Privacy Policy
Last updated:
This Privacy Policy explains how Instacar ("Instacar," "we," "us," or "our") accesses, collects, uses, discloses, and protects information in connection with the Instacar mobile application and any related services (collectively, the "App"). Instacar is developed and operated by Instacar, and this policy applies to the App as listed on Google Play under the developer/publisher name shown on that store listing. By using the App, you agree to the practices described in this Privacy Policy.
1. Who We Are
Instacar is a social app for car enthusiasts to share photos of their vehicles, discover other cars, and connect with other users. Instacar is intended for use by adults only; you must be at least 18 years old to create an account or use the App (see Section 10).
2. Information We Collect
2.1 Information you provide directly
| Category | Examples |
|---|---|
| Account information | Name, email address, and profile photo obtained from your Google account when you sign in with Google Sign-In; username; profile bio you choose to add. |
| Content you post | Photos and captions of your vehicle(s), comments, likes, follows, and messages you send within the App. |
| Support communications | Information you provide when you contact us for support or submit a report through the App. |
2.2 Information collected automatically
| Category | Examples |
|---|---|
| Camera & photo library access | Photos you choose to take or select for upload to the App. We only access your camera or photo library when you actively choose to take or upload a photo. |
| Device & usage data | Device type, operating system version, app version, and basic diagnostic/log data generated by normal app operation (for example, to detect crashes and keep the App running reliably). |
| Google Sign-In data | Basic profile information (name, email, profile photo) provided by Google when you authenticate, in accordance with your Google account settings. |
We do not currently use third-party analytics, advertising, or crash-reporting SDKs in the App. If this changes, we will update this Privacy Policy and, where required, provide an in-app disclosure and obtain your consent before any new data collection begins.
3. How We Use Information
We use the information described above to:
- Create and manage your Instacar account and authenticate you via Google Sign-In.
- Operate core App features, including letting you post, view, and interact with car photos and other users' content.
- Maintain the safety, security, and integrity of the App, including detecting and preventing abuse, fraud, and violations of our Community Guidelines and Terms of Service.
- Respond to support requests and enforce our policies, including our published standards against child sexual abuse and exploitation.
- Diagnose technical issues and improve App performance and reliability.
- Comply with applicable law and respond to valid legal requests.
We do not sell your personal or sensitive user data.
4. How We Share Information
We share information only in the following circumstances:
- With other users: content you choose to post publicly (such as photos, your username, and profile information) is visible to other users of the App, consistent with the App's social nature.
- Service providers: we use third-party infrastructure and cloud hosting providers (for example, services in the Google Cloud/Firebase family) to store data and operate the App on our behalf. These providers are contractually restricted from using your data for any purpose other than providing services to us.
- Legal reasons: we may disclose information if required to do so by law, in response to a valid legal request, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of Instacar, our users, or the public — including, where applicable, reporting child sexual abuse material to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) or law enforcement.
- Business transfers: if Instacar is involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, user information may be transferred as part of that transaction, with notice to affected users as required by law.
We do not sell your personal and sensitive user data to third parties.
5. Device Permissions
The App requests the following device permission:
- Camera and photo library: used only when you choose to take a new photo or select an existing photo to upload to the App. We do not access your camera or photo library in the background or without your action.
You can review or revoke permissions at any time through your device's Settings app. Revoking a permission may limit certain App features (for example, you won't be able to upload photos without photo library access).
6. Data Security
We use industry-standard safeguards to protect your information, including encrypting data in transit using HTTPS/TLS. No method of transmission or storage is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security, but we work to protect your information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction.
7. Data Retention
We retain your account information and content for as long as your account remains active, or as needed to provide the App's features. If you delete your account, we delete your associated personal data as described in Section 8, except where we are required or permitted to retain certain information for legitimate purposes such as security, fraud prevention, dispute resolution, or compliance with legal obligations (for example, retaining records related to a CSAE/CSAM report as required by law).
8. Account & Data Deletion
You can request deletion of your Instacar account and associated data at any time, using either method below:
- In the App: go to Settings → Account → Delete Account.
- Outside the App: email privacy@instacar.biz with the subject line "Account Deletion Request" from the email address associated with your account.
When you request deletion, we permanently delete the personal data associated with your account (not merely deactivate or freeze it), other than data we are required or permitted to retain as described in Section 7. We aim to complete deletion requests within 30 days.
9. Your Choices & Rights
Depending on where you live, you may have rights to:
- Access, correct, or request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
- Request deletion of your personal data (see Section 8).
- Object to or restrict certain processing of your data.
- Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent.
To exercise any of these rights, contact us at privacy@instacar.biz. We will respond in accordance with applicable law, which may include the EU/UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) or U.S. state privacy laws such as the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), where applicable to you.
10. Age Requirement & Children's Privacy
Instacar is intended for users 18 years of age and older. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18. The App is not directed at children, and account creation requires confirmation that the user meets this age requirement. If we become aware that we have collected personal data from someone under 18, we will take steps to delete that information and terminate the associated account. If you believe a user under 18 has provided us with personal data, please contact us at privacy@instacar.biz.
For information about our standards regarding child sexual abuse and exploitation (CSAE), see our published CSAE standards.
11. International Users
Instacar is available globally. If you use the App from outside the country where our servers or service providers are located, your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in a different country. Where required by law, we rely on appropriate safeguards for such transfers, such as standard contractual clauses.
12. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. We will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page when we make changes, and, where changes are material, we will provide additional notice (such as an in-app notification).