Barkat respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy describes how Barkat collects, uses, and protects your personal information when you use our mobile application and website at barkat.world.
By using Barkat, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this Privacy Policy. This policy applies to all users of the Barkat mobile application and website. If you do not agree with this policy, please do not use our Service.
By using Barkat, you also agree to our Terms of Use (EULA).
2. Information We Collect
a) Information You Provide Directly
When you create and use a Barkat account, you voluntarily provide us with the following information:
- Account Information: Name, email address, phone number, date of birth, age, and gender
- Profile Information: Education, profession, location, marital status, preferences, religious background, and other details you choose to include in your profile
- Photos and Media: Profile photos, verification images, and other media you upload
- Messages and Interactions: Requests sent, matches, chats, and other communications with other users
- Preferences and Settings: Privacy settings, search preferences, filters, and notification preferences
- Support Communications: Information you provide when contacting customer support
- Reports and Blocks: Information related to reports or blocks you submit
b) Automatically Collected Information
When you use Barkat, we automatically collect certain technical information to provide and improve our Service:
- Device Information: Device type, model, operating system, and version
- App Information: App version, installation date, and usage statistics
- IP Address: Your IP address and approximate location (city-level) for security and service delivery
- Usage Data: How you interact with the app, features used, pages viewed, and time spent
- Crash Logs and Analytics: Crash reports, performance diagnostics, and error logs to improve app stability
- Analytics Data: Aggregated usage patterns and app performance metrics
We use analytics services (such as Firebase Analytics) to collect this information. We do not use this technical data to track you across apps or websites for advertising purposes.
c) Payment Information (IMPORTANT)
Barkat does not collect or store your payment information. Payment transactions for subscriptions and in-app purchases (including Credits) are processed securely by Apple (for iOS) or Google (for Android) through their respective app stores.
Apple or Google may provide us with limited information such as subscription status, purchase history, and transaction identifiers for entitlement management and customer support purposes. We do not have access to your credit card, debit card, or other payment method details.
3. How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect for the following purposes:
- Creating and Managing Accounts: To create, maintain, and manage your Barkat account and profile
- Providing Matchmaking Features: To enable matchmaking, profile discovery, requests, matches, and messaging between users
- Improving App Functionality: To analyze usage patterns, improve features, fix bugs, and enhance user experience
- Managing Subscriptions: To process subscription purchases, manage entitlements, and provide premium features
- Preventing Fraud and Abuse: To detect, prevent, and address fraudulent activity, abuse, spam, and violations of our Terms
- Customer Support: To respond to your inquiries, provide technical support, and resolve issues
- Safety and Moderation: To review reported content, enforce community guidelines, and maintain a safe environment
- Communications: To send you service-related notifications, updates, and important information about your account
- Legal Compliance: To comply with applicable laws, regulations, and legal processes
We do not sell your personal data to third parties. The use of your information is limited to the purposes described in this Privacy Policy and as necessary to provide the Service.
4. How We Share Information
We may share your information in the following limited circumstances:
- With Other Users: Your profile information, photos, and other details you choose to make visible are shared with other users according to your privacy settings and app preferences. Messages and interactions are shared with the users you communicate with.
- Service Providers: We share information with trusted third-party service providers who help us operate Barkat, including:
- Cloud hosting and infrastructure providers (e.g., Firebase, Google Cloud)
- Analytics and crash reporting services (e.g., Firebase Analytics, Crashlytics)
- Payment processors (Apple, Google) for subscription and purchase management
- Customer support tools and platforms
These service providers are bound by confidentiality agreements and data protection obligations. - Legal Requirements: We may disclose information if required by law, court order, or government regulation, or to respond to legal processes, enforce our Terms, or protect the rights, property, or safety of Barkat, our users, or others.
- Business Transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred to the acquiring entity, subject to the same privacy protections.
- With Your Consent: We may share information with your explicit consent or at your direction.
IMPORTANT: Barkat does not sell personal data to third parties. We do not share your information with third parties for their own marketing or advertising purposes.
