1. Purpose and Commitment

The Monsoon Protest Archive is committed to protecting the privacy, dignity, and safety of survivors, witnesses, contributors, and users who engage with our platform. Our mission is to preserve and document evidence of grave human rights violations, including acts that may constitute crimes against humanity, as recognized by the United Nations during the July–August 2024 Bangladesh Uprising.

This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, protect, and share data on our platform. We uphold the highest ethical and legal standards, especially in handling sensitive information in contexts of repression, surveillance, or retaliation.

We are committed to a Do No Harm approach and believe that consent is the cornerstone of responsible documentation. All data is handled with the highest standard of security, ethical care, and transparency.

2. Scope of This Policy

This Privacy Policy explains how we:

• Collect, use, and store data for archival and public display
• Protect the identity and safety of contributors and those featured in the archive
• Uphold international best practices in documentation of human rights violations

3. Our Guiding Principles

• Do No Harm: All decisions about what to publish, preserve, or share are guided by a risk assessment to prevent harm to individuals or communities.
• Consent: We seek informed, voluntary, and revocable consent wherever possible—especially for identifiable individuals and direct contributors.
• Protection: Contributors, survivors, and witnesses are never required to share personal information. Anonymous and pseudonymous contributions are encouraged and fully supported.
• Transparency: We clearly communicate how data is used and the rights of all individuals involved.

4. What Information We Collect

We collect two categories of information:

a. Content for the Archive

• Images, videos, audio, testimonies, and metadata (including geolocation, timestamps)
• Names, pseudonyms, or affiliations (if voluntarily provided)
• Consent status and documentation (e.g., written, verbal, or inferred with safeguards)

b. Website and User Analytics

• Device/browser type, language, IP address (anonymized)
• Clicks, session duration, and referring websites
• This data is used solely for website improvement and anonymized analytics.

5. How We Use and Share Information

We use collected data to:

• Preserve historical evidence
• Support legal and advocacy work, including international accountability efforts
• Educate the public and build collective memory

We may share selected data with:

• Legal bodies (e.g., UN mechanisms, universal jurisdiction courts)
• Academic researchers or journalists under strict ethical guidelines
• Partner human rights organizations that operate on standards and principles outlined under international human rights law, and only under signed confidentiality agreements

6. Consent and Contribution Policy

• Consent is required for publishing sensitive content that can identify victims, witnesses, or contributors.
• Contributors have the right to:
• • Submit content anonymously or under a pseudonym
  • Request redaction, correction, or permanent removal
  • Restrict the use of their data to specific purposes (e.g., archival only, legal use only)
• In cases where consent cannot be obtained (e.g., mass atrocity footage), a harm assessment is conducted before any public release.

7. Safety and Security Measures

We prioritize the safety of all individuals involved by implementing:

• End-to-end encryption for submissions and communications
• Secure cloud storage and file integrity protections
• Limited-access protocols and pseudonymized handling of sensitive data
• Secure hosting infrastructure outside high-risk jurisdictions

All data contributors are encouraged to use secure tools (VPN, Tor, Signal, encrypted email) when interacting with the archive.

8. Content Moderation and Ethical Review

Our editorial and legal teams conduct rigorous reviews of all content. We remove or restrict:

• Material that could endanger individuals
• Graphic content without public interest justification
• Media that includes minors without guardian consent
• Any item that violates our consent, ethics, or harm-reduction policies

9. Data Retention and Deletion

• Archival data is retained indefinitely to support justice, advocacy, and historical preservation.
• Contributors or featured individuals may at any time:
• • Request a copy of their data
  • Ask for correction or redaction
  • Request full deletion (subject to security and legal considerations)

We respond to such requests within 30 days.

10. Your Rights

Depending on applicable law and our ethical commitments, you have the right to:

• Access and review your personal or contributed data
• Revoke previously given consent
• File a complaint with an independent oversight body (when applicable)

11. Changes to This Policy

We may periodically update this Privacy Policy to reflect evolving laws or ethical standards. Updates will be posted with a new effective date.

12. Contact and Secure Communication

If you have questions, concerns, or wish to make a data request:

📧 [email protected]
📄 PGP Public Key available upon request

Reminder: Accessing or contributing to this archive from within high-risk jurisdictions (including Bangladesh) may expose you to surveillance or retaliation. We strongly recommend using secure, anonymized tools, such as a VPN or Tor browser, when engaging with this site.