This policy explains what personal data we collect on Creator Deals, how we use it, and your rights under India''s Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023 (DPDP Act). The platform is operated by PING Network Pvt. Ltd., based in Mumbai, India.

1. What we collect

When you register and use Creator Deals we collect:

• Account data: name, email, phone number, password (hashed, never stored in plain text)
• YouTube channel data: channel URL, name, subscriber count, video statistics, profile image. We fetch this via the public YouTube Data API using your provided channel URL.
• Payment details: bank name, account number, IFSC, PAN, UPI ID - used only to pay you for approved campaigns.
• Shipping address: if you choose to provide one for brand gifting campaigns.
• Content submissions: links and files you upload to fulfil campaign deliverables.
• Technical data: IP address, browser user-agent, timestamps. Used for rate limiting and abuse prevention. Not used for advertising or tracking across other sites.
• Analytics data (with your consent only): if you accept analytics cookies, Google Analytics records anonymised page views, session duration, device type, and country to help us improve the platform.

2. How we use it

• Match you with relevant brand campaigns
• Evaluate and approve campaign applications
• Process payments for approved deliverables
• Send transactional emails (welcome, status updates, payment notifications)
• Maintain platform security, fraud prevention, and legal compliance
• Understand aggregate platform usage (only if you accepted analytics cookies)

We do not sell your personal data. We do not use it for advertising.

3. Cookies and analytics

We use two categories of browser storage:

• Essential - a JWT session token in localStorage to keep you logged in, and a small consent record so we remember your cookie choice. These are required and are not used for tracking.
• Analytics (optional) - if you click "Accept analytics" on the cookie banner, Google Analytics 4 (operated by Google LLC, USA) sets cookies on your device to record anonymised usage data. We send your IP anonymised and disable Google''s ad-personalisation signals. You can decline at any time without losing platform functionality. To revisit your choice, click "Cookie settings" in the footer.

4. Who we share it with

Your data is shared only in these cases:

• Brand partners: when you apply to their campaign, we share your creator profile (name, channel, stats, score, content categories). We only share payment details once a campaign is approved and for invoicing purposes.
• Service providers: Supabase (database hosting, Singapore region), Resend (transactional email, EU/US region), Google Analytics (analytics, USA - only if you consented), Coolify / our VPS provider. Each operates under their own security and DPDP-compatible processing terms.
• Cross-border transfers: some processors (Google Analytics, Resend) store data outside India. By accepting analytics cookies you consent to this transfer; otherwise no analytics data leaves your device.
• Legal authorities: only when required by a valid legal order under Indian law.

5. Data retention

• Active account data is retained while your account is active.
• If you delete your account, we remove your personal profile, messages, and social accounts within 30 days.
• Financial transaction records (payment proof, invoices) are retained for 7 years to comply with Indian tax law, even after account deletion.
• Analytics data is retained for the period configured in our Google Analytics property (default 14 months) and is aggregated, not personally identifiable.
• Backups are encrypted and rotated within 30 days.

6. Your rights under DPDP Act 2023

As a resident of India using an Indian platform, you have the right to:

• Access: request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
• Correction: fix inaccurate or outdated data through your profile page, or by contacting us
• Erasure: delete your account and personal data (subject to the 7-year financial record retention noted above)
• Withdraw consent: change your analytics-cookie choice at any time via the "Cookie settings" link in the footer
• Grievance redressal: complain to our Grievance Officer (details below) or to the Data Protection Board of India

To exercise these rights, email connect@pingnetwork.co. We respond within 30 days.

7. Security

We take reasonable measures to protect your data:

• Passwords are hashed with bcrypt (cost factor 12)
• All traffic is encrypted over HTTPS with HSTS
• Content Security Policy, rate limiting, and input sanitisation against common web attacks
• Regular security reviews

If you discover a vulnerability, please email security@pingnetwork.co rather than disclosing publicly.

8. Children

Creator Deals is not for users under 18. We do not knowingly collect data from minors. If you believe we have, email us and we will delete the data immediately.

9. Changes

If we materially change this policy, we will email you and show a notice on this page 14 days before the change takes effect.

10. Grievance Officer

As required by the DPDP Act, 2023:

PING Network Pvt. Ltd.
Grievance Officer · Creator Deals
Email: connect@pingnetwork.co
Mumbai, India