Privacy
Policy

Soundb is an independent audio technology and music publication based in India. We operate the website soundb.org, which provides editorial content including news, reviews, gear specifications, and music coverage.

For the purposes of Indian data protection law, Soundb is the body corporate responsible for collecting and processing your personal information.

Information you provide directly

• Email address when you subscribe to our newsletter or create an account
• Name and contact details if you contact us via email or a contact form
• Any information you voluntarily submit in comments or feedback forms

Information collected automatically

• IP address and approximate geographic location (country/city level)
• Browser type, version, and operating system
• Pages visited, time spent, and navigation patterns
• Referring URL (the page that linked you to us)
• Device type (desktop, mobile, tablet)
• Cookie identifiers (see Section 4)

Sensitive personal data

We do not intentionally collect any sensitive personal data or information (SPDI) as defined under the IT Rules 2011, including passwords, financial information, health data, or biometric data. If you provide such information voluntarily (for example, in a message to us), we will handle it with appropriate care and delete it once the purpose is served.

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

• To deliver and improve our editorial content and website experience
• To send our newsletter and editorial briefings (only with your explicit consent)
• To respond to your enquiries, feedback, or support requests
• To analyse website traffic and understand how readers use our content
• To detect and prevent fraud, abuse, or security incidents
• To comply with legal obligations applicable to us under Indian law

We will never use your personal information for purposes materially different from those listed above without obtaining your prior consent.

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies on soundb.org. Please refer to our Cookie Policy for full details on what cookies we use, why we use them, and how you can control them.

In summary, we use essential cookies (required for the site to function), analytics cookies (to understand usage), and preference cookies (to remember your settings). We do not use advertising or tracking cookies for behavioural advertising.

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties. We may share data in the following limited circumstances:

• Service providers: We use third-party services (such as analytics providers and email delivery platforms) that process data on our behalf under strict data processing agreements.
• Legal requirements: We may disclose information if required by law, court order, or a competent authority under Indian law.
• Business transfers: If Soundb is acquired or merges with another entity, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you before this happens.
• With your consent: For any other purpose, only with your explicit prior consent.

We retain your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by applicable Indian law.

• Newsletter subscriber data is retained until you unsubscribe, after which it is deleted within 30 days
• Contact form submissions and email correspondence are retained for up to 2 years
• Analytics data is retained in anonymised, aggregated form for up to 26 months
• Server logs (including IP addresses) are retained for up to 90 days for security purposes

Under the Information Technology Act, 2000 and applicable rules, and in accordance with our own policy, you have the following rights regarding your personal information:

• Access: You may request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
• Correction: You may ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete data
• Withdrawal of consent: You may withdraw consent for newsletter communications at any time via the unsubscribe link in any email
• Deletion: You may request deletion of your personal data, subject to legal retention obligations
• Grievance redressal: You may raise a grievance with our Grievance Officer (see Section 12)

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at the details provided in Section 12. We will respond within 30 days as required by the IT Rules 2011.

We implement reasonable security practices and procedures as mandated by the Information Technology (Reasonable Security Practices and Procedures and Sensitive Personal Data or Information) Rules, 2011. These include:

• HTTPS encryption for all data transmitted to and from soundb.org
• Access controls limiting who within our organisation can access personal data
• Regular review of our data collection and storage practices
• Use of reputable, ISO-27001 compliant third-party service providers where applicable

However, no method of transmission over the internet is completely secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

Soundb contains links to third-party websites, including streaming platforms (Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube), social media, and external publications. This Privacy Policy applies only to soundb.org. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of any third-party websites. We encourage you to read the privacy policies of any site you visit.

Soundb is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child under 13 has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately and we will delete it.

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. For material changes, we will notify newsletter subscribers by email. Your continued use of soundb.org after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

For any questions, requests, or grievances regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal data, please contact our Grievance Officer as required under Rule 5(9) of the IT Rules 2011: