Privacy Policy

Effective date: 25 September 2026  ·  Last updated: 25 September 2026

This Privacy Policy explains how Little Ratoons Private Ltd. (“RatooTown”, “we”, “us”, “our”) collects, uses, shares, stores and protects your personal data when you use the RatooTown mobile app for Android and iOS, the RatooTown web app at app.ratootown.com and our website at ratootown.com (together, the “Services”).

We process personal data in accordance with the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (“DPDP Act”), the Information Technology Act, 2000 and the rules made under it, and the Google Play Developer Program Policies. By using the Services, you agree to the practices described here. If you do not agree, please do not use the Services.

1. Who we are

RatooTown is a community discovery platform for Tier 2 and Tier 3 towns in Tamil Nadu. It helps people find local businesses, real estate, items for sale, jobs and events. The Services are operated by Little Ratoons Private Ltd., which is the “Data Fiduciary” for your personal data under the DPDP Act.

2. Data we collect

2.1 Data you give us

• Mobile number. Collected when you log in. It identifies your account and is used to verify you with a one-time password (OTP) sent by SMS.
• Profile details (optional). Your name, preferred town and language, if you choose to add them.
• Messages to us. Anything you send when you contact us for support or a privacy request.

2.2 Data collected when you use the Services

• Account information. The date your account was created, your role (for example, user or administrator) and your account status.
• Contact actions with businesses. When you are logged in and tap Call or WhatsApp on a listing, we record that you contacted that listing and when. If you choose “Allow” in the “Share your contact?” prompt, we also record your mobile number with that contact action (see section 5).
• Listing engagement. Views, calls, WhatsApp taps, directions, saves and shares on listings, linked to a random session identifier that resets each time you open the app. We use these to count how many people engage with each listing.
• Location (optional). If you grant location permission, the app reads your approximate current location (accuracy of about 100 metres). It uses it to sort results by distance and to show how far a listing is from you. The location is sent with search requests so results can be ordered by distance. We do not store your location or build a location history.
• Usage and diagnostics data (optional). See section 2.3.
• Technical data. Our servers and hosting providers automatically receive standard technical information such as IP address, browser or device type and request times, as part of normal operation and security logging.

2.3 Usage analytics

On the Android and iOS apps, we use Amplitude to understand how the app is used, for example which screens are opened, which features are used, how searches perform, and when errors or failed network requests happen. This data includes:

• A random device identifier and session identifier created by the analytics software (not your advertising ID)
• Device model, operating system and version, app version and language
• Screens viewed, taps on features (such as search, call, save and share), and whether location permission was granted
• Search terms, shortened, with anything that looks like a phone number or email removed
• App crashes and error messages, with numbers and email addresses removed

We have configured analytics so that your IP address is not collected, and we do not send your mobile number, name, address or exact location to Amplitude. Analytics is not used on the web version. You can switch it off at any time: Profile → “Share anonymous usage data”.

2.4 Data stored only on your device

Some information stays on your device and is never sent to us: your saved listings (bookmarks), recent searches, your guest-mode choice, your analytics preference and your contact-sharing choice. Your login session is stored securely on the device (Android Keystore / iOS Keychain in the app, browser storage on the web). You can remove this data by logging out, clearing the app's data or uninstalling the app.

2.5 Data we do not collect

We do not collect your contacts, photos, files, messages, call logs, calendar, email account, health or financial information, and we do not collect government ID numbers. We do not process payments.

3. How we use your data

We do not use your personal data for automated decisions that have legal or similarly significant effects on you, and we do not use it for third-party advertising.

4. Consent and legal basis

• Consent. When you log in with your mobile number, you consent to us processing it for the purposes above. Sharing your number with a business relies on the separate consent you give in the “Share your contact?” prompt. Location relies on your device's location permission. Analytics relies on the setting in Profile.
• Legitimate uses under the DPDP Act. Where you have voluntarily provided data for a specific purpose (for example, logging in), and where processing is needed to comply with law or respond to legal requests.

Withdrawing consent. You can withdraw consent at any time, and it is as easy as giving it. Turn off location in your device settings, switch off “Share anonymous usage data” in Profile, choose “Don't Allow” when asked to share your contact, or delete your account. Withdrawal does not affect processing that happened before it. If you withdraw consent to use your mobile number, you can keep using RatooTown as a guest.

5. How we share your data

We do not sell or rent your personal data. We share it only as described below.

