Privacy Policy

Last update: 15.01.2026

Your privacy is important to us. It is Mitt Arv Technologies Pte. Ltd. together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, namely Mitt Arv Technologies Private Limited (hereinafter referred to as the 'Company,' 'Us,' and/or 'Scambuster') policy to respect your privacy regarding any information we may collect from you across our website, https://www.scambuster.app/, other web extensions, App, etc. we own and operate, and other communications that Scambuster offers you through our communication channel and services we offer online (‘Services’).

This privacy policy document pertains to the types of information that is collected and recorded by Scambuster and how we use it. If you have additional questions or require more information about our Privacy Policy, do not hesitate to contact us at support@scambuster.app. This privacy policy applies only to our online activities. It is applicable to visitors on our website/App in regard to the information that they share and/or is collected by Scambuster. References to ‘you, ‘your,' or 'user’ means the end-user who is utilizing or accessing the Services.

We use your Personal data to provide and improve the Service. By using the Service, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

Interpretation and Definitions

Interpretation:

The following definitions shall have the same meaning regardless of whether they appear in the singular or in plural.

Definitions:

For the purposes of this Privacy Policy:

Account means a unique account created for You to access our Service or parts of our Service.
Affiliate means an entity that controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with a party, where "control" means ownership of 50.01% or more of the shares, equity interest, or other securities entitled to vote for the election of directors or other managing authority.
Applicable Laws refer to the laws and regulations that are relevant and enforceable based on the geographical location or jurisdiction where the company operates or where its users are located.
Application refers to the Scambuster application, the software program provided by the Company, which can be downloaded from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store, as the case may be.
Cookies are small files that are placed on Your computer, mobile device, or any other device by a website, containing the details on that website among its many users.
Device means any device that can access the Service, such as a computer, a cell phone, or a digital tablet.
Personal Data is any information related to an identified or identifiable individual.
Service refers to the Application, the Website, other sites, App, etc., we own and operate, and other communications that you are offered by Scambuster through its communication channel and services we offer inline, as on the date of registration by you or any other services offered by the Company in future.
Service Provider means any natural or legal person who processes the data on behalf of the Company. It refers to third-party companies or individuals employed by the Company to facilitate the Service, to provide the Service on behalf of the Company, to perform services related to the Service, or to assist the Company in analysing how the Service is used.
Third-party Social Media Service refers to any website or any social network website through which a User can log in or create an account to use the Service.
Usage Data refers to data collected automatically, either generated by the use of the Service or from the Service infrastructure itself (for example, the duration of a page visit).
Website refers to ScamBuster website, accessible at https://www.scambuster.app/
You means the individual accessing or using the Service, or the company, or other legal entity on behalf of which such individual is accessing or using the Service, as applicable.

Types of Data Collected

Scambuster follows a strict data-minimisation approach and collects only such information as is reasonably necessary to provide email security and phishing detection services.

Technical Email Metadata:While using the Service, Scambuster may collect and analyse limited technical information associated with an email for the purpose of security assessment. This includes standard header fields (such as sender, recipient, subject, and date), delivery and routing metadata reflecting the mail server path and transmission details, sender authentication results (including SPF, DKIM, and DMARC status), and system-generated identifiers associated with the message. Such information is processed solely to verify the origin of an email and is not limited to detecting indicators of spoofing, impersonation, or fraud.
Content-Related Metadata:Where you elect to scan message content, Scambuster may process limited content metadata, including URLs and their associated domains, redirect and reputation signals, and attachment-related metadata limited to file type, file size, and cryptographic hash. Scambuster does not collect or store the full body of your messages or the contents of attachments unless you have expressly opted in.
Minimal Service Data:For the operation, performance, and integrity of the Service, Scambuster may collect minimal service-related data, including an anonymous user or session identifier, the application or extension version, and device or platform type.
Contact Information:Scambuster may process the full name, email address, and phone number of your contacts only where you choose to provide such information and have obtained their explicit consent. By submitting any personal data of third parties, you represent and warrant that you have secured all necessary permissions and a lawful basis for sharing such information with us. You must not provide any third-party personal data in the absence of such explicit consent.
SMS Permission Usage:Scambuster will process SMS permissions to enable security and fraud-detection features expressly initiated by the user

Information Collected while Using the Application

While using Our Services, in order to provide features of Our Service, We may collect, with your prior permission:

Information regarding your location
Information from your Device's phone book (contacts list)
Pictures and other information from your Device's camera and photo library

We use this information to provide various features of Our Service and to improve and customize Our Service. The information may be uploaded to the Company's servers and/or a Service Provider's server or it may be simply stored on Your device.