5. Third-Party Services
Barkat uses third-party services to provide and improve our Service. These services may collect information in accordance with their own privacy policies:
- Apple Sign-In: If you use Apple Sign-In to create your account, Apple may collect information in accordance with Apple's Privacy Policy
- Firebase: We use Google Firebase for authentication, cloud storage, analytics, and crash reporting. Firebase's data collection is governed by Google's Privacy Policy
- RevenueCat: We use RevenueCat to manage subscriptions and in-app purchases. RevenueCat's data handling is governed by RevenueCat's Privacy Policy
- Cloud Hosting Providers: We use cloud infrastructure providers to host and deliver our Service
We encourage you to review the privacy policies of these third-party services to understand how they handle your information. Barkat is not responsible for the privacy practices of these third-party services.
6. Data Retention
We retain your information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide the Service. Specifically:
- Active Accounts: We retain your information while your account is active and you are using the Service
- Account Deletion: If you delete your account, we will remove your profile from public view and delete associated content within a reasonable time (typically within 30 days), except as described below
- Legal Requirements: We may retain certain information for longer periods if required by law, to resolve disputes, enforce our Terms, or prevent fraud and abuse
- Anonymized Data: We may retain anonymized, aggregated data that cannot identify you for analytics and service improvement purposes
You can request deletion of your data at any time by contacting us at support@barkat.world or by deleting your account through the app settings.
7. Your Rights
You have the following rights regarding your personal information:
- Right to Access: You can access and view your personal information through your account settings in the app
- Right to Update/Correct: You can update or correct your information at any time through your profile settings
- Right to Delete: You can delete your account and request deletion of your personal information (see Account Deletion section below)
- Right to Withdraw Consent: You can withdraw your consent for certain data processing activities by adjusting your privacy settings or contacting us
- Right to Data Portability: You can request a copy of your data in a portable format by contacting support@barkat.world
- Right to Object: You can object to certain processing of your information, such as analytics, by adjusting your settings or contacting us
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at support@barkat.world. We will respond to your request within a reasonable time frame, subject to applicable law. Note that some information may be retained as required by law or for legitimate business purposes.
Subscription management on iOS is handled through your Apple ID subscription settings. You can manage or cancel subscriptions directly through Apple's settings.
8. Account Deletion
You can delete your Barkat account at any time through the app settings or by contacting us at support@barkat.world. When you delete your account:
- Your profile will be removed from public view immediately
- Your personal information and content will be deleted within a reasonable time (typically within 30 days)
- Your messages and interactions with other users may be retained in their accounts
- Some information may be retained as required by law, to resolve disputes, or prevent fraud
- Anonymized data that cannot identify you may be retained for analytics purposes
Note: Deleting your account is permanent and cannot be undone. You will lose access to all your data, matches, and messages. If you have an active subscription, you should cancel it separately through your Apple ID or Google account settings before deleting your account.
9. Data Security
Barkat takes reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. We use industry-standard security practices, including:
- Encrypted connections (HTTPS/TLS) for data transmission
- Secure storage and access controls for data at rest
- Regular security assessments and updates
- Authentication and authorization mechanisms
- Limited access to personal information on a need-to-know basis
However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security. You use the Service at your own risk, and you are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials.
10. Children's Privacy
Barkat is not intended for users under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18. If you are under 18, please do not use Barkat or provide any personal information to us.
If you are a parent or guardian and believe that your child under 18 has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately at support@barkat.world. We will take steps to delete such information from our systems.
If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a child under 18, we will delete that information promptly.
11. International Transfers
Your information may be processed and stored in countries other than your own, including India and the United States, where our service providers operate. By using Barkat, you consent to the transfer of your information to these countries. We take appropriate safeguards to protect your information in accordance with this Privacy Policy, regardless of where it is processed or stored.
12. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or for other reasons. We will notify you of any material changes by:
- Posting the updated Privacy Policy in the app and on our website
- Updating the "Last updated" date at the top of this policy
- Sending you a notification through the app (for significant changes)
Your continued use of Barkat after such changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with the changes, you must stop using the Service and may delete your account.
13. Contact Information
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us:
By using Barkat, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy.