1. Introduction

1.1 Purpose of This Policy
Welcome to PrimeStories.io (“PrimeStories,” “we,” “us,” or “our”). We are committed to protecting your personal information and your right to privacy. This Privacy Policy (“Policy”) describes how we collect, use, store, and share your personal information when you access or use:

• Our website: https://www.primestories.io
• Our mobile application, PrimeStories (collectively, the “Platform”).

By using our Platform, you consent to the practices described in this Policy. If you do not agree with any part of this Policy, you should discontinue your use of the Platform immediately.

1.2 Scope of This Policy
This Policy applies to all visitors, registered users, or anyone else who accesses or interacts with our Platform (collectively, “users” or “you”). It covers information we collect:

• Directly from you when you register for an account, post stories, comment, or communicate with us.
• Automatically through cookies, analytical tools, and other tracking technologies as you navigate our Platform.
• From third parties, such as social media services, if you choose to link or sign in via those services.

1.3 Relationship to Other Policies
This Privacy Policy forms part of our overall legal framework, which includes our:

• Terms and Conditions (Part 1 of this document set)
• User Guidelines (Part 4)
• Any other related policies or notices posted on the Platform

If you have any questions about these documents, please contact us at support@primestories.io.

2. Definitions

For clarity, here are some key terms used in this Privacy Policy:

• “Personal Information”: Any information that can be used to identify you directly or indirectly, such as your name, email address, or IP address.
• “Non-Personal Information”: Information that does not identify you as a specific individual, such as aggregated usage data or demographic statistics.
• “Processing”: Any operation performed on personal information, including collection, storage, use, disclosure, and deletion.
• “Data Controller”: The entity responsible for deciding why and how to process personal information. In most cases, PrimeStories is the Data Controller for the information we collect from you.
• “Cookies”: Small text files stored on your device when you visit websites or use online services, which may store preferences and usage information.

3. Information We Collect

We collect both Personal Information and Non-Personal Information to provide, improve, and protect our services. Below is a detailed breakdown.

3.1 Personal Information You Provide

1. Registration Data: When you create an account, we may collect your email address, username, password, and other optional profile details such as your display name, profile picture, or biography.
2. Story Contributions: If you submit stories, comments, or other user-generated content, we collect the information you choose to include. This may include text, images, or metadata about your submissions.
3. Contact or Support Queries: If you contact us for support or to provide feedback, we collect the content of your communication, your name (if provided), and any contact details you offer.
4. Survey or Promotional Data: Occasionally, we run surveys, contests, or promotional events. If you participate, we may request additional information such as your postal address, phone number, or other details necessary for event administration.

3.2 Automatic Information Collection

1. Log Data: Our servers automatically record information (“Log Data”) when you use our Platform. This may include your Internet Protocol (IP) address, browser type, operating system, device identifiers, pages viewed, time and date of visit, and referring URLs.
2. Cookies and Similar Technologies: We use cookies, web beacons, and other tracking technologies to recognize you when you return to our site or app, remember your preferences, and analyze site traffic.
3. Usage and Analytics Data: Through analytics providers such as Google Analytics or similar tools, we collect data about how you interact with our Platform, such as which stories you read, how much time you spend on each page, and your navigation patterns.

3.3 Third-Party Sources

1. Social Media Platforms: If you choose to sign up or log in through Facebook, Google, or other social media platforms, we may receive certain profile information from those services, such as your name, profile picture, and email address—subject to their privacy policies and your account settings.
2. Service Providers: We may receive information from third-party payment processors, advertising networks, or analytics providers to enable functionalities such as payment processing or user analytics.

3.4 Sensitive Personal Information
We do not intentionally collect or process sensitive personal information (e.g., racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious beliefs, health data) unless you voluntarily provide it in your user-generated content. We urge you not to share such information unless absolutely necessary.

4. How We Use Your Information

We process your information for a range of legitimate business purposes, including:

4.1 Providing and Improving the Service

1. Account Creation and Management: To set up and maintain your user account, enable story postings, and allow community interactions (e.g., comments, likes, feedback).
2. Service Customization: To personalize your experience, such as recommending stories in your preferred language or genre, and remembering your reading preferences.

4.2 Communication

1. User Support: To respond to your queries, troubleshoot technical issues, or manage complaints.
2. Service Updates: To inform you of important changes, such as updates to our Terms, new features, or maintenance schedules.
3. Marketing and Promotions: With your consent, to send you newsletters, promotional offers, or surveys. You can opt out at any time by following the unsubscribe instructions in our emails.

4.3 Analytics and Performance

1. Platform Analytics: We analyze usage patterns to improve functionality, content quality, and user satisfaction.
2. Research and Development: We may use aggregated or anonymized data for internal research or external publications aimed at understanding reading habits, writing trends, or market demands.