You can enable or disable access to this information at any time, through Your Device settings.

Google Play Store may request additional information for app access, such as device details, user account info, and permissions. By using our app via the Google Play Store, you consent to this data collection.

Use of Your Personal Data

The Company may use Personal Data for the following purposes:

To provide and maintain our Service: To provide and maintain our Service, including monitoring the usage of our Service.
To manage Your Account: To manage your registration as a user of the Service. The Personal Data you provide can give You access to different functionalities of the Service that are available to You as a registered user.
For the performance of a contract: the development, compliance, and undertaking of the purchase contract for the products, items, or services You have purchased or of any other contract with Us through the Service.
To contact You: To contact You by email, telephone calls, SMS, or other equivalent forms of electronic communication, such as a mobile application's push notifications regarding updates or informative communications related to the functionalities, products, or contracted services, including the security updates, when necessary or reasonable for their implementation.
To inform You: To provide You with news, special offers, and general information about other goods, services, and events which we offer that are similar to those that you have already purchased or enquired about, unless You have opted not to receive such information. Additionally, we may use Your information to notify You of any changes to our Service.
To manage Your requests: To attend and manage your requests to Us and provide customer support.
For business transfers: We may use Your information to evaluate or conduct a merger, divestiture, restructuring, reorganization, dissolution, or other sale or transfer of some or all of Our assets, whether as a going concern or as part of bankruptcy, liquidation, or similar proceeding, in which Personal Data held by Us about our Service users is among the assets transferred.
Background Scanning: We may use Your information analyse SMS messages for indicators of phishing, fraud, or impersonation and generate a safety or risk score to help you assess the message’s potential legitimacy.
For other purposes: We may use Your information for other purposes, such as data analysis, identifying usage trends, determining the effectiveness of our promotional campaigns, addressing technical issues and to evaluate and improve our Service, products, services, marketing, and your experience.

We may share your personal information

in the following situations

With Service Providers: With your prior explicit permission, We may share Your personal information with Service Providers to monitor and analyze the use of our Service, or to contact You.
For business transfers: We may share or transfer Your aggregated personal information in connection with, or during negotiations of, any merger, sale of Company assets, financing, or acquisition of all or a portion of Our business to another company.
With Affiliates: We may share Your information with Our Affiliates, in which case, we will require those Affiliates to honor this Privacy Policy. Affiliates include Our parent company and any other subsidiaries, joint venture partners, or other companies that We control or that are under common control with Us.
With business partners: With your prior explicit permission, we may share Your information with Our business partners to offer You certain products, services, or promotions.
With other users: If You interact with other users or register through a Third-Party Social Media Service, Your contacts on the Third-Party Social Media Service may see Your name, profile, pictures, and other information shared by you. Similarly, other users can communicate with You and view Your profile.
With Your consent: We may disclose Your personal information for any other purpose with Your consent.

Retention of Your Personal Data

The Company will retain Your Personal Data only for as long as it is necessary for the purposes set out in this Privacy Policy. We will retain and use Your Personal Data to the extent necessary to comply with our legal obligations (for example, if we are required to retain your data to comply with applicable laws), resolve disputes, and enforce our legal agreements and policies.

The Company will also retain Usage Data for internal analysis purposes. Usage Data is generally retained for a shorter period of time, except when this data is used to strengthen the security or to improve the functionality of Our Service, or We are legally obligated to retain this data for longer time periods.

Transfer of Your Personal Data

Your information, including Personal Data, is processed at the Company's operating offices and in any other places where the parties involved in the processing are located. It means that this information may be transferred to and maintained on computers located outside of Your state, province, country, or other governmental jurisdiction where the data protection laws may differ from those of Your jurisdiction.

