Effective date: March 27, 2026 Last updated: March 27, 2026
Rishta ("we", "our", or "us") is a matchmaking application that helps people find meaningful connections. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and your rights regarding your personal data.
By using the Rishta app or website (studycircle.me), you agree to the practices described in this policy.
1. Information We Collect
Account data
- Phone number — used for OTP-based login via Firebase Authentication.
- Google account name & email — when you choose to sign in with Google.
- User ID — a unique identifier assigned to your account.
Profile data
- Name, date of birth, gender, religion, language, city, height, education, occupation, and bio.
- Profile photos and any additional photos you upload.
- Preferences you set for potential matches.
Location data
- Approximate location (city/region) for the "Near Me" feature. We do NOT track your precise GPS coordinates in the background.
- Location access is only requested when you actively use the Near Me feature.
Usage & communication data
- Messages sent between matched users (stored in our chat database).
- Interest requests, matches, and shortlists.
- Device push notification tokens (FCM) to deliver chat and match notifications.
- App usage logs for debugging (no third-party analytics).
2. How We Use Your Information
- To create and manage your account.
- To show your profile to potential matches and show other profiles to you.
- To enable real-time chat between matched users.
- To send push notifications about new matches, messages, and interests.
- To detect fraud, abuse, spam, and enforce our community guidelines.
- To improve the app and fix technical issues (logs are anonymised).
We do not sell your personal data. We do not use your data for advertising.
3. Third-Party Services
- Firebase (Google) — Authentication (phone OTP + Google Sign-In) and push notifications (FCM). Firebase may process your phone number and device token. Firebase Privacy Policy.
- Cloudinary — Stores and delivers your profile photos and media uploads. Images are hosted on Cloudinary's secure CDN. Cloudinary Privacy Policy.
- Google Play Services — Used on Android for sign-in and notifications. Google Privacy Policy.
4. Data Storage & Security
- Your data is stored on our servers hosted in India.
- All communication between the app and our server uses HTTPS/TLS encryption.
- Passwords are never stored — we use Firebase Authentication (OTP / Google) exclusively.
- Media files are stored on Cloudinary's encrypted infrastructure.
- We retain your data as long as your account is active. Deleted accounts are anonymised within 30 days.
5. Permissions We Request
- INTERNET — Required for all app functionality.
- CAMERA — To capture a photo directly for your profile. You can also choose from your gallery.
- READ_MEDIA_IMAGES — To let you select a profile photo from your gallery.
- ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION / ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION — Only requested when you use the "Near Me" feature and is not collected in the background.
- POST_NOTIFICATIONS — To show chat and match notifications (Android 13+). You can disable this at any time in device settings.
We do not request READ_SMS, WRITE_SMS, READ_CONTACTS, or CALL_LOG permissions.
6. Your Rights
- Access — You can view all profile data inside the app at any time.
- Edit — Update your profile information from the My Profile screen.
- Delete account — Go to Settings → Delete Account. Your data is permanently removed within 30 days.
- Deactivate account — Hide your profile temporarily without deleting data.
- Block a user — Prevent any user from viewing your profile or messaging you.
- Report a user — Report abusive, fake, or inappropriate profiles.
For any privacy requests, contact us at privacy@studycircle.me.
7. Children's Privacy
Rishta is intended for users aged 18 and above. We do not knowingly collect data from anyone under 18. If you believe a minor has created an account, please contact us immediately and we will remove it.
8. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you by updating the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. Continued use of the app after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
9. Contact Us
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or your personal data, you can reach us at:
- Email: privacy@studycircle.me
- Website: studycircle.me