Effective Date: 30 July 2025
Last Updated: 30 July 2025
This Privacy & Data Protection Policy explains how The Minds Journal, operated by Minds Journal Private Limited, collects, uses, stores, protects, and shares personal information across its websites, subdomains, community platforms, newsletters, applications, push notifications, and related services.
The official website of The Minds Journal is themindsjournal.com.
For more about our platform, mission, editorial approach, and publishing ecosystem, please visit About The Minds Journal.
By accessing or using our services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Policy. If you do not agree with this Policy, please do not use our services.
Privacy at a Glance
- We collect account, usage, device, content, and transaction-related information to operate and improve our services.
- We use trusted third-party providers for authentication, analytics, advertising, community features, notifications, and support tools.
- Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have rights to access, correct, delete, restrict, or object to how your personal data is processed.
- We use technical and organizational safeguards to protect personal data.
- Privacy and data-related requests may be sent to [email protected].
Data Protection Officer / Grievance Officer
Name: Sakshi Choudhary
Email: [email protected]
Postal Address: Module 18, Floor 14, Bengal Eco Intelligent Park, EM 3, Sector 5, Salt Lake City, Kolkata 700091, India
1. Who We Are
The Minds Journal is a global digital publishing platform focused on mental health, psychology, relationships, emotional wellness, and personal growth. It is operated by Minds Journal Private Limited.
This Policy applies to the websites, subdomains, community platforms, newsletters, Android application, future iOS application, push notifications, and other services operated by Minds Journal Private Limited.
This may include services and platforms within our broader ecosystem, such as:
- The Minds Journal
- MindTalk Hub at community.themindsjournal.com
- affiliated interactive experiences and related digital services operated by Minds Journal Private Limited
Where other affiliated platforms maintain separate privacy policies or terms, those policies will govern the relevant service.
2. Definitions
Personal Data / Personal Information means any information relating to an identified or identifiable person.
Processing means any operation performed on personal data, whether by automated means or otherwise.
Sensitive Data includes information such as health information, race, ethnicity, or other special categories of personal data where defined by applicable law.
3. Third-Party Services We Use
We use a limited set of trusted third-party providers, tools, plugins, SDKs, and infrastructure services to deliver core functionality.
These may include services for:
- community and social features
- single sign-on authentication
- analytics and performance measurement
- advertising and monetization
- push notifications
- payment and transaction support
- fraud prevention and platform security
Examples of services currently referenced in our platform operations include:
- BuddyBoss Platform
- GamiPress
- Google Identity Services
- Firebase Cloud Messaging
- OneSignal
- Google Analytics (GA4)
- Adnimation
- Prebid.js and advertising partners
Each provider processes data only for specific functional purposes and subject to contractual, technical, or legal safeguards where applicable.
A current list of relevant vendors and processing categories may be maintained separately through our vendor list, cookie settings, consent manager, or related legal disclosures.
4. Scope and Jurisdictional Compliance
This Policy is intended to apply globally and is designed to align, where relevant, with applicable privacy and data protection laws, including:
- EU and UK GDPR
- California CCPA / CPRA
- Brazil LGPD
- India Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023
- Singapore PDPA
- South Africa POPIA
- and other applicable privacy laws where relevant
Your rights and our obligations may vary depending on your location and the services you use.
5. Information We Collect
We may collect the following categories of information:
Account Data
Such as your name, email address, username, date of birth, and password hash, where applicable.
Profile Information
Such as your bio, profile photo, interests, links, and other optional profile fields you choose to provide.
User-Generated Content
Such as posts, comments, messages, uploaded media, captions, stories, or other content you create or publish through our services.
Usage Data
Such as pages viewed, interactions, timestamps, referring URLs, session activity, and other behavioral or analytics information.
Device and Technical Data
Such as IP address, browser type, operating system, device identifiers, application version, push token, advertising ID, and related technical signals.
Approximate Location Data
Such as country or city inferred from IP address or device-level signals where permitted.
Marketing Preferences
Such as newsletter sign-up status, push notification consent, and communication preferences.
Payment or Transaction Information
Such as transaction IDs, billing country, limited payment references, or app-store related payment data, typically processed by third-party payment providers.
We do not intentionally collect sensitive personal data such as health information unless you choose to disclose it publicly or directly through content or interactions you submit.