Your consent to this Privacy Policy, followed by Your submission of such information, represents Your agreement to that transfer.

The Company will take all steps reasonably necessary to ensure that Your data is treated securely and in accordance with this Privacy Policy and no transfer of Your Personal Data will take place to an organization or a country unless there are adequate controls in place including the security of Your data and other personal information.

Delete Your Personal Data

You have the right to delete or request that we assist in deleting the Personal Data We have collected about You.

Our Service may give You the ability to delete certain information about You from within the Service.

You may update, amend, or delete Your information at any time by signing in to Your Account if you have one. You may also contact Us to request access to, correct, or delete any personal information that You have provided to Us.

Please note, however, that We may need to retain certain information when we have a legal obligation or lawful basis to do so.

Disclosure of Your Personal Data

Business Transactions:

The following definitions shall have the same meaning regardless of whether they appear in the singular or in plural.

Law enforcement:

Under certain circumstances, the Company may be required to disclose Your Personal Data if required to do so by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities (e.g., a court or a government agency).

Other legal requirements:

The Company may disclose Your Personal Data in good faith, believing that such action is necessary to

Comply with a legal obligation
Protect and defend the rights or property of the Company
Prevent or investigate possible wrongdoing in connection with the Service
Protect the personal safety of Users of the Service or the public
Protect against legal liability

Security of Your Personal Data:

We implement security measures designed to protect your information from unauthorized access. Even though we have an industry-standard robust system of cyber and data security, you understand and acknowledge that no method of transmission over the Internet, or method of electronic storage is 100% secure. Using our Service(s), you acknowledge that you understand and agree to assume these risks.

Links to other Websites:

As part of the Service(s), we may provide links to enhance compatibility with other websites or applications. However, we are not responsible for the privacy practices employed by those websites or the information or content they contain. This Privacy Policy applies solely to information collected by us through the Site and the Service(s). Therefore, this Privacy Policy does not apply to your use of a third-party website accessed by selecting a link on our Site or via our Service(s). To the extent that you access or use the Service(s) through or on another website or application, then the privacy policy of that other website or application will apply to your access or use of that site or application. We encourage our users to read the privacy statements of other websites before proceeding to use them.

Children's Privacy:

As of now, our Service does not address anyone under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personally identifiable information from anyone under the age of 18, unless you, as a parent, assign them as a trusted contact or a recipient of your information as per the products and services offered by the Company. If You are a parent or guardian and You are aware that Your child has provided Us with Personal Data, please contact Us. If We become aware that We have collected Personal Data from anyone under the age of 18 without verification of parental consent, We take steps to remove that information from Our servers.

Complaints:

If you wish to contact us for any reason regarding our Privacy Policy, kindly email it to our Support Team at the following address: support@scambuster.app

Grievance Office:

In accordance with the applicable law and rules made thereunder, the contact details of the Grievance Office are provided below:

Email Id- support@scambuster.app

When you have a complaint, we prefer to solve it directly with you. We will endeavour to respond to you within 30 days of receiving your complaint and, where appropriate, will advise you of the general reasons for the outcome of the complaint. In some circumstances, the Grievance Officer may decline to investigate the complaint, for example, if the complaint relates to an act or practice that is not an interference of the privacy of the person making the complaint. In addition, you always have the right to contact the competent authority that supervises the protection of personal data with your complaint.

Compliance with Applicable Laws and Regulations:

At Scambuster, we are committed to protecting the privacy of our users. We will comply with all applicable laws and regulations, including but not limited to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA), and other relevant geographical laws, to ensure that your personal information is collected, used, and disclosed in accordance with best practices.

Changes to this Privacy Policy:

We may update our Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page.

We will let you know via email and/or a prominent notice on Our Service, prior to the change becoming effective and update the "Last updated" date at the top of this Privacy Policy.

You are advised to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes. Changes to this Privacy Policy are effective when they are posted on this page. If you continue to use our Service after the changes take effect, you will be deemed to have accepted the updated Privacy Policy.

If the changes to the Privacy Policy involve new or additional data processing activities that require your consent, we will specifically seek your consent before implementing such changes. This may include, but is not limited to, explicit consent prompts within the app or other forms of direct communication.

