Privacy Policy

1. Who we are

ModVala is an automotive application for managing cars, bikes and auto-rickshaws. It helps users create vehicle profiles, record maintenance and expenses, upload garage media, track trips, discover mods, post to automotive communities, follow profiles, like and comment on posts, and manage premium features.

For privacy requests, ModVala acts as the entity deciding why and how personal data is processed for the app features described in this policy. In Indian privacy terminology, ModVala may be treated as a Data Fiduciary for personal data processed through the app, and its cloud vendors and service providers may act as Data Processors where they process data for ModVala.

2. Information we collect

We collect information only where it is needed for the app features you use, for safety, for legal compliance, or with your consent.

3. App permissions

ModVala asks for Android permissions only when needed for a feature you use.

4. How we use information

ModVala uses information for these purposes:

• Creating and securing your account.
• Keeping every email/username profile separate and preventing duplicate usernames, phone numbers, IDs or RC/number-plate entries where uniqueness checks are enabled.
• Saving vehicle, garage, trip, maintenance, budget and mods data.
• Showing your selected vehicle context across tabs.
• Uploading and displaying profile photos, garage photos, album media and community posts.
• Moderating community content before or after publication.
• Sending notifications for approvals, likes, comments, follows, trip status, reminders and safety/account events.
• Estimating fuel use, fuel cost and trip summaries.
• Improving search results for mods and locations.
• Providing premium subscription features and support.
• Detecting abuse, spam, unauthorised access or policy violations.
• Complying with applicable law, lawful requests and dispute resolution.

AI and machine learning technologies

ModVala may use AI and machine learning technologies to support features such as mods recommendations, search ranking, community moderation assistance, and trip analysis. Automated systems do not make legally significant decisions about users without human oversight.

5. Sharing and disclosure

We do not sell your personal data. We share data only where needed for app functionality, legal compliance, safety, or with your action/consent.

Service providers

ModVala may use service providers for authentication, database, storage, hosting, notifications, payments, app analytics, crash reporting, maps/search, fuel-rate APIs and customer support. These providers process data for the services they deliver to ModVala or directly to you.

Community visibility

When you post to a community, approved content may be visible to other users depending on community and profile settings. Public information can include username, profile photo, follower count, vehicle context, community name, post media, description, likes, comments and location label if shared.

Admins and moderators

ModVala admins and community admins may review, approve, reject, hide or delete content; view moderation queues; and take safety actions such as warnings, bans or community removal where needed.

Legal disclosures

We may disclose information if required by law, court order, government request, cyber incident investigation, fraud prevention, user safety, or to protect ModVala's legal rights.

Business transfers

If ModVala is involved in a merger, financing, acquisition, restructuring or sale of assets, user information may be transferred as part of that transaction subject to appropriate safeguards.

6. Community and public content

ModVala includes social and community features. Your albums may be private to your account until you choose to post selected media or trips to a community. Posts may require admin approval before becoming visible.

• Public profile: If you make your social profile public, other users may see more of your profile and garage than they can see when it is private.
• Private profile: A private profile limits what others can see, but content you submit to a community may still be visible once approved.
• Likes, comments and follows: These are social actions and may be visible to other users.
• Deletion: Deleting a post removes it from normal user-facing views, but moderation records, backups, legal logs or safety records may remain for a limited period where required.
• Admin deletion: If an admin removes content for violating community rules or ModVala policy, you may receive a notification.

7. Location and trip tracking

Trip tracking is a core feature. When you start a trip, ModVala may collect GPS coordinates, timestamps, distance, start/stop points, route gaps, labelled locations, destination data and captured-place notes. Android may show a system notification while location is being used.

Location data can be sensitive. ModVala should treat Home and Work labels carefully. If you post a trip or captured location to a community, the app should allow you to edit the public label and should avoid exposing exact Home or Work coordinates publicly. Other labels may be shared if you choose to post them.

Background tracking depends on Android permissions, device battery settings, app lifecycle and OEM restrictions. ModVala may store the last trip time and GPS location locally so an active trip can resume and calculate gaps when the app reopens.

8. Security

ModVala uses reasonable technical, operational and organisational measures to protect user data. These may include authenticated access, role-based/admin access controls, database row-level security, storage policies, HTTPS/TLS transport, permission controls, local-device storage protections, and controlled access for admins.

No app, cloud system or network transmission is completely secure. You are responsible for using a strong password, keeping your email account secure, and avoiding posting private information publicly.

Data Breach Notification

In the event of a personal data breach, ModVala will notify affected Data Principals and report to the Data Protection Board of India within 72 hours of becoming aware of the breach, as required under the Digital Personal Data Protection Rules, 2025.

9. Retention and deletion

ModVala keeps personal data only as long as reasonably needed for the purposes described in this policy, unless a longer period is required for legal, tax, security, fraud-prevention, backup, dispute or compliance reasons.

Account deletion

You can request deletion of your ModVala account and associated profile data from inside the app where the delete-profile feature is available, or by emailing pascoaldsouza28@gmail.com with the subject "ModVala Account Deletion". Include the email/username connected to your account. For safety, we may ask you to verify ownership before deleting the account.

When your account is deleted, ModVala will delete or anonymise account data that is no longer needed. Some data may remain for limited periods in backups, moderation logs, payment records, legal records, fraud prevention systems or community integrity records.

ModVala will notify you at least 48 hours before your personal data is scheduled for erasure, as required under applicable Indian data protection rules.

Local data

Some app data may be stored locally on your device. Uninstalling the app may delete local-only data. Data already synced to cloud services or posted to communities may remain until deleted through the app or by request.

10. Your rights

Subject to applicable law, you may have rights to:

• Access information about how your personal data is processed.
• Request correction, completion, updating or deletion of personal data.
• Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent.
• Opt out of newsletter or promotional communications.
• Raise a grievance with ModVala's privacy contact.
• Nominate a person to exercise rights in case of death or incapacity where applicable under Indian law.
• Complain to the appropriate Data Protection Board or authority when the relevant legal framework is operational and applicable.

To exercise these rights, contact pascoaldsouza28@gmail.com. We may need to verify your identity before acting on requests.

All grievances submitted to ModVala will be resolved within 90 days of receipt, in accordance with DPDP Rules 2025 Rule 14(3).

11. Children

ModVala is not intended for children. Users should not create accounts or post content if they are under the minimum age required by applicable law or Google Play policy. If a parent or guardian believes a child has provided personal data without appropriate consent, they should contact us for deletion.

12. Maharashtra and governing law

India has national data protection and information technology laws. Maharashtra does not currently provide a separate consumer-app privacy code that replaces Indian national law for ModVala. Because ModVala is operated from India and is being prepared for users in Maharashtra and across India, this policy is governed by the laws of India.

Subject to mandatory consumer, statutory and data-protection rights, disputes connected with this policy or ModVala may be subject to the courts or competent forums in Maharashtra, India. Users may also use any complaint or grievance routes made available under applicable Indian law.

13. Changes to this policy

ModVala may update this Privacy Policy as the app, law, vendors or features change. The updated version will show a new effective date. Where required, ModVala will provide in-app notice or request fresh consent.