Privacy Policy for Metefy.com

    Last Updated: May 2, 2025

    At Metefy.com ("Metefy," "we," "us," or "our"), we are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring the security of your personal data. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and protect your information when you use our peer-to-peer lost and found platform (the "Platform"), accessible at www.metefy.com. By using the Platform, you consent to the practices described in this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with this policy, please refrain from using the Platform.

    1. Information We Collect

    a. Information You Provide

    • Account Creation: When you sign up using Google Authentication, we collect your email address and profile picture from your Google account.
    • Profile Information: You may choose to provide additional information for your public profile, including:
      • Name
      • X username
      • Metro card number
      • Bio
      • Metefy token number
    • Private Information: You may provide your mobile phone number, which is kept confidential and not shared with other users.
    • Messaging: When you use our messaging feature, we collect the content of your messages and the metro card number or Metefy token number you use to initiate a chat.
    • Support Requests: If you contact our support team at amit.enthusiast@gmail.com, including requests to delete your account or data, we collect your email address and any information you provide in your communication.

    b. Information Collected Automatically

    • Usage Data: We collect information about your interactions with the Platform, such as your IP address, browser type, device information, pages visited, and timestamps.
    • Cookies and Tracking Technologies: We use cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience, analyze usage, and improve our services. You can manage cookie preferences through your browser settings or our cookie consent tool (where applicable).

    c. Information from Third Parties

    • Google Authentication: When you sign in with Google, we receive your email address and profile picture from Google, subject to your Google account settings.

    2. How We Use Your Information

    • Account Management: To create and manage your account, authenticate your identity, and allow you to update your profile.
    • Platform Functionality:
      • To link your profile to your metro card number or Metefy token number.
      • To display your public profile (name, X username, metro card number, bio, Metefy token number, and Google profile picture) when someone searches for your metro card number or Metefy token number.
      • To enable messaging between users based on metro card number or Metefy token number.
    • Communication: To facilitate communication between users for the purpose of returning lost items and to respond to support inquiries, including account or data deletion requests.
    • Improvement and Analytics: To analyze usage patterns, improve the Platform's functionality, and enhance user experience.
    • Security: To detect and prevent fraud, abuse, or unauthorized access to the Platform.
    • Legal Compliance: To comply with applicable laws, regulations, or legal processes, including the DPDP Act, GDPR, CCPA, and other relevant frameworks.

    3. Lawful Basis for Processing

    a. For Users in India (DPDP Act)

    • Consent: We process your email address, profile picture, and public profile information with your explicit consent, provided during signup or profile updates.
    • Legitimate Interests: We process usage data and analytics to improve the Platform and ensure its security, where such interests do not override your rights.
    • Contractual Necessity: We process your data to provide requested services, such as messaging or linking profiles to metro card numbers.
    • Legal Obligations: We process data to comply with legal requirements, such as responding to lawful requests from authorities.

    b. For Users in the EEA (GDPR)

    • Consent (Article 6(1)(a)): We rely on your consent for processing public profile data and non-essential cookies.
    • Contractual Necessity (Article 6(1)(b)): We process data necessary to provide Platform services.
    • Legitimate Interests (Article 6(1)(f)): We process data for analytics and security, where it does not override your rights.
    • Legal Obligations (Article 6(1)(c)): We process data to comply with legal requirements.

    c. For California Residents (CCPA)

    We process personal information to provide services, improve the Platform, and comply with legal obligations, as described in this policy.

    4. How We Share Your Information

    We do not sell your personal data (as defined under the CCPA or other applicable laws). We only share your information in the following circumstances:

    a. Public Profile Information

    Your name, X username, metro card number, bio, Metefy token number, and Google profile picture are publicly visible when someone searches for your metro card number or Metefy token number on the Platform. This enables users to identify and contact you if they find your lost item.

    b. Messaging

    When you engage in messaging, your Google profile picture and the content of your messages are visible to the user you are communicating with. Your email address and mobile phone number are not shared.

    c. Service Providers

    We share your information with third-party service providers who assist us in operating the Platform, such as hosting providers, analytics services, or customer support tools. These providers are contractually obligated to protect your data and process it only for the purposes specified by us, in compliance with the DPDP Act, GDPR, CCPA, and other applicable laws.

    d. Legal Obligations

    We may disclose your information if required by law, such as in response to a court order, subpoena, or request from a government authority, or to protect our rights, property, or safety, or that of our users.

    e. Business Transfers

    In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of all or part of our assets, your information may be transferred to the acquiring entity, subject to this Privacy Policy and applicable laws. We will notify you of such transfers where required.

    5. Data Retention

    We retain your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy or as required by law. Specifically:

    • Your account information is retained as long as your account is active.
    • If you request deletion of your account or data by emailing amit.enthusiast@gmail.com, we will delete your personal data (including email address, mobile phone number, and profile information) promptly, typically within 30 days, subject to legal retention requirements.
    • Public profile information may remain visible if it was shared publicly before deletion, unless you specifically request its removal.
    • Certain data (e.g., messaging data or usage logs) may be retained for a reasonable period to comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, or enforce our agreements.

