1. Information We Collect

We collect the following information:

• Phone number - for OTP-based authentication only
• Name (optional) - if you choose to set up a profile
• Age range & gender (optional) - for demographic analytics
• District/city preference - to show relevant constituency data
• Language preference - English or Tamil
• Device identifier - a randomly generated anonymous ID for app analytics (not linked to your identity)
• FCM token - for delivering push notifications to your device

We do NOT collect location data, contacts, photos, or any other sensitive information.

2. How We Use Your Information

Your information is used solely to:

• Authenticate your identity via OTP
• Display election information relevant to your constituency
• Send push notifications about election updates (if enabled)
• Personalise the app experience based on language preference

We do NOT sell, trade, or share your personal data with third parties for marketing purposes.

3. Advertising & Cookies

We use Google AdSense to display advertisements. Google and its partners may use cookies to serve ads based on your prior visits to websites. You may opt out of personalised advertising by visiting Google Ads Settings.

4. Third-Party Services

We use the following third-party services:

• Firebase Authentication - for phone number verification via OTP
• Firebase Cloud Messaging - for push notifications
• Firebase Analytics - for anonymous usage analytics (event tracking, crash reporting)
• Google AdSense / Google AdMob - for displaying advertisements on web and mobile
• MongoDB Atlas - for secure cloud data storage

Each service has its own privacy policy governing data use. We encourage you to review the Google Privacy Policy for Firebase and advertising services.

5. Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your information. All data is transmitted over HTTPS encryption. Phone numbers are stored securely and used only for OTP-based authentication via Firebase.

6. Data Retention & Deletion

We retain your data only as long as your account is active. You can delete your account and all associated data directly from the app via Menu → Delete Account. Deletion is immediate and permanent. Alternatively, you may email support@nhlabs.in and we will process the request within 30 days.

Deleted data includes: phone number, profile information (name, age range, gender, city), authentication sessions, and push notification subscriptions.

7. Children's Privacy

Makkal Vote is intended for users aged 18 years and older (voting age in India). We do NOT target children under 13 or under 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we discover that a child has provided us with personal information, we will delete it promptly.

8. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page and within the app. Continued use of the app after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.