Privacy Policy
We value your privacy and commit to using your personal information only as described in this Privacy Policy. This Policy governs the Ask Around app, its associated websites, subdomains, portals, products, goods, any interactive features, and other services that link to this Privacy Policy (collectively, the "App"). It also governs the information we collect from you within the App. We refer to all of these provisions collectively as our "Services."
We aim to transparently communicate what information we collect from you, the reasons for its collection, how we use it, under what circumstances we might share it, how we safeguard it, and how you can alter the use of your information.
Throughout this Policy, "Personal Information" means any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person. We do not sell your information, nor do we intend to do so in the future.
This Policy applies to the information we collect:
- On the App, through the information you provide when signing up for the App or through your use of the App and its features;
- In general communication via email, text, and other electronic messages between you and this App or our contact email; and
- When you download our App, which may provide dedicated non-browser-based interaction between you and this App
If you voluntarily provide information while interacting with the App or using our Services (such as posting a photo or reviewing a location), we will consider this as your consent to our collection, use, and disclosure of information as outlined in this Privacy Policy.
This Privacy Policy is also an integral part of our Terms of Service (the “Terms”), which govern your use of the App and Services.
1. What Information We Collect
We collect several types of information from and about users of our App, including information contained in the profile you create to register on our App, such as:
Personal Information. Your name, username, email and password, profile picture, social media login (optional), phone number/WhatsApp, city you're based in (optional), biography about yourself (optional), travel interests (optional), address book contact information including name and phone numbers (optional).
Providing this information is voluntary—you can still use the Ask Around App without it, although your experience may be limited without a profile.
Usage and Device Information. Certain information is automatically collected when you use our App or Services. This may include your IP address, IDFA, Android or Google Advertising ID, IMEI, or other unique identifiers, or device information (such as browser type, browser language, operating system, hardware, and network data). We use software development kits ("SDKs") and other analytics tools, such as PostHog, to gather data on App usage and operational metrics. This analytical data helps us understand user behaviour within the App, such as referral and exit pages, the areas of the App you visit, and your activities therein, including preferences and device data like visit times or session duration. This information may be shared with analytics providers, though it is typically not linked to personal identifiers like your name or email address. For more details on PostHog’s data use, visit Posthog’s privacy page.
Location Information. For enhanced service delivery—as we are a geolocation-based application - your location, taken from some or all of the following geolocation methods: GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth and/or cellular technology in your device. With your consent, we collect location information from photographs in your Travel History and your background GPS location.
Non-Personal Information.
- The browser and device information: location, device type, model, number, type of browser or operating system, the time and date of access, screen resolution, plug-ins, add-ons and the version of the Services you are using, and other information that does not personally identify you.
- Information from your use of the Services and information from other sources: we may receive information about how and when you use the Services, or other types of files associated with your account, and link it to other information we collect about you. Also, we may obtain information about you from third-party sources, such as public databases, social media platforms, third-party data providers, and our joint marketing partners. This information may include, for example, time, date, browser used, demographic information, device information (such as device type, model, number, type of browser or operating system), location, and online behavioural data (such as information about your use of social media websites, page view information and search results and links), actions you have taken, anonymous usage data, referring/exit pages and URLs, preferences you submit and preferences that are generated based on the data you submit and the number of clicks.
2. How We Collect This Information:
- Directly from you when you create or update your AskAround profile;
- Indirectly from you, from using geolocation to track your location or updates you send to your AskAround account such as photographs and travel history; from you when you create or update your AskAround profile;
- Automatically from your device as you navigate through the App or through geolocation as you travel. Information collected automatically may include usage details, IP addresses, GPS, WiFi and Bluetooth information, and information collected through cookies and web beacons.
Tracking technologies: in connection with the performance of the Services, AskAround uses:
- Cookies: small data files that websites transfer to your computer's hard drive for record-keeping purposes. While most web browsers are configured to accept cookies, you have the option to modify this setting in your browser preferences. Please note that if you choose not to accept cookies, some features of AskAround may not be accessible. We utilize cookies to enhance your AskAround experience, allowing us to store information and streamline your interactions with the app, eliminating the need to re-enter data each time you visit.
- Web beacons: we embed small electronic tags in the App’s pages and emails we send, which allow us to collect information about when you open the email and your IP address, your browser and other similar details.
- Unique identifiers and similar tracking technologies: we may use various tracking technologies to manage our Services, monitor user activity, analyze trends, serve targeted ads, gather demographic data, evaluate email campaign effectiveness, and enhance features for specific customer segments.
Log Data monitoring: we may collect log data whenever you access our tool. This data could include an IP address, browser type and version, and other user statistics. When you access AskAround with a mobile device, log data may include the type of device, your mobile unique ID, the IP address of your device, your mobile operating system, and other mobile statistics.
Third-party services: we may use third-party services, such as PostHog that collect and analyze log data to help us improve AskAround, and occasionally to use for targeted online advertising. Our third-party partners may use cookies or other tracking technologies to provide you with advertising on other sites based on your browsing activities and interests. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party services before engaging with them through our App. You can find more information about these practices, including how to opt out of receiving targeted advertising here: http://www.aboutads.info/choices/.
