child-safety-standards

Child Safety Standards – Palkhi Updates

Last Updated: June 09, 2025

At Palkhi Updates, we are committed to creating a safe and respectful environment for all users, especially children, in line with our mission to support devotees of the Shri Gajanan Maharaj Palkhi. We strictly prohibit any form of child sexual abuse and exploitation (CSAE) on our platform, including content or behavior that sexually exploits, abuses, or endangers children. This includes, but is not limited to, grooming, sextortion, trafficking, sharing child sexual abuse material (CSAM), or any inappropriate interaction with minors. Below are our standards and measures to ensure child safety.

Our Commitment to Child Safety

• Zero Tolerance for CSAE: We prohibit any content or behavior that facilitates the sexual abuse or exploitation of children, including sharing CSAM, sexualization of minors, or predatory interactions (e.g., grooming or inappropriate contact with children).

• Age Restrictions: Palkhi Updates is not directed to children under 13. We collect date of birth during registration to ensure compliance with children’s privacy laws (e.g., COPPA). If a user is under 13, access to features requiring personal data collection is restricted unless we obtain verifiable parental consent.

• Community Focus: Our app fosters a devotional community for Palkhi followers. We ensure that all interactions align with the spiritual and respectful nature of the Shri Gajanan Maharaj Palkhi.

Measures to Prevent CSAE

• Content Moderation:

  • The photo and video gallery features devotional content (e.g., Palkhi procession images, warkari activities). We manually review all user-shared content in the “Community Connection” section to ensure it does not contain CSAM or inappropriate material.

  • We prohibit the sharing of nudity, graphic violence, or any content that sexualizes minors. Any such content is immediately removed, and the user’s account is suspended.

• User Interaction:

  • The “Community Connection” feature allows users to share experiences and connect with warkaris. We do not permit private messaging or unmoderated chats, reducing the risk of grooming or predatory behavior.

  • Social media sharing is facilitated through external platforms (e.g., Facebook, Instagram). Users are directed to those platforms’ safety mechanisms for reporting abuse.

• Reporting Mechanisms:

  • While the app currently lacks a direct reporting feature, users can report concerns about CSAE or inappropriate behavior by emailing our child safety point of contact (see below). We are working on adding in-app reporting functionality in future updates.

• Data Protection:

  • We collect minimal personal data (e.g., name, mobile number, city, date of birth, user role) and ensure it is encrypted in transit (via HTTPS) and securely stored (on Firebase servers). We do not share personal data with third parties except as outlined in our Privacy Policy.

  • Location data is optional and only used to provide Palkhi updates, with user consent. We do not share users’ precise locations with others.

Enforcement Actions

• Content Removal: Any content violating our CSAE policies (e.g., CSAM, sexualized content involving minors) is immediately removed.

• Account Suspension: Users who violate our child safety standards will have their accounts suspended or permanently banned.

• Reporting to Authorities: If we detect CSAM or predatory behavior, we will report it to the appropriate authorities, such as the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) or local law enforcement in India, as required by law.

Child Safety Point of Contact

If you have concerns about child safety, suspect CSAE, or need to report inappropriate behavior on Palkhi Updates, please contact our dedicated child safety team:

• Email: childsafety@palkhiupdates.com

• Response Time: We aim to respond to all child safety concerns within 48 hours.

User Responsibilities

• Do not share content that exploits or endangers children, including CSAM or sexualized material involving minors.

• Report any concerning behavior or content to our child safety team immediately.

• If you are a parent, supervise your child’s use of the app and review shared content to ensure it aligns with our community standards.

Compliance with Laws and Google Play Policies

We comply with all applicable laws, including India’s Information Technology Act, 2000, and child protection laws, as well as Google Play’s Child Safety Standards policy. We regularly review our policies to ensure they meet evolving legal and safety requirements.