Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains how mazhakaalam.live ("we", "our", or "the Site") collects, uses, and protects information when you use our service. We take your privacy seriously. The platform is designed to work without requiring an account, name, or email address.

What Data We Collect

✓ Information You Voluntarily Submit

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  Pincode (PIN code) — A 6-digit Indian postal code you enter to report rain. This is used to determine the approximate location of your report.
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  Rain intensity selection — You select a level (Drizzle, Light, Moderate, Heavy, Extreme) corresponding to an estimated mm/hr range. This is displayed publicly on the rain map.
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  Timestamp — The time of your report is recorded alongside the PIN and intensity.

✓ Information Collected Automatically

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  Approximate geographic location — Derived from the pincode you provide. We do not access GPS or precise device location.
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  Browser/device information — Standard web analytics data: browser type, operating system, screen resolution, referrer URL, and pages visited. Collected via Google AdSense and basic server logs.
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  IP address — Used in aggregate form for basic analytics and fraud prevention. Not associated with individual rain reports.

What We Do NOT Collect

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  No account or registration — You do not need to create an account or sign in to use mazhakaalam.live.
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  No name or email — We do not ask for your name, email address, phone number, or any personal identifier — unless you choose to contact us directly via email.
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  No precise GPS location — We do not access your device's GPS. Location is approximated from the pincode you enter.
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  No passwords or credentials — There is no login system, so no passwords, tokens, or authentication data are stored.

How We Use Your Data

Third-Party Services

Cookies & Advertising

mazhakaalam.live uses Google AdSense, a third-party advertising service. Google AdSense uses cookies (small text files stored on your browser) and web beacons to serve relevant ads based on your previous visits to this and other websites.

Google's use of advertising cookies enables it and its partners to serve ads based on your visit to our site and/or other sites on the Internet. You may opt out of personalised advertising by visiting Google Ads Settings.

We do not have access to or control over the cookies used by Google AdSense. You can learn more about Google's privacy practices at Google Privacy & Terms.

Data Retention

Rain reports are automatically removed from the active map 48 hours after the last report at that PIN. After 2 hours, reports begin fading in intensity and are marked as "FADED" for another 46 hours before expiring. Aggregate data used for analytics may be retained longer in anonymised form.

Your Rights (GDPR / Data Protection)

If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA) or the United Kingdom, you have the following rights under applicable data protection law:

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  Right to access — Request a copy of the data we hold about you.
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  Right to erasure — Request deletion of your data (note that rain reports are anonymised by PIN and cannot be linked to an individual).
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  Right to object — Object to processing of your data for advertising purposes (opt out via Google Ads Settings).

Since mazhakaalam.live does not require accounts or collect names/emails, most personal data rights are exercised through your browser settings and Google's ad preferences. To exercise any of these rights, please contact us.

Disclaimer: Crowdsourced Data & Accuracy

mazhakaalam.live displays crowdsourced rain reports submitted voluntarily by users. This data is:

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  Not officially verified — Reports are self-reported and may contain inaccuracies, exaggerations, or errors.
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  Not a substitute for official warnings — Always refer to the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and official disaster management authorities for authoritative weather information and alerts.
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  Used at your own risk — mazhakaalam.live, its operators, and contributors are not liable for any decisions made based on this data.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated "Effective" date. We encourage you to review this page periodically.

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