Privacy Policy

Last updated: 27 October 2026

Queer Ink Ventures (“Queer Ink”, “we”, “us”) runs queer-ink.com. We care about the privacy of everyone who visits, writes to us or shares their story with us. This policy explains what personal data we collect, why, and the choices you have. It applies to visitors from anywhere in the world.

1. Who we are

Queer Ink Ventures, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. For anything about your personal data, write to info@queer-ink.com.

2. What this policy covers

This policy covers queer-ink.com and any correspondence you have with us about it. Our website is informational: we do not sell products, take payments or offer user accounts to visitors.

3. Information we collect

Information you give us

• When you contact us through our contact form, by email or on a messaging channel: your name, contact details and anything you choose to write.
• When you offer a story, collection or manuscript: the details you share about yourself and the material.
• When you comment on a blog post: the name, email address and comment you enter, and your IP address. Your email address is never shown publicly.
• When you follow our WhatsApp or Telegram channel: you choose to follow, and you can unfollow at any time. WhatsApp does not show us followers’ phone numbers or names, and followers cannot see each other. On Telegram, channel admins can see subscribers’ names and usernames but not their phone numbers. We never add anyone to our channels, and we do not copy or store followers’ details. These services handle your data under their own privacy policies.

Information collected automatically

• Server logs: like every website, our hosting provider records technical data such as your IP address, browser type, the pages you request and the time of the request. This keeps the site secure and working.
• Analytics: we use analytics tools, such as Google Analytics, to understand how many people visit and which pages are useful. These tools use cookies and collect data such as approximate location, device type and pages viewed. We only use them after you agree, through the cookie banner. See our Cookie Policy.

Embedded content from other websites

Our Digital Library page displays a Google Sheets document. When that page loads, Google may collect data about your visit under Google’s own Privacy Policy. Links to other services, such as WhatsApp or Telegram, take you to sites with their own privacy practices.

4. Sensitive information

We never ask you to tell us about your sexual orientation, gender identity, health or other sensitive matters. Because of the nature of our work, you may choose to share such details, for example in a personal story or archival material. We treat this information with particular care. We will use it only for the purpose you agreed to, and we will never publish, archive or share it without your explicit written consent.

5. How we use your information

• To reply to your messages and work with you on publishing, archiving or other projects.
• To publish comments you submit on the blog.
• To understand and improve how the website is used.
• To keep the website secure and prevent spam and misuse.
• To meet our legal obligations.

We do not sell your personal data, use it for targeted advertising, or make automated decisions about you.

6. Legal basis for using your information

Where the EU or UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) applies, we rely on: your consent (for example, analytics cookies or sharing sensitive information); our legitimate interests in running and securing the website and replying to you; and legal obligations. Under India’s Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, we process personal data on the basis of your consent or for other lawful uses the Act permits.

7. Who we share it with

We share personal data only with service providers who help us run the website and our work, such as our hosting provider, email provider, analytics provider (Google) and spam-protection provider (Akismet, run by Automattic, which checks contact form messages and blog comments for spam). They may only use it to provide their services to us. We may also disclose information if the law requires it or to protect our rights or the safety of others. We never share your information with anyone for their own marketing.

8. International transfers

We are based in India and some of our service providers operate in other countries, including the United States. Your data may therefore be processed outside your country. Where required, we rely on appropriate safeguards, such as standard contractual clauses, to protect it.

9. How long we keep it

• Correspondence: for as long as needed to respond and to continue any project with you, then up to three years unless you ask us to delete it sooner.
• Blog comments: for as long as the comment is published.
• Analytics data: in line with the retention settings of the analytics tool, at most 14 months.
• Material you deposit with the archive: under the separate agreement we make with you.

10. Your rights

Depending on where you live, you may have the right to:

• access the personal data we hold about you;
• correct or update it;
• ask us to delete it;
• withdraw consent at any time (this does not affect anything we did before you withdrew it);
• object to or restrict how we use it;
• receive a copy in a portable format;
• nominate someone to exercise your rights if you die or become unable to (India);
• know what we collect and ask us to delete it, without being treated differently (California and other US states).

To use any of these rights, write to info@queer-ink.com. We will reply within 30 days. You can also complain to your data protection authority, such as the Data Protection Board of India, your local authority in the EU, or the Information Commissioner’s Office in the UK. We would appreciate the chance to resolve your concern first.

11. Children

Our website is not directed at children under 18, and we do not knowingly collect their personal data. If you believe a child has sent us personal data, please contact us and we will delete it.

12. Security

We use reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal data, including encrypted connections (HTTPS) and restricted access to our systems. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, but we work to protect your information and will notify you and the authorities of a breach where the law requires.

13. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. The “Last updated” date at the top shows when it last changed. Significant changes will be highlighted on this page.

14. Contact and grievances