Your family stories are not content. They are entrusted memories.

Privacy Policy

Effective date: April 29, 2026 Version: 1.0

This Privacy Policy explains how [Legal Entity Name], trading as Qissa ("Qissa", "we", "us", or "our"), collects, uses, stores, shares, transfers, protects, and deletes personal information when you visit our website, place an order, buy or receive a Qissa gift, participate as a storyteller, submit family materials, use our private archive, or contact us.

Website: [https://qissa-tales.vercel.app] Contact: [hello@qissastories.com] Privacy contact: [privacy@qissastories.com] Business address: [Insert full business address]

Qissa is built around trust. We handle family stories, voice notes, photos, memories, translations, printed books, and private archives. This policy is written to explain our practices in plain language.

1. Who this policy applies to

This policy applies to:

• buyers and gift purchasers;
• storytellers, including parents, grandparents, elders, relatives, and other participants;
• family contributors who submit questions, photos, captions, stories, or corrections;
• people who receive or access a Qissa book, QR code, or private archive;
• visitors to our website;
• people who contact us for support, sales, privacy, or complaints.

2. Information we collect

Depending on how you use Qissa, we may collect the following information.

2.1 Buyer and account information

• name;
• email address;
• phone or WhatsApp number;
• billing information;
• selected plan;
• gift message;
• relationship to the storyteller;
• order details;
• support messages;
• consent and acceptance records.

2.2 Storyteller information

• name;
• contact details;
• preferred language;
• country, city, or time zone;
• family relationship;
• onboarding preferences;
• availability for calls;
• consent records;
• voice notes, videos, emails, messages, interviews, transcripts, translations, edits, and related story content.

Qissa collects storyteller information only after the storyteller consents or otherwise voluntarily participates. A buyer may provide basic contact details so Qissa can invite the storyteller, but that invitation does not authorize Qissa to collect, record, transcribe, translate, edit, print, or archive the storyteller's stories.

2.3 Story and family materials

• voice notes;
• call recordings, if recorded with consent;
• video recordings, if included in the selected plan;
• written replies;
• family questions;
• photos and captions;
• names, dates, places, relationships, recipes, memories, migration stories, cultural practices, and other personal details;
• draft chapters, edited chapters, proof files, print files, e-books, and archive files;
• QR-linked recordings and associated metadata.

2.4 Payment information

We may receive payment status, transaction IDs, amount, currency, billing name, billing email, payment method type, refund status, and fraud/risk indicators from payment processors. We do not intend to store full payment card numbers on Qissa systems.

2.5 Shipping and delivery information

We may collect recipient name, shipping address, phone number, delivery instructions, courier tracking information, customs information where required, and delivery issue records.

2.6 Website and technical information

We may collect IP address, browser type, device type, operating system, pages visited, referring pages, approximate location, cookies, analytics events, form submissions, error logs, and security logs.

2.7 Sensitive information

Family stories may reveal sensitive information such as religion, ethnicity, migration history, political views, health, grief, trauma, family conflict, financial hardship, or personal beliefs. We do not usually ask for sensitive information for its own sake, but storytellers may choose to include it in their memories. Storytellers can skip any question and ask us not to include specific details.

Please do not submit sensitive information about another person unless you have their permission or a lawful and fair reason to do so.

3. How we collect information

We collect information directly from you when you:

• visit the website;
• place an order;
• buy Qissa as a gift;
• complete onboarding;
• reply to prompts by WhatsApp, email, phone, video, or other channels;
• upload photos or captions;
• submit family questions;
• review or approve drafts;
• access the private archive;
• contact support;
• give consent or withdraw consent.

We may also receive information from family members, payment processors, messaging providers, printers, couriers, analytics tools, and other service providers used to provide Qissa.

4. Why we use information

We use personal information for the following purposes:

• to process orders and payments;
• to provide onboarding and customer support;
• to contact storytellers and contributors;
• to send prompts and reminders;
• to receive and organize family story materials;
• to record calls where consent has been given;
• to transcribe, translate, edit, design, and format stories;
• to create printed books, e-books, QR codes, and private archive materials;
• to ship books and resolve delivery issues;
• to manage refunds, cancellations, disputes, and complaints;
• to maintain security, backups, logs, and fraud prevention;
• to improve Qissa's product and operations;
• to comply with legal, tax, accounting, and regulatory requirements;
• to send service communications;
• to send marketing only where we have permission or where allowed by law.

5. Consent and legal basis

Qissa relies on different grounds depending on the situation.

For buyers, we use information to perform the purchase contract, process payment, deliver the service, provide support, and comply with legal obligations.

For storytellers, we ask for direct consent before collecting stories, recordings, interviews, voice notes, videos, photos, transcripts, translations, or archive materials. The storyteller may pause or withdraw consent for future collection. Withdrawal may not affect work already completed, printed books already produced, shipped books, legal records, or materials that must be retained for legitimate operational or legal reasons.

For family contributors, we rely on consent, the need to provide the service, and the contributor's confirmation that they have the right to submit materials.

For website security, fraud prevention, legal compliance, accounting, and dispute handling, we may process information where reasonably necessary to protect Qissa, our users, storytellers, family members, and the integrity of the service.

6. Recording calls and voice notes

Qissa may receive WhatsApp voice notes, videos, written replies, emails, or other story materials from storytellers. We may also conduct onboarding calls and guided story calls.

We will not intentionally record a live call unless the participant has been informed and has consented. If a storyteller does not want a call recorded, they can tell us, and we will use another method where practical.

Recordings may be used to create transcripts, translations, edited chapters, QR-linked audio, private archive files, and the final book.