You may reach out to us via webforms on our Site and in the App, where we generally request only your name and email address. Please avoid providing additional personal information through these forms, but if you do, you are allowing us to use it.
Based on the requirements of the California Online Privacy Protection Act, AskAround declares that it does not correspond to Do Not Track browser signals.
3. Why We Collect Information
We collect information primarily to enhance your user experience and for the operation of the Services. Our use of your information may include:
- Responding to your requests for information;
- Providing our products or Services to you;
- Providing data on locations and places of interest to our users;
- Verifying your identity and for fraud prevention;
- Providing you with updates and information about the products and services we provide;
- Improving the effectiveness of the App, our marketing endeavors, and our product and service offerings;
- Helping us address problems with and improve the App and our products and services, including testing and creating new products, features, and services;
- Protecting the security and integrity of the App, including understanding and resolving any technical and security issues reported on the App;
- Engaging in analysis, research, and reports regarding the use of the App and Services;
- For internal business purposes;
- Providing customer support;
- Ensuring observance of our Terms of Service and meet the legal requirements;
- Complying with the law and protecting the safety, rights, property or security of AskAround, the Services, and the general public; and
- For other business purposes.
4. Disclosure of Your Information
We will never sell, rent, or lease your Personal Information to a third party, but we may occasionally need to share your information with third parties who provide services integral to our operations (such as email or marketing vendors, or third-party payment processors). This sharing will only occur under strict contractual agreements that prohibit these third parties from disclosing or using the information for purposes other than those they were engaged in. Additionally, we may use or share specific information you have provided, such as your photos or social media handles, with our partners or other third parties for co-branded activities. We may also utilize your information to present you with promotional offers or opportunities to participate in our contests. If you have tagged us in a social media post or directly messaged us information about a location you visited, your social media handle or other personal information may be used by us on our App or across our social media platforms.
At times, we may aggregate, de-identify, or anonymize the information collected through the App or Services so it can no longer be associated with you personally. This anonymized data may be used or shared for any purpose, including but not limited to research and marketing purposes, and we may also distribute this data to our affiliates and third-party collaborators.
Additionally, we may be required to share your information under the following circumstances:
- To comply with a legally valid and enforceable subpoena or summons;
- In connection with the prospective sale, purchase, or merger of all or a portion of our company, ensuring that the prospective parties are bound by confidentiality agreements to prevent disclosure of the information;
- As part of any actual or potential legal proceedings or alternative dispute resolution measures, whether initiated by or against us, where we will only disclose information necessary to pursue or defend against the action and will take all appropriate measures to ensure such information does not become public.
- If you violate our Terms of Service.
Furthermore, we may share your information upon receiving your explicit consent at the time such information is collected, for instance, if you choose to participate in sweepstakes or contests offered by us.
We may disclose Non-Personal Information for any purpose because this information cannot be used to identify you or another person.
5. Email Communications
You may occasionally receive emails related to your use of AskAround. Based on the Personal Information that you provide us, we may communicate with you in response to your inquiries to provide the Services you request and to manage your account. If we have your consent, we may also use your Personal Information to send you updates and other promotional communications. Every email will contain a link to be able to opt out of receiving it. We may still send important messages regarding administrative matters, updates, disputes, and customer service issues that are required to provide the Services.
6. Your Rights Regarding Your Information
You have the following rights regarding your Personal Information:
- Right to Access. You have the right to request disclosure of the specific pieces of your Personal Information we have collected about you in a portable and, where technically feasible, readily usable format.
- Right to Know. You have the right to verify if we have collected Personal Information about you and to know the details of it.
- Right to Deletion. You may request the deletion of your Personal Data in accordance with Clause 7 of this Privacy Policy.
- Right to Opt-Out. You have the right to opt out of sharing your Personal Information for cross-context behavioral advertising to third parties. You can exercise this right by visiting our Cookie Settings and disabling functional, performance, and targeting cookies.
- Right to object to the processing of your Personal Information. You have the right to object to the processing of your personal data, including profiling.
- Right to correct your Personal Information. You have the right to update inaccurate information that we process about you by amending it to your AskAround account.
- Right to exercise rights without discrimination. You have the right not to receive discriminatory treatment if you exercise the rights conferred to you by applicable privacy law.
Please be aware that these rights may be limited by applicable laws and depend on technical feasibility.
If you are not able to exercise these rights through your AskAround’s account, please contact us at admin@askaround.travel. We may require additional information or identifying documents from you to verify your identity and process your request.
If you are a resident of California and you want to implement your rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act, please refer to Clause 15 of this Privacy Policy.
7. Data Retention
Unless you specifically request that we delete your Personal Information, we will keep it for as long as we need to meet our Terms of Service, give you Services, and maintain the effective operation of our business.
