Privacy policy

Who this policy is from

ritu is a hyperlocal weather service for India, owned and operated by Ritu.ai Pvt Ltd (“ritu”), with its registered office at Plot No. 185, 7th Cross Street, M.K.B. Nagar, Vyasarpadi, Chennai 600039, Tamil Nadu, India. In this policy, “you” means the person using the ritu website (ritu.ai) or the ritu mobile apps for Android and iOS (together, the “service”).

Please read this whole policy before you use the service. This policy does not cover other websites or apps that ritu may link to. When you open another company’s website or app from ritu, that company’s own privacy policy applies. The rules for using ritu are in ritu’s terms and conditions.

Your consent

When you use the service, you agree to this policy. ritu stores and processes your data on servers in the United States (see “Where your data is stored” below). By using the service, you agree to this transfer and storage outside India.

What data ritu collects

ritu collects only the data it needs to run the service. What is collected depends on how you use it.

On the website, ritu collects:

• Your email address, when you ask ritu to bring a weather station to your area, or when you send a message through the contact page.
• Your name and email from your Google profile, when you sign in to manage a station. ritu uses Google sign-in and receives only your name and email from Google, never your password.
• The places you search, so ritu can show the weather for that place. When you type a place name, ritu sends what you type to Google Places to show matching places (this works the same on the website and in the app).

In the mobile apps, ritu may also collect:

• Your location, if you give permission, to show local weather and send local alerts (see “Location” below).
• A device notification token, if you turn on notifications, so ritu can send weather alerts to your device.
• Device identifiers, including your device’s advertising ID, used for ads and analytics as described below.

The mobile app does not ask you to create an account or sign in, so it does not collect your name or email. Account sign-in described above happens on the website.

On both the website and the apps, ritu also collects basic technical and usage data that your device sends to any online service: your IP address, device type and operating system, app or browser version, and how you use the service. ritu uses this to keep the service working, safe, and to improve it.

ritu does not ask for your payment card details on the website or in the apps. ritu does not sell your personal data to anyone.

Why ritu uses your data

• To show you the weather for the place you choose.
• To send weather alerts to your device, if you turn them on.
• To tell you when a weather station is added to an area you asked about.
• To reply to a message you send through the contact page.
• To let you sign in and manage or sponsor a station.
• To keep the service working, fast, and safe from misuse.
• To show ads and to understand how the service is used, so ritu can improve it (see “Ads and analytics” below).

Location

The mobile apps can use your device location to show weather for where you are and to send local alerts. The app asks for your permission first. You can choose to share location only while you are using the app, or always (in the background). The app uses background location only to send you local weather alerts when the app is not open.

When you ask for weather for a location, that location is sent to ritu’s weather data providers (currently OpenWeatherMap) so they can return the right reading. ritu may add other weather data providers over time. Apart from this, your location is not shared with other companies, except to follow the law or protect ritu’s rights.

You can turn off location permission at any time in your device settings. If you turn it off, ritu can still show weather for a place you search by name.

Ads and analytics

The ritu app uses tools from Google to understand how the app is used and to keep it stable: Google Firebase (analytics) and Firebase Crashlytics (crash reporting). The app also includes Google AdMob for ads, and ritu may show ads in the app.

To show ads, the advertising provider may use your device’s advertising ID and similar device identifiers. ritu does not share your location, name, or email with ad networks. Ads are not chosen using your location. The analytics tools collect data about how the app is used, such as which features are opened and basic device information, to help ritu fix problems and improve the app. These Google tools handle the data they receive under Google’s own privacy policy.

Sharing weather from the app

The app lets you share a weather reading, with the place it is for, to other apps such as messaging or social apps. This only happens when you choose to share. ritu does not share anything to these apps by itself.

Once you share something to another app or network, that company’s rules apply to it, not ritu’s. Please check their policies before you share.

Who ritu shares data with

ritu shares the smallest amount of data needed with trusted services that help run the service:

• Google, when you sign in with your Google account.
• Google Places, to find matching places when you search by name (on the website and in the app).
• OpenWeatherMap, to return weather for a location you ask about.
• An email delivery provider (Resend), to send emails such as verification messages and replies to you.
• Hosting and infrastructure providers that store data and run the service on ritu’s behalf.
• Ad and analytics providers (Google AdMob, Google Firebase, and Firebase Crashlytics), as described above (never your location).

These services may use your data only to do work for ritu, not for their own purposes. ritu may also share data when the law requires it, for example to answer a valid order from a court or government body, to protect ritu’s rights or the safety of others, to stop fraud or security problems, or if ritu is involved in a merger, sale, or transfer of its business.

Where your data is stored

ritu’s servers and main database are in the United States. This means your data is transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States, even though ritu serves users in India. The data protection laws of the United States may be different from those in India.

Indian law allows this transfer, and ritu takes reasonable steps to keep your data protected wherever it is stored. By using the service, you agree to this transfer and storage. If the law later requires ritu to keep certain data in India, ritu will follow that law.

How long ritu keeps your data

ritu keeps your data only as long as it is needed for the purpose it was collected, or as long as the law requires. ritu keeps support messages, such as emails and bug reports, so it can help you and keep a record. When data is no longer needed, ritu deletes it or removes the parts that identify you.

How ritu protects your data

ritu uses reasonable security steps to protect your data, such as encrypted connections and limited access. No system is perfectly safe, and sending data over the Internet is never fully secure, so ritu cannot promise complete security. ritu works to keep your data safe and to fix problems quickly if they happen.

Your rights

Under Indian law, you can ask ritu to:

• tell you what personal data ritu holds about you,
• correct data that is wrong or out of date,
• delete your data, where the law allows it, and
• stop using your data for a purpose you agreed to earlier (withdraw your consent).

To make any of these requests, contact ritu using the details below. ritu may need to confirm who you are before acting on a request.

Deleting your data

To delete the data ritu holds about you, email ritu at namaste@ritu.ai and ask for your data to be deleted. After you ask, ritu may keep your data on its servers for up to 90 days before it is fully removed, so it can complete the deletion safely and meet any legal duty.

Children

The service is meant for adults and is not directed to anyone under the age of 18. ritu does not knowingly collect data from children under 18. If you are under 18, please do not use the service or send ritu any data without a parent or guardian’s permission. If you believe a child has given ritu personal data, contact ritu and it will be removed.

Changes to this policy

ritu may update this policy sometimes, for example when the service changes or the law changes. When it does, the “Last updated” date at the top of this page will change, and the new policy takes effect when it is posted. Please check this page sometimes. If you keep using the service after a change, you accept the new policy.

Contact ritu

For any question about this policy or your data, write to the ritu grievance officer, Basanth Valeti, at namaste@ritu.ai, or send a message through the contact page. ritu will reply within the time the law requires.