7. Photos and children

Family photos may include children or other identifiable people. The person uploading photos must confirm that they have the right to upload them and that any required permission has been obtained, especially from a parent or legal guardian for children.

Qissa does not knowingly create a project directly with a child as the buyer. If we learn that a child has provided information without appropriate consent, we may delete or restrict that information.

8. How we share information

We do not sell private family stories, recordings, photos, transcripts, or archive materials.

We may share information with the following categories of service providers only as needed to provide, support, secure, or improve Qissa:

• payment processors;
• WhatsApp, email, phone, SMS, or communication providers;
• cloud hosting and storage providers;
• transcription and translation providers or tools;
• photo restoration, design, editing, and layout tools;
• story consultants, editors, translators, designers, and operations team members;
• printers, book production partners, packaging providers, and couriers;
• analytics, security, error monitoring, and fraud prevention tools;
• accountants, lawyers, auditors, insurers, and professional advisers;
• regulators, courts, law enforcement, or authorities where required by law.

We require team members and relevant service providers to handle information confidentially and only for authorized purposes.

9. International transfers

Qissa is built in Pakistan and may serve families in Pakistan and abroad. Your information may be processed or stored in Pakistan or in other countries where our service providers, cloud platforms, communication tools, payment processors, printers, or couriers operate.

Where information is transferred internationally, we take reasonable steps to use reputable providers and appropriate contractual, technical, and organizational safeguards, considering the nature of the information and the service being provided.

10. Private archive and QR access

The private archive may store selected recordings, transcripts, photos, book files, and related materials. QR codes in a printed book may link to selected archive materials.

Archive access is intended for the approved family circle. Depending on the product configuration, archive links may be protected by passwords, unlisted links, signed links, account login, revocation tools, or other access controls. Family members should not share QR codes, links, passcodes, or archive access outside the intended family circle.

If you believe archive access has been shared incorrectly, contact us at [privacy@qissastories.com].

11. Retention

We keep information only for as long as reasonably needed for the purposes described in this policy, unless a longer period is required or allowed by law.

Our usual retention approach is:

• order, payment, tax, accounting, and complaint records: retained for the period required for business, tax, audit, dispute, and legal purposes;
• consent records: retained for as long as needed to prove consent and protect the rights of Qissa, storytellers, and families;
• raw voice notes, recordings, videos, photos, and transcripts: retained during the active project and, if selected for the archive, for as long as the archive remains active unless deletion is requested and legally/technically possible;
• edited chapters, final book files, e-books, QR files, and archive files: retained for the archive period and reasonable operational backup periods;
• website analytics and security logs: retained for a limited period based on operational, security, and analytics needs;
• backups: deleted or overwritten according to backup cycles, usually within [30-90] days unless a longer period is required for security, legal, or operational reasons.

If your plan refers to a lifetime archive, that means Qissa intends to maintain archive access for as long as Qissa continues operating the archive service for that project and the account remains in good standing, subject to deletion requests, technical limits, legal requirements, service discontinuation, and events outside our reasonable control.

12. Deletion, correction, and withdrawal requests

You may contact us to request access, correction, deletion, restriction, or withdrawal of consent for future processing.

We will respond within a reasonable time. We may need to verify your identity and your relationship to the project before acting on a request.

Deletion may be limited where:

• the material has already been printed or shipped;
• deleting one person's data would affect another person's rights or family archive;
• Qissa must retain records for payment, tax, accounting, legal, security, fraud prevention, or dispute purposes;
• the material is in backup systems that will be deleted or overwritten on the normal backup cycle;
• the request is made by someone who is not authorized to control the relevant material.

If the storyteller withdraws consent, Qissa will stop future collection from that storyteller and will discuss what should happen to existing materials, drafts, archive files, and books.

13. Security

We use reasonable technical and organizational safeguards designed to protect personal information, recordings, photos, transcripts, books, and archive materials. Safeguards may include access controls, confidentiality obligations, secure storage, encryption where available, backup controls, limited staff access, and monitoring for misuse.

No method of transmission, messaging, cloud storage, or online archive is completely secure. Please keep archive links, QR access, account credentials, and family materials private.

14. Cookies and analytics

Our website may use cookies and similar technologies. Some cookies are necessary for the website to work. Others may help us understand website use, improve performance, remember preferences, or measure marketing.

If we use non-essential analytics, advertising pixels, retargeting, or similar tracking, we will provide appropriate notice and consent choices where required by law. You can also manage cookies through your browser settings.

15. Marketing

We may send marketing emails or WhatsApp messages only where we have permission or where allowed by law. You can opt out of marketing at any time by using the unsubscribe option, replying with an opt-out request, or contacting us.

You will still receive essential service messages about your order, project, consent, archive, payment, delivery, or support.

16. Public testimonials and samples

Qissa will not publicly use your private stories, photos, recordings, names, book pages, or testimonials for marketing unless you give separate written permission.

If you give permission, you may later ask us to stop using the material in future marketing. Removal from already printed or already distributed materials may not always be possible.

17. Legal requests and safety

We may disclose information if required by law, court order, regulator, law enforcement request, or to protect the rights, safety, privacy, property, or security of Qissa, storytellers, family members, users, or others.

18. Business transfers

If Qissa is involved in a merger, acquisition, investment, reorganization, sale of assets, or similar transaction, project information may be transferred as part of that transaction, subject to confidentiality and appropriate safeguards. We will try to ensure that private family materials remain protected.

19. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The effective date and version will be shown at the top. If changes are material, we will take reasonable steps to notify affected users.

20. Contact us

For privacy questions, consent withdrawal, deletion requests, archive access concerns, or complaints, contact:

[Legal Entity Name] trading as Qissa [Registered/business address] Email: [privacy@qissastories.com] General contact: [hello@qissastories.com]