    6. Your Rights

    a. For Users in India (DPDP Act)

    • Right to Access: Request confirmation of whether we process your personal data and access details about it.
    • Right to Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal data.
    • Right to Erasure: Request deletion of your account or personal data by emailing amit.enthusiast@gmail.com.
    • Right to Data Portability: Request a copy of your personal data in a structured, machine-readable format.
    • Right to Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent for processing at any time, which may limit your ability to use certain Platform features.
    • Right to Nominate: Nominate an individual to exercise your rights in case of your death or incapacity.
    • Right to Grievance Redressal: Contact us to address concerns about your personal data.

    If you are not satisfied with our response, you may escalate your complaint to the Data Protection Board of India once established under the DPDP Act.

    b. For Users in the EEA (GDPR)

    • Right to Access (Article 15): Access your personal data and information about its processing.
    • Right to Rectification (Article 16): Correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
    • Right to Erasure (Article 17): Request deletion of your data ("right to be forgotten").
    • Right to Restrict Processing (Article 18): Restrict processing in certain circumstances.
    • Right to Data Portability (Article 20): Receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format.
    • Right to Object (Article 21): Object to processing based on legitimate interests.
    • Right to Withdraw Consent (Article 7): Withdraw consent at any time.
    • Right to Lodge a Complaint (Article 77): File a complaint with a supervisory authority in your EEA country.

    c. For California Residents (CCPA)

    • Right to Know: Request details about the personal information we collect, use, disclose, or sell.
    • Right to Delete: Request deletion of your personal information, subject to exceptions.
    • Right to Non-Discrimination: We will not discriminate against you for exercising your CCPA rights.
    • Right to Opt-Out of Sale: We do not sell personal information, so this right does not apply.

    To exercise any of these rights, please email us at amit.enthusiast@gmail.com. We may require verification of your identity before processing your request. We will respond within the timeframes required by law (e.g., 30 days under GDPR, 45 days under CCPA, or as per DPDP Act guidelines).

    7. Account and Data Deletion

    If you wish to delete your account or the personal data we hold about you, please send a request to amit.enthusiast@gmail.com. We will verify your identity and process your request promptly, typically within 30 days (or 45 days for CCPA requests, with possible extensions), in accordance with applicable laws. Upon deletion:

    • Your private information (email address and mobile phone number) will be removed.
    • Public profile information (name, X username, metro card number, bio, Metefy token number, and Google profile picture) will be deleted, unless it was shared publicly before your request and cannot be reasonably removed.
    • We may retain certain data as required by law or for legitimate purposes, such as resolving disputes or maintaining records.

    8. Security

    We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal data from unauthorized access, loss, or misuse, in accordance with the DPDP Act, GDPR, CCPA, and other applicable laws. For example, we use encryption for data transmission, secure storage for sensitive information, and access controls. However, no system is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee the absolute security of your data.

    9. International Data Transfers

    Metefy.com is operated from India, and your data is primarily stored and processed within India. As we serve an international audience, your data may be transferred to and processed in other countries, including those with different data protection laws (e.g., the United States for certain service providers). We ensure that such transfers comply with applicable laws through the following safeguards:

    For EEA Users (GDPR)

    We use Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) or other approved mechanisms to ensure adequate protection for data transferred outside the EEA.

    For Indian Users (DPDP Act)

    We comply with any restrictions on cross-border data transfers as specified under the DPDP Act or related regulations.

    For Other Jurisdictions

    We implement safeguards to protect your data in accordance with local laws.

    By using the Platform, you consent to the transfer of your data to countries outside your jurisdiction, subject to these safeguards.

    10. Children's Privacy

    The Platform is not intended for users under the age of 18 (or 16 in the EEA, where applicable). We do not knowingly collect personal data from individuals under these age thresholds. If we learn that we have collected such data, we will delete it promptly. If you believe a minor has provided us with personal data, please contact us at amit.enthusiast@gmail.com.

    11. Third-Party Links

    The Platform may contain links to third-party websites or services, such as X or Google. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of these third parties. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before interacting with them.

    12. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

    We use cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience, analyze Platform usage, and deliver personalized content. For EEA users, we obtain your consent for non-essential cookies through our cookie consent tool, as required by the GDPR and ePrivacy Directive. You can manage cookie preferences through your browser settings or our consent tool, but disabling cookies may affect the Platform's functionality.

    13. Changes to This Privacy Policy

    We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or Platform functionalities. We will notify you of significant changes by posting the updated policy on the Platform, emailing you at the address associated with your account, or providing in-app notifications. Your continued use of the Platform after such changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy. For EEA users, we will seek renewed consent if required by GDPR.

    14. Contact Us

    If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, including requests to delete your account or data, please contact our Data Protection Officer at:

    Email: amit.enthusiast@gmail.com

    For grievances, you may also reach out to us at the above contact details. We will respond to your requests promptly and in accordance with applicable laws.

    For EEA Users

    If you are in the EEA and have unresolved concerns, you may contact your local data protection authority. A list of authorities is available at edpb.europa.eu.

    For California Residents

    You may also contact us at the above email to exercise your CCPA rights or inquire about your personal information.

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