Privacy Policy | WORLD NEWS STUDIO

World News Studio – Privacy Policy

(Owned, Operated & Managed by Badana Communications and Business Pvt. Ltd., Registered under Companies Act 2013, India) ( CIN: U47999JK2020PTC011443)

Effective Date: [Insert Date]
Last Updated: [Insert Date]

1. Introduction

World News Studio (“we,” “our,” “us”) is a global digital news aggregation and publishing platform owned, operated, and managed by Badana Communications and Business Pvt. Ltd., registered under the Companies Act 2013, ( CIN: U47999JK2020PTC011443) with its headquarters at Jammu & Kashmir, India.

This Privacy Policy describes:

What information we collect from you.
How we collect, use, store, share, and protect your information.
Your rights under global data protection and privacy laws.
How you can control or delete your information.

We are committed to protecting your privacy in compliance with:

GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation – EU)
CCPA/CPRA (California Consumer Privacy Act / Privacy Rights Act – US)
UK GDPR + DPA 2018 (UK Data Protection Act)
DPDP Act 2023 (India – Digital Personal Data Protection Act)
LGPD (Lei Geral de Proteção de Dados – Brazil)
POPIA (Protection of Personal Information Act – South Africa)
PIPEDA (Canada)
COPPA (Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act – US)
Other applicable global privacy and data protection frameworks.

By using our website, mobile application, newsletter, or any related service (collectively the “Services”), you agree to this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, please discontinue use of our Services immediately.

2. Scope of This Policy

This Privacy Policy applies to:

Visitors browsing our website worldnewsstudio.com.
Registered users with accounts on our platform.
Subscribers to our newsletters, alerts, or notifications.
Contributors, advertisers, and partners engaging with us.
Mobile app users (iOS, Android).

It does not apply to:

Third-party websites linked from our platform (you must review their privacy policies separately).
Content, tools, or plugins operated by third-party providers (such as social media widgets, payment processors, or analytics services).

3. Information We Collect

We may collect the following categories of personal and non-personal data from you:

3.1 Information You Provide to Us

Account Information
- Name, email address, username, password, phone number, and profile photo (if uploaded).
Contact Information
- Postal address, billing information, and communication preferences.
Contributions
- Articles, comments, photos, videos, and other content submitted to our platform.
Correspondence
- Emails, inquiries, or complaints sent to us through info@worldnewsstudio.com, help@worldnewsstudio.com, advertise@worldnewsstudio.com, editor@worldnewsstudio.com, privacy@worldnewsstudio.com, complaints@worldnewsstudio.com, copyrights@worldnewsstudio.com.
Survey or Feedback Data
- Responses provided through polls, surveys, or research forms.

3.2 Information We Collect Automatically

Log Data
- IP address, browser type, device type, operating system, referring URLs, and access times.
Usage Data
- Pages visited, time spent, clicks, articles read, and interaction with advertisements.
Device Data
- Unique device identifiers, language preference, mobile carrier, app version.
Location Data
- Approximate location from IP address or GPS (if mobile app permissions are granted).
Cookies and Tracking Technologies
- Session cookies, analytics cookies, advertising cookies, and tracking pixels.

3.3 Information from Third Parties

We may receive data about you from:

Social Media Platforms – when you log in or share via Google, Facebook, Twitter (X), LinkedIn, or others.
Advertising Partners – regarding ad impressions, clicks, and engagement.
Data Aggregators – to enhance accuracy of demographics and interests.
Payment Providers – if you engage in paid subscriptions or donations.

3.4 Sensitive Personal Data

In rare cases, we may process sensitive data such as:

Political opinions (in your comments/articles).
Biometric or health data (if you voluntarily share, e.g., in op-eds).
We do not require or encourage such disclosures. If shared, it is entirely voluntary.

4. How We Use Your Information

We use your data strictly in accordance with global legal standards:

4.1 Service Delivery

To provide, operate, and maintain our website, apps, and newsletters.
To personalize your news feed and recommendations.
To manage user accounts and authentication.

