Your privacy matters to us

1. Scope & Who We Are

MaitriAdda is a Maharashtra-focused community platform for adults seeking friendship, companionship, networking, social activities and meaningful connections. This Privacy Policy applies when you visit maitriadda.in, create or use an account, contact support, participate in events, or use related MaitriAdda services.

For the purposes of applicable Indian data-protection law, MaitriAdda is the platform responsible for deciding why and how personal data is processed (the “Data Fiduciary”). MaitriAdda is operated from Maharashtra, India.

This policy is framed with reference to applicable Indian law, including the Information Technology Act, 2000, rules made under it, and the phased Digital Personal Data Protection framework, as applicable from time to time.

2. Information We Collect

We collect personal data you provide, data created when you use MaitriAdda, and limited technical data needed to operate and secure the service. The exact information depends on the features you use.

Account and eligibility data

• Private full name, public display name and email address.
• Password stored as a one-way cryptographic hash; MaitriAdda does not store your readable password.
• Date of birth for the 18+ eligibility check.
• Optional gender information, if you choose to provide it.
• City, state and general location information; we do not ask for a public home address.
• Email verification, account status, role, login and account-creation records.

Profile and preference data

• Profile photo, bio, interests and connection preference.
• Profile-visibility selection: Public, Connections Only or Hidden.
• Discovery preference, including whether you appear in Similar Interests.
• Photo crop, position or zoom settings needed to display your selected profile image.

Community and activity data

• Connection requests, acceptance, rejection, cancellation, blocking and unblocking records.
• Text messages exchanged through the platform and message-thread metadata.
• Event creation, participation requests, approvals, waitlists, attendance status and host/admin actions.
• Reports, moderation decisions, alerts and information submitted for a safety review.
• Notifications, account-setting changes, deactivation and deletion requests.

Support and technical data

• Name, email, subject and message submitted through the Contact form.
• Support correspondence, which may be stored in our database and delivered to the support mailbox.
• IP address, session identifiers, browser/device information, timestamps, security events and rate-limit records.
• Error and diagnostic logs needed to maintain availability, investigate misuse and protect accounts.

3. Why and How We Use Information

We process personal data only for lawful purposes connected with the service you request, your consent where required, platform security, community safety, legal compliance and the establishment or defence of legal claims.

We may use aggregated or de-identified information to understand feature performance and improve MaitriAdda, provided it is not used to identify a member.

4. Profile Visibility & Discovery

Your private full name, email address, date of birth, password data and account-security details are not intended to appear on your public member profile. The display name and profile details you choose may be shown according to your settings.

• Public: Your profile may appear in permitted discovery areas and may be viewable subject to platform access and safety rules.
• Connections Only: Profile access is limited mainly to accepted connections; non-connections are restricted.
• Hidden: Your profile is excluded from normal discovery and Similar Interests, and ordinary members cannot start a new connection request from that profile.

Separate discovery settings may control whether you appear in Similar Interests. Blocking a member restricts that member’s future interaction with you, but does not automatically erase records that must be retained for safety, dispute or legal purposes.

5. Connections, Messages, Photos & Events

Connections and messages

Messaging is currently text-only and is intended for accepted connections. Messages are stored on MaitriAdda systems so they can be delivered, displayed, secured and reviewed when a valid report, safety concern or legal requirement makes review necessary. Messages are not represented as end-to-end encrypted.

Photos and uploads

A profile photo may be displayed according to your profile settings. Upload only an image you have the right and permission to use. Images may be reviewed, restricted or removed when they violate our rules, another person’s rights or applicable law.

Events

Event hosts, approved participants and admins may receive different event information depending on their role and participation status. Private event details should be shown only to eligible or approved users where the feature is designed that way. Event participation, waitlist and moderation records may be retained for operating and protecting the event workflow.

6. Cookies, Sessions & Technical Data

MaitriAdda uses essential cookies and similar session technologies to keep you signed in, protect forms, remember necessary settings, prevent misuse and maintain service security. Disabling essential cookies may stop login or other account features from working correctly.

Security logs may record IP address, timestamps, browser or device details, login outcomes, verification activity, password-reset activity, session rejection and rate-limit events. We use this information to detect unusual activity, investigate errors and protect the platform.

If MaitriAdda later introduces non-essential analytics, advertising or other tracking technologies, we will update this policy and provide any notice or choice required by applicable law.