Privacy Policy

Last update: 15.01.2026

Your privacy is important to us. It is Mitt Arv Technologies Pte. Ltd. together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, namely Mitt Arv Technologies Private Limited (hereinafter referred to as the 'Company,' 'Us,' and/or 'Scambuster') policy to respect your privacy regarding any information we may collect from you across our website, https://www.scambuster.app/, other web extensions, App, etc. we own and operate, and other communications that Scambuster offers you through our communication channel and services we offer online (‘Services’).

This privacy policy document pertains to the types of information that is collected and recorded by Scambuster and how we use it. If you have additional questions or require more information about our Privacy Policy, do not hesitate to contact us at support@scambuster.app. This privacy policy applies only to our online activities. It is applicable to visitors on our website/App in regard to the information that they share and/or is collected by Scambuster. References to ‘you, ‘your,' or 'user’ means the end-user who is utilizing or accessing the Services.

We use your Personal data to provide and improve the Service. By using the Service, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

Interpretation and Definitions

Interpretation:

The following definitions shall have the same meaning regardless of whether they appear in the singular or in plural.

Definitions:

For the purposes of this Privacy Policy:

Account means a unique account created for You to access our Service or parts of our Service.
Affiliate means an entity that controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with a party, where "control" means ownership of 50.01% or more of the shares, equity interest, or other securities entitled to vote for the election of directors or other managing authority.
Applicable Laws refer to the laws and regulations that are relevant and enforceable based on the geographical location or jurisdiction where the company operates or where its users are located.
Application refers to the Scambuster application, the software program provided by the Company, which can be downloaded from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store, as the case may be.
Cookies are small files that are placed on Your computer, mobile device, or any other device by a website, containing the details on that website among its many users.
Device means any device that can access the Service, such as a computer, a cell phone, or a digital tablet.
Personal Data is any information related to an identified or identifiable individual.
Service refers to the Application, the Website, other sites, App, etc., we own and operate, and other communications that you are offered by Scambuster through its communication channel and services we offer inline, as on the date of registration by you or any other services offered by the Company in future.
Service Provider means any natural or legal person who processes the data on behalf of the Company. It refers to third-party companies or individuals employed by the Company to facilitate the Service, to provide the Service on behalf of the Company, to perform services related to the Service, or to assist the Company in analysing how the Service is used.
Third-party Social Media Service refers to any website or any social network website through which a User can log in or create an account to use the Service.
Usage Data refers to data collected automatically, either generated by the use of the Service or from the Service infrastructure itself (for example, the duration of a page visit).
Website refers to ScamBuster website, accessible at https://www.scambuster.app/
You means the individual accessing or using the Service, or the company, or other legal entity on behalf of which such individual is accessing or using the Service, as applicable.

Types of Data Collected

Scambuster follows a strict data-minimisation approach and collects only such information as is reasonably necessary to provide email security and phishing detection services.

Technical Email Metadata:While using the Service, Scambuster may collect and analyse limited technical information associated with an email for the purpose of security assessment. This includes standard header fields (such as sender, recipient, subject, and date), delivery and routing metadata reflecting the mail server path and transmission details, sender authentication results (including SPF, DKIM, and DMARC status), and system-generated identifiers associated with the message. Such information is processed solely to verify the origin of an email and is not limited to detecting indicators of spoofing, impersonation, or fraud.
Content-Related Metadata:Where you elect to scan message content, Scambuster may process limited content metadata, including URLs and their associated domains, redirect and reputation signals, and attachment-related metadata limited to file type, file size, and cryptographic hash. Scambuster does not collect or store the full body of your messages or the contents of attachments unless you have expressly opted in.
Minimal Service Data:For the operation, performance, and integrity of the Service, Scambuster may collect minimal service-related data, including an anonymous user or session identifier, the application or extension version, and device or platform type.
Contact Information:Scambuster may process the full name, email address, and phone number of your contacts only where you choose to provide such information and have obtained their explicit consent. By submitting any personal data of third parties, you represent and warrant that you have secured all necessary permissions and a lawful basis for sharing such information with us. You must not provide any third-party personal data in the absence of such explicit consent.
SMS Permission Usage:Scambuster will process SMS permissions to enable security and fraud-detection features expressly initiated by the user

Information Collected while Using the Application

While using Our Services, in order to provide features of Our Service, We may collect, with your prior permission:

Information regarding your location
Information from your Device's phone book (contacts list)
Pictures and other information from your Device's camera and photo library

We use this information to provide various features of Our Service and to improve and customize Our Service. The information may be uploaded to the Company's servers and/or a Service Provider's server or it may be simply stored on Your device.