6. How We Collect Information
We collect information in several ways:
- directly from you when you register, subscribe, submit content, contact us, or participate in our services
- automatically through cookies, analytics tools, SDKs, server logs, and similar technologies
- from third-party authentication or service providers when you choose to sign in or interact through them
- from payment processors, app stores, advertising partners, or service providers where relevant to service delivery
7. Why We Process Personal Data
We may process your information for the following purposes:
- to provide, operate, and maintain our services
- to authenticate users and secure accounts
- to personalize user experience, content, or recommendations
- to manage community features, leaderboards, profiles, or engagement tools
- to send newsletters, push notifications, and service-related updates
- to analyze performance, traffic, and product usage
- to support advertising, monetization, and measurement functions
- to prevent fraud, abuse, harassment, or misuse
- to enforce policies, terms, copyright rules, or legal rights
- to comply with legal, regulatory, and law enforcement obligations
- to improve features, editorial products, and platform performance
8. Legal Bases for Processing
Where required by applicable law, we rely on one or more of the following legal bases:
- Contract to provide and maintain the services you request
- Consent for activities such as marketing emails, push notifications, or non-essential cookies where required
- Legitimate Interests for platform operation, analytics, fraud prevention, moderation, and product improvement
- Legal Obligation where we must comply with laws, lawful requests, or regulatory requirements
Where consent is the legal basis, you may withdraw it at any time without affecting processing already carried out before withdrawal.
9. Cookies and Tracking Technologies
We use cookies, SDKs, pixels, local storage, and similar technologies to:
- maintain sessions and authentication
- remember preferences and settings
- analyze traffic and service performance
- support advertising and frequency capping
- enable social media integrations and sign-in functionality
- improve functionality and user experience
Where required by law, non-essential cookies and tracking technologies are used only after appropriate consent.
Users may manage preferences through available cookie settings, consent tools, browser controls, device settings, or applicable opt-out mechanisms.
We may also honor legally relevant privacy signals such as Global Privacy Control (GPC) in certain jurisdictions.
10. How We Share or Disclose Information
We may share information with:
Service Providers
Such as hosting providers, analytics providers, CDN services, email systems, support tools, community platform tools, and security vendors.
Advertising and Monetization Partners
Such as advertising platforms, demand partners, header bidding providers, and ad measurement vendors, subject to consent and legal requirements where applicable.
Payment Providers and App Stores
To process transactions, subscriptions, billing events, and fraud prevention checks.
Legal or Regulatory Authorities
Where required to respond to lawful requests, legal proceedings, enforcement obligations, or to protect rights and safety.
Corporate Transaction Parties
In connection with a merger, acquisition, reorganization, or asset sale, subject to appropriate continuity and notice obligations where required.
Other Users
Where you choose to make content, profile information, or community activity public.
We do not sell personal data for money. In some jurisdictions, certain advertising-related sharing may legally be classified as a “sale” or “sharing,” and users may opt out where those rights apply.
11. International Data Transfers
Our services may involve the processing or transfer of personal data outside your country of residence.
Where required, international data transfers are supported by appropriate safeguards, such as:
- contractual protections, including Standard Contractual Clauses where applicable
- access controls
- encryption in transit and at rest
- internal security and data minimization practices
Primary server or hosting regions: [Insert hosting region(s) if you want to publish them]
12. Data Retention
We retain personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes described in this Policy, including service delivery, legal compliance, security, dispute resolution, and record-keeping.
Examples may include:
- active account data retained while an account remains active
- backups retained for limited periods based on operational cycles
- log files retained for security, analytics, and fraud monitoring
- marketing consent records retained where needed for legal defense or compliance
- financial or tax records retained where required by law
When retention is no longer necessary, data is securely deleted, anonymized, or irreversibly de-identified.
13. Your Privacy Rights
Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have rights such as:
- the right to access your personal data
- the right to correct inaccurate or incomplete data
- the right to delete personal data
- the right to restrict or object to certain processing
- the right to data portability
- the right to withdraw consent
- the right to opt out of certain targeted advertising or sharing activities
- the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory or regulatory authority
We may need to verify your identity before responding to a request.
14. How to Exercise Your Rights
You may exercise your privacy rights by:
- using any available privacy dashboard or account settings tools
- emailing [email protected]
- using an available privacy request form where provided
- writing to the postal address listed in this Policy
Please use a clear subject line such as Data Request, GDPR Access Request, Delete My Data, or Privacy Complaint.
We will respond within the timeframes required by applicable law.
15. Security Measures
We use reasonable technical and organizational safeguards to protect personal data, including measures such as:
- HTTPS / TLS encryption for data in transit
- encryption of critical data stores where appropriate
- role-based access controls
- least-privilege access principles
- multi-factor authentication for administrative access where applicable
- firewalls, WAF protections, DDoS mitigation, and monitoring tools
- vulnerability scanning and incident response processes
No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, but we work to maintain commercially reasonable protections appropriate to the nature of the data we handle.
16. Children’s Privacy
We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 13 years of age, or under a higher age threshold where required by local law.
If we learn that such data has been collected unintentionally, we will take appropriate steps to delete it.
Parents or guardians who believe that a child has submitted personal data may contact [email protected].
