1. Introduction

ChitraKalaKunja ("we," "us," "our," or "Company") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website and use our services.

Please read this Privacy Policy carefully. If you do not agree with our policies and practices, please do not use our platform.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide Directly

• Account Registration: When you create an account as an artist or buyer, we collect your name, email address, phone number, address, and other profile information.
• Artwork Information: Artists provide details about their artwork, including images, descriptions, pricing, and artistic background.
• Communication: We collect messages, inquiries, and feedback you send through our platform.
• Payment Information: For transactions, we collect payment-related information. However, payment processing is handled by secure third-party payment gateways, and we do not store complete credit card details.
• Identity Verification: For artist verification, we may collect identity documents and professional credentials.

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

• Device Information: Browser type, IP address, device type, and operating system.
• Usage Data: Pages visited, time spent on pages, links clicked, and browsing patterns.
• Cookies and Tracking: We use cookies to enhance your experience and analyze platform usage.
• Location Information: Approximate location based on IP address (unless you provide precise location).

2.3 Information From Third Parties

We may receive information about you from third-party services if you link your social media accounts or use social login features.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for various purposes:

• To create and maintain your account
• To facilitate transactions between artists and buyers
• To verify artist credentials and ensure quality standards
• To process payments and send transaction confirmations
• To communicate with you about updates, promotions, and important notices
• To provide customer support and respond to inquiries
• To improve and personalize your experience on our platform
• To analyze platform usage and trends
• To detect, prevent, and address fraud and security issues
• To comply with legal obligations and enforce our Terms of Service

4. How We Share Your Information

4.1 Information Shared With Other Users

Your public profile information (name, profile picture, portfolio, reviews) is visible to other users to facilitate discovery and trust-building.

4.2 Third-Party Service Providers

We share information with trusted service providers who assist us in operating our platform, including:

• Payment processors
• Email service providers
• Analytics providers
• Hosting providers
• Shipping and logistics partners

4.3 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required by law or if we believe in good faith that such disclosure is necessary to:

• Comply with legal obligations
• Enforce our Terms of Service
• Protect the rights, privacy, safety, or property of ChitraKalaKunja, users, or the public

4.4 Business Transfers

If ChitraKalaKunja is involved in a merger, acquisition, bankruptcy, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will provide notice before your information becomes subject to a different privacy policy.

4.5 With Your Consent

We may share your information with third parties when you give us explicit consent to do so.

5. Data Security

We implement comprehensive security measures to protect your information:

• Encryption of data in transit (SSL/TLS protocols)
• Secure password storage using encryption
• Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments
• Restricted access to personal information by authorized personnel only
• Secure payment processing through PCI-DSS compliant providers

6. Data Retention

• Active Accounts: Information is retained as long as your account is active.
• Deleted Accounts: Upon account deletion, we retain information only as required by law or for legitimate business purposes (e.g., dispute resolution, fraud prevention).
• Transaction Records: Transaction and payment information is retained for at least 7 years for accounting and legal compliance.
• Marketing Communications: You can opt out of marketing emails at any time; we will remove you from our mailing list.

7. Your Privacy Rights

7.1 Access and Correction

You have the right to access, review, and update your personal information. You can do this by logging into your account or contacting us.

7.2 Data Portability

You have the right to request your personal data in a portable format.

7.3 Right to Delete

You can request deletion of your account and associated personal information, subject to legal retention requirements.

7.4 Opt-Out of Marketing

You can unsubscribe from marketing emails by clicking the unsubscribe link in our communications or adjusting your notification preferences in your account settings.

7.5 Do Not Track Signals

Our platform does not currently respond to "Do Not Track" signals, but you can disable cookies through your browser settings.

8. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies to:

• Remember your login information
• Understand your preferences and personalize content
• Analyze how you use our platform
• Improve user experience

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect some functionality of our platform.

9. Children's Privacy

ChitraKalaKunja is not intended for children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect information from children under 13. If we discover that we have collected information from a child under 13, we will delete it immediately. If you believe a child has provided us with their information, please contact us at support@chitrakalakunja.com.

10. Third-Party Links

Our platform may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of external websites. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing any personal information.

11. International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to, stored in, and processed in countries other than your country of residence. These countries may have data protection laws different from your home country. By using ChitraKalaKunja, you consent to the transfer of your information to countries outside your country of residence.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. We will notify you of material changes by posting the updated policy on our website and updating the "Last Updated" date. Your continued use of the platform following such notifications constitutes your acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.

13. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us:

14. Your Rights Under Data Protection Laws

Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have additional rights such as:

• Right to be informed about data processing
• Right to access your personal data
• Right to rectification (correction) of inaccurate data
• Right to erasure ("right to be forgotten")
• Right to restrict processing
• Right to object to processing
• Right to data portability
• Rights related to automated decision-making and profiling

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at the email addresses provided above.

15. Disclaimer

This Privacy Policy is subject to applicable laws and regulations. In case of any conflict between this policy and local laws, the applicable local laws will prevail. This policy does not create any contractual or other legal rights and is subject to change without notice.

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