Privacy Policy

1. Information We Collect

We collect the following types of information:

• Account information: When you register, we collect a username and a hashed (encrypted) password. We do not require your email address or phone number.
• Messages and content: Messages you send, images you share, and voice notes you record are stored on our servers in order to deliver them to recipients.
• Usage data: We collect information about how you use the Service, including connection timestamps, last-seen time, and feature usage.
• Technical data: Browser type, device type, IP address, and operating system may be collected automatically for security and service operation purposes.
• Uploaded files: Images and audio files you upload are stored with Cloudinary, our third-party media storage provider.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Provide, maintain, and improve the ChatHindi Service
• Authenticate your account and keep it secure
• Deliver messages and media to the intended recipients
• Detect and prevent spam, abuse, and violations of our Terms of Service
• Display advertising through Google AdSense (on public pages only — not inside the authenticated chat application)
• Respond to your support requests and communications

3. Advertising — Google AdSense

Our public website pages (landing page, about, FAQ, etc.) display advertisements served by Google AdSense. Google uses cookies and similar technologies to serve ads based on your prior visits to our website and other websites. You can opt out of personalised advertising by visiting Google's Ads Settings.

Advertisements are shown only on public informational pages. No ads are displayed inside the authenticated chat application where private messages are exchanged.

Google AdSense may collect data as described in Google's own Privacy Policy.

4. Cookies

We use the following types of cookies:

• Essential cookies: Required for authentication (JWT tokens stored in localStorage) and session management.
• Advertising cookies: Google AdSense sets cookies on public pages to serve relevant advertisements. These are third-party cookies controlled by Google.
• Preference cookies: We store your theme and font size preferences locally in your browser.

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect Service functionality.

5. Data Sharing and Third Parties

We do not sell your personal data. We share data only in the following limited circumstances:

• Cloudinary: Uploaded images and audio files are stored and served via Cloudinary's CDN.
• Google AdSense: Public page visitor data may be processed by Google for advertising purposes.
• Legal requirements: We may disclose information if required by law, court order, or to protect the rights and safety of our users.

6. Data Retention

We retain your account data for as long as your account is active. Messages are retained to allow conversation history. You can request deletion of your account and associated data by contacting us at support@chathindi.in.

Guest accounts and their messages are automatically deleted after 30 days.

7. Security

We implement reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect your data, including password hashing (bcrypt), JWT-based authentication, and HTTPS encryption. However, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure.

8. Children's Privacy

ChatHindi is not intended for children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us with personal data, please contact us immediately at support@chathindi.in so we can delete it.

9. Your Rights

Depending on your location, you may have the right to:

• Access the personal data we hold about you
• Request correction of inaccurate data
• Request deletion of your data
• Object to processing of your data
• Data portability

To exercise these rights, contact us at support@chathindi.in.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify users of significant changes by updating the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. Continued use of the Service after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

11. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us:

• Email: support@chathindi.in
• Website: Contact Page