Informed Consent

By creating an account on ManaSmurti and using the companion service, you provide your informed, voluntary, and specific consent to the following:

• Collection of personal data: ManaSmurti collects your name, email address, date of birth, device information, usage data, and the content of your conversations. For full details, see our Privacy Policy.
• Processing of your messages: When you type a message on ManaSmurti, it is sent to our automated systems for processing. These systems read your message and generate a response. This processing is necessary for the companion service to function. Your messages may also be screened by automated safety systems to enforce our community guidelines.
• Storage of your data: Your conversations and personal information are stored in encrypted form on secure servers. Conversation retention periods depend on your subscription tier (30 days for free accounts, duration of subscription plus 90 days for paid accounts).
• Sharing with service providers: Your messages (in encrypted transit) are shared with our response generation service provider to produce responses. Your data is also stored on cloud infrastructure provided by Amazon Web Services. For full details, see Section 8 of our Privacy Policy.
• Behavioural analysis: Your communication patterns and engagement may be analysed over time to improve the quality of responses and to detect safety concerns. This analysis is performed by automated systems, not by human reviewers.

By using ManaSmurti, you acknowledge and accept the following:

• Not a professional service: ManaSmurti is a companion, not a therapist, counsellor, doctor, lawyer, or financial advisor. It does not provide professional advice of any kind.
• Automated responses: All responses are generated by automated algorithms. No human professional reviews, supervises, or approves the responses before they reach you. Responses may be inaccurate, incomplete, inappropriate, or not applicable to your specific situation.
• No diagnosis or treatment: ManaSmurti does not diagnose, treat, cure, or manage any physical or mental health condition. It does not prescribe or recommend any medication, therapy, or treatment.
• No confidentiality privilege: Conversations on ManaSmurti are not protected by therapist-client privilege, doctor-patient privilege, attorney-client privilege, or any other form of legal professional privilege. While your conversations are encrypted and private, they may be disclosed if required by law.
• No emergency response: ManaSmurti is not equipped to respond to crises, emergencies, or situations involving immediate risk of harm. If you are in a crisis, please contact emergency services (112) or a crisis helpline.
• Service availability: ManaSmurti may be temporarily unavailable due to maintenance, technical issues, or other factors. Do not rely on the service being available at any specific time.

ManaSmurti is designed to be a space where you can talk about things that matter to you, including topics that may be personal, emotional, or sensitive. By using the service, you understand and accept the following:

• Emotional wellbeing: Engaging with a companion service about personal or emotional topics may bring up strong feelings. ManaSmurti is not a substitute for professional emotional or psychological support. If you feel overwhelmed, please reach out to a qualified professional or a trusted person in your life.
• Safety screening: If ManaSmurti detects that your messages may indicate distress, self-harm, or harm to others, the system may pause the conversation, display helpline information, and redirect the conversation to safety. This is an automated safety measure and may not always be accurate.
• No guarantee of helpfulness: While ManaSmurti strives to be supportive and thoughtful, automated responses may sometimes feel unhelpful, irrelevant, or tone-deaf. The service is provided in good faith, but we cannot guarantee that every response will meet your expectations or needs.
• Your responsibility: You are responsible for deciding what to share on ManaSmurti. We encourage you to share only what you are comfortable with. Remember that while your data is encrypted, you are ultimately sharing information with an automated system.

Under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, your consent must be free, specific, informed, unconditional, and unambiguous, given by a clear affirmative action. You have the following rights:

• Right to withdraw consent: You may withdraw your consent to data processing at any time by contacting our Grievance Officer at grievance@manasmurti.com, or by deleting your account from your account settings. Withdrawal of consent will result in the closure of your account and deletion of all your personal data within 72 hours.
• Right to access: You may request a summary of the personal data we hold about you and how it has been processed.
• Right to correction: You may request correction of any inaccurate or incomplete personal data.
• Right to erasure: You may request deletion of your personal data at any time.
• Right to data portability: You may request a copy of your personal data in a machine-readable format.
• Right to grievance redressal: If you have any concerns about how your data is handled, you may file a grievance with our Grievance Officer.

Withdrawal of consent does not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before the withdrawal. However, since ManaSmurti cannot provide the companion service without processing your messages, withdrawing consent will result in the discontinuation of the service for your account.

ManaSmurti is available only to individuals who are 18 years of age or older. By creating an account, you confirm that you are 18 or older and have the legal capacity to provide consent under the DPDP Act, 2023.

ManaSmurti does not knowingly collect data from minors (persons below 18 years of age). If we become aware that a minor has created an account, the account will be terminated and all data permanently deleted.

In accordance with the DPDP Act, processing of personal data of children (below 18 years) requires verifiable parental consent. Since ManaSmurti does not have a mechanism for parental consent verification, minors are not permitted to use the service under any circumstances.

Your consent is obtained through the following clear, affirmative actions:

• At registration: When you create an account on ManaSmurti, you are required to check a consent box confirming that you have read and agree to our Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and this Informed Consent document. Account creation cannot proceed without this confirmation.
• Pre-chat disclaimer: Before your first conversation on ManaSmurti, you are shown a disclaimer reminding you that responses are generated by automated algorithms and that ManaSmurti is not a substitute for professional help. You must acknowledge this before starting a conversation.
• In-chat reminders: During conversations involving sensitive topics, ManaSmurti displays contextual reminders about the limitations of the service and provides helpline information when appropriate.

Your consent is not assumed from silence, inactivity, or pre-ticked boxes. It is always obtained through a clear, voluntary action on your part.

ManaSmurti maintains a record of your consent as required under the DPDP Act, 2023. This record includes:

• The date and time your consent was provided.
• The version of the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy you agreed to.
• Your acknowledgement of the pre-chat disclaimer.

You may request a copy of your consent record at any time by contacting our Grievance Officer at grievance@manasmurti.com.

This Informed Consent document should be read together with the following policies, which together form the complete legal framework for your use of ManaSmurti:

• Terms of Service — the binding agreement governing your use of the Platform.
• Privacy Policy — how your personal data is collected, used, and protected.
• Disclaimer — important limitations of the service and crisis helpline information.
• Cookie Policy — how cookies are used on the Platform.
• Refund Policy — terms for subscription refunds.
• Grievance Redressal — how to file a complaint and seek resolution.

This Informed Consent document is governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Republic of India, including the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, the Information Technology Act, 2000, and the rules made thereunder.

Any disputes arising from or relating to this document shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the competent courts in Bangalore (Bengaluru), Karnataka, India.

If you have any questions about what you are consenting to, or if you would like more information before deciding whether to use ManaSmurti, please contact our Grievance Officer:

We are happy to answer any questions and ensure you feel comfortable and informed before using ManaSmurti.