ଗୋପନୀୟତା ନୀତି · Privacy Policy

Last updated: 9 October 2026

This policy explains what personal information Gopinath News collects through this website, why, who can see it and how long it is kept. If anything here is unclear, please write to us through the Contact page.

1. Reading the news

You do not need an account to read articles, galleries, videos or the e-paper. We do not run advertising trackers or third-party analytics on this website.

  • Server logs. Like every website, our web server and hosting provider record technical details of each request (for example IP address, pages requested, date and time, browser type). These logs are used to keep the site secure and working.
  • Article view counts. When you open an article, a small script tells our server that the article was read so that we can show popular stories. A short-lived cookie (gn_v, about 30 minutes) remembers which articles were just counted so that a refresh is not counted twice. Only totals per article and per day are kept, not a profile of you. Requests that look like automated programs are ignored.
  • Advertisement clicks. When you click an advertisement we count the click for that advertisement. We do not store your IP address or browser details with that count.

2. Contact form

If you write to us through the Contact page we collect your name, your message and, if you choose to give them, your email address, mobile number and a subject. We also record the time of the message and your IP address to prevent abuse (for example, to limit repeated submissions). Your message can be read only by authorised Gopinath News staff and is used to respond to you and to follow up news tips or feedback. It is not displayed publicly. Messages are kept until we delete them.

3. Reporter applications and identity documents

If you apply to become a reporter we collect: your name, mobile number, WhatsApp number (optional), email address (optional), address, district and area, your experience and reasons for applying, your photograph, a copy of an identity document (image or PDF), an optional résumé, the time you gave your consent, and your IP address.

  • The information is used only to assess your application and to contact you about it.
  • Uploaded documents are stored in a private area of the server that cannot be opened from the internet. Only authorised staff can view them, and access to the documents is recorded in an access log.
  • Your photograph is re-saved by our system, which removes hidden camera and location data from the file.
  • We keep the application record (details and review notes). Documents of applications that were rejected or withdrawn may be deleted after a retention period decided by Gopinath News; until a period is set they are kept.
  • Please upload documents only through the application form, and only documents that are yours.

4. Cookies

  • gn_sid (session). Created only when you use a form (Contact, reporter application) or when staff sign in. It holds a security token that protects forms from forgery. It is deleted when you close the browser and expires after a period of inactivity.
  • gn_v (about 30 minutes). Prevents the same article view from being counted twice (see section 1).

We do not set advertising or analytics cookies. Third-party content described below may set its own cookies.

5. Third-party content and links

  • YouTube videos are shown only after you press play and use YouTube's privacy-enhanced mode (youtube-nocookie.com).
  • Facebook content is loaded only after you press the load button.
  • Instagram. Where an Instagram profile feed is displayed on our home page it is loaded from Instagram when the page is shown.
  • When these services load, they receive your IP address and may set cookies under their own privacy policies.
  • Advertisements and some articles link to other websites. We are not responsible for their privacy practices.
  • Fonts, images and scripts of this website are served from our own server.

6. Who sees your information

We do not sell personal information. It is available to authorised Gopinath News staff and to the service providers that host and operate the website, and may be disclosed where the law requires it.

7. Security

The website is served over HTTPS, staff access is restricted by role, identity documents are kept in private storage, and forms are protected against automated abuse. No system is completely secure, so please share only what is needed.

8. Your choices

You can ask us, through the Contact page, to tell you what we hold about you, to correct it, or to delete your contact message or reporter application. Please mention the name, mobile number or reference number you used so that we can find it.

9. Changes to this policy

If our practices change we will update this page and its date. Use of the website is also subject to our Terms & Conditions.