BookAura

1. Introduction

Welcome to BookAura (referred to as "BookAura", "bookaura", "we", "our", or "us"). We are committed to protecting the privacy, security, and integrity of your personal information.

This Privacy Policy explains how our mobile applications (available on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store) and web platform collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your personal information when you use our appointment booking platform, browse salon services, communicate with beauty professionals, or operate as a service partner.

2. Information We Collect

Depending on your role (Customer or Beauty Service Provider), we collect the following categories of data:

A. Personal Information Provided by You

• Account Details: Full name, email address, phone number, and encrypted password.
• Social Authentication Data: When logging in via Google Sign-In or Apple Sign-In, we receive your name, verified email, and unique authentication identifier.
• Profile Media: Profile photos uploaded for account personalization.

B. Provider & Business Verification Data (KYC)

• Business Details: Salon name, business address, trading category, operating hours, staff list, and service catalog.
• Verification Documents: Government-issued photo ID, business license/trade registration, and proof of address for fraud prevention and legal compliance.
• Payout Information: Bank account holder name, account number, sort code / IBAN, or Stripe/PayPal email used exclusively for depositing earnings.

C. Device & Technical Information

• Push Notification Tokens: Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) tokens to deliver instant booking confirmations, reminders, and chat alerts.
• Device Identifiers: Operating system version, app version, and error diagnostics for troubleshooting.

3. Location Data Usage

We use your device location data solely for the following explicit purposes:

• To discover and list beauty salons, barbershops, and spa professionals within your immediate geographical radius.
• To calculate accurate driving, walking, and transit distances to the salon.
• To display interactive interactive maps in the salon discovery and checkout screens.

User Control: You can enable, disable, or modify location permissions at any time via your device system settings (Settings > BookAura > Location). If disabled, you can still manually enter a city or postal code to discover salons.

4. How We Use Your Information

We process your data based on lawful grounds (contract fulfillment, legal obligations, and legitimate business interests):

• Appointment Fulfillment: Scheduling appointments, reserving time slots with stylists, and preventing double bookings.
• Automated Notifications: Sending real-time booking status updates (Confirmed, Completed, Rescheduled, or Cancelled).
• Commission & Payout Management: Calculating platform fees and securely transferring net service revenue to verified providers.
• Customer Support: Responding to help tickets, inquiries, and dispute resolutions.
• Platform Security: Detecting and mitigating malicious traffic, unauthorized access, and fraudulent bookings.

5. Payment & Financial Data Security

All digital transactions on BookAura are encrypted using industry-standard TLS/SSL protocols and processed through globally certified PCI-DSS Level 1 payment gateways:

• Stripe (Credit/Debit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay)
• PayPal (Online PayPal checkout)
• Cash at Salon (Offline payment recorded on service completion)

6. Chat & Media Attachments

BookAura includes an in-app direct messaging feature allowing customers and salons to coordinate appointment specifics (hair style references, appointment timings, consultation images):

• Camera & Photo Library Access: Used only when you choose to take a photo or attach reference images in chat, upload a profile photo, or submit salon gallery photos.
• Message Storage: Chat transcripts and attachments are securely stored in encrypted database records to preserve chat history for both participants.
• User Controls: Senders have full capability to edit or delete their sent messages directly from the chat interface at any time.

7. Third-Party Services & SDKs

We work with trusted third-party service providers to deliver core app functionality:

8. Data Retention & Security Standards

We employ technical, administrative, and physical safeguards designed to protect personal information against unauthorized access, loss, or misuse:

• Cryptographic Hashing: User passwords are encrypted using one-way Bcrypt (cost factor 10) algorithms.
• Transport Security: All client-server communications are strictly enforced via HTTPS / TLS 1.3 encryption.
• Retention Period: We retain account records as long as your account remains active. Transactional receipts are retained for the statutory accounting period required by applicable taxation laws.

9. Your Privacy Rights (GDPR & CCPA)

Regardless of your geographical location, BookAura grants you complete control over your personal data:

• Right to Access: You can request a complete copy of your personal data stored in our systems.
• Right to Rectification: You can edit and correct your name, phone number, and profile details anytime in the app settings.
• Right to Erasure (Deletion): You have the right to permanently delete your account and associated data.
• Right to Opt-Out: You can disable push notifications or promotional emails at any time.

10. Account & Data Deletion Policy (App Store & Play Store Compliance)

In strict compliance with Google Play Store Policy and Apple App Store Review Guidelines (Section 5.1.1), BookAura provides an easy, automated way to permanently delete your account and all associated personal data.

How to delete your account:

1. Open the BookAura Mobile App and log in to your account.
2. Navigate to Profile > Settings > Support Hub > Privacy & Security.
3. Tap "Delete My Account" and confirm your decision.

Alternatively, you may submit an account deletion request by emailing support@bookaura.net from your registered email address with the subject line "Account Deletion Request". Your account, profile, chats, and uploaded images will be permanently purged within 48 hours.

11. Children's Privacy

Our services are not directed to children under the age of 13 (or under 16 in the European Economic Area). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we discover that a child has provided us with personal information, we will immediately delete such data from our servers.

12. Contact & Support Information

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your data, please contact our Data Protection Officer: