Privacy Policy

Introduction

This Privacy Policy describes how [LEGAL ENTITY NAME] ("AwaraBuddy," "we," "us," or "our") collects, uses, discloses, and protects personal information when you interact with any AwaraBuddy brand property, including our mobile applications (Android and iOS), website at awarabuddy.com, waitlist and pilot forms, social media channels, newsletters, and customer support.

By using our Services, you agree to this Policy. Please read it together with our Terms and Conditions. If you do not agree, please do not use our Services.

Information We Collect

We collect information in three ways: information you provide, information collected automatically, and information from third parties.

• Personal Identification Name, email address, and profile photo from Google Sign-In; display name, home city, vehicle type, model, and year from your rider profile.
• Ride & Location Information Ride titles, descriptions, meeting points, schedules, participant lists, and location data when you grant permission for meeting-point search or live ride tracking.
• Emergency Contacts Optional contact names, phone numbers, and relationship labels you store in your profile for in-case-of-emergency purposes.
• Expense Data Amounts, categories, payer information, and ride associations when you log shared ride expenses.
• Technical & Device Data Device type, OS version, app version, FCM push tokens (linked to a per-device identifier), crash logs via Firebase Crashlytics, and locally cached ride/profile data on your device.
• Photos Profile photos captured via camera or selected from your photo library, stored temporarily on your device.
• Waitlist & Marketing Name, city, group size, captain status, next ride date, phone OS, and WhatsApp number from website forms or pilot sign-up.

Information from third parties

We receive data from Google (Sign-In identity), Google Places (location search queries you type), and optionally Truecaller on Android when that sign-in method is enabled. Social platforms may provide public profile information when you interact with us.

You may use limited app features without signing in; in that case, less account-linked data is stored on our servers.

How We Use Data

We use personal information to operate AwaraBuddy and improve your experience. We do not sell your personal information.

How We Share

With other users

When you join or host a ride, other participants may see your display name, profile photo, vehicle details (where shown), and ride-related activity. Emergency contacts are not automatically broadcast to all users.

With service providers

• Google / Firebase — Authentication, Firestore database, Cloud Messaging, Remote Config, Crashlytics
• Google Places — Location autocomplete for meeting points and city search
• Truecaller (if enabled) — Optional Android sign-in
• Google Cloud — Backend functions (region: Asia South)

We may also disclose information if required by law, to protect safety, or in connection with a merger or acquisition.

Location & Tracking

AwaraBuddy requests location permission to help you set ride meeting points and to support live ride tracking while a ride is active. On Android, live tracking may use foreground location services and related permissions so tracking can continue during an active ride.

You can disable location access in your device settings; some features will not work without it. We do not use location for unrelated advertising profiling.

Push notifications

If you allow notifications, we store your device's FCM token in your user profile so we can send ride-related alerts. You can turn off notifications in device settings at any time.

Your Rights

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights regarding your personal information:

India (DPDP Act, 2023)

If you are in India, you have rights under applicable Indian law, including access, correction, erasure, and grievance redressal.

• Consent: We process certain data based on your consent (location, notifications, optional contacts). You may withdraw consent as described above.
• Children: Our Services are not directed at children under 18. We do not knowingly collect data from children without verifiable parental consent.
• Grievance: Contact our Grievance Officer at grievance@awarabuddy.com.

Your information may be processed in countries other than India (including the United States) where Google/Firebase operates. Where required, we rely on appropriate safeguards.

Our website and waitlist forms may use cookies, local storage, or similar technologies to understand traffic and improve the site. Form submissions may be processed through Google Forms subject to Google's privacy policy.

When you interact with us on social platforms, those platforms' privacy policies apply. You can control cookies through your browser settings.

Data retention

We retain personal information only as long as necessary: account data until deletion request; ride/expense records for dispute resolution; FCM tokens until logout or invalidation; crash logs per Firebase Crashlytics defaults (typically up to 90 days); waitlist leads until unsubscribe or deletion request.

Security

We use encrypted connections (HTTPS/TLS), Firebase security rules, authentication for user data, and disabled cloud backup of sensitive local data on Android. No method is 100% secure.