• With businesses you contact, only with your consent. The first time you tap Call or WhatsApp, the app asks: “Allow RatooTown to share your mobile number with this vendor when you contact them?” If you choose Allow, we record your mobile number with that contact action, and we may make it available to that business so it can follow up with you. If you choose Don't Allow, your number is not recorded with the contact action. Note: when you call or WhatsApp a business, your own phone or WhatsApp account shows your number to the business, as with any call or message. This happens outside RatooTown.
• With service providers who process data on our behalf, under contracts that require them to protect it and use it only for our purposes (see section 6).
• Aggregate information. We may share anonymous, aggregated statistics (such as the total number of views of a listing) with businesses or partners. These cannot identify you.
• Legal reasons. Where required by law, court order or a lawful request from a government authority, or to protect the rights, property or safety of RatooTown, our users or the public.
• Business transfers. If Little Ratoons Private Ltd. is involved in a merger, acquisition or sale of assets, your data may be transferred as part of that transaction. It will remain subject to this policy, and we will notify you of any change.

6. Service providers

We use the following providers to run the Services:

7. App permissions

• Location (approximate and precise): optional. Used only while you use the app, to show nearby listings and distances. If you deny it, the app works normally without distance sorting.
• Internet access: required to load listings and log in.

The app does not ask for access to your contacts, camera, microphone, photos, files, SMS or call logs. If we add push notifications in the future, we will ask for your permission first, and you can turn them off at any time.

8. How long we keep data

9. How we protect your data

• All data sent between the app or website and our servers is encrypted in transit using HTTPS (TLS).
• Data is stored with our cloud provider, which encrypts it at rest.
• Your login session is stored in your device's secure storage.
• Access to personal data is limited to authorised staff who need it for their work.
• We protect OTP login against abuse with request limits and attempt limits.
• We regularly review our security practices. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, but we work to protect your data. If there is a personal data breach, we will inform affected users and the Data Protection Board of India as required by law.

10. Your rights and choices

Under the DPDP Act and applicable law, you have the right to:

• Access. Get a summary of the personal data we hold about you, how we process it, and who we have shared it with.
• Correction and update. Correct inaccurate or incomplete data, or update your profile.
• Erasure. Ask us to delete your personal data and account.
• Withdraw consent. At any time, as described in section 4.
• Grievance redressal. Raise a complaint with our Grievance Officer (see section 17).
• Nominate. Nominate another person to exercise your rights if you die or become incapacitated.

To exercise these rights, email care@ratooapp.com from any address. Include the mobile number registered with RatooTown so we can find your account. We may verify your identity, for example by sending an OTP to that number, before acting on a request. We will respond within 30 days.

If you are not satisfied with our response, you can complain to the Data Protection Board of India once it is operational.

11. Deleting your account and data

You can ask us to delete your RatooTown account and associated data at any time, without having to install the app. Step-by-step instructions, including what is deleted and what is kept, are on our Delete your account page.

12. Children

The Services are intended for people who are 18 years of age or older. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 18, and we do not track or target advertising at children. If you believe a child has created an account or given us personal data, contact us and we will delete it.

13. Where your data is processed

We store our database on servers in India (AWS Mumbai region). Some service providers listed in section 6, such as Amplitude, Typesense, Cloudinary and Netlify, may process data on servers outside India, including in the United States. Any such transfer complies with the DPDP Act and any restrictions notified by the Government of India, and these providers are required to protect your data.

14. Information about listed businesses

RatooTown shows information about local businesses and other listings, such as business name, address, map location, opening hours, photos and business contact numbers. This information is provided by the business or collected by our team with the business's permission, and it is shown so that users can find and contact the business. Business contact numbers are shown only to logged-in users. A business owner can ask us to correct or remove their listing by contacting us.

15. Third-party apps and links

When you tap Call, WhatsApp, Directions or a website or social link, you leave RatooTown and use another app or site, such as your phone dialer, WhatsApp, Google Maps, Facebook or Instagram. Those services have their own privacy policies, and we are not responsible for how they handle your data.

16. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. We will change the “Last updated” date at the top. If a change is significant, we will notify you in the app or on this website before it takes effect, and ask for your consent again where the law requires it.

17. Contact and grievance officer

For questions about this policy, to exercise your rights, or to raise a complaint, contact our Grievance Officer. We will acknowledge your complaint within 24 hours and try to resolve it within 15 days.