4.2 Communication

To send you service announcements, policy updates, and security alerts.
To respond to queries, complaints, and support requests.
To send newsletters or promotional content (with opt-out options).

4.3 Legal Compliance

To comply with legal obligations under GDPR, DPDP, CCPA, COPPA, and other laws.
To fulfill data subject rights (access, correction, deletion).
To respond to lawful requests by regulators, courts, or law enforcement.

4.4 Analytics and Research

To monitor usage patterns and improve user experience.
To perform audience measurement, analytics, and engagement reporting.
To conduct surveys, feedback forms, and research studies.

4.5 Marketing and Advertising

To show relevant advertisements based on your interests.
To measure the effectiveness of campaigns and sponsored content.
To prevent ad fraud and abuse.

4.6 Security and Fraud Prevention

To detect, prevent, and investigate suspicious activities.
To enforce community guidelines, terms of service, and editorial standards.
To safeguard platform integrity and protect user accounts.

5. Legal Bases for Processing Personal Data

As a global news and media platform, we comply with multiple overlapping data protection laws. The legal basis for processing your information depends on your jurisdiction:

5.1 European Union (EU) – GDPR

Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), we rely on the following lawful bases:

Consent – For newsletter subscriptions, marketing emails, cookies, and optional data sharing.
Contractual Necessity – For user registration, account management, and providing requested services.
Legal Obligation – To comply with tax, regulatory, and corporate compliance requirements.
Legitimate Interests – To operate, improve, and secure our services, while balancing your rights.
Vital Interests – If required to protect your safety or rights.
Public Interest / Journalism – For news reporting, archiving, and research in the public interest.

5.2 United Kingdom (UK GDPR + Data Protection Act 2018)

Similar to EU GDPR, with oversight by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).
We maintain a UK representative for compliance.

5.3 United States (CCPA, CPRA, COPPA, HIPAA)

CCPA/CPRA (California): We allow California residents to opt-out of data sales, request access, or deletion.
COPPA: We do not knowingly collect data from children under 13 without verifiable parental consent.
HIPAA: Although not a health provider, any incidental health-related user data is safeguarded.

5.4 India (DPDP Act 2023)

We are headquartered in India, so the Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023 applies.
Data is processed with consent or for legitimate use (service delivery, legal compliance).
Sensitive personal data requires explicit consent.

5.5 Brazil (LGPD)

Follows GDPR-like principles: consent, legitimate interest, contract, or legal obligation.

5.6 Other Jurisdictions

Canada (PIPEDA): Personal data is collected only with consent and retained minimally.
Australia (Privacy Act 1988): Includes rights to access, correction, and complaint escalation.
South Africa (POPIA): Ensures lawful, fair, and transparent processing.
Singapore (PDPA): Requires consent and limits retention.

6. How We Share Your Data

We do not sell your personal data. However, we may share it in the following circumstances:

6.1 Service Providers

We work with trusted third-party vendors for:

Web hosting, cloud storage, and CDN services.
Analytics and audience measurement (e.g., Google Analytics, Matomo).
Payment gateways (Stripe, Razorpay, PayPal).
Email newsletter distribution (Mailchimp, SendGrid).

These providers are bound by contractual obligations to protect your data.

6.2 Advertising Partners

We collaborate with programmatic ad networks, publishers, and demand partners.
Ads may be tailored based on cookies, device identifiers, and interest-based segments.
You can opt-out of targeted advertising under GDPR, CCPA, and DPDP rules.

6.3 Legal and Regulatory Authorities

We may disclose personal data if required by law, court order, or government authority.
For compliance with tax, fraud prevention, intellectual property, and defamation laws.

6.4 Corporate Transactions

If World News Studio undergoes a merger, acquisition, restructuring, or sale of assets, user data may be transferred to the new entity.

6.5 Public Content

Any news articles, comments, or submissions you publish on our platform may be publicly visible.
Metadata (timestamps, author name, profile image) may also appear.