4.4 Legal and Security

1. Compliance: To comply with legal obligations, respond to lawful requests by public authorities, or enforce our Terms and Guidelines.
2. Fraud Prevention: To detect, prevent, or otherwise address fraudulent, abusive, or unlawful activity.
3. Rights Protection: To protect the rights, property, or safety of PrimeStories, our users, or the public.

5. Legal Basis for Processing (Where Applicable)

Depending on your jurisdiction (for example, if you are located in the European Economic Area under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) or in the United Kingdom under similar data protection laws), we rely on specific legal bases to collect, use, and share your personal information:

1. Consent: Where you have clearly given consent for us to process your personal data for a specific purpose (e.g., receiving marketing emails).
2. Contractual Necessity: Where processing is necessary to provide you with our services, such as creating and maintaining your account.
3. Legal Obligation: Where we need to comply with a legal requirement or court order.
4. Legitimate Interests: Where processing is necessary for our legitimate interests, such as improving our Platform, preventing fraud, or enhancing security, unless these interests are overridden by your fundamental rights and freedoms.

If you have any questions about or need further information concerning the legal basis on which we collect and use your personal information, please contact us at support@primestories.io.

6. How We Share Your Information

6.1 With Other Users

• Public Profile: If you post stories or comments, certain information (e.g., your username, profile photo, and biography) may be visible to other users.
• User-Generated Content: The text, images, or other materials you post will also be publicly visible, subject to our moderation and your content settings.

6.2 Service Providers
We employ third-party companies and individuals to facilitate our services (“Service Providers”). These Service Providers perform tasks such as hosting, data storage, analytics, payment processing, or email distribution on our behalf. They only have access to your personal information to perform these tasks and are obligated not to disclose or use it for other purposes.

6.3 Business Transactions
If PrimeStories is involved in a merger, acquisition, financing, or sale of assets, your personal information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you (e.g., via email or a prominent notice on our Platform) if such a transfer occurs and if it becomes subject to a different Privacy Policy.

6.4 Legal Compliance and Protection
We may disclose your information if required to do so by law or in good faith belief that such action is necessary to:

1. Comply with a legal obligation or government request.
2. Protect and defend the rights or property of PrimeStories.
3. Prevent or investigate possible wrongdoing in connection with the Platform.
4. Protect the personal safety of users or the public.

6.5 With Your Consent
We may share your personal information with third parties when you have explicitly consented to such disclosure. For example, if you agree to share your contact details with an external sponsor for a writing contest.

7. Cookies and Other Tracking Technologies

7.1 Types of Cookies
We use the following categories of cookies:

• Essential Cookies: These are necessary to provide you with features and services you have requested, such as secure access to your account.
• Analytics Cookies: These help us understand how users interact with our Platform, allowing us to improve user experience and performance.
• Functionality Cookies: These remember your preferences and settings, such as language selection or theme choices.
• Advertising Cookies: We may use these (or permit third parties to use them) to serve ads relevant to your interests, track ad performance, and measure ad campaign effectiveness.

7.2 Managing Cookies
You can control and manage cookies using your browser settings or third-party tools. However, disabling some or all cookies may affect the functionality and availability of certain Platform features.

7.3 Web Beacons and Similar Technologies
In addition to cookies, we may use web beacons, pixel tags, or software development kits (SDKs) for analytics, advertising, or content personalization.

8. Data Retention

8.1 Retention Period
We retain your personal information for as long as is necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law (e.g., for legal, tax, or accounting reasons).

8.2 Account Deletion
If you delete your account, we will remove or anonymize your personal information within a reasonable timeframe, except for data we are legally or contractually obligated to retain. Please note that user-generated content (e.g., stories, comments) may remain on the Platform if it has been shared or quoted by other users, as governed by our Terms and Conditions.

8.3 Backup Copies and Archives
Even after deletion, your personal information may remain in backup copies or archives for a limited time until those copies are overwritten in the normal course of business.

9. Data Security

9.1 Measures We Take
We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include:

• Encryption of data in transit (e.g., HTTPS).
• Regular security assessments and vulnerability scans.
• Access controls to limit data access to authorized personnel and Service Providers.
• Secure server environments with firewalls and intrusion detection systems.

9.2 User Responsibilities
You also play a critical role in keeping your information secure. Please follow these recommendations:

• Use a strong, unique password and do not share it with others.
• Log out of your account when using public or shared devices.
• Be cautious of phishing attempts. We will never ask for your password via email or instant message.

9.3 No Absolute Security
While we strive to protect your personal information, no security system is completely foolproof. Thus, we cannot guarantee the absolute security of your data.

