Privacy Policy for Parksafi AI

Last Updated: January 23, 2026

Introduction

Parksafi AI ("we", "our", or "the app") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our mobile application for finding and managing parking in Nairobi, Kenya.

By using Parksafi AI, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy.

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Personal Information

When you use Parksafi AI, we may collect the following personal information:

• Account Information: When you sign in using Google Sign-In, we collect:
  • Email address
  • Display name
  • Profile photo URL
  • Google User ID
• Profile Information: Information you provide when setting up or editing your profile:
  • Display name
  • M-Pesa phone number (for parking payments)
  • Vehicle number plate
  • Profile photo (if uploaded)
• Authentication Data: Firebase Authentication tokens and user identifiers for secure account access

1.2 Location Data

Parksafi AI collects and processes location information to provide core parking services:

• Precise Location (ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION): Real-time GPS coordinates to:
  • Find nearby parking spots
  • Show your position on the map
  • Calculate distance to parking locations
  • Enable auto check-in features (for premium users)
  • Provide navigation assistance
• Approximate Location (ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION): Network-based location for general area detection
• Background Location (ACCESS_BACKGROUND_LOCATION): Location tracking when the app is in the background or closed (only with explicit user permission) to:
  • Send proximity notifications for parking spots
  • Enable smart auto check-in features for reservations

Important: You can control location permissions in your device settings. Denying location access will limit core functionality of the app.

1.3 Camera and Media Access

• Camera Permission (CAMERA): To capture and upload profile photos
• Photo Library Access (READ_MEDIA_IMAGES, READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE): To select photos from your device for profile pictures

1.4 Microphone Access

• Audio Recording (RECORD_AUDIO): For voice search and AI assistant features using speech-to-text functionality. Audio is processed locally and transmitted to Google's Generative AI service for query processing.

1.5 Usage and Analytics Data

We automatically collect information about how you use the app:

• Search Queries: Parking searches and AI assistant queries
• Favorite Spots: Parking locations you mark as favorites
• Recent Queries: Your search history for improved suggestions
• Parking Activity: Check-in/check-out times, parking duration, visited spots
• Reservations: Active and past parking reservations
• App Interactions: Features used, screen views, and user preferences
• Device Information: Device model, operating system version, app version
• Network Status: Internet connectivity state for offline mode handling

1.6 Payment Information

• M-Pesa Payments: For parking reservations, we process payments through M-Pesa integration. We store your M-Pesa phone number but do not store credit card numbers, CVV codes, or other sensitive payment credentials.
• Google Play In-App Purchases: For premium subscriptions, payments are processed by Google Play. We receive only:
  • Purchase tokens
  • Subscription status
  • Purchase dates
  We do not receive your Google Play payment methods

1.7 Notification Data

• Push Notification Tokens (Firebase Cloud Messaging): Device tokens to send:
  • Parking reservation reminders
  • Check-out notifications
  • Proximity alerts for nearby spots
  • Subscription expiry notices

1.8 Local Storage

The following data is stored locally on your device using Hive database:

• Cached nearby parking spots
• Recent search queries
• Top-rated parking spots
• User profile cache
• Favorite spots

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the collected information for the following purposes:

2.1 Core Services

• Authenticate and manage your account
• Display nearby parking spots based on your location
• Provide turn-by-turn navigation to parking locations
• Enable parking reservations and payments
• Manage check-in and check-out processes
• Send service notifications (reservation confirmations, reminders, alerts)

2.2 Premium Features

• Process subscription purchases through Google Play Billing
• Enable premium features (unlimited AI queries, auto check-in, advanced analytics)
• Track daily AI query limits for free and premium users
• Manage subscription status and renewal dates

2.3 AI Assistant

• Process voice and text queries using Google Generative AI
• Provide personalized parking recommendations
• Answer parking-related questions
• Track usage limits (3 daily queries for free users, unlimited for premium)

2.4 Personalization

• Remember your favorite parking spots
• Suggest parking based on your search history
• Customize your profile and preferences
• Provide relevant parking recommendations

2.5 Analytics and Improvements

• Analyze app usage patterns to improve functionality
• Monitor app performance and crashes
• Develop new features based on user behavior
• Optimize search and recommendation algorithms

2.6 Communication

• Send important service updates
• Notify about parking availability
• Alert about subscription status
• Respond to support requests

3. Data Sharing and Disclosure

3.1 Third-Party Services

Parksafi AI integrates with the following third-party services that may collect and process your data:

Firebase Services (Google)

• Firebase Authentication: Account management and sign-in
• Cloud Firestore: User data, parking spots, reservations, favorites
• Firebase Cloud Functions: Backend processing and M-Pesa integration
• Firebase Cloud Messaging: Push notifications
• Firebase Storage: Profile photo storage
• Firebase App Check: Security and abuse prevention

Google Privacy Policy

Google Services

• Google Sign-In: Authentication
• Google Maps: Map display and navigation
• Google Generative AI: AI assistant and query processing
• Google Play Billing: In-app purchases and subscriptions

