Our Approach to Your Privacy
Hazara Network exists to document history, preserve culture, and share knowledge—work that often involves sensitive material: family photographs, oral histories, personal stories, and the details people trust us with when they contribute to our archive.
We take that trust seriously. This Privacy Policy explains, in plain language, what information we collect, why we collect it, how we protect it, and what control you have over it. It applies to our website and all related services described in our Terms and Conditions, including news content, the digital archive, community submissions, event coverage, and any donation or fundraising features we host or link to.
If a section of this policy ever feels unclear, that's on us to fix—you're always welcome to contact us directly with questions.
1. Who This Policy Covers
This policy applies to anyone who visits Hazara Network, creates an account, submits content (such as a story, photograph, or research material), subscribes to updates, comments on articles, or interacts with a donation link featured on our platform. It applies regardless of where in the world you're accessing our services from.
2. Information We Collect
We collect only what we need to run the platform, serve you well, and keep the archive secure.
2.1 Information You Give Us Directly
• Account information — name, email address, username, and password, if you register an account.
• Submitted content — stories, biographies, photographs, oral histories, research materials, or corrections you choose to contribute, along with any personal details you include in them.
• Communications — messages you send us through contact forms, email, or comment sections.
• Newsletter or subscription details — your email address, if you choose to subscribe to updates.
2.2 Information Collected Automatically
• Usage data—pages visited, time spent on the site, links clicked, and referring pages, collected through standard analytics tools.
• Device and technical data — browser type, operating system, IP address, and approximate location (typically city or country-level, derived from IP address).
• Cookies and similar technologies — small files that help our site remember your preferences and understand how the platform is used (see Section 6 for details and your choices).
2.3 Information from Third Parties
If you interact with a donation platform, event registration tool, or social media login that we've integrated or linked to, that third party may share limited information with us (such as confirmation that a donation was made), governed by their own privacy policy.
2.4 What We Don't Collect
We do not knowingly collect sensitive financial information (such as full payment card numbers)—donation transactions are processed directly by our third-party payment or fundraising partners, not stored on our servers. We also do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 (see Section 10).
3. How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect to:
• Operate, maintain, and improve the website and archive;
• Review, publish, and preserve content you submit to the community archive;
• Respond to your messages, questions, or content submissions;
• Send newsletters or updates you've subscribed to (you can unsubscribe at any time);
• Understand how visitors use the site, so we can make it more useful — for example, seeing which historical topics or resources are most read;
• Maintain the security of our platform and prevent abuse, spam, or fraudulent submissions;
• Comply with legal obligations, such as responding to a valid copyright notice.
We do not use your personal information to make automated decisions that have a significant legal or similar effect on you.
4. How We Share Information
We don't sell your personal information, and we're careful about who we share it with. We may share information in these limited circumstances:
• With your consent — for example, publishing your name as the contributor of a story or photograph you submitted, if you've agreed to be credited.
• With service providers—companies that help us run the site, such as hosting providers, email delivery services, or analytics tools, who are only permitted to use your data to provide that service to us.
• With third-party donation or event platforms—if you choose to donate through a linked campaign or register for an event, your information is shared with and governed by that third party's own privacy practices.
• For legal reasons — if required to comply with a valid legal request, protect our rights, or respond to a copyright claim under our DMCA process.
• In a business transition—if Hazara Network is ever restructured, merged, or its assets transferred—your information may be transferred as part of that transition, subject to this policy's continued protections.
5. Content You Submit to the Archive
Because much of our archive is built from community contributions, it's worth being specific here: when you submit a story, photograph, biography, or oral history, some of that material may itself contain personal information—about you, your family, or other individuals.
• We review submissions before publishing and may ask you to confirm you have the right to share any personal details or images of others included in your submission.
• Once published as part of the historical or cultural archive, this content is treated as intended for public documentation and preservation—please consider this before including sensitive personal details you'd prefer to keep private.
• If you later want a submission corrected, anonymized, or removed, contact us (Section 12) and we'll work with you in good faith, balancing your request against the archive's role as a historical record.
6. Cookies and Tracking Technologies
We use cookies and similar technologies to keep the site functional and to understand how it's used.
• Essential cookies — required for basic site functionality, such as keeping you logged in.
• Analytics cookies — help us understand traffic patterns and improve content (for example, standard web analytics tools).
• Preference cookies — remember settings like language choice.
You can control or disable cookies through your browser settings at any time. Disabling essential cookies may affect site functionality (such as staying logged into an account). Where required by law (for example, for users in the EU/UK), we will request your consent before setting non-essential cookies.
7. Data Retention
We keep personal information only as long as necessary for the purposes described in this policy:
• Account information is retained while your account is active and for a reasonable period afterward in case you wish to reactivate it, unless you request earlier deletion.
• Archived contributions (stories, photographs, historical material) are retained indefinitely, in line with our mission as a historical and cultural archive, unless you request removal and we determine removal is appropriate.
• Usage and analytics data is typically retained for a limited period sufficient for the analysis it supports, then aggregated or deleted.
8. Data Security
We use reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect your information — including secure hosting, access controls limiting who can view submitted data, and encryption of data in transit where applicable. That said, no online platform can guarantee absolute security, and we encourage you to use a strong, unique password and to contact us immediately if you suspect unauthorized access to your account.
9. International Data Transfers
Hazara Network serves a global community, and the servers and service providers we use may be located in different countries than you are. Where we transfer personal data internationally—for example, from the EU/UK to a hosting provider elsewhere—we take steps to ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, such as standard contractual clauses or equivalent protections required under applicable law.
10. Children's Privacy
Our services are not directed at children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from them. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us (Section 12), and we will promptly investigate and delete it if confirmed.
11. Your Privacy Rights
Wherever you're located, you generally have the right to know what personal information we hold about you, correct it if it's inaccurate, and request its deletion, subject to legitimate reasons we may need to retain certain records (such as archived historical contributions or legal compliance needs).
Additional Rights by Region
European Union / European Economic Area / United Kingdom (GDPR, UK GDPR): You have the right to access, rectify, erase, or port your personal data; to restrict or object to certain processing, including processing based on legitimate interest; and to withdraw consent at any time where processing relies on it. You may lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority.
California and other U.S. states with consumer privacy laws (CCPA/CPRA and similar): You have the right to know what categories of personal information we collect and why, request access or deletion, correct inaccurate information, and opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information (we do not sell personal information). You will not face discrimination for exercising these rights.
Canada (PIPEDA and provincial laws such as Quebec's Law 25): You have the right to know why we collect, use, or disclose your personal information; to access it; and to request correction of inaccuracies, based on meaningful consent.
Australia (Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles): You have the right to access and correct your personal information and to lodge a complaint, including with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) if unresolved with us directly.
Everywhere else: We apply this same baseline of transparency, access, correction, and deletion rights to all users globally, regardless of local legal requirements, because we believe these are fair standards for any platform handling personal information.
To exercise any of these rights, contact us using the details in Section 12. We'll respond within the timeframe required by applicable law or, otherwise, within a reasonable period.
12. How to Contact Us
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, want to exercise a privacy right, or need to report a concern about personal information on our platform, contact us at
Hazara Network Email: admin@hazaranetwork.org
13. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, our Services, or legal requirements. We'll update the "Last updated" date above when we do, and for significant changes, we'll aim to provide more visible notice, such as a banner on the site. We encourage you to check back periodically.