17. Automated Processing and Profiling
We may use limited automated processing to:
- detect spam, fraud, abuse, or policy violations
- rank popular or relevant content
- allocate points, badges, or leaderboard status
- improve product relevance and platform performance
These processes are not intended to produce legal or similarly significant effects on users. Where applicable, users may request review of a decision that materially affects them.
18. Chatbot and Cross-Platform Interactive Features
The Minds Journal may provide limited access to AI-powered or interactive conversational features in certain content areas, including astrology, zodiac, or reflection-based experiences.
In some cases, users may choose to continue a conversation or related interaction on an affiliated platform such as CosmicCalling.com. Where a user opts to continue, relevant conversation continuity data may be carried forward solely to support the experience.
Once a user continues on CosmicCalling.com, use of that service is governed by the applicable policies and terms of that platform.
The Minds Journal does not present these conversational tools as medical, legal, or professional advice services, and users should not rely on them as substitutes for qualified professional care.
19. Third-Party Sites and Integrations
Our services may contain links to third-party websites, widgets, plugins, applications, or external services.
Your interactions with third-party platforms are governed by their own terms and privacy practices, not this Policy.
Where users sign in through third-party authentication providers such as Google, we receive only the profile or account information authorized for that integration.
20. Do Not Track and Global Privacy Control
Some browsers and devices transmit privacy signals such as Do Not Track (DNT) or Global Privacy Control (GPC).
Because no universal standard has been adopted for legacy DNT signals, our services may not respond to DNT.
Where legally applicable, we may honor GPC signals by adjusting how advertising-related processing or sharing is handled.
21. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, technology, service operations, or our practices.
When material changes are made, we may provide notice through one or more of the following:
- email to registered users
- in-product or in-app notifications
- a prominent website notice
- an updated “Last Updated” date on this page
Your continued use of the services after the updated policy becomes effective constitutes acceptance of the revised Policy, to the extent permitted by law.
22. Contact, Questions, and Complaints
For privacy questions, complaints, or data rights requests, contact:
Email: [email protected]
Postal: Attn: DPO / Grievance Officer, Minds Journal Private Limited, Module 18, Floor 14, Bengal Eco Intelligent Park, EM 3, Sector 5, Salt Lake City, Kolkata 700091, India
EU/UK Representative (if legally required): [Insert details if applicable]
If you believe we have not adequately addressed your concern, you may have the right to lodge a complaint with the relevant supervisory authority in your jurisdiction.
23. Regional Supplements
European Economic Area and United Kingdom
Where GDPR applies, we process personal data on the legal bases described in this Policy and support applicable rights including access, erasure, objection, portability, restriction, and complaint rights.
California
California residents may have rights to know, correct, delete, and opt out of certain sale or sharing practices under applicable California law.
Brazil
Brazilian users may have rights under LGPD, including confirmation of processing, access, correction, anonymization, portability, deletion, and consent withdrawal where applicable.
India
Users in India may exercise applicable rights under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, including access, correction, erasure, and grievance redressal, subject to applicable law.
Other Jurisdictions
Users in Singapore, South Africa, and other regions may have equivalent rights where required by applicable law.
24. Cookie & Tracking Technologies
We use cookies and related technologies across our websites, services, and applications.
These technologies may be categorized as:
- Strictly Necessary
- Functional
- Analytics and Performance
- Advertising and Marketing
- Social Media and Sign-In
- Local Storage / SDK Identifiers
Users may manage cookie choices through:
- the cookie consent banner
- the cookie settings or preferences center
- browser controls
- mobile device privacy settings
- advertising opt-out tools where available
Where non-essential cookies require consent, we request that consent before activating them, to the extent required by law.
For additional information about cookies, tracking technologies, or consent preferences, users may contact [email protected].
About The Minds Journal
The Minds Journal is the flagship digital publishing platform of Minds Journal Private Limited, focused on mental health, psychology, relationships, emotional wellness, and personal growth.
Our broader ecosystem also includes Mind Help, Mind Family, CosmicCalling.com, and MindTalk Hub at community.themindsjournal.com.
Learn more on our About The Minds Journal page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Minds Journal?
The Minds Journal is a global digital publishing platform focused on mental health, psychology, relationships, emotional wellness, and personal growth.
Who operates The Minds Journal?
The Minds Journal is operated by Minds Journal Private Limited.
What does this Privacy Policy apply to?
This Privacy Policy applies to The Minds Journal websites, subdomains, newsletters, applications, community platforms, and related services operated by Minds Journal Private Limited.
How can I contact The Minds Journal about privacy issues?
You can contact the privacy team at [email protected].
Does this policy apply to MindTalk Hub?
Yes, where MindTalk Hub operates as part of the broader The Minds Journal ecosystem and is covered by the services described in this Policy.
Does this policy mention CosmicCalling.com?
Yes. Where a user chooses to continue an eligible interactive experience on CosmicCalling.com, relevant continuity data may be transferred for that purpose and then governed by the applicable policies of that platform.