Legal

Privacy Policy

We wrote this in plain language so you can easily understand what we collect, why, and the choices you have.

Effective date: October 24, 2026

1. About this policy

This Privacy Policy explains how TalaashConnect (also shown as “Talash”) handles your information. TalaashConnect is a missing-person reporting and search app. It lets users report a missing person (with a photo, details, and last-seen location) and search or browse reports to help find them.

The app is owned and operated by BA Digital Apps (Bilal Ahmad), based in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan (“we”, “us”, or “our”). The app is available on Android through Google Play, and an iOS version is planned. This policy applies to the app and to this website.

By using TalaashConnect, you agree to the practices described in this policy.

2. Information we collect

2.1 Account information

  • Your name and email address.
  • Your phone number (optional) and profile photo (optional).
  • You can sign in with email and password, or with Google Sign-In. Passwords are handled by Firebase Authentication. The app itself never stores or sees your password.
  • Your email address and profile details are not shown to other users.

2.2 Missing-person reports you create

When you create a report, we collect the information you enter:

  • The missing person’s name, father’s name, age, gender, category (Child, Adult, Elderly, or Special Person), description, and photo.
  • The last-seen area or address, date and time, and map location (latitude and longitude).
  • The reporter’s name, phone number, and WhatsApp number.

Every report is reviewed by an admin before it is published. Pending reports are not shown publicly. Once a report is published, everything in it — including the photo, details, location, and the reporter’s phone and WhatsApp numbers — is visible to all app users, so that people with information can contact the reporter.

Reports can include information about children and vulnerable people. You must only post a report you have the right to share — for example, if you are a family member or guardian of the missing person.

2.3 Location

We use your device’s precise (GPS) location only if you allow it, and only for these purposes:

  1. To show nearby cases and your city on the home screen. This location is used on your device and is not saved to our servers.
  2. To fill in the last-seen location when you create a report (optional). This location is saved as part of the report and becomes public once the report is published.

You can deny location permission and still use the app. You can pick a city or location manually instead.

2.4 Camera and photos

We access your camera or photo library only when you choose to take or pick a photo for your profile or for a report. Photos are resized and compressed before they are uploaded.

2.5 Favorites

The list of reports you save as favorites is stored with your account.

2.6 Information stored on your device

The app stores basic app settings and your login state on your device.

3. How we use information

  • To create and manage your account and let you sign in.
  • To review, publish, and display missing-person reports.
  • To let other users contact a reporter about a missing person.
  • To show nearby cases and your city (if you allow location).
  • To save your favorite reports.
  • To respond to your questions and requests.
  • To keep the app safe and to meet our legal obligations.

4. What we do NOT do

  • We do not show advertising, and we do not use ad tracking.
  • We do not sell your personal data.
  • We do not use analytics or tracking SDKs.
  • We do not access your contacts, SMS, or call logs. The app only opens the phone dialer or WhatsApp when you tap a contact button on a report.

5. What is public and what is private

  • Public (after admin approval): everything in a published report, including the missing person’s photo and details, the last-seen location, and the reporter’s name, phone number, and WhatsApp number.
  • Private: your email address, your account profile details, your favorites, reports that are still pending review, and the location used for showing nearby cases.

Users can share published reports outside the app (for example, through WhatsApp or social media) using the share button. Once a report is shared outside the app, we cannot control where it goes.

6. Third-party services

We use the following trusted services to run the app. Each one has its own privacy policy, linked below.

  • Google Firebase (Firebase Authentication, Cloud Firestore database, and Firebase Storage) — for accounts and app data. Firebase Privacy
  • Google Sign-In — optional login. Google Privacy Policy
  • Cloudinary — storage and delivery of uploaded photos. Cloudinary Privacy Policy
  • Google Maps Platform and device geocoding — to show maps and turn coordinates into city or area names. Google Privacy Policy
  • WhatsApp and the phone dialer — opened only when you tap a contact button. WhatsApp Privacy Policy
  • Your phone’s system share sheet — used when you share a report. The app you choose to share with handles the data under its own privacy policy.

7. Data sharing

  • Published reports are public to all app users, and users can share them outside the app.
  • The service providers listed above process data only to run the app.
  • We may disclose information if required by law, or to help the police and other authorities in missing-person cases.

8. Data retention

  • We keep your account information and reports while your account is active.
  • When you delete your account, your profile, favorites, and all reports you created are permanently deleted.
  • Uploaded photos stored on Cloudinary may remain for up to 30 days after deletion, and are then removed. You can email talaashconnect@gmail.com to request removal of any photo or data sooner.
  • You can mark a report as “Found” once the person is located.

9. How to delete your account and data

You can delete your account and data at any time in either of these ways:

Option 1: Inside the app

  1. Open TalaashConnect and sign in.
  2. Go to Profile.
  3. Tap Delete Account and confirm.

This permanently deletes your profile, favorites, and all reports you created.

Option 2: By email

Send an email to talaashconnect@gmail.com from the email address linked to your account, with the subject “Account Deletion Request”. You can also use email to ask us to remove a specific photo, report, or other data without deleting your whole account.

Full step-by-step instructions are on our Delete Account page.

10. Data security

  • All data is sent over encrypted connections (HTTPS).
  • Accounts and app data are protected by Firebase Authentication and Firebase security rules. Passwords are handled by Firebase and are never seen by us.
  • Reports are reviewed by an admin before they are published.

No method of storing or sending data is 100% secure, but we work to protect your information using these measures.

11. Children’s privacy

TalaashConnect is not intended for children to use on their own. Reports about missing children must be posted by adults, such as parents, family members, or guardians. Every report is reviewed by an admin before it is published.

If you believe a child is using the app on their own, or that a report about a child was posted without the right to share it, please contact us at talaashconnect@gmail.com and we will review and remove it where appropriate. Read more on our Child Safety page.

12. Your rights

You have the right to:

  • Access the personal data we hold about you.
  • Correct information that is wrong or out of date.
  • Delete your account and data (see section 9).
  • Withdraw permissions such as location, camera, or photos at any time in your phone’s settings.

To make any request, email talaashconnect@gmail.com.

13. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will change the effective date at the top of this page. If the changes are important, we will make reasonable efforts to let you know. Please check this page regularly.

14. Contact us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or your data, contact us: