Privacy Policy

At Unipool, we take your privacy seriously. This policy explains what data we collect when you use our app, how we use it, who we share it with, and your legal rights under the Egyptian Personal Data Protection Law No. 151 of 2020 (PDPL) and Apple App Store guidelines.

1. Data We Collect

a. Data you create yourself

• Full name, email address, and phone number (verified via OTP).
• University, faculty, year of study, and gender (gender is used solely to enable the female safety layer).
• Car ownership status and preferred role (passenger / driver / both).
• Avatar or profile imagery you select.
• Reviews and comments you write about rides.

b. Data we collect automatically

• Precise location data — collected only while the app is active and you're requesting or offering a ride. You can revoke this permission anytime in your device settings.
• Usage data — pages visited, buttons tapped, session duration (to improve the app).
• Device data — device type, OS version, unique device identifier, language, time zone.
• Advertising identifiers — IDFA on iOS or Google Advertising ID on Android (only with consent, for personalized ads).
• Ride history — every match, timestamps, pickup/drop-off points, ride status.

2. Why We Collect This Data

• Core matching service — we cannot match you with a driver or passenger without location, time, and university data.
• Safety and trust — we verify accounts as students, apply a rating system and cancellation penalties, and protect women through an explicit approval layer before any match.
• Communication between matched parties — we share the driver's phone number with the passenger (and vice versa) only after the match is confirmed.
• Product improvement — analyzing usage to detect bugs and improve performance.
• Notifications — in-app and push notifications about matches and ride status.
• Advertising — serving Google AdMob ads (see Section 5 for details).
• Legal compliance — responding to lawful requests from Egyptian authorities when legally required.

3. Legal Basis for Processing

Under Law No. 151/2020, we process your data based on:

• Your explicit consent — given when you sign up, with separate opt-ins for location, notifications, and personalized advertising.
• Contract performance — to deliver the matching service you requested.
• Legitimate interest — to prevent fraud, protect users, and improve our service.
• Legal obligation — when an Egyptian judicial authority lawfully requests your data.

4. Who We Share Your Data With

• Other Unipool users — only after matching: your first name, rating, avatar, phone number, and destination. Nothing else.
• Service providers — bound by data processing agreements:
  • Google Maps Platform — for map display and route calculation (your live location is shared with them).
  • Google Firebase — for push notifications and app analytics.
  • Google AdMob — for ad serving (see Section 5).
  • Hosting provider — Contabo (Germany) for secure data storage within the EU.
• Egyptian authorities — only with a court order or formal written request under Egyptian law.
• We never sell your data. We never share it with third parties for marketing purposes.

5. Google AdMob Advertising

The app uses Google AdMob to display advertisements. This keeps the app completely free for all students. AdMob collects:

• Your device's advertising identifier (IDFA on iOS, AAID on Android).
• Approximate location and device information.
• Your interaction with ads (clicks, impressions).

You can choose between personalized ads (based on your interests) or non-personalized ads (less targeted) from the app settings. On iOS, the app will request "App Tracking Transparency" permission before any tracking — if you decline, you'll only see non-personalized ads.

Learn more about Google's data practices: Google's Partner Policy.

6. International Data Transfers

Unipool's primary servers are in Germany (a country with GDPR-equivalent protection). Some service providers (Google) store data in the United States. Per Law 151/2020, we ensure that any transfer outside Egypt is to entities applying adequate protection safeguards. By using the app, you consent to these transfers.

7. Data Retention

• Core account data: until you delete your account.
• Ride history: 3 years after each ride completes (for disputes and rating purposes).
• Detailed location logs: auto-deleted after 30 days.
• Advertising and analytics data: per Google's policy (typically 14 months).

8. Your Rights Under Egyptian Law

Under Law 151/2020, you have the following rights:

• Right of access — request a copy of your stored data.
• Right of rectification — correct any inaccurate data.
• Right to erasure ("right to be forgotten") — request deletion of your account and all data. Available directly from app settings.
• Right to restrict processing — pause specific data uses.
• Right to data portability — receive your data in a readable format.
• Right to object — refuse processing for specific purposes (e.g. ads).
• Right to withdraw consent — anytime, without affecting the lawfulness of processing before withdrawal.
• Right to complain — to the Egyptian Center for Personal Data Protection.

To exercise any of these rights, email privacy@uni-pool.space. We respond within 30 days at most.

9. Security

We apply technical and organizational security measures to protect your data: encrypted communication (HTTPS/TLS), password hashing, restricted access controls, and regular monitoring. No system is 100% secure, so we recommend using a strong password and not sharing it.

If a breach occurs that may affect your data, we will notify you within 72 hours as required by law.

10. Children and Minors

Unipool is intended for university students (17 years and older). We do not allow accounts for anyone under 17. If we discover an account belonging to a minor, we will delete it immediately. If you are a parent and believe your child has signed up without consent, please contact us right away.

11. Policy Updates

We may update this policy from time to time. For material changes, we'll notify you in-app and via email at least 30 days before the change takes effect. Continued use of the app after the update constitutes your acceptance of the new version.

12. Contact Us

For any privacy-related question or request:
Email: privacy@uni-pool.space
Website: uni-pool.space

Disclaimer: This policy is a plain-language summary for your convenience. The legally binding version is available from our legal team upon request.