6.6 Research and Academic Institutions

Aggregated and anonymized data may be shared with researchers to study news consumption patterns.

7. International Data Transfers

Because World News Studio operates globally, your data may be processed in:

India (primary servers and headquarters).
EU/EEA & UK (regional servers and representatives).
US & Canada (cloud providers, ad networks, email systems).
Other jurisdictions where our partners operate.

We ensure transfers comply with:

GDPR Article 46 (Standard Contractual Clauses).
UK International Data Transfer Agreements.
Binding Corporate Rules (BCRs).
Adequacy decisions by the European Commission.

Where no adequacy decision exists, we rely on contractual safeguards and explicit user consent.

8. Data Retention Policy

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy:

Account Data – Retained while your account is active, and for up to 7 years after closure (for legal and audit purposes).
Newsletter Subscribers – Retained until you unsubscribe.
Cookies and Tracking Data – Retention varies: session cookies expire on browser close; analytics cookies may last up to 24 months.
Legal Records – Retained in compliance with tax, corporate, and legal obligations.
Children’s Data – Deleted immediately upon verified request.
Anonymized Data – May be retained indefinitely for statistical purposes.

If you request deletion, we will securely erase your personal data except where legal obligations require retention.

9. Your Privacy Rights

We recognize and respect user rights across jurisdictions:

9.1 GDPR (EU/EEA/UK) Users

You have the right to:

Access – Obtain a copy of your personal data.
Rectification – Correct inaccuracies.
Erasure (Right to be Forgotten) – Request deletion of data.
Restriction – Limit processing in certain cases.
Portability – Receive your data in a machine-readable format.
Objection – Opt-out of processing for marketing or legitimate interests.
Automated Decision-Making – Avoid profiling without human involvement.

9.2 CCPA/CPRA (California, US) Users

Right to know what data we collect and how it is used.
Right to request deletion of personal information.
Right to opt-out of sale/sharing of data.
Right to non-discrimination for exercising privacy rights.

9.3 DPDP (India) Users

Right to access information on processing.
Right to correction and erasure.
Right to nominate a representative in case of death/incapacity.
Right to withdraw consent at any time.

9.4 Other Jurisdictions

Brazil (LGPD): Rights to confirm processing, access, correction, portability, and anonymization.
Canada (PIPEDA): Rights to access and challenge accuracy.
Australia (Privacy Act): Rights to lodge complaints with the OAIC.
South Africa (POPIA): Rights to access, correction, and objection.

9.5 Exercising Your Rights

Submit requests to privacy@worldnewsstudio.com.
Verification of identity may be required.
We respond within 30 days (or the legally required timeframe in your jurisdiction).

10. Children’s Privacy

World News Studio recognizes the importance of protecting children’s personal data.

COPPA (US Law): We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 13 years old.
GDPR (EU): The age of digital consent is 16 years (with possible national variations as low as 13).
DPDP (India): Defines a child as anyone under 18 years of age and requires verifiable parental consent.
Other Regions: Similar age-of-consent thresholds apply globally (e.g., Brazil LGPD – 18 years).

Our Policy:

We do not target our services at children under these age limits.
We prohibit account registration for minors without parental consent.
If we become aware that a child has provided personal data without consent, we will delete it immediately.
Parents/guardians may contact us at privacy@worldnewsstudio.com to review, correct, or request deletion of their child’s data.

11. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and tracking technologies to improve functionality, personalize content, and measure engagement.

11.1 Types of Cookies

Essential Cookies – Required for login, navigation, and security.
Performance Cookies – Monitor site performance, errors, and uptime.
Analytics Cookies – Track visitor behavior (e.g., Google Analytics, Matomo).
Advertising Cookies – Deliver relevant ads and measure campaign effectiveness.
Social Media Cookies – Enable sharing via Facebook, Twitter (X), LinkedIn, WhatsApp.

