Privacy Policy & Data Protection

Welcome to TamilVelai ("TamilVelai", "we", "us", "our"). We are committed to protecting the privacy, confidentiality, and security of all personal data provided by job seekers ("Candidates"), employers ("Employers" or "Vendors"), and website visitors. This Privacy Policy details how we collect, process, store, disclose, and safeguard your personal information when you access our website, use our recruitment marketplace, or interact with our automated communication channels, including Meta WhatsApp Business APIs and Google OAuth services.

1. Information We Collect

We collect information necessary to operate a secure, trusted job portal matching candidates with employers in Tamil Nadu:

• Candidate Account & Profile Data: Full name, verified mobile number, email address, physical location / district in Tamil Nadu, headline, total work experience, current and expected compensation, notice period, skill sets, educational qualifications, career objective, and uploaded resume files (PDF/DOCX).
• Employer / Vendor Account Data: Company name, registered business address, contact person's name, corporate email address, verified phone number, company logo, industry category, job openings posted, and candidate unlock history.
• Authentication & Verification Data: One-Time Passwords (OTPs) generated for identity verification, hashed account passwords (using industry-standard bcrypt), and verification timestamps.
• Third-Party Sign-In (Google OAuth): When you choose "Sign in with Google", we receive your verified email address, full name, profile picture URI, and Google unique identifier. We do not receive or store your Google password.
• Payment & Billing Records: When employers purchase unlock credits or featured job upgrades, payments are securely processed by Razorpay. We store only transaction identifiers, amounts paid, payment status, and credit ledger balances. We never store your credit/debit card numbers, CVVs, or Net Banking credentials.
• Technical & Log Data: IP address, device type, operating system, browser user-agent, pages viewed, and referral URLs to protect against bot attacks and ensure platform stability.

2. How We Use Your Information

We process your data strictly under lawful bases under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (DPDP) and Meta Platform Terms:

• To deliver core discovery services: allowing candidates to discover job openings and employers to review candidate applications;
• To authenticate logins and verify account ownership via Meta WhatsApp OTP and Gmail SMTP delivery;
• To unmask candidate contact information (phone, email, resume) exclusively to verified employers who have spent an authorized unlock credit or completed checkout;
• To facilitate direct hiring communications between unlocked candidates and employers via phone calls and WhatsApp;
• To prevent fraudulent job advertisements, scam postings, multi-level marketing schemes, and automated account scraping;
• To comply with statutory tax, financial accounting, and legal requirements under the laws of Tamil Nadu and India.

3. Meta Platform & WhatsApp Business API Data Policy

TamilVelai integrates with Meta Platforms, Inc. ("Meta") via the Meta WhatsApp Business Cloud API to provide secure, rapid mobile authentication and transactional hiring notifications. Our use of Meta's Developer Platform and WhatsApp messaging is subject to strict safeguards:

• Purpose of Meta WhatsApp Integration: We utilize the WhatsApp Cloud API solely for transmitting high-priority transactional communications:
  1. Six-digit One-Time Password (OTP) verification codes during registration, login, and password recovery;
  2. Urgent transactional notifications regarding interview schedules or application status updates;
  3. Employer candidate unlock confirmations.
• User Consent & Opt-In: By entering your mobile phone number on TamilVelai and clicking "Send Verification Code" or registering an account, you provide express affirmative consent to receive WhatsApp transactional messages from TamilVelai's registered WhatsApp Business account.
• No Promotional Spam: We strictly prohibit sending unsolicited promotional broadcasts, loan offers, or third-party advertisements via WhatsApp. All messaging templates are pre-approved under Meta's "Authentication" and "Utility" template categories.
• Data Minimization with Meta: When initiating an OTP or message through the WhatsApp Cloud API, we transmit only the recipient's phone number and the verification token. We do not transmit candidate resumes, passwords, or financial payment details to Meta.
• Meta End-to-End & Cloud Security: Messages sent through the WhatsApp Business Cloud API are encrypted in transit between our servers, Meta's secure cloud infrastructure, and the recipient's WhatsApp client, adhering to Meta's Business API Data Security Standards.
• Opting Out of WhatsApp Messages: Users may opt out of non-critical WhatsApp notifications at any time by replying STOP to our WhatsApp messages, updating their profile settings, or contacting privacy@tamilvelai.com. Please note that account verification OTPs require an active messaging channel (WhatsApp or Email fallback).

4. How Information is Shared

We respect your privacy and never sell or rent your data. Information is shared only in the following controlled circumstances:

• Between Candidates and Employers: When a candidate applies to a job opening, their profile, qualifications, and work history become visible to that specific employer. Contact details (phone number, email address, and direct resume file) are revealed only when the employer initiates an authorized contact unlock.
• Vetted Infrastructure Providers: We share data with trusted technical infrastructure providers operating under confidentiality obligations:
  • Meta Platforms, Inc.: For WhatsApp authentication message routing.
  • Google LLC: For optional Google OAuth sign-in authentication.
  • Razorpay Software Private Limited: For secure PCI-DSS compliant payment processing.
• Legal Mandates & Law Enforcement: We may disclose information if required to comply with a valid court order, subpoena, government inquiry, or to protect the safety and property of TamilVelai users.

5. Data Retention & Deletion Rights

We retain personal data only for as long as your account remains active and as required for legitimate business purposes or statutory compliance.

• Profile Updates: Candidates and employers can modify their contact details, resumes, skills, and company information at any time from their account dashboards.
• Account Deletion: You have the right to request permanent deletion of your TamilVelai account, profile, and associated resume records. Upon receiving a verified request, we delete your personal data within 30 days, retaining only non-identifying accounting and transaction ledgers required under Indian tax laws.

6. Data Security Measures

TamilVelai employs multi-layered technical and organizational security controls:

• Strong cryptographic password hashing utilizing salted bcrypt algorithms;
• HTTPS / TLS 1.3 encryption across all website endpoints and API integrations;
• Rate-limiting on authentication, OTP generation, and password resets to prevent brute-force attacks;
• Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) token validation on all state-changing web requests;
• Role-based administrative access controls with strict audit logs.

7. Children's Privacy

TamilVelai is an employment and hiring marketplace designed for adult job seekers and businesses. You must be at least 18 years old (or the legal working age under applicable Indian labor statutes) to create an account. We do not knowingly collect personal information from minors.

8. Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may occasionally update this Privacy Policy to reflect platform improvements, new compliance standards, or changes in legal regulations. Material modifications will be highlighted by revising the "Last updated" date at the top of this document. Continued use of TamilVelai following posted changes signifies your acceptance.

9. Grievance Officer & Contact Details

In accordance with the Information Technology Act, 2000, and the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, the contact details of our Grievance Officer are: