Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

RidesPool ("we," "our," or "us"), operated by North Cipher Valley Inc., respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our ridesharing platform.

This policy complies with Canadian privacy laws, including the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA).

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide:

• Account Information: Name, email address, phone number, profile photo, gender (for SheSafePool eligibility)
• Driver Verification Information: Driver's license number, license photo, government-issued ID, selfie photos for face matching, vehicle registration, vehicle insurance, vehicle photos from multiple angles
• Biometric Data (Optional Verification): Facial recognition data from selfie photos, AI-powered face matching results, verification match scores (stored for law enforcement assistance only)
• SheSafePool Verification: Gender verification from government ID, additional identity verification photos, enhanced verification status
• Ride Information: Pickup/dropoff locations, dates, times, pricing, seat selections, passenger count
• Payment Information: Payment method details (processed securely, not stored by us)
• Communications: Messages, reviews, ratings, booking requests, WhatsApp phone numbers

2.2 Information Collected Automatically:

• Device Information: IP address, browser type, device type
• Usage Data: Pages visited, features used, time spent
• Location Data: GPS location (with your permission)
• Cookies: See our Cookie Policy for details

3. How We Use Your Information

IMPORTANT: RidesPool is a ride-pooling connection platform, NOT a transportation service. We collect data to operate our platform and assist law enforcement if needed - NOT for employment screening or to guarantee driver/passenger quality.

We use your information to:

• Operate our ride-pooling connection platform
• Connect drivers and passengers for private ride arrangements
• Facilitate cost-sharing between users
• Verify driver licenses and identities (for law enforcement assistance, not screening)
• Perform AI-powered face matching for identity verification (optional)
• Enable SheSafePool women-only ride verification
• Manage seat selection and booking system
• Send email and in-app notifications about rides and bookings
• Facilitate WhatsApp communication between users
• Display driver/passenger reviews and ratings
• Provide customer support for platform issues
• Prevent fraud, fake accounts, and platform abuse
• Comply with legal obligations and assist law enforcement
• Analyze platform usage and improve features

⚠️ DISCLAIMER: Verification data is collected for identification purposes and potential law enforcement assistance only. It does NOT constitute background screening, employment vetting, or safety guarantee.

4. Information Sharing

We share your information with:

4.1 Other Users:

• Drivers see passenger names and pickup locations
• Passengers see driver names, photos, ratings, and vehicle information
• Reviews and ratings are publicly visible

4.2 Service Providers:

• Payment processors (for secure transactions)
• Cloud hosting providers (for data storage)
• Analytics providers (to improve our service)
• Customer support tools

4.3 Legal Requirements and Law Enforcement:

We may disclose information when required by law, court order, or to protect rights, safety, and property. This includes:

• Responding to lawful requests from law enforcement
• Providing driver verification data in case of accidents or incidents
• Assisting investigations related to criminal activity or safety concerns
• Complying with subpoenas, court orders, or legal processes
• Cooperating with regulatory authorities when legally required

Driver verification data (including license photos and face matching results) is retained to assist law enforcement in case of incidents. This does NOT make RidesPool liable for driver conduct or safety - we are merely a platform maintaining records.

We do NOT sell your personal information to third parties for marketing or commercial purposes.

4.1 Biometric Data and AI Face Matching

For users who choose to complete verification:

We use AI-powered face matching technology to compare your selfie photo with your government-issued ID. This process:

• Creates temporary facial recognition data (biometric information)
• Generates a match score percentage (e.g., 95% match confidence)
• Stores the result for verification records and law enforcement assistance
• Is completely optional - you can use RidesPool without verification

⚠️ IMPORTANT: Biometric data is collected for identity verification ONLY. It does NOT:

• Guarantee user safety or driver quality
• Constitute employment screening or background checks
• Make RidesPool liable for user conduct
• Replace your responsibility to assess ride safety

By completing verification, you consent to this biometric data collection and processing in accordance with Canadian privacy laws (PIPEDA and provincial biometric laws where applicable).

5. Notification System

We send notifications to keep you informed about your rides:

• Email Notifications: Booking confirmations, verification approvals/rejections, ride updates
• In-App Notifications: Real-time alerts for booking requests, approvals, cancellations
• Notification Preferences: You can manage notification settings in your account

6. WhatsApp Integration

RidesPool uses WhatsApp for driver-passenger communication. When you contact a driver via WhatsApp:

• Your phone number is shared with the driver
• Communication occurs outside RidesPool's platform
• WhatsApp's privacy policy applies to those conversations
• We do not monitor WhatsApp messages

7. Data Security

We implement security measures to protect your information:

• Encryption of data in transit and at rest
• Secure authentication systems
• Regular security audits
• Limited employee access to personal data

However, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security.

8. Your Rights

Under Canadian privacy law, you have the right to:

• Access: Request a copy of your personal information
• Correction: Request corrections to inaccurate data
• Deletion: Request deletion of your account and data
• Withdrawal: Withdraw consent for certain data uses
• Portability: Request your data in a portable format
• Objection: Object to certain data processing

To exercise these rights, contact us at privacy@ridespool.com

9. Data Retention

We retain your information:

• As long as your account is active
• As needed to provide our services
• To comply with legal obligations
• To resolve disputes
• To enforce our agreements

When you delete your account, we will delete or anonymize your personal information within 30 days, except where required by law.

10. Children's Privacy

RidesPool is not intended for children under 18. We do not knowingly collect information from children. If you believe we have collected information from a child, please contact us immediately.

11. International Data Transfers

Your information may be stored and processed in Canada or other countries where our service providers operate. We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place for cross-border transfers.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of significant changes via email or platform notification. Continued use after changes indicates acceptance.

13. Contact Us

For privacy-related questions or to exercise your rights:

Email: privacy@ridespool.com
Mail: RidesPool Privacy Officer, Canada

For complaints about privacy practices, you may also contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada.