PrivacyPolicy

The BLUNT platform is made available by Mercil Corporation("our", "us", "we", "Company"), having its registered office at Coimbatore, India. We understand the importance of your privacy and take it seriously. In order to grant you access to our platform, we are required to collect various data and information from you. This Privacy Policy ("Policy") outlines how we collect, retain, share, store, and process this data and information.

Our Terms of Use are incorporated into and form a part of this policy. Any words or phrases not defined in this policy have the same meaning as provided in the Terms of Use. By using our platform, you agree to the terms and conditions outlined in this Privacy Policy ("Policy") and any future updates. If you disagree with any aspect of this policy, we kindly ask you to cease using our platform immediately.

1. Information we collect

We collect the data you provide solely for the purpose of ensuring the optimal provision of access to our platform.

1.1. Data you input.

We collect the information that you actively enter into the platform:

1. How accounts are created: BLUNT is provided to organisations for use by their members. Your account is created by your organisation's administrator, either individually or by importing a member list, and your organisation issues you your initial sign-in credentials. Your organisation determines who is enrolled and what member information it provides to us.

2. BLUNT Account data: The account record held for you may include your name, work email address, employee or member identifier, department, job role, member type, gender, date of birth, mobile number and a profile photograph, together with your sign-in credentials in encrypted form. Some of these fields are optional and are only held where you or your organisation supply them. You can update parts of your profile, including your name and profile photograph, from within the platform. In the future, we may ask you to provide additional data to validate the accuracy of your information or to accommodate any new features introduced to the platform.

3. Content you create: We collect and store the content you produce on the platform. This includes the text of your posts and comments, poll questions, options and your poll selections, images you attach to posts and comments, voice recordings you make within the app, direct messages you exchange with other members, and the list of members you select as the audience for each post.

4. Feedback and other data: We collect and record: (i) any emails you write to us; (ii) the calls you make to our call centre and/or customer service personnel; and (iii) feedback or comments you provide to us on the platform, including any screenshots you choose to attach and any crash reports and log reports generated by you.

1.2. Device permissions.

We request the following permissions on your device. Each is used only for the feature described, only at the moment you use it, and each can be refused or withdrawn in your device settings without losing access to the rest of the platform:

1. Microphone: Used solely to record a voice post when you choose to create one. We do not access your microphone at any other time and we do not record in the background. The resulting audio file is stored as content you created.

2. Photos, media and camera: Used solely so that you can attach an image to a post or a comment, or set a profile photograph, at the moment you choose to do so. We access only the files you select.

BLUNT does not collect your location and does not access your contacts or phonebook.

1.3. Data collected from your use.

We collect the following data generated while you use the platform:

1. Platform usage data: We collect data about how you engage with our platform, including when you access it, the specific features or pages you view, any system issues or crashes you may encounter, and your activities such as posting, commenting, liking, sharing, tagging, as well as the type of browser you utilize to access the platform. We also take note of any third-party sites or services you may have used before or during your interaction with our platform.

2. Device data: We may collect data about the devices used to access our platform, including the hardware models, device IP address, operating systems and versions, software, preferred languages, unique device identifiers, serial numbers, browser type, mobile app, file names and types, and plugins.

3. Cookies, log files, web beacons and tracking pixels: We utilize various technologies such as "cookies," "log files," "web beacons," and "tracking pixels" to gather data and gain insights into your preferences and how you interact with the platform. Cookies are small text files that web servers place on your device; they are designed to store basic information and to help websites and apps recognize your browser. We may use both session cookies and persistent cookies. A session cookie disappears after you close your browser. A persistent cookie remains after you close your browser and may be accessed every time you use the platform. Log files track actions that occur on our platform and collect data including your IP address, browser type, internet service provider, referring and exit pages, and the date and time stamps. Web beacons, tags and pixels are electronic files used to record information about how you browse the platform.

4. Sign-in records: We record when you last signed in, so that your organisation's administrator can see whether enrolled members are using the platform. Administrators see activity of this kind at an aggregate level and against member records they already hold.

