Sound Of Carnatic

Privacy Policy

How Sound Of Carnatic processes personal data under the GDPR (AVG).

This privacy notice explains how Sound Of Carnatic processes personal data when you use soundofcarnatic.com and related public pages. We are based in the Netherlands, so the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Dutch AVG apply.

Last updated: 18 September 2026

1. Controller

The controller (verwerkingsverantwoordelijke) for personal data described here is:

Sound Of Carnatic
Eindhoven, The Netherlands
Email: info@soundofcarnatic.com

For day-to-day privacy questions you can also reach us via the contact options on our Contact page (email or WhatsApp).

2. Information we collect

  • Newsletter (MailerLite): email address and any other fields you submit in the signup form (for example, name). The form may open automatically on the Contact and Events listing pages, or when you click Newsletter in the footer.
  • Event registration (MailerLite or Google Forms): some event pages use a MailerLite popup (opened when you click Register) or a Google Form link. Those providers process what you submit under their own privacy notices.
  • Email & WhatsApp: if you write to info@soundofcarnatic.com or message us on WhatsApp, we receive the content you send and your contact details.
  • Payments (Stripe): if you use a Stripe payment or buy button (for example on an event page or About), Stripe processes payment details. We typically receive limited transaction metadata needed to recognise support or a ticket purchase, not your full card number.
  • Teachers directory: profiles on the Teachers page (name, photo, bio, teaching details) are published with the teacher’s agreement so students can find mentors.
  • Admin sign-in (Clerk): administrators signing in at /admin authenticate with Clerk. This is not used for public visitors.
  • Technical data: hosting logs; scripts from Google Fonts (page typography), MailerLite (when a form script loads), Stripe (when a payment widget loads), OpenStreetMap / Leaflet (Teachers map view), and Clerk (admin only). Your browser may also show storage for these providers under names such as assets.mailerlite.com, js.stripe.com / m.stripe.com, or google.com.

We do not operate a public contact form on this website. Public contact is by email or WhatsApp links you choose to open. We do not run advertising or analytics trackers on the public site.

3. Purposes & legal bases (GDPR / AVG)

  • Consent — newsletter signup via MailerLite; you may withdraw anytime via the unsubscribe link or by emailing us. Submitting an event registration form is also based on your choice to complete that form.
  • Legitimate interests — answering enquiries you send us; keeping the website secure and usable (including loading fonts and essential page scripts); publishing teacher profiles that teachers have agreed to list; operating admin access for our own organisers.
  • Contract / steps prior to a contract — where you register or pay for an event, or make a donation/support payment, through an embedded provider.
  • Legal obligation — where we must keep limited records for tax or accounting (for example donation receipts handled via Stripe).

We do not sell or rent your personal data for others’ marketing.

4. Cookies & similar technologies

Cookies and local storage may be used as follows:

  • Strictly necessary — hosting/security and, for administrators only, Clerk sign-in cookies. These do not require cookie consent under the Dutch Telecommunications Act / ePrivacy rules for essential storage.
  • MailerLite — when the newsletter script loads (Contact and Events listing) or when you open an event Register popup, MailerLite may set cookies or similar storage so the form can work and remember recent display frequency. Loading that script is tied to those pages or to your click.
  • Stripe — cookies or similar storage when a Stripe payment button is present, so checkout can run securely.
  • Google Fonts — fonts are requested from Google’s servers so pages can display our typefaces. That request can include your IP address; Google Fonts typically does not set advertising cookies on our behalf.

We do not use a separate advertising cookie banner because we do not place ads or third-party marketing trackers. If you prefer not to use MailerLite or Stripe features, do not open those forms or payment buttons, and you can clear site data in your browser. For newsletter consent specifically, see §5.

5. MailerLite

We use MailerLite for (a) the newsletter and (b) some event registration popups. By subscribing or submitting a registration form, you consent to MailerLite processing the data you enter for that purpose. MailerLite may set cookies or load scripts when its form is shown.

Privacy policy: mailerlite.com/legal/privacy-policy.

6. Payments & other Google services

Stripe processes payments where a Stripe button is shown. Review Stripe’s privacy notice before paying.

Google Forms may be used for some event registrations (via a link). Google Fonts loads on public pages for typography. Embedded or linked Google Maps / YouTube (if present on a page) are provided by Google under their terms. See policies.google.com/privacy.

7. Clerk (administrators only)

The /admin area uses Clerk for authentication so we can manage event and teacher listings. Only allowlisted admin accounts can sign in.

8. Recipients & transfers

We use service providers who process data on our behalf or as independent controllers for their features, including MailerLite, Stripe, Google (Fonts, and Forms/Maps/YouTube where used), Clerk (admins), our web host, and messaging apps you choose (for example WhatsApp). Some providers may process data outside the European Economic Area. Where that happens, they rely on appropriate safeguards described in their documentation (such as standard contractual clauses).

9. Retention

Newsletter data is kept while you remain subscribed (and for a short period afterward if needed to process an unsubscribe). Email and WhatsApp correspondence is kept as long as needed to handle your enquiry. Teacher profile data remains published until the teacher asks us to update or remove it. Payment records follow Stripe’s and our accounting retention needs. Admin authentication data is retained by Clerk according to their practices and our account settings.

10. Your rights

Under the GDPR / AVG you may request access, rectification, erasure, restriction of processing, data portability, and objection to processing based on legitimate interests, where applicable. Where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time without affecting earlier lawful processing.

To exercise these rights, email info@soundofcarnatic.com. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Dutch Data Protection Authority (Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens): autoriteitpersoonsgegevens.nl.

11. Children

Our public website is aimed at a general audience interested in Carnatic music. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children for marketing without appropriate consent. Event registration for minors should be completed by a parent or guardian where required.

12. Automated decisions

We do not use automated decision-making that produces legal or similarly significant effects about you.

13. Related services

MySwara is a separate invite-only teaching portal operated by Sound Of Carnatic, with its own privacy notices for signed-in users.

14. Changes

We may update this notice from time to time. The “Last updated” date at the top will change when we do. Continued use of the site after an update means you should review the revised notice.

15. Contact

Sound Of Carnatic
Eindhoven, The Netherlands
info@soundofcarnatic.com

See also our Terms of use.