Mero Rides Privacy Policy (Riders & Drivers)

This Privacy Policy explains how Mero Rides (operated by LaMa Sparsha Foundation) collects, uses, and protects personal data in our mobile applications:

• Mero Rides – rider app ("user-app")
• Mero Rides Driver – driver/volunteer app ("rider-app")

By creating an account or using our apps, you agree to the practices described here. Please also read our Terms of Service.

1. Data We Collect

1.1 Account & Profile Information

For riders and drivers we may collect:

• Name, nationality, phone number
• Profile photo
• For drivers: vehicle details (make, model, plate number), license and registration details, profile bio

Why: To create and manage your account, show basic identity information to the other party in a trip, and provide customer support.

1.2 Location Data

We collect precise and coarse location information from your device.

• Rider app (user-app):
  • Foreground location when you search for rides, set pickup/drop-off, or have an active trip
  • Background location during an active trip so we can provide live tracking and safety monitoring, even if the app is not on screen
• Driver app (rider-app):
  • Foreground location whenever the app is open
  • Background location when you are marked online or have an active trip, to:
    • Offer nearby trips
    • Navigate and track trips in real time
    • Support safety features and incident review

We do not use your location data for third‑party advertising or to sell your data.

Why: To match riders and drivers, provide navigation and live tracking, calculate fares, and support safety features.

1.3 Trips, Wallet, And Payments

We collect data about your rides and financial interactions, including:

• Trip details: pickup and drop-off, timestamps, approximate route, fare and fees
• Wallet and points: balances, credits and debits, thresholds, penalty or pay-off transactions
• Stripe payment information: PaymentIntent identifiers, payment status, limited card metadata (such as last4 and expiry month/year) when needed to show you which card you used

We do not store full card numbers or CVV on our servers. All card details are handled by Stripe, our payment processor.

Why: To show trip history and earnings, operate the wallet/points system, process top-ups and deductions, resolve disputes, satisfy accounting and audit requirements, and prevent fraud.

1.4 Device, Logs, And Analytics

We may collect:

• Device model, operating system version, app version
• Crash logs and technical diagnostics
• Aggregated usage events (for example: which screens are used most, basic feature usage)

Why: To keep the apps stable, secure, and performant, diagnose crashes, and understand how features are used so we can improve them.

1.5 Safety And Optional Sensitive Data

In some regions or flows, we may ask for optional safety information, such as:

• Blood group or basic medical notes
• Emergency contact information

Why: To support emergency and safety workflows (for example, if support or responders need to know who to contact or basic medical information in a serious incident).

Where required by law, we will treat this as sensitive personal data and only process it with your clear understanding and for safety purposes.

2. How We Use Your Data

We use the data described above to:

• Provide core ride-hailing services and driver operations
• Match riders and drivers and coordinate trips
• Show live locations during active trips and store trip records
• Operate wallet balances, points, pay-offs, and penalties
• Process payments via Stripe and manage disputes or chargebacks
• Contact you about trips, payments, service changes, and safety issues
• Monitor and improve app performance, fix bugs, and prevent abuse or fraud
• Comply with legal, regulatory, and audit requirements

We may also send you service-related notifications (for example: ride status, important account alerts). Where required, we will ask separately for your consent to send marketing communications, and you can opt out at any time.

3. Legal Bases For Processing

Depending on your location, we rely on one or more of the following legal bases:

• Contract: Processing is necessary to provide the services you request (e.g. trips, wallet operations, payouts).
• Legitimate Interests: For safety, fraud prevention, improving the service, and basic analytics; we balance these interests against your privacy rights.
• Consent: For optional features (such as certain notifications or safety data) where the law requires consent.
• Legal Obligations: For retaining certain records (trips, payments) to comply with legal, tax, or regulatory requirements, and responding to lawful requests.

4. How We Share Data

We do not sell your personal data.

We may share your data only with:

• Drivers and riders: During active or recent trips, so that riders and drivers can find each other and see relevant trip details (name, photo, vehicle information, and location).
• Payment providers (Stripe): To process card payments, wallet top-ups, and payouts.
• Maps and navigation providers: To display maps, geocode locations, and calculate routes (for example, Google Maps).
• Crash and analytics providers: To monitor app stability and performance using aggregated data.
• Hosting and infrastructure providers: To store and process data securely on our behalf.
• Law enforcement and regulators: Where required by law or to protect vital interests (for example, in emergencies or safety incidents).

All such parties are bound by appropriate data protection and confidentiality obligations.

5. International Transfers

Depending on where you are located and where our infrastructure runs, your data may be processed in countries outside your own. Where such transfers occur, we use reasonable safeguards (for example, contractual clauses) to protect your data in line with applicable laws.

6. Data Retention

We retain data only for as long as it is reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this policy, including:

• Accounts: While your account is active. If you request deletion, we will delete or anonymise your data, except for data we must keep for legal or audit reasons.
• Trips and payments: For the period required by law and our legitimate accounting, tax, and safety obligations.
• Location traces: At full resolution for active trips and recent operations; over time, we may aggregate, down-sample, or delete detailed location logs.
• Diagnostics and logs: For a limited period needed to investigate and fix issues, after which they are deleted or anonymised.

7. Your Rights And Choices

Subject to applicable law, you may have the right to:

• Access a copy of your personal data
• Correct inaccurate or incomplete data
• Object to certain processing or ask us to restrict processing
• Request deletion of your data (subject to legal and safety retention obligations)
• Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent

You can exercise many of these rights directly in the app (for example, by updating your profile or disabling certain notifications) or by contacting us using the details below.

For account or data deletion, we may need to verify your identity and may retain certain records where the law requires us to do so.

8. Children

Our services are not intended for children under the minimum age required by local law to create an account. We do not knowingly collect personal data from such children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal data, please contact us so we can delete it where appropriate.

9. Security

We use technical and organisational measures to protect your data, including:

• Encryption in transit and at rest where appropriate
• Access controls and logging
• Least-privilege access for staff and contractors

No system can be completely secure, but we work continuously to improve the security of our apps and infrastructure.

10. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your data, or if you wish to exercise your rights, please contact:

• Email: {{PRIVACY_CONTACT_EMAIL}}
• Postal address: {{ORGANISATION_POSTAL_ADDRESS}}

11. Changes To This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last updated" date above and may notify you in the app or by other appropriate means. Your continued use of the apps after such changes means you accept the updated policy.