Overview
Zerolev is a professional intelligence network focusing on Finance, Compliance, Taxation, Accounting and Corporate Law. We connect Chartered Accountants, Company Secretaries and Cost Management Accountants with businesses across India.
We hold the privacy of every user in high esteem. This Privacy Policy governs how Zerolev collects, uses, discloses and protects the information you share with us, in accordance with the Information Technology Act, 2000 and the rules made thereunder.
By accessing or using Zerolev's platform, you agree and consent to the collection and use of your personal information in accordance with this Policy. If you do not agree, please do not submit any personal information to us.
What We Collect & Why
We collect personal information when you register, subscribe or otherwise use Zerolev's services. The categories of information we may collect include:
Comments & Forum Activity
When visitors post in our directories or forums, we collect data shown in the submission form, plus the visitor's IP address and browser user-agent string to assist spam detection. An anonymized hash of your email may be provided to Gravatar; their privacy policy governs that use. After approval, your profile picture may appear publicly alongside your comment.
Sensitive Information
Zerolev collects and treats sensitive personal information in accordance with the IT Act 2000 and the rules made thereunder.
- Login Credentials — Registration may require you to create a password. This is confidential and sensitive information, retained in encrypted form within our secure database.
- Financial Details — If you subscribe to paid services, we collect payment information necessary to process your subscription. This data is handled via secure, PCI-compliant payment processors.
- Professional Registration Data — Membership numbers, bar council registrations, ICAI/ICSI/ICMAI enrolment details submitted for verification purposes.
Zerolev does not process sensitive personal data beyond what is strictly necessary. You are responsible for keeping your login credentials confidential and not sharing them with third parties.
How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect for the following purposes only:
- To provide, maintain and improve the Zerolev platform and its features.
- To verify the credentials and professional standing of listed firms.
- To send newsletters, service updates and regulatory alerts to which you have subscribed, with an option to unsubscribe at any time.
- To respond to your enquiries, support requests and feedback.
- To detect and prevent fraud, spam, and misuse of our platform.
- To comply with applicable legal obligations under Indian law and GDPR where applicable.
- To conduct internal analytics to understand how our platform is used.
Zerolev never uses or shares personally identifiable information for purposes unrelated to those described in this Policy.
Sharing & Disclosure
We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties. We may share your information only in the following limited circumstances:
- Affiliates & Business Partners — By providing personal information to Zerolev, you are deemed to have consented to its disclosure (other than sensitive information) to Zerolev's affiliates and business partners in the ordinary course of performance of our services.
- Service Providers — We engage trusted third-party vendors who process data on our behalf under written contracts with strict data-protection obligations.
- Legal Requirement — We may disclose information where required by law, court order, or in response to lawful requests from public authorities.
- Business Transfer — If Zerolev is acquired by or merged with another company, we will notify you before your information is transferred and becomes subject to a different privacy policy.
Cookies & Tracking
Zerolev uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your experience. When you log in, we save authentication cookies that expire when you close your browser; persistent login cookies last up to two weeks.
- Essential Cookies — Required for platform functionality, including session management and security.
- Analytics Cookies — Help us understand which sections of the directory are most useful. Data is aggregated and anonymised.
- Preference Cookies — Remember your filter selections, city preferences and viewing settings.
Embedded content from other sites (articles, videos) may set their own cookies and track your interaction independently. You may control cookie preferences through your browser settings; however, disabling essential cookies may affect platform functionality.
Security
Zerolev implements industry-standard technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure or destruction.
- Passwords are stored using strong one-way hashing algorithms.
- All data transmission is encrypted via TLS/HTTPS.
- Access to personal data is restricted to authorised personnel only.
- Regular security audits and penetration tests are conducted.
Please note that Zerolev has no control over the security of third-party websites you may visit through links on our platform. You should keep your login credentials safe and confidential.
GDPR Compliance
Zerolev serves as a data processor under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) where applicable, and adheres to its principles and rules, including:
- Privacy by design and default embedded in all new features.
- Limited and lawful data retention protocols.
- Documented incident response procedures with timely breach notification.
- Data transfers internationally only with a lawful basis.
- Contracts with sub-processors requiring adequate data-protection commitments.
- Data processing agreements provided to all appropriate clients and partners.
- No processing of sensitive personal data beyond what is strictly required.
Your Rights
You have the following rights with respect to your personal data held by Zerolev:
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at the details provided in Section 12.
Data Retention
We retain personal information only for as long as is necessary for the purposes set out in this Policy, unless a longer period is required or permitted by law — including tax, accounting, or other legal requirements.
- Account data is retained for the duration of your active relationship with Zerolev.
- After account closure, personal data is retained for a maximum of three (3) months before deletion or anonymisation.
- Comment metadata and forum posts may be retained indefinitely to maintain the integrity of public discussions, in anonymised or pseudonymised form.
- Data stored in backup archives is isolated from further processing until deletion is possible.
Policy Changes
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time as our services evolve or as legal requirements change. We will notify you of significant changes by sending a notice to the primary email address on your registered account, or by placing a prominent notice on our platform for a reasonable period.
Your continued use of Zerolev's services after we publish or send a notice about changes to this Policy constitutes your acceptance of the updated Policy.
Contact Us
If you have any questions regarding this Privacy Policy, wish to exercise your rights, or have an unresolved data concern that has not been addressed satisfactorily, please reach out to us:
We're here to help with any privacy concern.
Zerolev — Finance, Compliance & Professional Intelligence Network