01Who We Are

The News Drill is an independently operated digital news and information platform based in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. It is operated by Himanshu Singh Parihar as an individual, under the trade name The News Drill.

In this policy, “The News Drill”, “we”, “us” and “our” refer to the website and its individual operator. This policy applies to thenewsdrill.com and the features made available through it.

02Information We Collect

The information we process depends on how you use the website. It may include:

• Contact information: name, email address and details you include in a message or enquiry.
• Account information: username, email address, profile details, account preferences and authentication-related information. Passwords should be stored in protected form by the website platform; we do not ask you to send passwords to us by email.
• Newsletter information: email address, subscription status, preferences and delivery or engagement information made available by our newsletter provider.
• Editorial submissions: story tips, messages, documents, photographs, links and other material you choose to send us.
• Donation information: details you voluntarily provide to identify or discuss a contribution, such as name, contact details, amount, date and transaction reference.
• Technical information: IP address, browser and device characteristics, operating system, referring URL, pages viewed, timestamps, approximate location derived from technical data and diagnostic or security logs.

Some technical information may be collected automatically through server logs, cookies, analytics tools and similar technologies. The precise information collected can vary by device, browser, settings and the services you use.

03How We Use Information

We use information for purposes connected with operating and improving the publication, including to:

• operate, maintain and secure the website;
• create, authenticate and manage reader accounts;
• deliver newsletters and subscription-related communications;
• respond to enquiries, feedback, complaints and requests;
• receive, assess and verify story tips and editorial submissions;
• record and acknowledge voluntary contributions;
• understand website traffic, readership and technical performance;
• detect spam, fraud, abuse, unauthorised access and security incidents; and
• comply with applicable legal obligations and protect our legal rights.

We do not sell personal information to third parties.

04Reader Accounts

If you register for an account, we process the details needed to create and maintain it, authenticate access, provide account features, support password recovery and protect the website against misuse.

You are responsible for keeping your login credentials confidential and for activity carried out through your account. If you believe your account has been compromised, contact us promptly.

You may request account closure or deletion by emailing editor@thenewsdrill.com. We may need to retain limited records where required for security, legal compliance, dispute resolution or other permitted purposes.

05Newsletter and Mailchimp

Our newsletter is managed using Mailchimp, a service provided by Intuit. When you subscribe, your email address and any information requested in the subscription form may be transferred to and processed by Mailchimp so that we can manage subscriptions and send newsletters.

Mailchimp may also provide delivery and engagement information, such as whether an email was delivered, opened or interacted with, depending on the settings and tracking features enabled for our account.

You can unsubscribe using the link in a newsletter email or contact us at editor@thenewsdrill.com. Unsubscribing may not immediately erase all records: we may retain a limited suppression record to respect your request and prevent further unwanted emails.

Mailchimp’s privacy information is available at Intuit Privacy Statement and Mailchimp Legal.

06Contact Forms, Story Tips and Editorial Submissions

When you contact the newsroom or submit a story tip, we use the information you provide to respond, assess the material, verify claims and consider whether further editorial work is appropriate.

Submitting information does not guarantee publication. We may contact you for clarification or corroboration. Please do not submit information you are not legally authorised to disclose, or include passwords, banking credentials or unnecessary sensitive personal information.

07Donations and UPI Contributions

Readers may support The News Drill through voluntary UPI contributions. A UPI payment is initiated and authenticated through the payer’s UPI application and the relevant bank or payment system. We do not ask you to send your UPI PIN, OTP, password or banking credentials to us.

Depending on how a contribution is made and what information is shared with us, we may receive or record the contributor’s name, amount, date, UPI transaction reference, payment status and contact details voluntarily provided for acknowledgement or follow-up.

We may use these details to identify and reconcile contributions, respond to donor enquiries, issue acknowledgements where appropriate, maintain accounts and meet applicable record-keeping obligations. Your bank and UPI application independently process transaction data under their own terms and privacy practices.

A voluntary contribution does not purchase editorial coverage, confer editorial control or automatically create a subscription or membership entitlement.

08Cookies and Similar Technologies

Cookies and similar technologies may be used to support essential website functions, remember preferences, measure performance, protect the website and deliver or measure advertising.

• Essential or functional technologies may support login sessions, security, preferences and core site functions.
• Analytics technologies may help us understand traffic, readership and site performance.
• Advertising technologies may be used by Google AdSense and its partners to deliver, measure or personalise advertisements, depending on applicable settings and permissions.

You can manage or delete cookies through your browser settings. Blocking cookies may affect login, preferences or other website functions. Browser controls do not necessarily provide a complete opt-out from every form of tracking.

Where applicable law requires consent before non-essential cookies or similar technologies are used, the relevant consent or preference mechanism should be used. The availability and operation of such a mechanism depends on the website’s current technical configuration.

09Analytics and Google Services

We use Google services through Google Site Kit and associated Google analytics functionality to understand website usage and performance. Depending on the configuration, these services may process IP addresses, online identifiers, device and browser information, referral sources, page views and interaction data.

We use analytics insights to understand which content is read, identify technical issues and improve the website’s navigation and performance. The exact data collected and retention settings depend on the Google services and configuration active on the website.

