Privacy Policy
Last updated: 12 November 2026
This policy explains how the Gujarat Bhatia Samaj (GBS) mobile app and website handle information. Gujarat Bhatia Samaj administers community content and member requests. Advance Web Software Private Limited develops and publishes the mobile app and provides technical support for the service.
For privacy questions, corrections or removal requests, contact gujaratbhatiasamaj@gmail.com.
Information used by the service
- Community directories: existing city and community documents supplied to the service by Samaj administrators may contain names, family relationships, photographs, phone numbers, email addresses, postal addresses, dates of birth, gender, marital status, education, blood group and other biographical information. Card View presents information extracted from these documents; the original PDF may also be available.
- App access: the current mobile app uses a community password, not individual user registration. The password is sent over HTTPS to verify access. An expiring session token is kept in memory and, if “Keep me signed in” is selected, in secure device storage. The app does not need your name, email address or phone number merely to sign in.
- Feedback and support: when you submit feedback, we receive your first name, last name, message and any city or phone number you choose to provide. Email requests include your email address and the information you send. Website contact forms may request additional contact information shown on the form.
- Technical information: hosting and security services process network requests, including IP addresses, request times, requested resources and technical error information, to deliver content, prevent abuse and troubleshoot problems.
- Device storage: the app uses local storage or memory for sessions and displayed content. Some directory information and photos may be included with an app version as a fallback. PDF or image caches and copies you download may remain on your device.
Why information is used
Information is used to provide community directories and content, validate access, display documents and photos, respond to feedback, correct records, handle removal requests, and maintain the reliability and security of the service. Please do not include passwords, identity-document copies or unnecessary sensitive information in feedback.
Who can see directory information
Only submit information you are entitled to share. If information about you or a child in your care is incorrect or should not be displayed, please use our correction and removal process. We do not treat publication in an older printed directory as proof that you have agreed to every subsequent use.
Service providers and external services
Technical providers process information as needed to operate their part of the service. These include Vercel for web/API hosting, Cloudflare R2 for file delivery, and Upstash for directory publishing state. Some existing versions or resources may use Vercel Blob. The mobile feedback form sends the information you enter to a Google Apps Script endpoint used by the Samaj. Support email is handled through Gmail; some website contact routes use Resend.
Providers may process information on infrastructure outside your country. Opening an external website, email app, phone dialler or social-media service is also subject to that service’s privacy practices. Access to member information is not permission to use it for advertising, scraping or unsolicited contact.
Website cookies, analytics and social content
The existing website includes Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager, and some pages embed Facebook content. These services can process usage information, browser/device information and online identifiers, including cookies. You can manage cookies in your browser and consult Google’s Privacy Policy and Meta’s Privacy Policy. Website administrator sign-in also uses a session cookie.
The current native mobile app does not include Firebase Cloud Messaging, an advertising SDK or a native analytics SDK. These support and policy pages do not load analytics or social-media embeds. If notification or analytics features are added, the policy and relevant permission/disclosure screens will be updated to reflect the released version.
Retention and deletion
Directory records remain available while maintained as part of the community directory, subject to correction and removal requests. Feedback and support correspondence are retained as needed to address the request and related follow-up. Hosting/security records follow the relevant service’s configured retention. Information may need to be retained for a legal obligation, security, fraud prevention or resolving a dispute; where this affects a removal request, we will explain the reason and applicable retention to you.
Signing out removes the saved app session. Clearing Android app storage removes downloaded app data and settings; it does not erase information from the community directory, support records, or files saved outside the app. A bundled directory snapshot may require a new app release to change. Previously downloaded, printed, cached or third-party copies cannot be remotely erased by us.
Visit Data correction & removal to request deletion or correction of directory information or feedback. You do not need to install or log in to the app to submit a request.
Security and children’s information
The app uses HTTPS for its service requests and secure storage for remembered sessions. No system can guarantee absolute security. Keep the community password and your device secure, and report suspected misuse to us. Family directories may include children’s information. A parent or guardian can contact us to request correction or removal of a child’s information; do not send unnecessary information about children through feedback.
Updates and contact
We will update this page when the service or its data practices change. The date below identifies the latest revision. For questions or to exercise a data-related request, email gujaratbhatiasamaj@gmail.com with the subject “GBS privacy request”.