Location Services

• Geolocator: Location access and tracking
• GeoFlutterFire Plus: Geospatial queries for nearby spots

Other Services

• M-Pesa (Safaricom): Payment processing for parking reservations (Kenya only)

3.2 Data We Share

• With Service Providers: We share data with the third-party services listed above to provide app functionality
• With Parking Operators: Your reservation details (name, phone number, arrival time) may be shared with parking spot owners
• For Legal Compliance: We may disclose information if required by law, court order, or government request
• Business Transfers: In case of merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, user data may be transferred

3.3 Data We DO NOT Share

• We do not sell your personal information to third parties
• We do not share your location data with advertisers
• We do not use your data for targeted advertising
• We do not share payment credentials with third parties

4. Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your data:

• Encryption: Data transmitted between the app and servers uses HTTPS/TLS encryption
• Firebase Security Rules: Firestore data is protected with server-side security rules
• Authentication: Secure token-based authentication via Firebase Auth
• App Check: Protection against unauthorized API usage and abuse
• Local Storage: Sensitive data cached locally uses Hive encrypted storage
• Permission Controls: Access to features requires explicit user permission

Despite our security measures, no system is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security of your data.

5. Data Retention

• Active Accounts: We retain your data while your account is active
• Account Deletion: If you delete your account, we will delete your personal information within 30 days, except:
  • Transaction records (retained for 7 years for legal/tax compliance)
  • Aggregated analytics data (anonymized)
• Inactive Accounts: Accounts inactive for 3 years may be automatically deleted
• Local Cache: Locally stored data is cleared when you uninstall the app or clear app data

6. Your Rights and Choices

6.1 Access and Control

• Access Your Data: View your profile, reservations, favorites, and search history in the app
• Update Information: Edit your profile details, phone number, vehicle plate at any time
• Delete Data: Remove search history, favorites, and profile information
• Download Data: Request a copy of your data by contacting support
• Delete Account: Permanently delete your account and associated data from Settings

6.2 Location Permissions

• Enable/disable location services in device settings
• Revoke background location permission (affects auto check-in and proximity alerts)
• Use the app in limited mode without location access

6.3 Notification Preferences

• Disable push notifications in device settings
• Manage notification channels (Android) or notification settings (iOS)
• Some critical service notifications (reservation confirmations) cannot be disabled

6.4 Opt-Out Options

• Voice Assistant: Don't use voice features to avoid microphone access
• Photo Upload: Skip profile photo upload to avoid camera/gallery access
• Premium Features: Continue using the app with free tier (limited AI queries)

7. Children's Privacy

Parksafi AI is not intended for users under 18 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately.

8. International Data Transfers

Your data is primarily stored on Firebase servers, which may be located outside Kenya. By using Parksafi AI, you consent to the transfer of your information to countries that may have different data protection laws than Kenya.

Firebase complies with international data protection standards including GDPR and other frameworks.

9. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically. Changes will be communicated through:

• In-app notification
• Email to registered users
• Updated "Last Updated" date at the top of this policy

Your continued use of the app after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

10. Kenya Data Protection Compliance

Parksafi AI complies with the Kenya Data Protection Act, 2019. As a data subject in Kenya, you have rights including:

• Right to access your personal data
• Right to correction of inaccurate data
• Right to deletion (right to be forgotten)
• Right to object to processing
• Right to data portability
• Right to lodge a complaint with the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner

11. Testing and Development

For Internal Testing: During internal testing phases (Play Store Internal Testing, Closed Testing), we may collect additional diagnostic information to identify and fix bugs. This includes:

• Crash reports and stack traces
• Performance metrics
• Test user feedback
• Debug logs

Test data is used solely for development purposes and is not shared externally.

12. Contact Information

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your data:

Developer Contact:
Email: hifadhiappkenya@gmail.com
Support: In-app support via Settings > Help & Support

Data Protection Inquiries:
For data protection requests under the Kenya Data Protection Act, please email with "Data Protection Request" in the subject line.

Response Time: We aim to respond to all inquiries within 7 business days.

13. Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR)

For users in the European Economic Area, we process your data based on:

• Contract Performance: To provide parking services you've requested
• Consent: For location tracking, notifications, and optional features
• Legitimate Interests: For analytics, security, and service improvements
• Legal Obligation: To comply with tax and financial regulations

14. Third-Party Links

The app may contain links to external websites or services (e.g., Google Maps navigation). We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third parties. Please review their privacy policies.

15. Data Breach Notification

In the event of a data breach that affects your personal information, we will:

• Notify affected users within 72 hours
• Report to relevant authorities as required by law
• Take immediate action to secure systems and prevent further breaches
• Provide guidance on protective measures you can take

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Acknowledgment

By creating an account and using Parksafi AI, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to this Privacy Policy.

Version: 1.0.0
Effective Date: January 23, 2026
App Package: com.parksafi.app