See Google’s Privacy Policy and How Google uses information from sites or apps that use its services.

10Advertising and Google AdSense

The News Drill uses Google AdSense to display advertisements and help support the publication. Google and its advertising partners may use cookies, IP addresses, advertising identifiers or similar technologies to serve advertisements, measure performance, limit repeated advertisements, detect invalid traffic and, where permitted, personalise advertising.

Ad personalisation and available controls may vary according to your location, browser, device, consent choices and Google’s settings. We do not control the independent data practices of advertising providers.

For more information, review Google’s advertising technologies information and Google’s Privacy Policy.

11Hosting, Caching and Website Operations

The News Drill’s website hosting is provided by Hostinger. Hosting infrastructure may process technical information, server logs, IP addresses and request data to deliver pages, maintain availability, diagnose errors and protect the service.

We also use LiteSpeed technology for website performance and caching. Caching helps deliver pages efficiently and is not, by itself, an advertising or newsletter service. Other WordPress components may process information when you log in, submit a form or use a website feature.

For more information, see Hostinger’s Privacy Policy and the documentation of the relevant software or service.

12Social Media, Videos and Embedded Content

Our articles may include links to or embedded content from X, Instagram, YouTube and other third-party platforms. When an embedded item loads or you interact with it, the relevant platform may receive technical information, set or read cookies, or associate the visit with an account where you are signed in.

We do not control how those platforms collect or use information. Their own privacy policies and settings apply. You can reduce some third-party data collection by avoiding interaction with embedded content, signing out of the relevant platform or adjusting its privacy settings.

See the policies of X, Instagram and YouTube/Google.

13When Information May Be Shared

We do not sell personal information. We may disclose or permit processing of relevant information in limited circumstances:

• to service providers supporting hosting, security, analytics, advertising, newsletter delivery or website operations;
• to banks or payment systems involved in UPI transactions, where relevant information is provided to us or required for reconciliation;
• to legal, regulatory or law-enforcement authorities where disclosure is required by law or valid legal process;
• to protect the rights, safety, property and security of the website, its users or the public; or
• where you have requested or authorised a particular disclosure.

Service providers may process information on our behalf or independently under their own terms, depending on the service and the role they perform.

14Data Retention

We retain information for no longer than reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, unless a longer period is required or permitted by law or is reasonably necessary for security, accounting, dispute resolution or editorial record-keeping.

Retention periods vary by information type. Account information may be retained while an account is active and for a reasonable period afterwards. Newsletter records may be retained while subscribed and limited suppression records may be retained after unsubscribe. Contact messages and story submissions may be retained for the time needed to handle the enquiry, assess editorial matters or maintain appropriate records. Donation records may be retained for accounting and legal purposes. Technical logs are retained according to operational and security needs.

Where information is no longer required, we aim to delete it, anonymise it or otherwise handle it in accordance with applicable law.

15Data Security

We take reasonable technical and organisational steps appropriate to the website’s operation to protect information against unauthorised access, loss, misuse, alteration or disclosure. These may include access controls, authentication safeguards, software updates, backups, security monitoring and protections provided by our hosting and website services.

No method of internet transmission or electronic storage is completely secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security. You should use a strong, unique password for your account and avoid sending credentials or banking secrets through ordinary email or website forms.

16Your Choices and Privacy Requests

Depending on applicable law and the circumstances, you may contact us to request access to information associated with you, correction of inaccurate details, deletion where appropriate, withdrawal of consent where processing is based on consent, newsletter unsubscribe or account closure.

Email editor@thenewsdrill.com with the subject line Privacy Request. Please provide enough information for us to identify the relevant account or correspondence. We may ask for reasonable verification before acting on a request.

We will respond in accordance with applicable law. Some information may need to be retained where required for legal compliance, security, accounting, dispute resolution or other permitted purposes. You may also have rights to raise a complaint with the competent authority where provided by applicable law.

17Children’s Privacy

The News Drill is a general-interest news and information website and is not designed to solicit personal information from children. Under India’s Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, a child is defined as an individual under 18 years of age.

Where the applicable child-data provisions are in force and apply to our processing, we will handle children’s personal data in accordance with the relevant legal requirements, including applicable requirements concerning verifiable parental or guardian consent and restrictions on processing. If you believe a child has provided personal information inappropriately, contact editor@thenewsdrill.com.

18International Data Processing

Some service providers used by the website, including newsletter, analytics, advertising, hosting or social-media providers, may process information on infrastructure located outside India. The location and applicable safeguards depend on each provider’s systems, settings and contractual terms. We do not independently control the location of infrastructure operated by third parties.

19Changes to This Policy

We may revise this Privacy Policy when our services, technology, data practices or legal obligations change. The updated version will be published on this page with a revised effective or last-reviewed date. Where required by applicable law, we will provide additional notice or obtain consent before implementing relevant changes.

We encourage readers to review this page periodically.

20Contact and Privacy Enquiries

For questions, complaints or requests relating to this policy or the handling of personal information, contact:

The News Drill
Attn: Himanshu Singh Parihar
Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India
Email: editor@thenewsdrill.com
Website: www.thenewsdrill.com

Please use the subject line Privacy Enquiry or Privacy Request and include the relevant account or page details where appropriate.