Plain English Summary: LocalxPress collects only the information necessary to deliver personalised, location-specific news to you. We do not sell your personal data to third parties. We use your location to show you relevant local news, and you can opt out at any time.
Section 01
Information We Collect
When you use LocalxPress, we may collect the following types of information:
- Account Information: When you create an account, we collect your name, email address, and optionally your phone number. If you sign in via Google, we receive your name, email, and profile photo from Google.
- Location Data: With your explicit permission, we collect your approximate geographic location (city, district, state) to deliver localised news feeds. We do not collect your precise GPS coordinates without consent.
- Usage Data: We automatically collect information about how you interact with the platform, including pages viewed, articles read, time spent, and referring URLs. This is collected in aggregate and used to improve the service.
- Device Information: We collect basic device and browser information such as browser type, operating system, and screen size for compatibility and performance purposes.
- Anonymous Session Data: For visitors who have not created an account, we store an anonymous session identifier in your browser to enable location-based personalisation without requiring a login.
- Communications: If you contact us via email or our contact form, we retain that correspondence to respond to your enquiry.
Section 02
How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect for the following purposes:
- Personalised News Feed: To sort and prioritise news articles based on your location, preferences, and reading history.
- Account Management: To create and manage your account, authenticate your identity, and allow you to update your preferences.
- Service Improvement: To analyse usage patterns, fix bugs, and improve the platform's performance and content quality.
- Communications: To respond to your messages, send service-related notifications, and — only with your consent — to send our newsletter or promotional updates.
- Analytics: To understand how our audience engages with content, which helps us make better editorial decisions.
- Legal Compliance: To comply with applicable laws and regulations, and to protect the rights and safety of our users and the public.
We do not use your information for automated decision-making or profiling that produces legal effects.
Section 03
Information Sharing
We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to any third party for commercial purposes. We may share information in the following limited circumstances:
- Service Providers: We share data with trusted third-party services that help us operate the platform, including Firebase (Google) for authentication and data storage, and Google Analytics for usage analytics. These providers are bound by data processing agreements and may not use your data for their own purposes.
- Channel Partners: Article content is provided by registered news channels and reporters on our platform. Author names and channel names are publicly displayed alongside published articles.
- Legal Requirements: We may disclose information if required to do so by law, court order, or government authority, or when we believe disclosure is necessary to protect our rights or the safety of others.
- Business Transfer: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you before your information is subject to a different privacy policy.
Section 04
Location Data
Location is central to what LocalxPress does. Here is how we handle it:
- We ask for your permission before accessing your device's location. You can deny this permission and still use LocalxPress.
- When you allow location access, we use reverse geocoding (via OpenStreetMap's Nominatim service) to convert your coordinates into a city or district name. We do not store your raw GPS coordinates.
- Your detected city and zone are stored locally in your browser and, if you are logged in, associated with your account in our database.
- Location data is used only to personalise your news feed. It is never shared with advertisers or third-party data brokers.
- You can clear or update your location at any time from your profile settings.
Section 05
Cookies & Tracking
LocalxPress uses the following types of storage and tracking technologies:
- Essential Storage: We use browser localStorage to store your session identifier, cached location, and UI preferences. These are necessary for the platform to function.
- Analytics Cookies: Google Analytics places cookies to help us understand aggregate traffic patterns. This data is anonymised and does not identify you personally.
- Authentication Tokens: Firebase Auth stores secure tokens in your browser to keep you logged in across sessions.
We do not use advertising cookies or third-party tracking pixels. You can clear all LocalxPress data by clearing your browser's localStorage and cookies for our domain.
Section 06
Data Security
We take the security of your personal information seriously. Our security measures include:
- All data is transmitted over HTTPS using industry-standard TLS encryption.
- User authentication is handled by Firebase Authentication (Google), which uses industry-standard security practices including bcrypt password hashing.
- Firestore security rules ensure that users can only access their own data and that only verified reporters can publish content.
- Regular security reviews of our codebase and Firebase configuration.
No method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your data, we cannot guarantee absolute security. If you become aware of any security vulnerability, please contact us immediately at legal@localxpress.co.in.
Section 07
Data Retention
We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide you with our services. Specifically:
- Account data is retained until you request deletion of your account.
- Location data stored in your browser expires after 24 hours and is automatically refreshed.
- Anonymous session data is retained for up to 90 days of inactivity.
- Contact form submissions are retained for up to 12 months.
- Analytics data is retained per Google Analytics' standard retention policies (26 months by default).
Upon account deletion, your personal information is removed from our active databases within 30 days. Residual data may remain in backups for up to 90 days before being permanently deleted.
Section 08
Your Rights
You have the following rights regarding your personal information held by LocalxPress:
- Access: You can request a copy of all personal information we hold about you.
- Correction: You can update your name, email, phone number, and location preferences directly from your profile settings.
- Deletion: You can request deletion of your account and all associated personal data.
- Opt-Out: You can opt out of location-based personalisation by dismissing the location banner or clearing your stored location from your profile.
- Data Portability: You can request an export of your personal data in a machine-readable format.
- Withdrawal of Consent: Where we process data based on consent, you can withdraw that consent at any time.
To exercise any of these rights, contact us at legal@localxpress.co.in. We will respond within 30 days.
Section 09
Children's Privacy
LocalxPress is a general news platform and is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we become aware that a child under 13 has provided us with personal information, we will delete it promptly.
If you believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us at legal@localxpress.co.in.
Section 10
Third-Party Services
LocalxPress integrates the following third-party services, each governed by their own privacy policies:
Section 11
Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, or legal requirements. When we make significant changes, we will:
- Update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page.
- Post a notice on our homepage for at least 7 days.
- Send an email notification to registered users for material changes.
Your continued use of LocalxPress after the effective date of any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.
Section 12
Contact Us
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:
We are committed to resolving any privacy concerns promptly and transparently.