Legal
Privacy Policy
01
Who We Are
The Chenab Times is an independent digital news platform. Our website address is: https://thechenabtimes.com
We are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal data with care, transparency, and respect. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect across our website and mobile application, how we use it, and the rights you have over it.
02
Information We Collect and Why
We collect limited personal data only where necessary for site functionality, security, and reader interaction.
Comments
When visitors leave comments on our website, we collect the information provided in the comment form — including name, email address, and comment content — along with the visitor’s IP address and browser user agent string. This information helps us detect spam and maintain the integrity of our platform.
An anonymised string (hash) created from your email address may be shared with the Gravatar service to check whether you use it. Once a comment is approved, your profile image may be publicly visible alongside it.
03
Cookies
Our website uses cookies to improve the user experience. Cookies do not store sensitive personal data. Below is a summary of the cookies we use:
- Comment preference cookies. If you leave a comment, you may choose to save your name, email address, and website in cookies for future convenience. These cookies last for one year.
- Browser compatibility cookie. A temporary cookie is set when you visit the login page to check browser compatibility. It is deleted automatically when you close your browser.
- Login and session cookies. When you log in, cookies store your session and display preferences. These last between two days and one year, depending on your settings and whether you select “Remember Me.”
- Article editing cookie. If you publish or edit an article, a short-lived cookie records the post ID for technical purposes only.
04
Embedded Content from Other Websites
Articles on The Chenab Times may include embedded content such as videos, images, tweets, or articles sourced from third-party websites.
Embedded content behaves as if you have visited the originating website directly. These external sites may collect data about you, use cookies, embed additional third-party tracking, and monitor your interactions — all in accordance with their own privacy policies. The Chenab Times has no control over these third-party practices and assumes no responsibility for them.
We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party platforms whose embedded content you interact with.
05
Mobile Application Privacy
The Chenab Times mobile application delivers news content, personalised summaries, and location-based features to readers on Android and iOS devices. This section explains how we handle data within the app.
Information We May Collect
Depending on how you use the app and the permissions you grant, we may collect the following limited data:
- Device and usage information. This includes app interactions, performance data, and crash reports. This information is used solely to improve stability and overall app experience.
- Approximate location data. With your permission, the app may access your approximate location to surface location-relevant news and local weather updates. We do not collect precise GPS coordinates, and location data is never sold or shared for advertising purposes.
- Saved preferences and reading activity. Bookmarked articles, notification settings, and personalisation choices (such as preferred topics) may be stored to power features like the “For You” feed and reading history.
How We Use This Information
Data collected through the mobile app is used exclusively to:
- Maintain and improve app performance, stability, and reliability
- Personalise your news feed based on topics you engage with
- Deliver local weather updates relevant to your approximate location
- Restore saved articles, preferences, and settings across sessions and devices
- Diagnose and resolve technical issues efficiently
We do not use app data for profiling, behavioural advertising, or sale to third parties.
Third-Party Services
The app integrates with selected third-party services to support core functionality:
- Google Firebase. Used for app analytics, performance monitoring, and crash reporting. Firebase may collect anonymised usage data in accordance with Google’s Privacy Policy.
These services are contractually bound to use data only for the purposes we specify and may not use it for their own advertising or marketing.
Data Storage
User preferences and saved articles are stored securely on our servers and, where applicable, linked to your account. Data transmitted between the app and our servers is encrypted in transit using industry-standard protocols.
User Controls and Permissions
You remain in control of the data the app can access. You may adjust or revoke the following permissions at any time through your device settings:
- Location access — required only for local news and weather features
- Notifications — for breaking news alerts and updates
Revoking a permission will disable the associated feature but will not affect the rest of your app experience. You may also delete your account at any time to remove stored preferences and personal data from our servers.
Contact for App-Related Privacy Queries
For privacy concerns specific to the mobile application, please reach out through our official contact page.
06
Data Retention
- Comments and metadata are retained indefinitely to support moderation, continuity of public discussion, and legal compliance.
- User profile information (where registration is applicable) is stored until edited or deleted by the user or an administrator.
- App usage and performance data is retained in anonymised or aggregated form for up to 12 months, after which it is deleted or further anonymised.
- Location data is not persistently stored beyond the active session unless required to restore a specific feature state.
07
Your Rights Over Your Data
You have the right to:
- Access a copy of the personal data we hold about you
- Correction of inaccurate or incomplete data
- Deletion of your personal data, subject to any legal obligations that require us to retain certain information
- Portability of your data in a commonly used, machine-readable format where applicable
- Withdrawal of consent for data processing based on consent, at any time
Please note that these rights do not extend to data we are required to retain for legal, administrative, or security purposes.
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us through our contact page. We aim to respond to all requests within 30 days.
08
Data Security
We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect user data from unauthorised access, misuse, or disclosure. These include encrypted data transmission (HTTPS), access controls, and routine security reviews.
However, no online system can be guaranteed to be entirely secure. In the unlikely event of a data breach that affects your rights or freedoms, we will notify affected users and relevant authorities as required by applicable law.
09
Changes to This Policy
This Privacy Policy may be updated periodically to reflect changes in applicable law, technology, or our editorial and operational practices. When we make material changes, we will update the effective date at the top of this page.
We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Continued use of our website or mobile application following any update constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us.