7. When Information May Be Shared

MaitriAdda does not sell or rent personal data for money. We may disclose limited information only as needed in the following situations:

• With other members: According to your profile settings, connection status, messages and event participation.
• With service providers: Hosting, database, email-delivery, backup or technical providers that process data to support MaitriAdda.
• For safety and moderation: To authorised admins or reviewers when needed to investigate a report, enforce rules or protect users.
• For legal compliance: In response to a valid written order, lawful request, court process or other legal obligation.
• For legal rights and emergencies: When reasonably necessary to establish or defend legal claims, address fraud, or protect people and platform security.
• During an organisational change: If the platform is transferred, reorganised or combined, subject to appropriate confidentiality and notice requirements.

A service provider may process information from India or another legally permitted location. We remain responsible for choosing providers and safeguards appropriate to the service and applicable law.

8. Data Retention, Deactivation & Deletion

We keep personal data only while it is reasonably needed for the purposes described in this policy, to maintain an active account, protect the community, resolve disputes, enforce agreements, preserve evidence and comply with law.

• Account and profile information is generally kept while your account is active.
• Deactivation restricts account use but is not the same as permanent deletion.
• A deletion request may remove or anonymise data that is no longer required, after identity and account checks.
• Registration information may be retained for at least 180 days after account cancellation where Indian intermediary rules apply.
• Removed content and associated records may be preserved for at least 180 days, or longer when required by a court or lawfully authorised authority.
• Reports, moderation records, security logs, transaction-like event records and support correspondence may be kept for a reasonable period based on risk and legal need.
• Backup copies may remain temporarily until normal backup cycles expire.

Deletion may not remove information that another member lawfully retains in their own records, or information that must be preserved for a legal, safety, fraud-prevention or dispute-resolution purpose. When possible, retained data will be restricted from ordinary use.

9. Your Privacy Choices & Requests

Subject to applicable law, account capability and reasonable identity verification, you may ask MaitriAdda to:

• Explain or provide a summary of personal data being processed about you.
• Correct inaccurate information, complete incomplete information or update outdated information.
• Erase personal data that is no longer necessary, unless retention is permitted or required.
• Withdraw consent for processing based on consent; this does not affect processing already lawfully completed.
• Deactivate or delete your account using available account settings or support.
• Change profile visibility and Similar Interests discovery settings.
• Block members, report misuse and raise a privacy or safety grievance.
• Nominate another person to exercise applicable data rights if and when this right applies under law.

We may request information needed to confirm that the request relates to your account. Do not send your password or OTP. We may refuse or limit a request where it is fraudulent, cannot be verified, affects another person’s rights, or conflicts with a legal obligation.

10. Security, Admin Access & Data Incidents

MaitriAdda uses reasonable technical and organisational safeguards designed to protect accounts and personal data. Measures may include password hashing, email verification, secure sessions, CSRF protection, rate limiting, access controls, private secret storage, security-event logging and restricted admin workflows.

Admin access is limited to genuine operational, support, moderation, security or legal needs. Authorised admins should not access personal information out of curiosity. Access controls reduce risk, but no website or storage system can guarantee absolute security.

If we become aware of a personal-data incident, we will investigate, contain and document it, and notify affected individuals or authorities when required by applicable law. Any notice may describe the incident, likely impact, steps taken and practical protective actions.

11. Adults Only — No Accounts for Children

MaitriAdda is intended only for individuals who are 18 years of age or older. We do not knowingly permit a person under 18 to register or use member features. Date of birth is used to enforce this eligibility rule.

If we learn that an account belongs to a person under 18, we may suspend the account, restrict access and delete or retain limited information as required for safety, evidence or legal compliance. A parent or lawful guardian who believes a child’s data has been submitted should contact the Grievance Officer without sending unnecessary identity documents in the first message.

12. Grievance Officer & Contact

For a privacy request, account concern, safety report or complaint about MaitriAdda, use the Contact page or email the Grievance Officer. Please include the email linked to your account, a clear description of the issue and any relevant page or report reference. Do not include your password, OTP or unnecessary sensitive documents.

We aim to acknowledge grievances within 24 hours and resolve them within 7 days, subject to the nature of the complaint and any shorter period required by applicable law. Urgent reports involving impersonation, privacy invasion or harmful content will be prioritised under the applicable process.

If you are dissatisfied with the response or the grievance is not resolved within the applicable period, you may use any appeal, regulatory complaint or other remedy available under Indian law after first using MaitriAdda’s grievance process where required. मराठीमध्ये मदतीसाठीही याच ईमेल किंवा Contact Form द्वारे संपर्क करू शकता.

13. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy when features, service providers, security practices or legal requirements change. The revised policy will show a new effective or “last updated” date. Where a change is material, we may also provide a notice through the website, account area or registered email, as appropriate.

Please review this page periodically. Continued use after an update does not replace any fresh consent that applicable law specifically requires.