Privacy Policy

Welcome to GhumoIndia. Your privacy is important to us. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and protect your information when you use our mobile applications GhumoIndia and Ghumo Bike Taxi & Auto (collectively, the "App"), operated by Startech, Hyderabad, India.

1 Information We Collect

We collect the following information to provide you with the best ride-booking experience:

a) Phone Number

Used for OTP-based login and account identification via Firebase Authentication
Ensures secure, passwordless authentication to your account

b) Location Information

We collect precise and approximate location data when:

You search for a ride — to show your position on the map and auto-fill your pickup address
During active trips — to track the route, calculate fares, and share with your driver
During an active SOS emergency — background location is accessed only when you manually activate the SOS feature, to share real-time GPS with our admin safety team

c) Ride Information

Pickup and drop-off locations
Ride history and trip patterns
Trip timestamps and duration
Fare details and payment information

d) Device Information

Device type, model, and operating system version
App version and Firebase device token (for push notifications)
Device identifiers used for security and analytics

e) Voice Input (Optional)

Microphone access is used only for optional voice-based address search
Audio is processed entirely on-device via Android's SpeechRecognizer API
Voice audio is never recorded, stored, or transmitted to any server

2 How We Use Your Information

We use your information to:

Authenticate your account securely via OTP
Match you with nearby drivers efficiently
Provide real-time ride tracking and live map updates
Calculate trip routes, distances, and fares
Send real-time trip notifications (driver accepted, driver arrived, trip completed)
Operate the SOS emergency feature — your GPS is shared with our admin safety dashboard when you activate SOS
Send promotional offers and service updates (you may opt out in app settings)
Improve app performance via Firebase Analytics and crash reporting
Prevent fraud and misuse of our services
Provide customer support

Important: We do not sell your personal data to third parties.

3 How We Share Your Information

We share limited information only in these circumstances:

With drivers: Your name and pickup/drop location are shared during active rides only
With Firebase (Google): For authentication, push notifications, and analytics — Firebase Privacy Policy
Emergency situations: During an active SOS, your location and trip details are shared with our admin safety team to coordinate emergency response
With legal authorities: When required by law or to protect the rights and safety of users

                Your Privacy Matters: We do not share your personal information for advertising purposes.
            

4 Location & Background Location

We collect precise (GPS) location while you use the app to provide ride-booking services.

Background Location: Background location is accessed exclusively when you manually trigger the SOS emergency feature (triple-tap on the SOS button during a trip). It is used solely to send your real-time GPS coordinates to emergency responders and our admin dashboard. We do not track your location in the background for any other purpose — not for analytics, advertising, or passive monitoring.

5 Data Storage and Security

All data is transmitted securely over HTTPS encryption
We implement industry-standard security including Firebase Authentication and server-side token validation
Access to personal data is restricted to authorized personnel only
Push notification tokens are stored securely and used only for sending ride and service alerts
Regular security practices are followed to ensure data protection

6 Data Retention

We retain your data:

As long as your account is active
Up to 2 years for trip history and transactional records
As required by applicable Indian laws and regulations
Until you request account deletion

7 Account Deletion

You have full control over your data:

You may request account deletion from within the app or by contacting us via email
Upon deletion, your account and associated personal data will be permanently removed
Some data may be retained for legal compliance purposes
Deletion requests are processed within 30 days

8 Your Rights

You have the right to:

Access the personal data we hold about you
Request correction or deletion of your data
Opt out of promotional notifications at any time via app settings
Withdraw location permission at any time via your device settings
Request a copy of your data by contacting us

9 Advertising ID

The app uses Google's Advertising ID through Firebase Analytics for anonymous app usage statistics and crash reporting only. The Advertising ID is not used for targeted advertising and is not shared with third-party advertisers.

10 Children's Privacy

Our services are not intended for users under 18 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we become aware that a child has provided personal data, we will delete it promptly.

11 Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. Updates will be posted on this page with a new effective date. Continued use of the App after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.