Who we are.
Queer Ink is an independent publisher, archive, and library based in Mumbai, India, founded and operated by Shobhna S Kumar. We are the data controller for any personal information collected through this website.
Contact for privacy matters: shobhna@queer-ink.com with subject line PRIVACY — [your request].
What we collect.
When you visit the website: standard server logs (IP address, browser type, pages visited). We do not use third-party advertising trackers. We use minimal first-party analytics (page views, referrers) to understand what readers are using.
When you book a QConversation: name, email, phone (optional), and the information you choose to share about your question.
When you subscribe to QBlog: email address only.
When you become a Patron: name, email, contribution amount and frequency, payment information (handled by Razorpay or Stripe — we do not store payment cards).
When you contribute to the Archives: the materials you choose to share, plus contact information and the access terms you set. Anonymous contributions are accepted.
When you write to us: the contents of your message and your contact information.
Why we are allowed to use it.
For visitors in the European Union, the United Kingdom, and other jurisdictions with similar data protection laws, we are required to name the lawful basis for each type of data processing. Our bases are:
Contractual necessity — for QConversations bookings, Patron subscriptions, book purchases, and any service you have asked us to provide. We need your information to deliver the thing you have asked for.
Consent — for the QBlog newsletter, patron updates, and any other email we send you. You opt in; you can withdraw consent at any time using the unsubscribe link in every email.
Legitimate interests — for basic website analytics (understanding what readers are using), for responding to inquiries, and for the operation of the website itself. These uses are minimal and balanced against your rights.
Legal obligation — for tax records, financial records, and any compliance requirement under Indian, EU, UK, or other applicable law.
How we use it.
We use the information you provide to do the thing you contacted us about, and nothing else. We do not sell, rent, or share your information with third parties for marketing purposes — ever.
We use Razorpay (for INR payments) and Stripe (for international payments) to process financial transactions. We use a major email service provider to send the QBlog newsletter and patron updates. These services have their own privacy policies and handle data on our behalf, under contractual data processing terms.
Where your data goes.
Your personal information is stored on servers in India (the website itself, our records) and may be processed by service providers in other countries (Razorpay in India; Stripe in the United States, Ireland, and other locations; our email service provider's servers as listed in their own policy).
For visitors in the European Union, this means some of your data may be transferred outside the EU. Such transfers are protected by appropriate safeguards — including the Standard Contractual Clauses approved by the European Commission, where applicable, and the data processing agreements we have with each service provider.
How long we keep it.
We keep personal information only as long as needed for the purpose it was collected, plus any period required by law:
— Newsletter subscribers: until you unsubscribe
— Patron records: for the duration of your patronage plus seven years (Indian tax record requirement)
— QConversations bookings: for three years after the session, then deleted
— Archive contributions: for the duration of the contribution agreement (which may be permanent), per the terms set by you
— General correspondence: for two years, then deleted unless retention is required for ongoing matters
— Server logs: for ninety days, then deleted
Your rights.
You have the right to:
— Know what personal information we hold about you
— Access a copy of that information
— Correct information that is inaccurate or incomplete
— Delete your information (subject to legal retention requirements)
— Withdraw consent for any processing based on your consent (e.g. unsubscribe from emails)
— Object to processing based on legitimate interests
— Receive your data in a portable format (data portability)
— Lodge a complaint with the relevant data protection authority in your country
To exercise any right, write to shobhna@queer-ink.com with subject line PRIVACY — [your request]. We respond within thirty days for general requests and within seventy-two hours for urgent privacy matters.
If you are in the European Union, United Kingdom, or European Economic Area.
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the UK Data Protection Act 2018 give you all the rights listed above plus the right to lodge a complaint with your national data protection authority. For EU residents, this is your country's supervisory authority (you can find yours at edpb.europa.eu). For UK residents, it is the Information Commissioner's Office (ico.org.uk).
We do not currently have an appointed EU representative under GDPR Article 27, as our processing of EU resident data is occasional and limited. If our activities expand and a representative becomes required, we will appoint one and update this policy.
If you are in California or another US state with privacy laws.
Residents of California, Virginia, Colorado, Connecticut, Utah, and other US states with comprehensive privacy laws have the rights listed above, including the right to know, the right to delete, and the right to opt out of any sale or sharing of personal information. We do not sell or share personal information for cross-context behavioural advertising. To exercise any right, contact us using the email above.
If you are in India.
The Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023 gives you the rights listed above, plus the right to nominate a person to exercise your rights in case of your death or incapacity. You may also lodge a grievance with our Grievance Officer (Shobhna S Kumar, contactable at the email above) or, if unresolved, with the Data Protection Board of India.
Cookies.
The website uses minimal first-party cookies (for things like remembering your dark-mode preference, if you have one, and keeping you signed in to your Patron account if applicable). It does not use third-party advertising or tracking cookies. No consent banner is required for purely first-party functional cookies under either Indian or EU law.
Children.
The website is intended for adult readers, researchers, and community members. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided personal information, please write to us and we will delete it.
Security.
We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect your information, including encrypted connections (HTTPS), encrypted storage, limited access, and the use of established service providers (Razorpay, Stripe, our email service) that maintain their own security standards.
No system is completely secure. If we become aware of a data breach affecting your information, we will notify affected users and the relevant authorities within seventy-two hours, in accordance with GDPR, the UK DPA, and the Indian DPDP Act.
Changes to this policy.
If we update this policy, we will note the change at the top of this page and explain what changed. Material changes will also be communicated to subscribers and patrons by email at least thirty days before they take effect.
Questions.
Write to shobhna@queer-ink.com. We respond to every privacy question we receive.