11.2 Tracking Technologies

Web Beacons/Pixels: Tiny images embedded in pages/emails for tracking opens/clicks.
Device Fingerprinting: Collects browser and device characteristics for fraud prevention.
Local Storage: Stores preferences and offline reading lists.

11.3 Managing Cookies

Consent Banners: EU/UK users will see cookie consent popups under GDPR/PECR rules.
Opt-Out: Users can reject non-essential cookies.
Do Not Track (DNT): We honor DNT settings where technically feasible.
Global Privacy Control (GPC): Supported in compliance with CCPA/CPRA.

12. Security Measures

We adopt industry-leading safeguards to protect personal data.

12.1 Technical Safeguards

Encryption: Data encrypted in transit (TLS/SSL) and at rest (AES-256).
Firewalls & IDS: Monitored 24/7 for intrusion attempts.
Access Controls: Role-based access, multi-factor authentication for staff.
Data Minimization: Only necessary data collected and stored.

12.2 Organizational Safeguards

Data Protection Officer (DPO): Appointed for GDPR/DPDP compliance.
Staff Training: Regular training on data handling, phishing, and privacy.
Vendor Assessments: Third-party providers undergo due diligence.

12.3 Incident Response

Breach Notification: Users and regulators will be notified within legally required timeframes (e.g., 72 hours under GDPR) if a breach occurs.
Emergency Plan: Incident response team investigates, contains, and remediates security events.

13. Third-Party Links and Services

Our website and app may contain:

External Links to third-party news publishers, blogs, and reference sites.
Embedded Content such as YouTube videos, Twitter feeds, or podcast players.
Third-Party Tools like commenting systems, social share buttons, or ad widgets.

We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third parties. Users should review the privacy policies of any external site before engaging.

14. Global Jurisdiction and Dispute Resolution

World News Studio is headquartered in Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir, India, and legal jurisdiction lies exclusively with:

Courts of Srinagar, Kashmir, India.

However, because we serve a global audience, we comply with dispute resolution mechanisms required by various laws:

EU/UK: Users may escalate complaints to local Data Protection Authorities (DPAs).
US (California): Users may raise complaints with the California Privacy Protection Agency (CPPA).
India: Disputes may be raised with the Data Protection Board of India (DPB) under the DPDP Act 2023.
Other Regions: We respect the rights of users to escalate issues to their national regulators.

For internal resolution, contact: complaints@worldnewsstudio.com.

15. Updates to This Privacy Policy

We may revise this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in law, technology, or business practices.
Major updates will be announced via email or website notices.
Continued use of our services after updates indicates acceptance of the revised policy.
Users may request an archived copy of previous versions.

16. Contact Information

For all privacy-related matters, users may contact us:

Data Controller & Operator: Badana Communications and Business Pvt. Ltd.
Corospondence address 1st Floor, Bhat Complex, Near Astan Airport Road, Humhama, Srinagar, Pin 190021, Kashmir, India
Contact Officer: Akhtar Badana
Phone: +91 9419061646
Emails:
- General Info: info@worldnewsstudio.com
- Help/Support: help@worldnewsstudio.com
- Advertisers: advertise@worldnewsstudio.com
- Editorial: editor@worldnewsstudio.com
- Privacy/Data Requests: privacy@worldnewsstudio.com
- Complaints: complaints@worldnewsstudio.com
- Copyrights/IPR: copyrights@worldnewsstudio.com

17. Global-Specific Addenda

Because laws differ worldwide, we provide regional addenda:

EU/EEA Addendum – GDPR Article 27 Representative details.
UK Addendum – ICO registration reference.
California Addendum – Notice of collection, right to opt-out of sales.
India Addendum – DPDP Data Fiduciary obligations.
Brazil Addendum – LGPD lawful grounds and ANPD authority.

17. Global Privacy Addenda

Since World News Studio serves users globally, the following jurisdiction-specific rules and user rights apply in addition to the general Privacy Policy. These addenda ensure compliance with local laws while upholding our universal privacy principles.

