Privacy Policy

1. Who We Are

HallyuDesi ("we", "us", or "our") is a community website dedicated to Korean culture in India, operated by a small independent team based in Mumbai, India. We can be reached at hallyudesi@zohomail.in.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit hallyudesi.com and use any of its features, including but not limited to: user accounts and profiles, blog posts and content submission, events listings, the marketplace directory, K-Find AI assistant, and newsletter subscription.

By using HallyuDesi, you agree to the collection and use of information as described in this policy. If you do not agree, please discontinue use of the site.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information you provide directly

• Account registration: When you create an account, we collect your display name, email address, and a hashed password (if you sign up with email/password). If you sign up via Google, we receive your name and email from Google.
• Profile information: City, interests, favourite K-dramas, bias group, pincode (optional), and WhatsApp number (optional, for fan meetup communications only).
• Content submissions: If you submit a blog post, review, or event via our write form, we collect your name, email, city, the content you submit, and your social handle (if provided).
• Newsletter subscription: Email address only.
• Fan card customisation: Display name, bias group, favourite drama, city, and a personal tagline — all voluntarily entered by you.

2.2 Information collected automatically

• Usage data: Pages visited, features used (e.g., K-Find AI queries, watchlist additions, events viewed). This data is stored in your user record in Firebase Firestore and used to power your profile stats and activity feed.
• Device information: Browser type, operating system, and screen size — collected anonymously by Firebase to ensure compatibility. We do not collect IP addresses directly.

2.3 Information we do not collect

• We do not collect payment information. HallyuDesi is a free platform with no paid features.
• We do not collect precise geolocation data beyond the city you voluntarily select.
• We do not build advertising profiles or sell data to third parties.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

• To operate the platform: Creating and managing your account, displaying your profile, showing your watchlist and activity feed, and enabling all site features.
• To personalise your experience: Showing events in your city, recommending content based on your stated interests, and displaying your fan card.
• To publish community content: If your submitted blog post or article is accepted and published, your name and city may appear alongside the content. Your email is never published publicly.
• To send the newsletter: If you subscribe, we will send periodic emails about Korean culture, events, and site updates. You can unsubscribe at any time by emailing us.
• To improve the site: Aggregated, anonymous usage data helps us understand which features are useful and which need improvement.
• To ensure safety: Detecting and preventing abuse, spam, or fraudulent use of the platform.

We do not use your information for automated decision-making that produces legal or similarly significant effects on you.

4. How We Store Your Data

Your data is stored in Google Firebase Firestore, a cloud database operated by Google LLC. Firebase servers are primarily located in the United States. By using HallyuDesi, you consent to your data being processed in the United States in accordance with Google's data protection commitments.

Firebase is covered by Google's comprehensive security certifications (ISO 27001, SOC 1/2/3). For more information, see Firebase's Privacy and Security documentation.

Retention: We retain your account and profile data for as long as your account is active. If you request account deletion, we will delete your Firestore data within 30 days. Newsletter subscriber records are retained until you unsubscribe or request deletion. Content submissions are retained for editorial review and, if published, for the life of the site — the author's name remains associated with published work.

Security: We implement industry-standard security measures including Firebase Authentication for account access, Firestore Security Rules to restrict data access, and HTTPS encryption for all data in transit. No method of storage or transmission is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

5. Sharing of Information

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We share data only in these limited circumstances:

• Google Firebase / Google LLC: As our database and authentication provider, Google processes data on our behalf. Google acts as a data processor under a data processing agreement.
• Anthropic (K-Find AI): When you use the K-Find AI feature, your query is sent to Anthropic's Claude API to generate a response. Queries are not associated with your name or email — they are sent as anonymous text. Anthropic's privacy policy applies to this processing.
• Legal requirements: We may disclose your information if required to do so by Indian law, court order, or government authority, or if we believe disclosure is necessary to protect the rights or safety of any person.
• Business transfer: If HallyuDesi is transferred to another operator, user data may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify users via email or a prominent site notice before any such transfer occurs.

We do not share your data with advertisers, marketing firms, or any third party for commercial purposes.

6. Cookies and Local Storage

HallyuDesi uses the following browser storage mechanisms:

• Firebase Authentication cookies: Set automatically by Firebase to maintain your signed-in session. These are essential for the site to function if you are logged in. They expire when you sign out or after a standard session period.
• sessionStorage (K-Pulse ticker): We cache the news ticker content in your browser's sessionStorage for up to 6 hours to reduce Firebase read requests. This data contains only the ticker headlines — no personal information. It is automatically deleted when you close your browser tab.
• No third-party advertising cookies: We do not use Google AdSense, Meta Pixel, or any other advertising tracking technology.

You can clear cookies and sessionStorage at any time via your browser settings. Clearing Firebase auth cookies will sign you out of your account.

7. Your Rights

As a user of HallyuDesi, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:

• Right to access: You can view the personal information stored on your profile at any time by visiting your profile page.
• Right to correction: You can update your display name, city, interests, and other profile details at any time from your profile page.
• Right to deletion: You can request deletion of your account and all associated personal data by emailing hallyudesi@zohomail.in. We will complete deletion within 30 days. Note: if you have published articles attributed to your name, the content may remain but your personal details (email, profile data) will be removed.
• Right to withdraw consent: You can unsubscribe from the newsletter at any time by emailing us.
• Right to data portability: You can request a copy of your profile data in a readable format by emailing us.

To exercise any of these rights, email us at hallyudesi@zohomail.in with the subject line "Privacy Request". We will respond within 15 business days.

We do not discriminate against users who exercise their privacy rights.

8. Children's Privacy

HallyuDesi is not directed at children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us at hallyudesi@zohomail.in and we will delete that information promptly.

Users between 13 and 18 are welcome to use the site but should do so with the knowledge of a parent or guardian.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page and, where appropriate, notify registered users via email.

We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Continued use of HallyuDesi after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the revised policy.

The version history of this policy is available on request.

10. Contact Us