You can enable or disable access to this information at any time, through Your Device settings.

Google Play Store may request additional information for app access, such as device details, user account info, and permissions. By using our app via the Google Play Store, you consent to this data collection.

Use of Your Personal Data

The Company may use Personal Data for the following purposes:

To provide and maintain our Service: To provide and maintain our Service, including monitoring the usage of our Service.
To manage Your Account: To manage your registration as a user of the Service. The Personal Data you provide can give You access to different functionalities of the Service that are available to You as a registered user.
For the performance of a contract: the development, compliance, and undertaking of the purchase contract for the products, items, or services You have purchased or of any other contract with Us through the Service.
To contact You: To contact You by email, telephone calls, SMS, or other equivalent forms of electronic communication, such as a mobile application's push notifications regarding updates or informative communications related to the functionalities, products, or contracted services, including the security updates, when necessary or reasonable for their implementation.
To inform You: To provide You with news, special offers, and general information about other goods, services, and events which we offer that are similar to those that you have already purchased or enquired about, unless You have opted not to receive such information. Additionally, we may use Your information to notify You of any changes to our Service.
To manage Your requests: To attend and manage your requests to Us and provide customer support.
For business transfers: We may use Your information to evaluate or conduct a merger, divestiture, restructuring, reorganization, dissolution, or other sale or transfer of some or all of Our assets, whether as a going concern or as part of bankruptcy, liquidation, or similar proceeding, in which Personal Data held by Us about our Service users is among the assets transferred.
Background Scanning: We may use Your information analyse SMS messages for indicators of phishing, fraud, or impersonation and generate a safety or risk score to help you assess the message’s potential legitimacy.
For other purposes: We may use Your information for other purposes, such as data analysis, identifying usage trends, determining the effectiveness of our promotional campaigns, addressing technical issues and to evaluate and improve our Service, products, services, marketing, and your experience.

We may share your personal information

in the following situations

With Service Providers: With your prior explicit permission, We may share Your personal information with Service Providers to monitor and analyze the use of our Service, or to contact You.
For business transfers: We may share or transfer Your aggregated personal information in connection with, or during negotiations of, any merger, sale of Company assets, financing, or acquisition of all or a portion of Our business to another company.
With Affiliates: We may share Your information with Our Affiliates, in which case, we will require those Affiliates to honor this Privacy Policy. Affiliates include Our parent company and any other subsidiaries, joint venture partners, or other companies that We control or that are under common control with Us.
With business partners: With your prior explicit permission, we may share Your information with Our business partners to offer You certain products, services, or promotions.
With other users: If You interact with other users or register through a Third-Party Social Media Service, Your contacts on the Third-Party Social Media Service may see Your name, profile, pictures, and other information shared by you. Similarly, other users can communicate with You and view Your profile.
With Your consent: We may disclose Your personal information for any other purpose with Your consent.

Retention of Your Personal Data

The Company will retain Your Personal Data only for as long as it is necessary for the purposes set out in this Privacy Policy. We will retain and use Your Personal Data to the extent necessary to comply with our legal obligations (for example, if we are required to retain your data to comply with applicable laws), resolve disputes, and enforce our legal agreements and policies.

The Company will also retain Usage Data for internal analysis purposes. Usage Data is generally retained for a shorter period of time, except when this data is used to strengthen the security or to improve the functionality of Our Service, or We are legally obligated to retain this data for longer time periods.

Transfer of Your Personal Data

Your information, including Personal Data, is processed at the Company's operating offices and in any other places where the parties involved in the processing are located. It means that this information may be transferred to and maintained on computers located outside of Your state, province, country, or other governmental jurisdiction where the data protection laws may differ from those of Your jurisdiction.