17.1 European Union (EU) – GDPR Addendum

Representative: Under GDPR Article 27, we appoint an EU representative to liaise with regulators.
Supervisory Authority: You may lodge a complaint with your national Data Protection Authority (DPA).
Data Transfers: All transfers outside the EEA use Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs).
Legal Basis Reminder: We rely on consent, contract, legitimate interest, legal obligation, vital interests, and public interest in journalism.
Right to Object: Users can object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.

17.2 United Kingdom (UK) – UK GDPR & Data Protection Act 2018

Overseen by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).
Users may escalate disputes to the ICO.
We comply with UK-specific adequacy rules for data transfers.

17.3 United States – CCPA/CPRA Addendum

Applies to California residents.
Data Categories: We disclose collection of identifiers, browsing history, geolocation, and professional information.
Do Not Sell/Share: We respect opt-out signals for data sales/sharing.
Sensitive Information: Treated with heightened protections.
Enforcement: Overseen by the California Privacy Protection Agency (CPPA).

17.4 United States – Federal Privacy Laws

COPPA: We do not knowingly collect data from children under 13.
HIPAA: Any incidental health-related data is secured.
CAN-SPAM: Marketing emails include unsubscribe mechanisms.

17.5 India – DPDP Act 2023 Addendum

Data Fiduciary Role: World News Studio is classified as a Data Fiduciary.
Consent: Users must provide free, informed, specific, and unambiguous consent.
Children’s Data: Users under 18 require parental consent.
Grievance Officer: Appointed and reachable via privacy@worldnewsstudio.com.
Regulator: The Data Protection Board of India (DPB) handles escalations.
Data Storage: Data may be processed both in India and abroad, subject to government whitelist/blacklist rules.

17.6 Brazil – LGPD Addendum

Overseen by the National Data Protection Authority (ANPD).
Legal Grounds: Consent, legal obligation, contract, legitimate interest, and credit protection.
User Rights: Access, correction, anonymization, portability, deletion, and review of automated decisions.

17.7 Canada – PIPEDA Addendum

Applies to personal data collected during commercial activities.
Principles: Accountability, identifying purposes, consent, limiting use, safeguards, openness, access, and compliance.
Complaints may be raised with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC).

17.8 Australia – Privacy Act 1988 Addendum

Overseen by the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC).
13 Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) govern collection, use, disclosure, and overseas transfers.
Users may complain to OAIC if internal complaints are unresolved.

17.9 South Africa – POPIA Addendum

Overseen by the Information Regulator (South Africa).
Users have the right to withdraw consent, object to processing, and request correction or deletion.
Data may only be transferred outside South Africa if recipient countries have adequate protection or with user consent.

17.10 Singapore – PDPA Addendum

Overseen by the Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC).
Users may withdraw consent at any time, but this may affect service availability.
Complaints may be escalated to the PDPC.

17.11 Middle East – Regional Privacy Standards

UAE (DPL 2021): Users may request access, correction, erasure, and portability.
Qatar (PDPPL): Sensitive personal data requires explicit consent.
Saudi Arabia (PDPL): Transfers outside the Kingdom require regulatory approval.

17.12 Other Global Regions

Japan (APPI): Users may request disclosure and correction. Transfers outside Japan require safeguards.
South Korea (PIPA): Strong consent requirements; strict breach notifications.
New Zealand (Privacy Act 2020): Rights to access, correction, and portability.

17.13 Enforcement & Cross-Border Compliance

Users may exercise rights regardless of location, and we will comply under the strictest applicable law.
In case of conflicting laws, we apply the highest standard of protection globally.
We maintain Data Processing Agreements (DPAs) with all third-party vendors.

Our commitment: Transparency, Accountability, Security, and Global Compliance.

This Privacy Policy is binding worldwide, regardless of user location.

Where local law conflicts with this policy, local law prevails.

Users are encouraged to review this policy regularly to stay informed.