1.4. Information received from third parties.

We may collaborate closely with third parties, such as business partners, technical sub-contractors, and analytics providers. Through these partnerships, we could potentially obtain information about you from these sources. If you link your account with social media platforms, we may receive information about you from such platforms. Such data may be shared internally and combined with data collected under Section 1.1 and 1.2 above. Please note that we do not control what these third-parties do with your personal data. Their activities are not covered under this Policy. They would be covered by their respective privacy policies. It is such third-parties’ responsibility to ensure that your consent was duly taken by them for sharing your personal data or information. We are not liable for their acts or omissions, in any manner whatsoever.

2. Use of collected data

The data we collect from you will be used for the following purposes:

2.1. For enabling the platform.

We use the data collected to operate, personalize, maintain and improve our platform. This includes using the data to:

1. Create and update your Blunt Account, and display your identity according to your role in each conversation.
How your identity appears on BLUNT depends on what you are doing, and you should read this carefully:

(a) When you create a post, your real name, department and profile photograph are shown to the members you select as its audience. Posting is not anonymous. What you control is who receives the post, not whether you are identified.

(b) When you comment on someone else's post, you are shown to others under a pseudonym generated for that post, such as "Anon_1234", together with a generic avatar. That pseudonym is specific to that single post and is not reused elsewhere. The author of the post may ask you to reveal your identity to them; your real name is disclosed to them only if you accept, and you are free to decline.

(c) When you start a direct message thread with another member, that thread begins without your identity shown. Either participant may request that identities be revealed, and this happens only where the other participant agrees.

(d) Pseudonymity operates between members. It does not make your activity untraceable to us: we hold the underlying account records and can associate content with the account that created it, and we will do so where we are required to by law or where it is necessary to investigate misuse of the platform.

We use the credentials issued by your organisation, and other data you share, to verify your account.

2. Conducting internal activities essential for maintaining and enhancing our platform, such as resolving software glitches and addressing operational issues.

3. Conduct data analysis, testing, and research; and to monitor and analyse usage and activity trends.

4. Enable platform features including those relating to content visibility. A post is delivered only to the members its author selects as its audience, and to no one else in the organisation. We use your membership of that audience, and the groups you save within the platform, to determine which posts and conversations appear in your feed.

2.2.

We utilize the information to facilitate customer support and communication, employing it for the training of our customer service representatives. Additionally, we may incorporate features that enable you to contact us, either through the platform or alternative methods. Similarly, there might be instances where we need to reach out to you via the platform.

2.3.

We make use of information about the platform to support its promotion and marketing, using methods such as hoardings, banners, pamphlets and other means. We do not use the content of your posts, comments, messages or voice recordings for promotional or marketing purposes. Where we wish to quote feedback you have given us directly about the platform, we will ask for your permission first.

2.4.

To enhance fraud detection and prevent any form of misuse, the data we gather is employed to identify instances of fraudulent activity on the platform and unauthorized utilization of its features.

2.5.

For legal compliance and requirements, we use the data we collect to address claims or disputes relating to the use of our platform, or as otherwise allowed by applicable law, or as requested by regulators, government entities, and official inquiries.

3. Sharing of data

We do not share any personal data about you with any third parties unless necessary. We may enter into agreements or arrangements to enable the use of our platform. We have detailed how we share the collected data below:

3.1. Service Providers.

We work with third-party service providers to execute various functionalities of the platform, and we may share your information with such service providers to help us provide you with our services on the platform.

3.1.1

You may allow access to your phone contact list which will only be used to enhance your experience on the BLUNT app.

3.2. Group Companies or Change in Control.

We may share your personal data with any member of our Group. The term "Group" shall mean any entity that is controlled by us, or any entity that is in control of us, or any entity that is under common control with us, whether directly or indirectly. While negotiating or about a change of corporate control such as a restructuring, merger or sale of our assets, we may have to disclose our databases and information we have stored in the course of our operations.

3.3. Law Enforcement.

We may disclose your personal and other information when there is a reasonable belief that such disclosure is necessary to: comply with any applicable laws, regulations, legal procedures, or government requests; enforce relevant terms of service, including the investigation of potential violations; identify, prevent, or address illegal or suspected illegal activities (such as payment fraud); address security or technical concerns; safeguard our rights, property, or safety, as well as the rights, property, or safety of our users or the general public; and fulfill legal obligations or permissions as allowed by law.

