Privacy Policy

FutureTalks India Private Limited ("FutureTalks India", "we", "us") builds Buddy Companion and other products to help Indian families plan trips, split expenses fairly, and hold on to memories. This policy explains what information we collect, why, and what choices you have.

This policy covers futuretalksindia.com and the Buddy Companion app (currently at tripbuddyindia.netlify.app, and any version we later publish on the Play Store).

1. Information we collect

a. Information you provide directly

• Trip details you create: trip name, destination, dates, itinerary, budget
• Names and tags for trip members you add (diet preference, drinks preference, age tier)
• Expenses, payments, and settlement records you enter
• Photos and memories you add to a trip
• Shopping lists and notes you create
• Your phone number and/or email address, only if you choose to add them, so we can keep you updated on trips you're part of and share trip memories with you. This is entirely optional and you can remove this information at any time.
• If you use Buddy Money (our optional personal finance module, when available), the account balances, income, commitments, and budget details you choose to enter. This information is private to you and is never visible to other trip members.

b. Information collected automatically

• A device-level identifier used to determine which trips your device has created or joined
• Basic technical information (browser type, general usage patterns) to help us fix bugs and improve the app

c. Information from optional features

• AI receipt scanning: if you use this feature, a photo of your receipt is sent to Anthropic's Claude API using an API key you provide yourself, to extract expense line items. We do not store this photo on our servers beyond what's needed to complete the scan.

2. How we use your information

• To operate core Buddy features: trip planning, fair expense splitting, settlements, itineraries, and memories
• To keep you informed about trips you're part of, only if you've opted in with your phone/email
• To improve the app and fix problems
• To communicate with you if you contact us directly

We do not use your data for advertising, and we do not build advertising profiles of you.

3. Who we share information with

We do not sell your personal information. We share information only with the service providers that help us run Buddy, under agreements that limit how they can use it:

Other members of a trip you join can see the trip information you and they add to that trip (names, expenses, photos, itinerary) — that's how shared trip planning works. Members cannot see another member's private Buddy Money data, phone number, or email unless that person has chosen to share it.

4. Where your information is stored

Buddy's databases are currently hosted on infrastructure located in Australia (Sydney region). We are working toward stronger access controls on this data as the app matures; this policy will be updated to reflect improvements as they roll out.

5. Children's information

Buddy is intended for use by adults planning trips for their families. Where a trip includes children as members, that information is entered by the organising adult, not collected directly from a child. We do not knowingly collect contact information (phone/email) for anyone under 18 directly.

6. Your rights and choices

• Access and correction: you can view and edit the trip information you've entered at any time within the app
• Removing your contact information: if you've added your phone/email, you can remove it at any time from within the app
• Deletion: to request deletion of your data, contact us using the details below
• Withdrawing consent: you can stop using optional features (contact opt-in, Buddy Money, receipt scanning) at any time without affecting your ability to use core trip features

7. Data retention

We retain your trip and account information for as long as your account or trip is active, or as needed to provide the service. If you request deletion, we will remove your information within a reasonable time, except where we're required to retain it by law.

8. Security

We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect your information, and we are actively strengthening these protections as Buddy grows. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

9. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy as Buddy adds features or as our practices change. We'll update the "Last updated" date above when we do. Material changes will be highlighted in the app.

10. Contact us

For any privacy-related requests, questions, or concerns, please reach out using the contact details above. We aim to respond within a reasonable time.