Privacy Policy — instatow

App Name: instatow (TowingApp)
Last Updated: April 1, 2026

1. Introduction

Welcome to instatow (“we”, “our”, or “us”). instatow is a mobile application that connects vehicle owners in need of roadside assistance with verified towing service providers and their drivers.

We are committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains what data we collect, why we collect it, how we use and store it, and what rights you have over your information.

By registering for or using the instatow app, you agree to the practices described in this Privacy Policy.

2. Who This Policy Applies To

This Policy applies to all users of the instatow mobile application, including:

Customers — individuals who request towing or roadside assistance.
Service Owners (Providers) — businesses or individuals who register to offer towing services.
Drivers — personnel employed or managed by Service Owners to fulfil bookings.

3. Information We Collect

3.1 Account Information

For Customers, when you register, we collect:

Full name
Mobile phone number
Email address
Password (stored as a hashed credential via Supabase Authentication — we never store plain-text passwords in our database)

For Service Owners, when you register, we additionally collect:

Business name (optional)
City / service area
Business address
Government ID proof type (Aadhaar Card or Driving Licence) and ID number

[!IMPORTANT]
ID proof numbers (Aadhaar, Driving Licence) are collected solely for identity verification of service providers. This information is stored securely in our database and is never shared publicly.

3.2 Location Information

When you use the booking or map features, we collect:

Precise GPS location (latitude and longitude) for your pickup point
Drop-off address and coordinates (if provided)
Location data is accessed only while the app is in use (foreground location permission — ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION, ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION)

Location data is sent to Google Maps APIs (Google Maps Platform) to render maps and resolve addresses. Please see Google’s Privacy Policy at https://policies.google.com/privacy.

We do not track your location in the background.

3.3 Booking & Transaction Data

When you place a service booking, we record:

Vehicle type and towing type requested
Service type (towing or roadside assistance)
Pickup and drop-off addresses with coordinates
Booking status history (new → assigned → accepted → ongoing → completed / cancelled)
Timestamps at each stage
Assigned driver name and vehicle
Estimated and final fare amounts
Emergency / priority flags

3.4 Payment Information

If a payment is recorded through the app:

Booking reference
Payment amount
Payment method (cash or online)
Transaction reference number
Payment timestamp

[!NOTE]
instatow does not directly process card payments or store card numbers. Payment reconciliation is managed by the service owner and driver.

3.5 Ratings & Feedback

After a completed booking, customers may submit:

A star rating (1–5) for the service provider
Optional written feedback

3.6 In-App Notifications

We store in-app notification records linked to your user account, including:

Notification title and body
Booking reference
Notification type (assignment, request, or update)
Read/unread status

3.7 Technical & Usage Data

We may automatically collect:

Device type and operating system version
App version
Session tokens (used to keep you logged in, stored locally on your device using AsyncStorage)
API request logs for debugging and security

4. How We Use Your Information

Purpose	Data Used
Create and manage your account	Name, email, phone, password
Connect you with towing providers	Name, phone, location
Process and track bookings	Booking details, location, vehicle info
Verify service owner identity	ID proof type and number
Send in-app notifications	User ID, booking reference
Calculate routes and show maps	GPS location (via Google Maps API)
Record payments	Booking ID, fare, payment method
Improve app quality and support	Usage logs, error reports
Comply with legal obligations	All categories as required by law

5. How We Store and Protect Your Data

Backend database: All account and booking data is stored in Supabase (a PostgreSQL-based cloud platform hosted on AWS infrastructure). Row-Level Security (RLS) policies are applied to ensure users can only access their own data.
Local device storage: Your session tokens, name, email, and phone number are cached locally on your device using AsyncStorage for quick access while logged in.
Encryption in transit: All communications between the app and Supabase are encrypted using HTTPS/TLS.
Authentication: User passwords are handled entirely by Supabase Authentication and are never stored in plain text in our database.
Access controls: Only authorised personnel have access to the Supabase backend. Service owners can only see booking requests assigned to them.

6. Data Sharing and Third Parties

We do not sell your personal data. We share data only as described below:

Third Party	Data Shared	Purpose
Supabase	All account and booking data	Cloud database and authentication
Google Maps Platform	GPS coordinates, addresses	Map display and routing
Expo / EAS	App build and update metadata	App delivery infrastructure
Service Owners	Your name, phone, pickup/drop location	Fulfilling your towing booking
Drivers	Your name, phone, pickup/drop location	Completing the assigned service
Law enforcement / regulators	As required by law	Legal compliance

Booking details (your name, phone number, and locations) are visible to the service provider and assigned driver in order to fulfil your request. This sharing is necessary to provide the service.

7. Permissions We Request

Permission	Purpose
`ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION`	Detect your precise pickup location on the map
`ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION`	Fallback location for pickup detection
`INTERNET`	Communicate with the server and Google Maps

You may deny location permission, but in doing so some core features (such as automatic pickup detection) will not be available.

8. Data Retention

Data Category	Retention Period
Account information	Retained while your account is active; deleted within 30 days of a verified account deletion request
Booking records	3 years from the date of the booking (for legal and dispute resolution purposes)
Payment records	7 years (financial regulation requirement)
ID proof numbers (Owners)	Retained while the owner account is active; deleted on account deletion
Notification records	90 days rolling
Session tokens (local device)	Cleared on logout or app uninstall

After the applicable retention period expires, your data is permanently deleted from our systems.

9. Children’s Privacy

The instatow app is intended for users aged 18 years and above. We do not knowingly collect personal data from anyone under the age of 18. If you believe a minor has registered on our platform, please contact us immediately at support@pixelperfect.co.in and we will promptly delete that account.

10. Your Rights

Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have the following rights regarding your personal data:

Access — request a copy of the data we hold about you
Correction — request correction of inaccurate information
Deletion — request deletion of your account and associated data (see Section 11)
Portability — request your data in a portable format
Restriction — request that we limit how we process your data
Objection — object to certain uses of your data

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at support@pixelperfect.co.in with the subject line “Data Rights Request”. We will respond within 30 days.

11. Account Deletion

Please see our separate Account Deletion Policy for full details on how to delete your account and what data is removed.

In summary: you may request account deletion by emailing support@pixelperfect.co.in from your registered email address. We will process deletion within 7 business days and confirm via email.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will:

Update the “Last Updated” date at the top of this document
Notify you via an in-app notification
In the case of material changes, ask for your re-consent where required by law

Continued use of the app after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the revised Policy.

13. Contact Us

For any questions, concerns, or data requests related to your privacy:

Email: support@pixelperfect.co.in