Privacy Policy for Digihostel
Last updated: August 9, 2026
Digihostel ("we", "our", "the app") is a hostel management application used by hostel wardens, students, and parents to manage attendance, fees, complaints, outing passes, and related hostel operations. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and how we protect it.
1. Information We Collect
Account and identity information
--Name, phone number, and role (student, parent, or warden)
--Google account information (name, email, profile picture) if you sign in with Google
--Guardian/parent contact details (for student accounts)
--Village/hometown, entered by the student or warden as an optional field in a student's profile record — used only for the hostel's internal record-keeping (e.g., identifying which students are from which local area) and is not used for any other purpose
Location information
--Precise device location (GPS) is accessed only while the app is in use, at the moment a student taps to check in or check out of the hostel, to verify they are within the hostel premises (geofencing). We do not access, collect, or track your location in the background or at any other time. This corresponds to the ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION permission requested by the app.
Attendance and activity information
--Check-in/check-out timestamps and status
--Outing pass requests and approvals
Financial information
--Fee amounts, payment records (cash/bank/UPI), and dues, as manually recorded by hostel wardens. Digihostel does not process online payments or store payment card/bank account details.
Communication information
--Notices, alerts, and complaint submissions sent within the app
Device information
--Basic device and app diagnostic information for troubleshooting
App Permissions
Digihostel requests the following device permissions, each tied to a specific in-app feature:
--Location (fine location, foreground only): to verify a student is on hostel premises when they check in or check out.
---Phone/SMS-related access (if applicable for OTP auto-read): to streamline OTP entry during sign-in verification.
--Internet/network access: required for all app functionality, as data is stored securely on our servers.
Digihostel does not request or use background location access, camera, microphone, contacts, or storage permissions beyond what is needed for the features above.
2. How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect to:
--Provide and operate core hostel management features (attendance, fees, complaints, outing passes, notices)
--Verify identity during sign-in and account claiming (via phone number and OTP verification)
--Allow wardens to manage their hostel and allow parents to view their linked child's information
--Improve app performance and fix technical issues
We do not sell your personal information to third parties. We do not use your information for advertising.
3. Data Sharing
--Within the hostel: Attendance, fee, and outing-pass data is visible to the relevant hostel warden and, for students, to their linked parent/guardian.
--Service providers: We use Google Firebase (for phone number verification) and Supabase (for secure data storage) to operate the app. These providers process data on our behalf and are bound by their own privacy and security commitments.
--Legal requirements: We may disclose information if required by law or to protect the rights, safety, or property of Digihostel, our users, or others.
4. Data Retention
We retain your information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide the service. Hostel wardens may deactivate or remove student records when a student leaves the hostel.
5. Your Choices and Consent
--Before we collect or access any personal or sensitive data (including location, phone number, and financial information), the app presents a clear, in-app disclosure and requires you to take an affirmative action (such as tapping "Allow" or "I agree") to consent. Simply navigating away, closing the screen, or pressing back is never treated as consent.
--Account creation and registration require your explicit consent, collected through the app's registration flow.
--You may contact your hostel warden or the app developer (contact below) to request access to, correction of, or deletion of your personal information.
--Location access is only used at the moment of check-in/check-out and can be controlled or revoked at any time through your device's app permissions settings.
6. Children's Privacy
Digihostel is intended for hostel residents, most of whom are 16 years of age or older. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child under 13 has provided us with personal information, please contact us so we can remove it.
7. Data Security
We take reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your information, including encrypted data transmission, access controls, and secure authentication (phone OTP verification). We continuously work to safeguard your data against unauthorized access, alteration, or loss. As with any online service, we encourage users to also protect their own account credentials and report any suspicious activity to us promptly.
8. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes will be posted with an updated "Last updated" date.
9. Contact Us
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or your data, please contact:
Email: [sqlcollection48@gmail.com]
This policy applies to the Digihostel Android application (com.pathurivenkat.digihostel).