Any personal information, including but not limited to mobile number, phone number, email, name, addresses, bank or card details, shared by you that belongs to another individual is subject to applicable laws and may be disclosed to law enforcement authorities as required by law.

We do not sell your personal information, and we do not share it with social media platforms or with advertisers. Outside the disclosures described in this section, your information is shared only with the organisation that provides you with access to BLUNT, and with the service providers we engage to operate the platform, such as our hosting, database and file storage providers, who process it on our instructions and for no other purpose.

BLUNT community guidelines!

Here are the "Don'ts" to keep in mind- a. Do not share someone's personal information on the platform; b. Do not post, share or engage in content that is threatening or promotes discrimination; c. Do not engage in or create abusive content; d. Do not post or share vulgar or explicit content. "Our content moderation team reviews the reported content and if we find anything that goes against our guidelines. Your post will be deleted, and your account may be suspended"

4. Consent

By creating a BLUNT Account, you are giving your consent to us for processing, storing, using, and sharing the data you provide, according to this Policy. If you disagree with any of the terms in this policy or the Terms of Use, or if you wish to withdraw any consent you have given us, please contact us at hello@blunt.social. However, please note that if you revoke any essential permissions, it may result in us being unable to continue providing you with access to the Platform and its services.

5. your Rights

We highly value your ability to maintain control over your data. If you would like to exercise any of the rights listed below, please contact us by writing to us hello@blunt.social

5.1. Right to rectification.

If any personal information you provide is incorrect, incomplete, or outdated, you have the right to provide us with accurate, complete, and up-to-date data. We will promptly rectify such information on our end. We strongly recommend that you always provide us with accurate and correct details to ensure uninterrupted use of our platform.

5.2. Right to erasure.

We respect your right to request the deletion of your data, and we will promptly comply with this request if the data is no longer necessary for our purposes and there are no legal obligations requiring us to retain it. However, please note that there may be multiple legal reasons that allow us to keep certain personal data even after your deletion request. It's important to understand that if we delete your personal data, it may impact our ability to provide you with our services and access to the platform.

5.3. Right to confirmation and access.

You have the right to verify if any of your data is currently being processed or has been processed in the past. If we are indeed processing your data, you can request a summary of the processed information. Additionally, you have the right to ask for an overview of our data processing activities.

5.4. Right to opt-out.

You have the option to stop receiving promotional and marketing emails from us by contacting us directly. Additionally, you can unsubscribe from our emails and other messages by following the instructions provided in those communications. Please note that opting out of receiving push notifications may impact your use of the platform. However, even if you opt-out of receiving our promotional and marketing emails, we will still send you transactional messages through emails that may be required during your use of the platform.

6. Data retention

We shall retain the information you provide to facilitate smooth and uninterrupted use of the platform and to:

6.1. provide, improve and personalize our platform;

6.2. to contact you about your BLUNT account and provide you with customer service;

6.3. to personalize our marketing communications;

6.4. to prevent, detect, mitigate, and investigate fraudulent or illegal activities; and

6.5. to comply with applicable laws, including any data retention and storage requirements that may be provided under the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.

Our endeavour is to immediately act on your request for deletion, and we strive that we do not retain your data for longer than required for the purpose for which the information may be lawfully used. However, there is a possibility that copies of any public content may be retained indefinitely in our systems, including in cached and archived pages of the platform, or if other users have copied or saved that information.

7. Changes to the Policy

We may periodically update this Privacy Policy. Whenever we make any changes to this Privacy Policy we will post the updated Privacy Policy at this link. It is your responsibility to keep checking this page from time to time in order to be aware of any changes made to this Policy. By continuing to access or use the platform and/or our services after those changes become effective, you agree to be bound by the revised Privacy Policy.

