Privacy Policy

CarLink ("we," "us," or "our") operates the CarLink mobile application (the "App") and the website at carlink.market. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect information when you use our services in Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

1. Information We Collect

Account Information: When you create an account, we collect:

• Email address (required for email accounts; optional for Apple Sign-In)
• Phone number (required for phone-based accounts)
• Display name and profile photo (optional)
• Country selection (Saudi Arabia or Egypt)
• Apple Sign-In identifier (for users who sign in with Apple)
• Account role (buyer, dealer, or broker)

Vehicle Data (My Garage): If you add vehicles to your garage, we store make, model, year, and your label for the vehicle.

Listing Data (Dealers/Brokers): Vehicle listings, spare part listings, photos, descriptions, prices, and optional inspection reports (PDFs or images).

Cart and Order Data: Items added to your cart, delivery addresses, and order history (cash on delivery only — we do not collect or store payment card information).

Communications: Chat messages between buyers and sellers.

Device and Usage Data: Push notification token (if you grant permission), device type and OS version, approximate location (only when you grant location permission, used for map features and local listings), and app usage logs for diagnostics.

Uploaded Files: Photos of vehicles and spare parts, profile pictures, chat attachments, and inspection reports (test reports). Files are stored on Cloudflare R2 with random filenames.

2. How We Use Your Information

• To create and maintain your account
• To display vehicle and parts listings to you and other users
• To enable communication between buyers and sellers
• To send push notifications about chat messages, price drops, saved-search matches, and order updates
• To match spare parts to your saved vehicles ("Find parts by my car")
• To process cash-on-delivery orders
• To prevent fraud, abuse, and unauthorized access
• To comply with applicable laws in Saudi Arabia and Egypt

3. How We Share Your Information

We do not sell your personal data. We share information only in these limited cases:

• Other users: Public listings (vehicle/parts) are visible to all users. Your name and contact info are shared with users you choose to chat with.
• Service providers: Cloud hosting (Coolify, Cloudflare R2 for file storage) and push notification services (Apple Push Notification service). These providers process data on our behalf under confidentiality terms.
• Legal requirements: If required by law, court order, or to protect our rights and the safety of our users.

4. Apple Sign-In

If you choose Sign in with Apple, Apple may share with us your name and email (or a private relay email if you choose to hide your email). We use Apple's stable identifier (the "sub" claim) to recognize you on subsequent logins. You can manage Sign in with Apple settings on your Apple ID at appleid.apple.com.

5. Push Notifications

We send push notifications for chat messages, price changes on listings you're watching, matches on your saved searches, and updates on your orders. You can disable push notifications at any time in your device's Settings → Notifications → CarLink, or in the app's notification settings.

6. Location Data

The app may request approximate location to show nearby listings and to display the map view. We do not track your location continuously. You can deny or revoke location permission at any time in your device's Settings.

7. User-Generated Content and Moderation

Users can post listings and send chat messages. We provide tools to report inappropriate content and block other users. We review reports and may remove content or suspend accounts that violate our Terms of Service.

8. Data Retention

We keep your account data for as long as your account is active. When you delete your account, we delete or anonymize your personal data within 30 days, except:

• Order history is anonymized (your name and contact info are replaced with "Deleted User") but order records are kept for financial and legal compliance.
• Vehicle listings posted by deleted dealer accounts are marked inactive but retained for buyers who may have favorited them.
• Backup copies may persist for up to 90 days before being permanently erased.

9. Your Rights

You can:

• Access and update your profile information from the app's Profile screen
• Delete your account from Profile → Delete Account (this removes all your personal data as described above)
• Opt out of push notifications at any time
• Withdraw location permission at any time
• Contact us to request a copy of your data or to ask questions about your privacy

10. Children

CarLink is not intended for children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will delete it.

11. Security

We protect your data using industry-standard measures: encrypted transport (HTTPS), bcrypt-hashed passwords, JWT-based authentication, rate limiting, and access controls. No system is perfectly secure, but we work continuously to protect your information.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy. When we do, we will update the "Last updated" date and may notify you in the app. Continued use of CarLink after changes means you accept the updated policy.

13. Governing Law

This Privacy Policy is governed by the laws of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. For users in Egypt, applicable Egyptian data-protection laws also apply.

14. Contact Us