If you ask us to delete your Personal Information, we may still be obliged to retain it for the following purposes: (i) to follow the law or rules (like maintaining transaction records), (ii) to deal with legal issues or defend ourselves in legal claims, and (iii) to protect against fraud or abuse on our Service. This implies that different types of Personal Information may be kept for different amounts of time.
Sometimes, we might not be able to delete, make anonymous, or hide your Personal Information right away because of technical, legal, or operational reasons. In these situations, we will take reasonable measures to securely isolate your Personal Information from any further processing until we can properly delete, make anonymous, or de-identify it.
If your account is inactive for 2 years or more, AskAround reserves the right to permanently delete your account with all its data, including your list of subscribers and your content. If AskAround decides to delete your account, you will be informed via email. You will then be given 30 days to export the data or reactivate your account before the account is permanently deleted.
8. Children's Privacy
By using the Service, you represent that you are at least 16 years of age. If you believe that a child under 16 may have provided us with personal information, please contact us at admin@askaround.travel.
9. “Do Not Track” Disclosure
"Do Not Track" (DNT) is a privacy preference that users can set in their web browsers to inform websites and other web services that they do not want certain information about their webpage visits collected over time and across websites.
Ask Around does not currently respond to DNT signals. We do not track our users across third-party websites to provide targeted advertising and therefore do not respond to Do Not Track (DNT) signals.
For more detailed information about Do Not Track mechanisms, please visit the following link: Learn More About Do Not Track.
10. Links
For your convenience, the App and this Privacy Policy may contain links to other websites. None of the links on the App should be deemed to imply that Ask Around endorses or has any affiliation with the links. Ask Around is not responsible for the privacy practices, advertising, products, services, or the content of such other websites. Please see our Terms of Service for more information.
11. Security and Safety of Your Information
AskAround takes and incorporates commercially reasonable safeguards, and technical and organizational security precautions to ensure a level of security appropriate to the risk, and follows industry best practices to protect your Personal Information from any unauthorized or unlawful breach of security that leads to the accidental or unlawful destruction, loss, alteration, unauthorized disclosure of or access to Personal Information and to preserve the security and confidentiality of the data. However, no data transmission over the Internet, mobile networks, wireless transmission, or electronic storage of information can be guaranteed 100% secure. As a result, we cannot guarantee or warrant the security of any information you transmit to or from the App, and by using our Service, you acknowledge that you understand and agree to assume these risks.
The user is responsible for reviewing the information made available by AskAround relating to its data security and making an independent determination as to whether the Services meet the user’s requirements and legal obligations under Data Protection Laws. Also, the user is responsible for its secure use of the Services, including securing its account authentication credentials, protecting the security of Personal Information when in transit to and from the Services and taking any appropriate steps to securely encrypt or backup any Personal Information uploaded to the Services.
12. California Privacy Rights
This section applies exclusively to individuals residing in California (“California Users”). It delineates our procedures for collecting, using, and sharing the Personal Information of California Users in our capacity as a business according to the California Consumer Privacy Act ("CCPA"), along with the associated rights regarding such Personal Information. For this clause, "Personal Information" refers to the definition of “Personal Information” as it is outlined in the CCPA.
California Users can exercise the subsequent rights regarding their Personal Information, but these rights are not unconditional, and there may be instances where we are authorized to reject your request according to CCPA:
- Right to Know: You can request details about our collection and usage of your Personal Information, including categories of collected data, purposes, third-party sharing, and specific pieces collected. AskAround will respond to a maximum of two (2) requests within a twelve (12) month period.
- Right to Access: You can access all Personal Information transferred to us in your AskAround account. You can also request details regarding how we have collected and used your Personal Information over the past twelve (12) months, and AskAround will respond to a maximum of two (2) requests. Please note that there may be legal restrictions preventing us from disclosing certain Personal Information if it poses a substantial risk to the security of the information, our systems, or your account.
- Right to Correct: If you find any inaccuracies in your Personal Information that we hold, or if it changes, you can make respective changes in your AskAround account or you can notify us and we will promptly update our records to ensure they reflect the accurate information.
- Right to Deletion: You can request the deletion of your Personal Information as per Clause 7 of this Privacy Policy. AskAround may delete, de-identify, or aggregate your data upon such a request, confirming the information before deletion.
- No Selling of Personal Information: AskAround adheres to CCPA regulations by not selling your Personal Data.
- Limited Processing of Sensitive Personal Data: We don’t collect any sensitive Personal Information.
- Right to Nondiscrimination. We will not engage in discrimination against you for exercising any of your CCPA rights.
If you are not able to exercise these rights through your AskAround account, California Users may exercise these rights over their Personal Information by contacting us at admin@askaround.travel
13. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We reserve the right to modify this Privacy Policy at any time. Any changes will be posted on this page and will indicate the date they were last revised. Please check this Privacy Policy periodically if you are concerned about how your information is used.
14. Contact Us
If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our treatment of your information, please contact us at admin@askaround.travel
We value your interaction with Ask Around and are committed to providing you with exceptional service while respecting your privacy.
Thank you for choosing Ask Around!