Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

This policy applies to all riders and drivers who register on the RideSOS app, website, or related services. It does not apply to third-party sites or services linked from within the app, which have their own privacy practices.

2. Information We Collect

We collect information in three ways: what you provide directly, what is generated through your use of the Service, and what is created when our team reviews your verification.

• •Account information: full name, email address, phone number, and password.
• •Identity verification data: a selfie photo, a government-issued ID photo, and your NBI (National Bureau of Investigation) clearance number, submitted for manual review before Protection Mode or SOS is unlocked.
• •Location data: foreground and, if you grant it, background GPS location, as described in Section 3.
• •Protection Mode status: whether you are currently "on duty," and periodic location heartbeats while on duty.
• •Incident data: SOS trigger time, emergency category (e.g. robbery, medical, breakdown), live location trail during an active incident, responder confirmations, and resolution status.
• •Device & push data: device model, operating system, app version, and your Expo push notification token, used to deliver SOS and alert notifications.
• •Support communications: any messages you send to our support team.

3. Location Data

Because RideSOS is a location-based safety network, GPS data is central to how it functions. We collect:

• •Foreground location when you actively use the app, to determine which nearby verified riders to notify during an SOS.
• •Background location while Protection Mode is on, so you can be notified of a nearby SOS even if the app is backgrounded, and while an SOS you triggered is active, so responders can follow your live location trail.

You can decline "Allow all the time" location access, but you will then only receive nearby SOS alerts while the app is open in the foreground, and your own SOS may not be able to share an updating location trail if the app is backgrounded during an incident.

4. How We Use Data

• •To create and manage your account and authenticate your logins.
• •To manually verify your identity — selfie, government ID, and NBI clearance number — before granting access to Protection Mode and SOS.
• •To determine which verified, on-duty riders are within the alert radius of a triggered SOS, and to notify them with distance and live location.
• •To maintain an incident record (category, trail, responders, resolution) for your own history and for safety review.
• •To detect and prevent misuse of the SOS feature, including false or fraudulent alerts.
• •To respond to support requests and communicate service updates.
• •To comply with legal obligations and respond to lawful requests from public authorities.

5. How We Share Data

We do not sell your personal information. We share data only in the following circumstances:

• •With notified responders: when you trigger an SOS, your name, distance, emergency category, and live location trail are shared with verified riders in Protection Mode within the alert radius, until the incident is resolved.
• •With our verification team: your selfie, ID photo, and NBI clearance number are reviewed internally by authorized staff only.
• •With service providers: our hosting provider, mapping/tile provider, and Expo's push notification service, under confidentiality obligations, solely to operate the Service.
• •For legal reasons: when required by law, subpoena, or to protect the rights, safety, and property of RideSOS, our users, or the public.
• •Business transfers: in connection with a merger, acquisition, or transfer of assets, subject to this policy's protections.

6. SOS & Protection Mode

When you trigger an SOS, RideSOS transmits your live location and incident details to verified, on-duty riders within the configured alert radius so they can respond. RideSOS is not a licensed emergency dispatcher and does not itself contact police, medical, or fire services on your behalf — you should always contact local emergency services directly for a life-threatening situation, in addition to using the SOS button. Incident data (category, location trail, responders, resolution) is retained longer than routine account data to support safety review, as described in Section 8.

7. Data Security

We use industry-standard safeguards to protect your information, including encrypted network connections, access controls limiting who can view verification documents, and authentication tokens for all API requests. No system is completely secure, and we encourage you to use a strong password and to report any suspected unauthorized account activity to us immediately.

8. Data Retention

We retain account and verification data for as long as your account is active and as necessary to comply with legal obligations. Incident records (SOS history, location trails, responder confirmations) are retained longer to support dispute resolution and misuse investigation. You may request deletion of your account and associated data as described in Section 9, subject to any legal retention requirements.

9. Your Rights & Choices

Depending on your location, you may have the right to:

• •Access or request a copy of your personal data, including your verification and incident history.
• •Correct inaccurate account information.
• •Request deletion of your account and associated data, subject to legal retention requirements.
• •Withdraw background location permission (which limits Protection Mode and live-trail sharing during an incident).
• •Object to or restrict certain processing of your data.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at privacy@ridesos.app. We will respond within the timeframe required by applicable law.

10. Children's Privacy

RideSOS is not intended for use by anyone under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we learn that we have collected data from a child, we will delete it promptly.

11. International Transfers

Your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed by service providers located outside your country, including cloud hosting and push notification infrastructure. Where required, we implement appropriate safeguards to protect data transferred internationally.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. If we make material changes, we will notify you via the app or email before the changes take effect. The "Last updated" date at the top of this page reflects the most recent revision.

13. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, contact our privacy team: