Privacy Policy

Overview

GroupsOceans.in ("we", "us") is a group directory that helps users discover communities on Telegram, WhatsApp, Discord, Reddit, Facebook, Instagram, and X. This policy explains what data we collect, how we use it, and your rights.

Data We Collect

• Account data: name, email, profile picture when you sign in (including via Google OAuth).
• Content data: group listings you submit, save, or report.
• Usage data: pages viewed, search queries, ad impressions/clicks, IP address for rate limiting.
• Technical data: browser type, device type, error logs.
• Advertising data: cookie identifiers and interest signals used by ad partners (see Advertising section).

How We Use Data

We use your information to operate the directory, authenticate accounts, moderate submissions, improve search and recommendations, display relevant advertisements, prevent spam and abuse, and send important service notices. We do not sell your personal data to third parties.

Advertising & Google AdSense

GroupsOceans uses Google AdSense to display advertisements. Google AdSense uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to serve ads based on your prior visits to this site and other sites across the web.

• 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.
• Google may use the DoubleClick cookie to serve more relevant ads and to limit the number of times you see a given ad.
• Third-party ad vendors, including Google, use cookies to serve ads based on a user's prior visits to your website or other websites.

You may opt out of personalised advertising at any time by visiting Google Ads Settings or aboutads.info. You can also opt out of interest-based advertising at networkadvertising.org.

Cookies & Local Storage

We use the following types of cookies:

• Essential cookies: Required for authentication and security. These cannot be disabled.
• Advertising cookies: Used by Google AdSense and ad partners to serve personalised ads.
• Analytics cookies: Help us understand how visitors interact with our site.
• Preference cookies: Remember your settings (e.g. Safe Mode, display preferences).

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling advertising cookies will result in non-personalised ad serving. You can withdraw consent at any time via the cookie preference banner.

Third-Party Services

We rely on trusted providers: MongoDB Atlas (database), Cloudinary (image hosting), Google OAuth (optional sign-in), Google AdSense (advertising), Cloudflare Turnstile (bot protection), Sentry (error monitoring), and OpenAI (optional AI-assisted metadata). Each provider has its own privacy policy governing their data processing.

Data Retention

We retain account and submission data while your account is active or as needed to operate the service. You may request deletion of your account and associated personal data at any time by emailing privacy@groupsoceans.com.

Your Rights

You may access, correct, or delete your personal data by contacting us. EU/EEA users have rights under GDPR including data portability and the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority. Indian users have rights under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDPA) 2023.

Children

GroupsOceans is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. Adult-marked (18+) content requires explicit age confirmation before access.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of significant changes by posting the new policy on this page with an updated date. Continued use of the site after changes constitutes your acceptance.

Contact

Privacy questions or data requests: privacy@groupsoceans.com · General support: support@groupsoceans.com