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Privacy Policy

Last updated: September 4, 2026

This Privacy Policy describes how GC Labs Private Limited ("GediChat", "we", "us") collects, uses, and protects your information when you use the GediChat mobile application and the website gedichat.com (together, the "Service").

1. Information We Collect

Information you provide

• Phone number — used to create and sign in to your account via SMS verification.
• Profile information — username, display name, profile photo, and vibe/personality details you choose to add.
• Content you create — photos, videos, stories, messages, and routes you share in the app.

Information collected automatically

• Location data — with your permission, we use your device's location to show your presence on the map while you are on a Gedi, to power route features, and to detect crossed paths with other users. Your precise coordinates are sent to our servers so we can compute the map area you appear in and detect crossed paths. Other users only ever see a coarse area (a cell of roughly 1.2 km) — never your exact location. You can stop sharing location at any time in your device settings, though core map features will not work without it.
• Device information — device model, operating system version, app version, language, and a push notification token used to deliver notifications to your device.
• Usage data — interactions within the app (such as Hys sent and received, stories viewed, and chats unlocked) needed to operate the Service.

Music integration

If you connect Spotify or Apple Music, we access limited information (such as currently playing track) solely to power music sync features. We do not receive your streaming account password. You can disconnect these integrations at any time.

Gedi Music song recognition (microphone)

Gedi Music can identify the song playing around you so it can be shared as your live music vibe. With your permission, it uses your device's microphone together with Apple's ShazamKit to recognise the track. The audio is processed on your device and by Apple for the purpose of matching the song — we never receive or store the recorded audio. Only the resulting song details (such as title and artist) are used in the app. Song recognition is on by default when you have not connected a music provider such as Spotify or Apple Music, and you can turn it off at any time in Settings, or revoke microphone access in your device settings.

Analytics and crash diagnostics

We use Firebase Analytics and Firebase Crashlytics (Google) to understand how the app is used and to diagnose crashes and errors. This includes aggregated usage events, device and app version information, and crash reports containing diagnostic details about the state of the app when it failed. We use this only to keep the Service working and to improve it, not for advertising.

Camera and photo library

With your permission, GediChat accesses your camera and photo library so you can capture and share stories, set a profile photo, and scan GC Passport QR codes. Media is only uploaded when you choose to share it.

2. How We Use Your Information

• To create and manage your account and verify your identity via phone number.
• To show your live presence on the map to other users while you are on a Gedi.
• To enable core social features: Hy (mutual wave) chat unlocking, messaging, stories, crossed paths, and notifications.
• To deliver push notifications about messages, Hys, and other interactions. You can disable these in your device settings.
• To maintain safety and security, including enforcing a single active session per account.
• To identify the song playing around you, when Gedi Music song recognition is enabled, so it can be shown as your live music vibe.
• To measure usage and diagnose crashes and errors through Firebase Analytics and Crashlytics.
• To improve, debug, and develop the Service.

We do not sell your personal information, and we do not use it for third-party advertising.

3. How Your Information Is Shared

• With other users — your username, profile, live map presence (while on a Gedi, shown only as a coarse area of roughly 1.2 km and never as exact coordinates), stories (shown to the audience you select), and messages (with users you have mutually unlocked chat with) are visible to other users as part of the Service.
• Service providers — we use Google Firebase (Authentication, Cloud Firestore, Cloud Storage, Cloud Functions, Cloud Messaging, Analytics, and Crashlytics) to operate, measure, and debug the Service. Firebase processes data on our behalf under Google's data processing terms. See Firebase Privacy and Security.
• Music partners — if you connect Spotify or Apple Music, limited data is exchanged with those services under their own privacy policies. If Gedi Music song recognition is enabled, audio is matched on your device and by Apple through ShazamKit under Apple's privacy policy; we do not receive the audio.
• Legal requirements — we may disclose information if required by law, legal process, or to protect the rights, safety, and security of our users or others.

4. Data Retention

• Stories expire about 24 hours after posting, and we then delete the story and its media from our servers. Copies that viewers have already saved or screenshotted are not affected.
• Account data (profile, messages, interactions) is retained while your account is active.
• Crossed paths — when your route overlaps with another user's, we create a record of that overlap. This includes overlaps with users you are not connected to, so the feature can show you who you have crossed paths with. These records are kept only as long as they are needed for the feature and are then deleted.
• Reports — when you report a user, we retain the report and the reported user's phone number so we can review the report and take action on repeat or serious safety issues.
• If you delete your account, we delete your personal data within a reasonable period, except where retention is required by law or needed for safety review as described above.

5. Your Rights and Choices

• Access, correction, deletion — you can update your profile in the app, or contact us to access or delete your data.
• Location — control location access in your device settings.
• Notifications — disable push notifications in your device settings.
• Gedi Music song recognition — turn song recognition off in Settings, or revoke microphone access in your device settings.
• Account deletion — you can delete your account and data from inside the app at any time: open Settings → Delete account. Deletion removes your profile, map presence, stories, chats, and connections. You can also contact us at the email below if you need help.

Depending on where you live, you may have additional rights under applicable law (including the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 in India). We honor valid requests in accordance with applicable law.

6. Security

We use industry-standard measures to protect your data, including transport encryption (HTTPS/TLS), Firebase security rules restricting data access, and single-session account enforcement. No method of transmission or storage is 100% secure, but we work to protect your information.

7. Children

GediChat is not directed to children under 13 (or the minimum age required in your country), and we do not knowingly collect personal information from them. If you believe a child has provided us personal information, contact us and we will delete it.

8. International Users

Our Service is operated from India and data may be processed on servers located in other countries through our service providers. By using the Service, you understand your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your own.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will post the updated policy on this page and update the "Last updated" date above. Material changes may also be communicated in the app.

10. Contact Us

© 2026 GC Labs Private Limited. All rights reserved.