Advertising Policy

1. Introduction

This Advertising Policy explains how advertising works on Kalaloka ("Platform"), a product of DigiYogi, Bangalore, Karnataka, India. Advertising revenue is an important part of our business model that allows us to keep core features free for all users while sharing revenue with content creators.

This policy is governed by the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) Code for Self-Regulation, the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, the Information Technology Act, 2000, and applicable guidelines from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

2. Types of Advertisements

The Platform may display the following types of advertisements:

2.1 Third-Party Ads (Google AdSense)

• Banner ads, interstitial ads, and native ads served through Google AdSense or similar programmatic advertising networks.
• Ad placements may appear on the home feed, content pages, search results, and profile pages, as configured in the Platform's ad configuration system.
• Ad content is selected by the advertising network based on general contextual signals. The Platform does not directly control the specific ads shown by third-party networks.
• Frequency capping is applied to limit the number of ads shown per session.

2.2 Internal Promotions

• Platform promotions including featured content, writing competitions, premium subscription offers, and creator highlights.
• These are clearly identified as Platform promotions and are not third-party advertisements.

2.3 Sponsored Content (Future)

• If and when sponsored content is introduced, it will be clearly labeled with "Sponsored" or "Promoted" tags in compliance with ASCI guidelines for disclosure of advertisements.
• Sponsored content will comply with the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 provisions against misleading advertisements (Section 2(28)).

3. Ad Content Standards

While third-party ad content is primarily governed by the advertising network's own policies, the Platform prohibits ads that:

• Contain sexually explicit or pornographic content.
• Promote illegal products, services, or activities.
• Are misleading, deceptive, or make false claims.
• Promote tobacco, alcohol, gambling, or betting (as restricted under Indian law).
• Target children with inappropriate content.
• Contain hate speech, violence, or discriminatory content.
• Impersonate or misrepresent the Platform or its features.
• Promote loan apps or financial products that violate RBI guidelines.

If you encounter an ad that violates these standards, please report it by taking a screenshot and emailing support@kalaloka.buzz with the subject "Ad Report."

4. Author Content and Advertising

• No Content in Ads Without Consent: Your original content (stories, poems, quotes, profile images) will not be used in third-party advertisements without your explicit consent.
• Platform Promotion: The Platform may use excerpts, titles, cover images, and your public profile information to promote the Platform and its features, as permitted under the Content Licensing Agreement. This includes social media posts, email newsletters, and in-app featured sections.
• Opt-Out: If you do not wish your content to be used for Platform promotional purposes (beyond normal in-app display), you may opt out by emailing support@kalaloka.buzz.

5. Ad-Free Experience

• Premium Subscribers: Users with an active premium subscription enjoy an ad-free reading experience. Third-party advertisements are not displayed to premium subscribers.
• Internal Promotions: Premium subscribers may still see Platform-related promotions (such as competition announcements or feature updates), but not third-party ads.
• Creator Content: Creator subscriber content (members-only content) does not display third-party ads.

6. Ad Revenue Sharing

A portion of advertising revenue is shared with content creators and active readers through the Platform's ad revenue distribution system. Details of the revenue sharing model are described in the Creator Monetization Agreement.

7. Sponsored Content Disclosure Requirements

If you are a creator publishing sponsored or paid content on the Platform:

• You must clearly disclose any material connection (payment, free products, affiliate relationships) with a brand or advertiser.
• Use clear language such as "Sponsored," "Paid Partnership," "Ad," or "Promoted" at the beginning of the content.
• Disclosures must be in the same language as the content.
• Failure to disclose sponsored content violates ASCI guidelines, the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, and may result in content removal.
• The Platform is not responsible for the content of sponsored posts by creators but reserves the right to remove undisclosed sponsored content.

8. Data and Advertising

• Third-party advertising networks may use cookies and tracking technologies as described in our Cookie Policy.
• We do not share your personal data (name, phone number, email) with advertisers.
• Advertising networks may use anonymized signals (device type, general location, content category) for ad targeting.
• You can manage ad personalization through your device settings and browser cookie preferences.

9. Contact

For advertising-related queries, ad reports, or partnership inquiries:

• Email: support@kalaloka.buzz
• Platform: Kalaloka (a product of DigiYogi)
• Address: Bangalore, Karnataka, India