10. Children’s Privacy

10.1 Age Restrictions
Our Platform is not intended for children under the age of 13 (or older if required by local law). If you are under the age of majority in your jurisdiction, you may only use our Platform with the involvement and consent of your parent or guardian.

10.2 Parental Consent
We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 without verifiable parental consent. If we discover that we have unknowingly collected personal information from a child under this age, we will take steps to delete it as soon as possible.

10.3 Reporting Children’s Data
If you believe we might have any information from or about a child under the applicable age, please contact us at privacy@primestories.io so we can promptly investigate and address the issue.

11. International Data Transfers

11.1 Global Operations
PrimeStories may process and store your personal information on servers located in different countries, including India, the United States, or the European Economic Area. Consequently, your information may be transferred to, stored, or processed in jurisdictions with different data protection laws than your home country.

11.2 Adequacy and Safeguards
When we transfer personal information outside of the jurisdiction in which it was collected, we take steps to ensure that an adequate level of data protection is provided. This may include:

• Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) or other legal mechanisms recognized by relevant data protection authorities.
• Consent from the user for certain transfers.

11.3 Your Rights
If you are located in certain regions (e.g., EEA or UK), you have the right to request details about our international data transfer mechanisms. Please contact us if you have any queries on this matter.

12. Your Rights and Choices

Depending on your location, you may have specific data protection rights. Below is a general outline:

12.1 Access and Rectification
You can request access to your personal information and correction of inaccurate or incomplete data. Most of this can be done through your account settings or by contacting us.

12.2 Deletion
You can request to delete your personal information, subject to exceptions (e.g., compliance with a legal obligation).

12.3 Objection and Restriction
You can object to or request that we restrict certain processing of your personal information, such as for direct marketing purposes or where processing is based on legitimate interests.

12.4 Data Portability
Where technically feasible, you have the right to request a copy of your personal information in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format and to have that information transmitted directly to another provider.

12.5 Withdrawal of Consent
If we are processing your personal information based on your consent, you have the right to withdraw that consent at any time. However, doing so will not affect the lawfulness of processing based on consent before its withdrawal.

12.6 How to Exercise Your Rights
To exercise these rights, please contact us at privacy@primestories.io. We may require you to verify your identity before we fulfill your request. We aim to respond to all legitimate requests within one month, but it may take longer if the request is particularly complex.

13. Third-Party Links and Services

13.1 Links to Other Websites
Our Platform may contain links to third-party websites or services that are not operated or controlled by PrimeStories. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these external sites. We encourage you to review their privacy policies independently.

13.2 Social Media Features
We may offer social media features such as “Like” or “Share” buttons. These features may collect your IP address and set cookies. Your interactions with these features are governed by the privacy policy of the third party providing them.

14. Changes to This Privacy Policy

14.1 Updates and Revisions
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technological advancements, legal requirements, or other factors. The “Last Updated” date at the top of this Policy indicates when the most recent changes were made.

14.2 Notice of Material Changes
If we make material changes, we will notify you through prominent means, such as by email (if you have provided one) or by posting a notice on our Platform. Your continued use of the Platform after such notifications will be considered as acceptance of the updated Policy.

15. Contact Us

15.1 General Inquiries
For any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy, or if you wish to exercise any of your legal rights, please reach out to us using the details below:

• Email: support@primestories.io

16. Language and Governing Law

16.1 English Language
This Privacy Policy is written in English. In case of any conflict or discrepancy between the English version and a translated version, the English version shall prevail.

16.2 Governing Law
Unless otherwise specified by local law, this Policy and any disputes arising from it shall be governed by the laws specified in our Terms and Conditions, typically the laws of the jurisdiction in which PrimeStories is registered or primarily operates.

17. Additional Disclosures for Specific Jurisdictions

17.1 India
Under the Information Technology Act, 2000 and related rules, you have the right to:

1. Review the information you provide to us.
2. Correct or amend such information if it is inaccurate or deficient.
3. Withdraw consent to the collection and processing of your information, subject to legal or contractual restrictions.

For any grievance under Indian law, please contact our designated Grievance Officer as mentioned above. We will try to address your concern within one month of the request.

17.2 European Economic Area (EEA), United Kingdom (UK), and Switzerland
If you are a resident of the EEA, UK, or Switzerland, you have rights under the GDPR or equivalent data protection laws, which include the rights of access, correction, deletion, restriction, objection, and portability. You also have the right to file a complaint with your local Data Protection Authority (DPA) if you believe we have infringed upon your rights.

17.3 Other Regions
If you reside in a region with comprehensive data protection laws (e.g., Brazil under LGPD, California under CCPA/CPRA, or other jurisdictions), you may be entitled to additional rights. Please reach out to us to understand and exercise any rights available to you under local laws.