Privacy Policy for Kayal Blooms

Effective Date: November 1, 2026
Last Updated: November 1, 2026
Applicable Apps: Kayal Blooms (Customer App) & Kayal Blooms Business (Partner App)

1. Introduction

Welcome to Kayal Blooms ("we," "our," or "us"). We are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring transparency in how your personal data is collected, used, and safeguarded.

This Privacy Policy applies to both:

1. Kayal Blooms Customer App: Used by individuals to discover, explore, and connect with local women-led businesses, home bakers, artisans, and service providers in Kayalpattinam and neighboring areas.

2. Kayal Blooms Business (Partner App): Used by local entrepreneurs and business owners to manage their store profiles, service catalogs, customer inquiries, and bookings.

By downloading, installing, or using either application, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

2. Information We Collect

We collect only the minimum information necessary to provide a reliable local commerce and discovery experience.

A. Account & Authentication Information

• Mobile Number: Required for all users to sign in and register. We verify your mobile number securely via WhatsApp One-Time Password (OTP).

• Profile Name: To identify you in chats, inquiries, or business profile listings.

• Email Address (Optional): Used for store correspondence or administrative alerts.

B. Business & Seller Information (Partner App Users)

For registered business owners, we collect information you choose to display publicly:

• Business name, store category, and service descriptions.

• Contact phone number, WhatsApp contact link, and business email.

• Physical address, service area coverage, and operating hours.

• Store photos, menu/catalog images, and logos uploaded via camera or gallery.

C. Permissions & Device Data

• Location Data (Approximate/Coarse): Used only with your permission to calculate approximate distances between customers and local businesses within Kayalpattinam. We do not track your background real-time location.

• Camera & Photo Library: Required only when you choose to take or upload a profile picture, store cover image, or product photos. We never access your media without your direct action.

• Push Notification Tokens: We collect device identifiers (such as Firebase Cloud Messaging tokens) to deliver timely updates about new customer inquiries, booking confirmations, or important announcements.

• Device & Log Information: Basic technical data such as operating system version, device model, and crash logs to troubleshoot technical issues and maintain app stability.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the collected information for the following purposes:

• Authentication & Account Security: Sending verification codes via the official Meta WhatsApp Cloud API to authenticate your account without passwords.

• Connecting Customers with Local Businesses: Allowing customers to browse listings, view product catalogs, and contact verified home businesses in Kayalpattinam.

• Inquiry & Booking Facilitation: Notifying business owners of incoming customer requests and updating customers on the status of their inquiries.

• Safety and Integrity: Preventing fraud, unauthorized access, and abuse across the platform.

• Customer Support: Responding to your questions, feedback, or technical assistance requests.

4. Third-Party Services & Integrations

We share information only with trusted third-party service providers who assist in operating our platform, each bound by strict data protection agreements:

• Meta WhatsApp Cloud API: Used solely to deliver OTP verification codes and transactional notifications directly to your WhatsApp. Your phone number is processed in accordance with Meta's Privacy Policy.

• Cloud Infrastructure & Database Hosting: Secure, encrypted cloud databases and servers (MongoDB Atlas, AWS S3) used to store app data with industry-standard TLS encryption.

• Google Firebase: Used exclusively for delivering push notifications to your mobile device.

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal data to any advertisers, brokers, or third parties.

5. Public vs. Private Information

• Publicly Visible: Information you publish on your Business Profile (store name, phone number, catalog items, photos, and address) is visible to all users browsing the Kayal Blooms network.

• Private Information: Your login authentication logs, internal account tokens, and private account settings are never made publicly accessible.

6. Data Retention & Account Deletion

• We retain your personal data only for as long as your account is active and needed to provide you with the services.

• Account & Data Deletion Request:
  You have the right to delete your account and all associated personal data at any time.
  You can request account deletion by emailing us at bizzbolesupport@gmail.com with the subject line "Account Deletion Request" along with your registered mobile number. Upon verification, your profile, business records, and tokens will be permanently deleted from our active databases.

7. Data Security

Data Protection & Safeguards for Women Entrepreneurs

Kayal Blooms recognizes the sensitive nature of the information hosted on our platform, particularly for local women-led enterprises, home bakers, tailors, and boutique owners operating from residential or private premises. We implement multi-layered technical, operational, and administrative safeguards to protect your personal and business records:

• Transport Layer Security (TLS/HTTPS): All data moving between your mobile phone and our servers is encrypted in transit.

• Secure Authentication: No passwords are stored; access is strictly verified through secure, one-time time-limited codes (OTP) delivered via the official Meta WhatsApp Cloud API.

• Restricted Database Access: Server databases and cloud storage are firewall-protected, role-isolated, and accessible only by authorized system administrators.

Disclaimer Regarding Data Transmission & Leakage

While we employ commercially reasonable and industry-standard security measures compliant with the Information Technology Act, 2000 and Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) regulations, no electronic transmission over the internet, mobile cellular network, or wireless infrastructure can be guaranteed to be 100% invulnerable or foolproof.

Therefore, while Kayal Blooms diligently strives to protect your personal and commercial data:

1. No Absolute Warranty: We cannot warrant or guarantee that information will never be accessed, disclosed, altered, or intercepted due to sophisticated cyberattacks, malware on your device, or unforeseen hardware/network failures outside our direct control.

2. Device-Level Responsibility: Users are responsible for keeping their mobile devices secure, avoiding suspicious APK installations, and ensuring third parties cannot access their WhatsApp notifications or verification codes.

3. Prompt Notification: In the improbable event of a suspected security incident or unauthorized data access affecting our systems, we will act promptly to mitigate the issue, investigate the cause, and inform affected users in accordance with applicable laws.
   
   

8. Children’s Privacy

Kayal Blooms is intended for general audiences who are at least 18 years of age (or the legal age of majority in their jurisdiction). We do not knowingly collect personal identifiable information from children under the age of 13. If you believe a child has provided us with personal data, please contact us immediately for prompt deletion.

9. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect operational or legal updates. Any modifications will be posted on this page with an updated "Last Updated" date. Continued use of our applications after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

10. Contact Us & Grievance Officer

If you have any questions, feedback, or grievances regarding this Privacy Policy or data handling practices, please contact our designated Grievance Officer:

• Email: bizzbolesupport@gmail.com