Society Rides

1. Introduction

Welcome to Society Rides. This Privacy Policy explains how Abhijit Bhattacharjee, trading as Society Rides ("we," "us," or "our") collects, uses, discloses, and protects your personal information when you use the Society Rides mobile application (the "App"). We are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring the security of your personal data.

By using Society Rides, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy. If you do not agree with our policies and practices, please do not use the App.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide Directly

When you create an account and use Society Rides, we collect the following information:

Required Information:

• Name: To identify you within the app and to other users in your society
• Phone Number: For account verification and communication
• Address and Flat Number: To facilitate carpooling within your residential society
• Vehicle Information: Registration number, vehicle photos for ride verification
• Driver's License: For driver verification purposes

Optional Information (if you choose to provide):

• Email Address: For account recovery and notifications
• Profile Photo: To help other users recognize you
• Emergency Contact Information: Name and phone number of one emergency contact (becomes mandatory if you complete your profile)
• Medical Information: Medical conditions and blood group (voluntary disclosure for emergency situations)

2.2 Location Data

• Pickup and Drop-off Locations: We collect addresses you enter for ride requests and offers
• GPS Location During SOS: Real-time continuous GPS tracking is activated only when you trigger an SOS emergency alert
• Future GPS Usage: We may implement GPS tracking during normal rides to enhance the carpool matching experience

2.3 Ride History

We store information about your past rides, including dates, times, routes, co-riders, and drivers. This data is retained for up to 6 months and then automatically deleted.

2.4 Ratings and Reviews

When you rate or review other users, this information is collected anonymously. Neither you nor the rated user can see who provided the rating.

2.5 Audio Recordings (SOS Feature)

When you activate the SOS emergency feature, the app records 5 minutes of audio through your device's microphone. This recording is stored both on your device and on our servers for security and emergency response purposes. Audio recordings are retained for up to 6 months and then permanently deleted.

2.6 Device Information

We may collect information about your mobile device, including device model, operating system version, and unique device identifiers to ensure app functionality and security.

2.7 Founder Registration Data

When you submit a founder application to register your society, we collect the following additional information for identity verification and fraud prevention purposes:

Society Information:

• Society name, full address, city, and postal code
• Geographic coordinates or a maps link for your society's location
• A photograph of the society (front gate, nameplate, or building)
• An estimate of the number of homes or units in your society (optional)

Your Identity Documents:

• A photograph of a government-issued identity document (for example, Aadhaar card, passport, national ID, or driving licence — the specific document accepted depends on your country)
• A photograph of the reverse side of the identity document, where required by the document type
• A photograph of an address proof document (for example, a utility bill or rental agreement)

Your Contact Details as Founder:

• Your flat or unit number within the society
• Your email address (for application updates and verification codes)

Society Management Contact (Optional):

• Name, phone number, and role of a society management representative (for example, RWA President or Secretary), if you choose to provide this

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the collected information for the following purposes:

3.1 Primary Services

• Carpool Matching: To match riders and drivers within your residential society
• Communication: To send push notifications via Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) regarding ride requests, confirmations, and updates
• Profile Display: To show your name, flat number, vehicle photo, and registration number to other members of your society
• Emergency Response: To provide emergency support through the SOS feature

3.2 Founder Application Processing

• To verify that the applicant is a genuine resident of the society they are registering
• To confirm the society's existence and location
• To prevent fraudulent or duplicate society registrations
• To communicate the outcome of your application and, if approved, to deliver your society's verification codes

3.3 Safety and Security

• To verify driver credentials and vehicle information
• To respond to SOS emergency alerts by notifying designated responders
• To maintain ride history for dispute resolution and safety purposes

3.4 App Improvement

• To analyze app usage and improve features (analytics may be implemented in the future)
• To enhance user experience and app performance

4. SOS Emergency Feature

The SOS feature is designed to provide emergency assistance when you feel unsafe during a ride.

4.1 How SOS Works

When you trigger an SOS alert:

• Three users from your society with high karma scores and recent activity are automatically notified (or any three users if none qualify)
• Your real-time GPS location is tracked continuously
• A 5-minute audio recording begins automatically
• Notified responders receive information about the nature of the emergency, your location, vehicle details, ride information (co-riders, destination), and your emergency contact details

4.2 Audio Recording Access

• Audio recordings are NOT accessible to SOS responders or society administrators
• Recordings are only accessible to the super administrator or law enforcement agencies under legal request
• Audio recordings are stored for up to 6 months and then permanently deleted

4.3 Opting Out as Responder

Users selected as SOS responders are not obligated to respond and may choose to ignore the notification.

