Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Welcome to SplitSathi: Har Kharch Me Sath ("we," "our," or "us"). We are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring the security of your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our expense sharing application and services.

By using SplitSathi: Har Kharch Me Sath, 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 our services.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Personal Information

We collect information that you provide directly to us, including:

• Account Information: Name, email address, phone number, and profile photo
• Authentication Data: User credentials and authentication tokens
• Device Information: FCM (Firebase Cloud Messaging) tokens for push notifications

2.2 Financial Information

To provide our expense sharing services, we collect:

• Expense details (amount, description, date, category)
• Group and expense sharing information
• Currency preferences and exchange rates
• Payment and settlement information between users

2.3 Usage Information

We automatically collect certain information when you use our services:

• Device information (device type, operating system, unique device identifiers)
• Log data (IP address, access times, pages viewed)
• App usage patterns and preferences

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Provide, maintain, and improve our services
• Process and manage expense sharing between users
• Send you notifications about expenses, groups, and account activity
• Authenticate your identity and secure your account
• Respond to your inquiries and provide customer support
• Detect, prevent, and address technical issues and security threats
• Comply with legal obligations and enforce our terms of service
• Send you important updates about our services (with your consent)

4. Information Sharing and Disclosure

4.1 With Other Users

When you create or join a group, other members of that group can see:

• Your name and profile information
• Expenses you create or are involved in
• Your share of group expenses and balances

4.2 Service Providers

We may share your information with third-party service providers who perform services on our behalf, including:

• Cloud hosting and storage providers (Firebase, Google Cloud)
• Push notification services (Firebase Cloud Messaging)
• Analytics and monitoring services
• Customer support platforms

These service providers are contractually obligated to protect your information and use it only for the purposes we specify.

4.3 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required by law or in response to:

• Legal processes (subpoenas, court orders)
• Government requests
• Protection of our rights, privacy, safety, or property
• Prevention of fraud or security threats

4.4 Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred to the acquiring entity.

5. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures to protect your information, including:

• Encryption of data in transit (HTTPS/TLS)
• Secure authentication and authorization mechanisms
• Regular security assessments and updates
• Access controls and employee training
• Secure backup and disaster recovery procedures

However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

6. Your Rights and Choices

You have the following rights regarding your personal information:

6.1 Access and Correction

You can access and update your personal information through the app settings or by contacting us.

6.2 Deletion

You can request deletion of your account and associated data. Note that some information may be retained for legal or legitimate business purposes.

6.3 Notification Preferences

You can control push notifications through your device settings and app preferences.

6.4 Data Portability

You can request a copy of your data in a machine-readable format.

6.5 Opt-Out

You can opt out of certain data collection and processing activities, though this may limit your ability to use some features of our services.

7. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to:

• Provide our services to you
• Comply with legal obligations
• Resolve disputes and enforce agreements
• Maintain security and prevent fraud

When you delete your account, we will delete or anonymize your personal information within a reasonable timeframe, except where we are required to retain it for legal purposes.

8. Children's Privacy

Our services are not intended for children under the age of 13 (or the applicable age of consent in your jurisdiction). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe we have collected information from a child, please contact us immediately, and we will take steps to delete such information.

9. International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your country of residence. These countries may have data protection laws that differ from those in your country. By using our services, you consent to the transfer of your information to these countries.

We ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your information in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

10. Third-Party Services

Our services may contain links to third-party websites or integrate with third-party services. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third parties. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing any information.

Third-party services we use include:

• Firebase: For authentication, cloud storage, and push notifications
• Google Cloud Platform: For hosting and infrastructure services

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for other operational, legal, or regulatory reasons. We will notify you of any material changes by:

• Posting the updated policy on our website
• Sending you a notification through the app
• Updating the "Last Updated" date at the top of this policy

Your continued use of our services after any changes indicates your acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.

12. California Privacy Rights

If you are a California resident, you have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), including:

• The right to know what personal information we collect, use, and disclose
• The right to delete your personal information
• The right to opt out of the sale of personal information (we do not sell your information)
• The right to non-discrimination for exercising your privacy rights

13. GDPR Rights (European Users)

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

• The right to access your personal data
• The right to rectification of inaccurate data
• The right to erasure ("right to be forgotten")
• The right to restrict processing
• The right to data portability
• The right to object to processing
• Rights related to automated decision-making

Our legal basis for processing your personal data includes: consent, contract performance, legal obligations, and legitimate interests.