Last Updated: January 1, 2026 · Compliant with Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act & IT Intermediary Rules (2021).
1. Commitment to Journalistic Privacy
At AVA News Network, we recognize the sensitive nature of investigative field journalism. This Privacy Policy details how we collect, verify, store, and protect the personal data of our accredited reporters, district stringers, and freelance contributors.
2. Information Collected for Accreditation & News Filing
To issue verifiable Press Credentials and operate an encrypted news filing pipeline, we collect:
KYC & Identity Verification: Full legal name, government-issued photo ID (Aadhaar / Voter ID / Passport), residential address, contact number, and blood group for emergency field identification.
Editorial Work History: Beat specialization (Crime, Politics, Civic, Sports), previous publications, and district reporting coverage jurisdiction.
News Submissions & Metadata: Articles, photographic evidence, and video clips uploaded through the filing desk along with timestamp and geo-location metadata for verification.
Technical Telemetry: Secure session logs, IP addresses, and device fingerprints required to prevent unauthorized account access.
3. Data Security & Cryptographic Storage
All KYC documents, encrypted passwords (via Argon2ID/Bcrypt), and confidential submission records are stored in secure databases protected by enterprise SSL encryption.
Strict Need-to-Know Access: Only designated Bureau Compliance Officers and Senior Editors have authorization to review reporter KYC submissions.
No Commercial Data Sale: We will NEVER sell, lease, or monetize reporter contact information or personal data to third-party commercial advertisers.
Public ID Verification: The public QR verification endpoint reveals only the reporter's accredited name, designation, district, photo, and credential validity status to prevent identity theft.
4. Data Retention & Right to Account Deletion
Correspondents may request a full copy of their stored data or request account de-registration by emailing contact@avanews.in. Following de-registration, personal KYC records are archived securely in accordance with statutory media record-keeping requirements.
5. Grievance Officer & Contact Details
For data privacy inquiries or redressal under Information Technology Rules, contact our designated Grievance Officer:
