Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Welcome to Gajamituru ("we," "our," or "us"). We are committed to protecting your privacy and personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our mobile application and related services.

Our Mission: Gajamituru is a community-driven mobile application designed to prevent elephant-train collisions through real-time alerts, crowd-sourced reports, and data visualization. We believe in wildlife conservation while respecting user privacy.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Personal Information

• Mobile Number: Required for account verification and emergency alerts
• Profile Information: Display name and optional profile picture
• Language Preference: English, Sinhala, or Tamil for app localization
• Notification Settings: Your preferences for receiving alerts

2.2 Location Data

• GPS Coordinates: Real-time location for accurate elephant sighting reports
• Location History: Timestamps and coordinates of your reported sightings
• Geographic Boundaries: General area information for regional alerts

2.3 Usage Data

• App Usage: Features used, time spent, and interaction patterns
• Device Information: Device type, operating system, and app version
• Error Logs: Technical data to improve app functionality

2.4 User-Generated Content

• Elephant Sighting Reports: Location, time, description, and risk assessment
• Photos: Optional images of elephant sightings (metadata removed)
• Herd Information: Size and behavior observations

3. How We Use Your Information

3.1 Core App Functions

• Process and verify elephant sighting reports
• Generate real-time collision risk alerts
• Provide location-based notifications to nearby users
• Create predictive models for elephant movement patterns

3.2 Safety and Security

• Verify the authenticity of reports to prevent false alarms
• Maintain user credibility scores to ensure data quality
• Protect against spam and malicious usage

3.3 Research and Conservation

• Analyze anonymized data patterns for wildlife research
• Share aggregated insights with conservation organizations
• Improve collision prediction algorithms

4. Data Sharing and Disclosure

4.1 We Share Information With:

• Emergency Services: Critical location data during imminent collision risks
• Railway Authorities: Aggregated collision risk data (no personal identifiers)
• Conservation Partners: Anonymized research data for elephant protection
• Other App Users: General location alerts (without identifying you personally)

4.2 We Do NOT Share:

• Your personal contact information with other users
• Individual movement patterns or detailed location history
• Your data with commercial advertisers or marketing companies
• Any data for profit-generating purposes unrelated to conservation

5. Your Rights and Choices

5.1 Access and Control

• View Your Data: Access all personal information we have about you
• Update Information: Correct or modify your profile and preferences
• Location Settings: Control when and how location data is collected
• Notification Control: Customize alert frequency and types

5.2 Data Deletion

• Account Deletion: Permanently remove your account and personal data
• Selective Deletion: Remove specific reports or data points
• Right to be Forgotten: Complete data erasure upon request

To delete your account: Visit our Account Deletion Page

6. Data Retention

• Active Accounts: Data retained while account is active
• Deleted Accounts: Personal data permanently deleted within 30 days
• Safety Data: Critical safety information may be retained longer for emergency purposes
• Research Data: Anonymized data may be retained indefinitely for conservation research

7. Children's Privacy

Gajamituru is not intended for children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided personal information, please contact us immediately.

8. International Data Transfers

Your data may be processed and stored on servers located outside your country of residence. We ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your data during international transfers, in compliance with applicable data protection laws.

9. Third-Party Services

Our app uses the following third-party services:

• Firebase (Google): Authentication, database, and hosting services
• Expo: Mobile app development and deployment platform
• OpenStreetMap: Map data and visualization services

These services have their own privacy policies, which we encourage you to review.

10. Changes to Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any material changes through:

• In-app notifications
• Email notifications (if provided)
• Updates posted on this page with a new effective date

Your continued use of the app after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.

11. Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR)

For users in the European Union, we process your data based on:

• Legitimate Interest: Wildlife conservation and public safety
• Consent: Location tracking and optional features
• Vital Interests: Emergency safety alerts
• Public Task: Contributing to conservation research

13. Consent

By using Gajamituru, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with any part of this policy, please do not use our app.

For location-sensitive features: You will be asked for explicit consent before accessing your device's location services.