Privacy Policy

1. Who we are

GC News is an online publication available at gcnews.in, covering Indian news, politics and governance, education, government jobs and recruitment, public policy, social issues, technology, and opinion. For more information about the publication and its background, visit About GC News.

This policy describes how information may be collected, used, stored, and shared when you visit the website or interact with its features. A feature may display additional information where its data handling differs from the general website experience.

2. Information we may collect

Information you provide

Depending on the services you use, information you choose to provide may include:

• Your name, username, email address, and other details entered into a form or account profile.
• Messages, questions, correction requests, story tips, and correspondence sent to the newsroom.
• Newsletter preferences or subscription details when you request email updates.
• Account and sign-in details needed to provide a feature that requires registration.
• Comments, article feedback, reader contributions, uploaded material, or other content you submit.

Technical and usage information

When a page is requested, hosting, diagnostic, or security systems may process technical records such as an IP address, request date and time, requested URL, referring page, browser or device information, and error logs. Such records may be used to deliver pages, diagnose faults, maintain security, and investigate suspected misuse.

Cookies and session information

Cookies or similar technologies may support login sessions, security, preferences, and other website functions. Analytics, embedded media, or third-party tools may process technical information if they are enabled on a page. See our Cookie Policy for further information about cookies.

3. How we use information

Depending on the feature and the circumstances, information may be used to:

• Operate, maintain, troubleshoot, and secure GC News and its features.
• Respond to newsroom enquiries, correction requests, privacy questions, feedback, and story tips.
• Manage accounts, subscriptions, and updates that you request.
• Review or moderate submitted content and reduce spam, fraud, abuse, or unauthorised access.
• Understand site performance, diagnose technical problems, and improve content presentation and usability.
• Meet applicable legal obligations and respond to valid legal or regulatory requests.

We aim to use information for the purpose for which it was provided or for a compatible operational purpose, subject to applicable law. Where consent or another specific requirement applies, the relevant process should be handled accordingly.

4. Cookies and browser controls

Cookies are small files that a website may store in your browser. Some cookies may be necessary for essential functions such as account sessions, security, or remembering a setting. Other technologies may be used by analytics, embedded content, or third-party services if those features are enabled.

You can manage or delete cookies through your browser settings. Blocking cookies may affect sign-in and other interactive features. Browser cookie controls do not necessarily prevent hosting systems from keeping technical logs needed for security and troubleshooting.

For details about any optional technologies actually used on the site, consult the Cookie Policy. This policy should be updated when the website's cookie or analytics configuration changes.

5. Email updates and communications

If you subscribe to a newsletter or another email update, details you provide may be used to manage the subscription and deliver the requested messages. Use an unsubscribe link in the message, where available, or contact us to request that optional updates stop.

If you contact the newsroom, we may retain the message and related correspondence for as long as reasonably needed to respond, handle follow-up questions, maintain appropriate records, protect the website, or meet applicable obligations. Please do not send passwords, payment credentials, or unnecessary sensitive information by ordinary email.

6. Accounts, comments and reader contributions

Where account, comment, or contribution features are available, information you submit may be used to provide the relevant feature, administer your account, communicate with you, and review submissions. The information required may vary by feature.

If a comment or contribution is published, the content and the name or username associated with it may become publicly visible. Public content may be copied or reused by others; removing it from GC News may not remove copies held or published elsewhere.

Please do not post passwords, financial details, identity documents, private contact details, or other sensitive personal information in a public comment or contribution.

7. When information may be shared

GC News does not sell personal information as a standalone product. Information may be processed or disclosed in limited circumstances, such as:

• Service providers: Hosting, email delivery, security, maintenance, and similar providers may process information when needed to operate the website or deliver a requested service.
• Legal and safety matters: Information may be disclosed where required by applicable law or where reasonably necessary to respond to valid legal process, protect rights or safety, or investigate fraud, abuse, or attacks against the website.
• Service or operational changes: If the website's operation changes, information may be handled as part of that change, subject to applicable law and appropriate safeguards.
• Third-party features: If you choose to use a linked or embedded third-party service, that service may process information under its own terms and privacy notices.

We do not control the independent privacy practices of external websites. Review their notices before submitting information directly to them.

8. Data retention

We seek to retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, including responding to enquiries, maintaining accounts or subscriptions, preserving relevant records, protecting security, resolving disputes, or meeting applicable legal obligations. Retention periods may differ by information type and feature.

Removing information from an active system may not immediately remove it from security logs or routine backups. Any retained copies should be handled under the relevant retention and security processes.

9. Information security

GC News uses HTTPS for website connections. We seek to apply reasonable technical and organisational measures appropriate to the website to help protect information against unauthorised access, loss, misuse, or alteration.

No internet transmission or storage system can be guaranteed completely secure. If you believe an account or communication with GC News has been compromised, contact the newsroom promptly and provide only the information needed to explain the concern.

10. Your choices and privacy requests

Subject to applicable law and the circumstances of the processing, you may contact us to ask about information associated with you or request that inaccurate details be corrected, information be deleted where appropriate, or optional email updates be stopped. You may also ask how a particular website feature handles information.

We may need to verify your identity before responding to a request. Certain information may need to be retained for security, record-keeping, or legal reasons. We aim to review genuine requests fairly and respond within a period required by applicable law or, where no specific period applies, within a reasonable time.

11. Children's privacy

GC News is a general-audience publication. We do not intend to collect children's personal information in circumstances where collection is prohibited by applicable law. If you are a parent or guardian and believe a child has provided personal information to us, contact the newsroom so that the matter can be reviewed and appropriate steps considered under applicable law.

12. External links and embedded content

GC News articles may link to government websites, public records, research, social platforms, and other publishers. If you follow an external link or interact with embedded third-party content, that provider may collect information under its own terms and privacy practices. This policy does not govern websites that GC News does not operate.

13. Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may revise this policy when website features, data practices, service providers, or applicable obligations change. The revision date near the top of this page indicates when the published policy was last updated. We aim to update this page when a material change to our practices makes an update necessary.

14. Contact GC News about privacy

For questions about this Privacy Policy or to make a privacy request, contact the newsroom. Explain the nature of the request clearly and include the relevant page or feature where helpful. Do not send passwords or unnecessary sensitive personal information.