Privacy Policy

Effective Date: January 1, 2026 | Last Updated: March 2026

1. Overview

Gilery ("Platform", "we", "us", "our") is operated as an independent project by its developer ("Developer"), based in India. This Privacy Policy explains how Gilery collects, uses, stores, and protects information when you use our website (gilery.onrender.com) and Android application ("App").

This policy is compliant with:

• Information Technology Act, 2000 (India)
• IT (Intermediary Guidelines & Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 (India)
• Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (DPDPA) (India)
• General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) (EU)
• Google Play Developer Program Policies

By using Gilery, you agree to this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, please discontinue use immediately.

2. Data We Collect

2.1 Data We Do NOT Collect

2.2 Data We Temporarily Process (Not Stored)

• Location Data (GPS): Used solely to find nearby shops for your search query. It is sent to third-party map APIs in real-time and is never stored on our servers. Location is only accessed when you explicitly grant permission.
• Search Queries: Temporarily processed by AI providers to generate shop recommendations. Not stored after the response is returned.
• Photos (for Photo Search): Processed by AI vision APIs for product identification. Photos are never stored on our servers.

2.3 Automatically Collected Technical Data

Standard server logs may include: IP address (anonymised after 24 hours), browser/device type, OS version, and timestamp. This data is used only for debugging and security purposes.

3. Ghost Chat — Special Privacy Notice

Ghost Chat is an ephemeral, anonymous messaging feature within Gilery. The following specific data practices apply:

• No Phone Number Required: Ghost Chat does not ask for, store, or verify any phone number, email, or identity.
• Auto-Delete: All messages, voice notes, and doodles are automatically and permanently deleted from our servers within 30 seconds of being sent. Once deleted, they are irrecoverable by Gilery, by the users, or by any third party.
• Room Codes & Passwords: These are ephemeral session identifiers. We do not link them to any personal identity.
• Voice Notes: Voice data is processed on-device for disguise effects and is never stored on our servers beyond the 30-second message window.
• Doodles: Vanish within 10 seconds and are never stored server-side beyond that window.
• Important: While Gilery makes every effort to delete content, users are responsible for ensuring their own devices are secure. Gilery is not liable for screenshots or recordings taken by other users.

4. How We Use Data

Any data temporarily processed is used only to:

• Provide the requested service (shop search results, Ghost Chat delivery)
• Improve service reliability and performance
• Detect and prevent abuse, fraud, or illegal activity
• Comply with applicable Indian law and court orders

We do not sell, rent, or trade any data to advertisers or third parties for commercial purposes.

5. Third-Party Services

Gilery uses the following third-party services. Their respective privacy policies apply to data they receive:

• AI Providers: Google Gemini, Groq, Mistral, Cerebras — receive search queries only
• Map Services: OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, Foursquare, HERE, TomTom — receive anonymised location
• Hosting: Render.com (USA) — standard server hosting

All third-party services are bound by their own privacy policies. Gilery is not responsible for third-party data practices beyond what is described here.

6. Data Retention

• Search queries: Not retained after API response
• Location data: Not retained after API response
• Ghost Chat messages: Deleted within 30 seconds
• Server logs (IP etc.): Anonymised within 24 hours, deleted within 7 days
• No user profiles or accounts exist to retain

7. Your Rights Under DPDPA 2023 & GDPR

As a Data Principal under India's Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, you have the right to:

• Access: Request confirmation of what (minimal) data we hold
• Correction: Request correction of inaccurate data
• Erasure: Request deletion of any data we hold about you
• Grievance Redressal: Contact our grievance officer (details below)

Since Gilery collects almost no personal data, most of these rights are automatically satisfied. To exercise any right, email us at asoom3916@gmail.com. We will respond within 30 days as required by law.

8. Children's Privacy

Gilery is not intended for users under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect any data from children. If you believe a child has used our platform, please contact us immediately and we will take appropriate action under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO), 2012 and applicable IT rules.

9. Security

We implement industry-standard security measures including HTTPS encryption, server-side access controls, and rate limiting. However, no internet transmission is 100% secure. We strongly encourage users not to share sensitive personal or financial information through Gilery or Ghost Chat.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy periodically. Continued use of Gilery after changes constitutes acceptance. Significant changes will be announced on the platform.

11. Contact & Grievance Officer