Therefore, We qualify and call-out such information, including claims or allegations, which we are unable to corroborate.

 

We stand by the information We publish and deem it be accurate. If proven otherwise, We change the news item/information as swiftly as reasonably possible and We ensure that We duly inform Our readers of the changes made in such news item/information.

 

We understand that Our audiences’ trust in Us is of utmost significance. Therefore, it is Our endeavour that We do not consciously misinform anyone, and that We do not tweak any information or present any made-up information as factual content. Further, where serious factual errors come to the fore, We publicly accept them and ensure that they are rectified in the shortest time possible in a clear and an appropriate manner.

 

We ensure that a fair opportunity is given to the public to report any inaccuracies or errors on Our Website via “Suggest A Correction” segment that is provided at the end of all Our reportage presented and published on Our Website.

 

The foremost responsibility of Our journalists’ is to report, write, and fact-check the news/information/stories. In fact, Our stories are subjected to scrutiny on multiple levels, including a robust fact-check internal procedure wherein a thorough due diligence is carried out on every piece and it further reviewed by one or more of Our editors. It needs to be specified that the seniority of editors who undertake review of the stories preceding their publication on the Website differs and depends on various factors such as complexity and sensitivity of the issue, and the pressure of time.

 

In case of an allegation, We ensure to reach out to all the concerned parties. We then independently verify the information in question and the one being provided so as to achieve the most accurate result.

 

Sourcing Information for Our content

 

We source information in the most accurate way by following the given guidelines:

 

Verify each and every information with at least two sources.

 

In case of a single source, the credibility of the source is ensured through corroboration with what the person is saying.

 

Look for documentary evidence in every case possible, instead of solely relying on a human source.

 

In case of a survey, it is Our duty that We provide the way the information was collected and how the data was interpreted.If there are chances of Our data not leading to accurate information, We convey the inconsistencies to the audience at the earliest possible time.

 

Aim and intent is to get accurate information at the first instance instead of making it public first and then subsequently addressing any doubts whatsoever.

 

Always put efforts to take and talk on record with the stakeholders of the information/news. Explain why a source is not named when an anonymous source is being used depending on the circumstances, and work out a way with such sources to provide the readers with as much information as possible about them so that readers can assess the sources’ reliability.

 

Share information about sources with Our editors to enable them (editors as well reporters) to assess whether the concerned piece of information is appropriate for use and the manner it may be used in. The conversation between the reporter and editor must be reflected in anonymous quotations.

 

Have succinct conversations with sources as to how to use the information furnished by them, especially when the sources do not have significant experience in engaging with the media. Clarify a source’s expectations of keeping information “off the record”, and/or “on background”, and/or other statuses because such terms can have different meanings for different people.

 

Give people the right to respond to reporting that may portray them in a negative light, and explain to readers the efforts We put in to seek a response in cases where sources do not respond. Consciously seek such sources who are in dearth of any access to wide public platforms in conjunction with those sources who are influential and powerful.

 

User-Generated Content

 

User-generated content possesses inherent challenges. We do not assume that the material shared with Us is accurate and, depending on how We plan to use it, We take reasonable steps to verify the veracity of such content. We are mindful of how to employ information supplied by a member of a lobby group or anyone with a vested interest in the story, rather than a disinterested bystander. We ensure that user-generated content is clearly identified as such. Additionally, We follow the given guidelines:

 

Sources of information which may seem reliable on the internet may not always be duly accurate. It may be necessary to check as to who is running the website and/or confirm with an individual or organisation that the material relevant to them is genuine.

 

Care is taken to distinguish fact from rumour. This is particularly but by no means exclusively, true for material available on social media where distortions may be deliberate or unintended but where error or rumour can spread like wild fire within minutes among the audience around the world, while corrections find it much harder to achieve the same momentum.

 

Additional scrutiny may be necessary where material from a social media site or other internet source is being used to corroborate a fact. We qualify and call-out all material that was not gathered by Us.