Privacy Policy

Last updated: 3 November 2026

Desi Network ("we", "us") runs desinetwork.ca, a directory of South Asian businesses, events and community guides in Canada. This policy explains what personal information we collect, why, who sees it, and the choices you have. We follow Canada's Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and applicable provincial privacy laws.

What we collect

When you create an account

Your name, email address and password (stored only in scrambled, hashed form). If you choose, a phone number and whether you want our newsletter.

When you add or manage a business or event

What you enter about the business or event: its name, description, address, phone, email, website, social links, hours, photos and categories, and who the organizer is. Most of this is meant to be public and is shown on the listing. When you claim a business we record how you proved it is yours (for example a code sent to the business's phone or email).

When you contact a business

If you send an enquiry, we pass your name, email, phone (if given) and message to that business, keep a copy so you and the owner can see it in your dashboards, and send you a confirmation. If a signed-in member views a business's phone or email, we record that it was viewed so the owner can see how many people were interested.

When you write a review

Your review, rating and the name on your account. Reviews are public once our team approves them, and the business owner may reply publicly.

When you contact us

Your name, email and message, so we can reply.

Automatically

Like most websites, our servers record your IP address, browser and the pages you visit, to keep the site secure and working. We count listing views and clicks on business links so owners can see how their listing performs; these counts do not identify you to the owner. We use Google Analytics, with IP addresses anonymised, to understand how the site is used overall.

Cookies

We use a small number of cookies: one that keeps you signed in, one that remembers the city you chose, and those set by Google Analytics and by Cloudflare, which protects the site from abuse. Cloudflare Turnstile checks forms to tell people from automated programs. You can block cookies in your browser; signing in will then not work.

How we use it

• To run your account and show your listings, events, reviews and enquiries in your dashboard.
• To publish the business and event information you submit, after our team reviews it.
• To pass your enquiries to the businesses you contact.
• To send emails about your account and activity: confirming your address, password resets, listing and review decisions, and replies to your enquiries or reviews.
• To send our newsletter, only if you opted in. Every newsletter has an unsubscribe link, and you can turn it off in your account at any time.
• To keep the site safe: preventing spam, fake listings, automated copying and abuse.

We do not sell your personal information.

Who we share it with

• Businesses you contact receive your enquiry and the details you include in it.
• Everyone can see public listings, events and approved reviews. Phone numbers and email addresses of businesses are shown only to signed-in members.
• Service providers who help us run the site: hosting, email delivery, Cloudflare (security) and Google (analytics, maps). They may process data outside Canada, and only for the purposes above.
• Authorities, when the law requires it or to protect people from harm.
• A new owner, if Desi Network is ever sold or merged, under the same protections.

How long we keep it

We keep your account information while your account is open. When you close your account in your dashboard, we remove your personal details; reviews you wrote may stay without your name, and business listings stay if the business continues to be listed. Enquiries are kept for the business owner's records. Server logs are kept for a short period for security.

Your choices and rights

• See and change your account details, newsletter choice and password in your dashboard.
• Close your account at any time from your dashboard.
• Ask us for a copy of the personal information we hold about you, or to correct it.
• Business owners: claim your business to edit or remove its listing. If you cannot claim it, contact us.

Security

We protect information with encryption in transit (HTTPS), hashed passwords, two-step sign-in for staff, limited staff access and regular backups. No system is perfectly secure; if a breach affecting you happens, we will tell you and the Privacy Commissioner as the law requires.

Children

The site is not meant for children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect their information. If you believe a child has given us information, contact us and we will delete it.

Changes

We may update this policy as the site changes. The date at the top shows the latest version; for significant changes we will let members know by email.

Contact

Questions or requests about your privacy: [email protected], or use our contact form.