8. Cross-border data transfer

Your data held by us may be transferred to other countries outside your residential country for any of the purposes described in this policy. You understand and accept that these countries may have differing (and potentially less stringent) laws relating to the degree of confidentiality afforded to the information it holds and that such information can become subject to the laws and disclosure requirements of such countries, including disclosure to governmental bodies, regulatory agencies and private persons, as a result of applicable governmental or regulatory inquiry, court order or another similar process. In addition, several countries have agreements with other countries providing for the exchange of information for law enforcement, tax and other purposes. If we transfer your data to third parties for purposes stated in this Policy, we will use best endeavours to put in place appropriate controls and safeguards to ensure that your data is kept accurate, adequately protected, and processed only for specified and reasonable purposes in a manner that is fair, transparent and has a lawful basis, and is stored for no longer than is necessary.

9. Data security

We use appropriate technical and organizational security measures to ensure the protection of your data. The transfer of personal data between your end device and us is generally carried out in an encrypted form (TLS encryption). You can identify an encrypted connection for example by the lock symbol in the address line of your browser. If you communicate with us by email, access by third parties cannot be ruled out. However, remember that no method of transmission over the internet, or method of electronic storage is entirely secure and reliable, and we cannot guarantee its absolute security.

10. Communications from us

We may send you important updates or announcements regarding the platform using various methods such as text messages, push notifications on your computer or mobile device, or by posting notices directly on the platform. We will also provide periodic reminders to ensure your compliance with the Terms of Use and this Policy, including any relevant updates.

11. Grievances and redressal

We are committed to promptly addressing any grievances you might have in connection with our use of any information you provide us. Accordingly, you may communicate any grievance that you might have by emailing hello@blunt.social Please note that if you contact us to assist you, for your safety and ours, we may need to authenticate your identity before fulfilling your request.

12.1. Offensive Content:

Posts containing hate speech, threats, harassment, or any offensive language are prohibited. This applies to content that encourages violence, discrimination, or harm against individuals or groups based on factors like race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or other protected attributes.

12.2. Sexual Content:

Posts that contain explicit or adult content, such as nudity, sexual acts, or sexually suggestive material and content that promotes or enables sexual exploitation, trafficking, or non-consensual activities are strictly prohibited and not permitted.

12.3. Discriminatory Content:

We prioritize inclusivity and diversity, and therefore, content that discriminates against individuals or groups based on protected characteristics such as race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or any other characteristic will not be eligible for boosting. We firmly stand against promoting or endorsing content that perpetuates discrimination, prejudice, or stereotypes.

12.4. Communal Harm:

We strictly prohibit posts that incite violence, encourage self-harm, or promote dangerous activities that can harm individuals or communities. Similarly, any content that has the potential to cause harm to individuals, communities, or public safety is not eligible for boosting.

13. Commitment to Child Safety

BLUNT is committed to protecting the safety and well-being of children online. We strictly prohibit any content, communication, or activity that involves the sexual abuse, exploitation, or endangerment of minors. We do not allow users to create, upload, share, or promote any material that depicts or encourages child sexual abuse, child exploitation, or any form of harm toward minors. Any such content will be removed immediately, and appropriate action will be taken, including reporting to relevant law enforcement authorities.

13.1 Reporting Child Safety Concerns

If you encounter content or behavior in our app that you believe involves or endangers a child, please report it immediately to: blunt.socialapp@gmail.com
Our team will review and take appropriate action, including removal of the content and escalation to authorities when necessary.

13.2. Compliance with Google Play and Laws

BLUNT fully complies with Google Play’s Child Safety Standards Policy and all applicable child protection laws. We cooperate with law enforcement and child protection agencies to address and report incidents involving child safety.

13.3. Zero Tolerance Policy

We maintain a zero-tolerance policy for:

Child sexual abuse or exploitation (CSAE)
Grooming or solicitation of minors
Sharing, linking, or promoting CSAE content
Use of the platform to harm or endanger children in any way
Violations will result in permanent account suspension and notification to law enforcement agencies.

13.4. Our Ongoing Efforts

BLUNT continuously reviews its content moderation and safety mechanisms to ensure compliance with the highest standards of online child protection.

Consequences of Policy Violation:

Users who violate the post-boost policy may be subject to penalties, such as the removal of their posts, and temporary or permanent suspension of their ability to boost posts. We retain the authority to take necessary measures depending on the seriousness and frequency of policy breaches.

Note: This policy aims to create a safe and respectful environment for all users. We encourage users to report any content that violates our policies to help us maintain a positive community.