5. Information Sharing and Disclosure

5.1 Within Your Society

The following information is visible to other verified members of your residential society:

• Name
• Flat number
• Vehicle photo and registration number
• Profile photo (if provided)

5.2 During SOS Emergencies

When you trigger an SOS alert, selected responders receive:

• Nature of emergency
• Real-time GPS location
• Vehicle details
• Ride information
• Emergency contact information

5.3 Third-Party Services

We use the following third-party services:

• Google Maps API, Stadia Maps and OpenStreetMap: For mapping and location services
• Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM): For push notifications
• Content Delivery Network (CDN): For delivering profile and vehicle images

These services may collect data in accordance with their own privacy policies.

5.4 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required by law, court order, or legal process, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of Society Rides, our users, or others.

5.5 No Sale of Data

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for marketing purposes.

5.6 Founder Application Documents — Strictly Admin Access Only

Identity documents, address proof, and society photographs submitted as part of a founder application are treated with the highest level of confidentiality. Specifically:

• These documents are never shared with other members of your society, including any management representatives you may have listed in your application
• They are never shared with other users of the app under any circumstances
• Access is restricted exclusively to the Society Rides administrative team for the sole purpose of reviewing and verifying your application
• Documents are stored on our private servers and are not accessible through any public-facing part of the application

6. Data Storage and Security

6.1 Where We Store Data

Your data is stored on our private servers and content delivery network. We do not use third-party cloud hosting services.

6.2 Security Measures

We implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures to protect your personal data against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure.

6.3 Data Retention

• Active Accounts: Your account data is retained as long as your account is active
• Ride History: Automatically deleted after 6 months
• Audio Recordings: Deleted after 6 months
• Deleted Accounts: When you delete your account, your data is soft-deleted (marked for deletion but recoverable). After 6 months, all soft-deleted data is permanently removed from our systems

Founder Application Documents (Identity Documents, Address Proof, Society Photographs):

• Rejected applications: The application record is retained for administrative audit purposes. Identity and address proof documents are permanently deleted within 90 days of the rejection decision
• Approved applications: Documents are retained for the duration of the society's active status on Society Rides, and for one year after the society is permanently deactivated or removed from the platform. They may be referenced in the event of a dispute regarding the society's founding
• Account deletion by an approved founder: If your account is deleted while your society remains active, your founder application documents are retained until the society itself is closed, after which the one-year retention period above applies

7. Your Rights and Choices

7.1 Access and Correction

You can access and update your personal information at any time through the app's profile settings.

7.2 Account Deletion

You may delete your account at any time through the app settings. Upon deletion:

• Your account is soft-deleted and marked for permanent removal
• You can recover your account within 6 months by contacting support
• After 6 months, all your data is permanently and irreversibly deleted

7.3 Optional Information

You have control over optional information such as email, profile photo, medical conditions, and blood group. You may choose not to provide this information or remove it at any time.

7.4 Notification Preferences

You can manage push notification settings through your device's operating system settings.

7.5 Founder Application Data

If you have submitted a founder application, you may request a copy of the personal information held in connection with your application, or request its deletion (subject to the retention obligations described in section 6.3), by contacting us at the address below. Please note that deletion requests for approved founder documents may be deferred where the society remains active, as these records support the integrity of the platform.

8. Children's Privacy

Society Rides is not intended for use by anyone under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we discover that a user is under 13, their account will be terminated, and their data will be deleted. Society administrators can review and remove underage users from their society.

9. International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and maintained on servers located outside of your country of residence. By using the App, you consent to the transfer of your information to our facilities and to the third parties with whom we share it as described in this policy.

For founder applicants: identity documents and address proof submitted during the registration process are transferred to and stored on our servers. By submitting a founder application, you consent to this transfer for the purpose of verifying your application.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the "Last Updated" date. You are advised to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes. Continued use of the App after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

11. California Privacy Rights (CCPA)

If you are a California resident, you have specific rights regarding your personal information:

• Right to know what personal information is collected, used, shared, or sold
• Right to delete personal information
• Right to opt-out of the sale of personal information (we do not sell personal information)
• Right to non-discrimination for exercising your rights

To exercise these rights, please contact us using the information provided below.

12. European Users (GDPR)

If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA), you have additional rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR):

• Right of access to your personal data
• Right to rectification of inaccurate data
• Right to erasure (right to be forgotten)
• Right to restrict processing
• Right to data portability
• Right to object to processing
• Right to withdraw consent

Our legal basis for processing your data includes: (1) your consent, (2) performance of a contract, (3) compliance with legal obligations, and (4) legitimate interests.

For founder applicants in the EEA: the legal basis for processing identity documents and address proof is your explicit consent, given at the point of submitting the founder application. You have the right to withdraw this consent and request deletion of your documents at any time, subject to the retention obligations described in section 6.3.