Your consent to this Privacy Policy, followed by Your submission of such information, represents Your agreement to that transfer.

The Company will take all steps reasonably necessary to ensure that Your data is treated securely and in accordance with this Privacy Policy and no transfer of Your Personal Data will take place to an organization or a country unless there are adequate controls in place including the security of Your data and other personal information.

Delete Your Personal Data

You have the right to delete or request that we assist in deleting the Personal Data We have collected about You.

Our Service may give You the ability to delete certain information about You from within the Service.

You may update, amend, or delete Your information at any time by signing in to Your Account if you have one. You may also contact Us to request access to, correct, or delete any personal information that You have provided to Us.

Please note, however, that We may need to retain certain information when we have a legal obligation or lawful basis to do so.

Disclosure of Your Personal Data

Business Transactions:

The following definitions shall have the same meaning regardless of whether they appear in the singular or in plural.

Law enforcement:

Under certain circumstances, the Company may be required to disclose Your Personal Data if required to do so by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities (e.g., a court or a government agency).

Other legal requirements:

The Company may disclose Your Personal Data in good faith, believing that such action is necessary to

Comply with a legal obligation
Protect and defend the rights or property of the Company
Prevent or investigate possible wrongdoing in connection with the Service
Protect the personal safety of Users of the Service or the public
Protect against legal liability

Security of Your Personal Data:

We implement security measures designed to protect your information from unauthorized access. Even though we have an industry-standard robust system of cyber and data security, you understand and acknowledge that no method of transmission over the Internet, or method of electronic storage is 100% secure. Using our Service(s), you acknowledge that you understand and agree to assume these risks.

Links to other Websites:

As part of the Service(s), we may provide links to enhance compatibility with other websites or applications. However, we are not responsible for the privacy practices employed by those websites or the information or content they contain. This Privacy Policy applies solely to information collected by us through the Site and the Service(s). Therefore, this Privacy Policy does not apply to your use of a third-party website accessed by selecting a link on our Site or via our Service(s). To the extent that you access or use the Service(s) through or on another website or application, then the privacy policy of that other website or application will apply to your access or use of that site or application. We encourage our users to read the privacy statements of other websites before proceeding to use them.

Children's Privacy:

As of now, our Service does not address anyone under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personally identifiable information from anyone under the age of 18, unless you, as a parent, assign them as a trusted contact or a recipient of your information as per the products and services offered by the Company. If You are a parent or guardian and You are aware that Your child has provided Us with Personal Data, please contact Us. If We become aware that We have collected Personal Data from anyone under the age of 18 without verification of parental consent, We take steps to remove that information from Our servers.

Complaints:

If you wish to contact us for any reason regarding our Privacy Policy, kindly email it to our Support Team at the following address: support@scambuster.app

Grievance Office:

In accordance with the applicable law and rules made thereunder, the contact details of the Grievance Office are provided below:

Email Id- support@scambuster.app

When you have a complaint, we prefer to solve it directly with you. We will endeavour to respond to you within 30 days of receiving your complaint and, where appropriate, will advise you of the general reasons for the outcome of the complaint. In some circumstances, the Grievance Officer may decline to investigate the complaint, for example, if the complaint relates to an act or practice that is not an interference of the privacy of the person making the complaint. In addition, you always have the right to contact the competent authority that supervises the protection of personal data with your complaint.

Compliance with Applicable Laws and Regulations:

At Scambuster, we are committed to protecting the privacy of our users. We will comply with all applicable laws and regulations, including but not limited to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA), and other relevant geographical laws, to ensure that your personal information is collected, used, and disclosed in accordance with best practices.

Changes to this Privacy Policy:

We may update our Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page.

We will let you know via email and/or a prominent notice on Our Service, prior to the change becoming effective and update the "Last updated" date at the top of this Privacy Policy.

You are advised to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes. Changes to this Privacy Policy are effective when they are posted on this page. If you continue to use our Service after the changes take effect, you will be deemed to have accepted the updated Privacy Policy.

If the changes to the Privacy Policy involve new or additional data processing activities that require your consent, we will specifically seek your consent before implementing such changes. This may include, but is not limited to, explicit consent prompts within the app or other forms of direct communication.