Privacy Policy

Last updated: 1 August 2026

This policy explains what the Baqəme Rider and Baqəme Driver apps collect, why, who it goes to, and how to delete it. It is written to be read, not to be survived.

1. Who we are

Baqəme is a transport job marketplace operating in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Riders post transport jobs at their own price; member drivers browse and choose. We are the data controller for the information described below.

Contact: [email protected]

2. What we collect

If you use the Rider app

Data	Why we need it
Your name	So the driver knows who they are meeting.
Your phone number	So the driver can call you once a job is agreed. It is your identifier — we do not use passwords.
Pickup area and destination	Shown publicly on the job board so drivers can decide whether to take the job.
Exact pickup coordinates	Stored separately and released to one driver only after you both agree a price.
Your posted price and job type	This is the job listing itself.
Chat messages	To let you and the driver agree details.
Ratings you give	To help other riders judge a driver.
Notification token	Only if you switch notifications on, so we can tell you when a driver responds.

If you use the Driver app

Data	Why we need it
Your name and phone number	Shown to a rider only after you agree a job with them.
Vehicle plate, model, years of experience, short bio	So riders can see who is picking them up.
Your 6-character PIN	Stored only as a SHA-256 hash on our server. We cannot read your PIN, and it never leaves your phone in readable form.
Membership status and expiry	To run your annual membership.
Your location during an active ride	Shared with that one rider, only while the trip screen is open. See section 4.
Ratings you receive	Aggregated into your average score.
Notification token	Only if you switch notifications on, so we can alert you to new jobs.

3. What we never collect

• Payment card, bank, or mobile money details — riders pay drivers directly, in cash or by their own transfer. The app never touches ride money.
• Your location in the background, or when the app is closed.
• Your contacts, photos, call logs, microphone, or messages.
• Advertising identifiers. There is no advertising or third-party tracking in either app.
• Any government ID, passport, or national ID number.

4. How location actually works

This is the part most people care about, so it is spelled out.

• Riders. When you post a job, the app asks once for your location so it can fill in your pickup point. You can type an area name instead and never grant the permission at all.
• Drivers. Before a job is agreed, you see only an area name and a distance — never the rider's address or exact coordinates. Those are released only after you and the rider agree a price.
• During a trip. The driver's position is shared with that one rider while the tracking screen is open, so the rider can see them approaching. Close the screen and sharing stops.
• There is no background location. Neither app requests it, and the Android background-location permission is explicitly blocked in our build configuration.

5. Who we share it with

We do not sell your data, and we do not share it for advertising. It reaches only these service providers, who process it on our behalf:

Provider	What they handle
Google Firebase (Google LLC)	Database, authentication, and server functions. Your data is stored here.
Expo (650 Industries, Inc.)	Delivers push notifications, only if you enable them.
OpenStreetMap / Nominatim	Turns a typed address into a location. Receives the text you type in the address box, not your identity.
Google Maps	Opened only when a driver taps "navigate" after a job is agreed.

We also share your details with the other party to your ride — that is the point of the service — but only after you have both agreed the job.

6. How long we keep it

• Job listings expire automatically: immediate jobs after 1 hour, scheduled jobs at pickup time, contract jobs after 7 days.
• Completed ride records are kept so both sides have a history of what was agreed.
• Your account data is kept until you delete your account.

7. Deleting your account

Rider app: open My Rides → Delete my account.
Driver app: open Profile → Delete my account.

When you delete your account we permanently remove your profile, your phone number and name, your saved PIN hash, your notification token, your open job listings, and your chat messages. This cannot be undone.

Records of completed rides are kept, but your name and phone number are stripped from them. We keep the bare record because the other person in that ride has a right to their own history, and because it is the only defence either of you has if a dispute arises later.

If you would rather we did it for you, email [email protected] and we will action it within 30 days.

8. Your rights

You can ask us to show you what we hold about you, correct anything wrong, or delete it. Write to [email protected] and we will respond within 30 days. You do not need to give a reason.

9. Security

Access to the database is governed by ownership rules: your records can only be read or changed by an account that owns them. Driver PINs are hashed with SHA-256 on the server and are never stored in readable form. Riders' exact pickup coordinates and phone numbers are held in a separate, restricted store that a driver can only open after a job is agreed.

No system is perfect. If you believe your account has been compromised, contact us immediately.

10. Children

Baqəme is not intended for anyone under 18. We do not knowingly collect data from children. If you believe a child has registered, contact us and we will remove the account.

11. Changes to this policy

If we change how we handle your data, we will update this page and change the date at the top. Significant changes will be announced in the app.

12. Contact

Questions, complaints, or requests: [email protected]