BijliWatch Privacy Policy

About BijliWatch

BijliWatch helps you stay informed about power outages and electricity schedules in your area. We rely on community reports and official data to keep you updated, and we're committed to doing so while protecting your privacy.

This page provides specific privacy information for BijliWatch. For our complete privacy practices, please see our Master Privacy Policy.

What Information We Collect

Location Information

• Approximate location (city, neighborhood, or area)
• You can provide location by:
  • Allowing access to device location (approximate only, not GPS)
  • Manually entering your area/neighborhood
  • Selecting your location on a map
• Location is used solely to show relevant outage information for your area

Account Information (Optional)

• Email address or phone number (for account creation)
• Username (optional display name)
• Password (encrypted)

Outage Reports (If You Report)

• Area of the outage you're reporting
• Time and date of the report
• Status (power out, power restored, scheduled outage)
• Optional: Photos or additional details you provide

Notification Preferences

• Which areas you want to receive alerts for
• Types of alerts (outage start, restoration, scheduled maintenance)
• Preferred notification times (e.g., quiet hours)
• Device push notification token

Device & Usage Data

• Device type and operating system
• App usage patterns (features used, frequency)
• Crash reports and error logs

What We DON'T Collect

BijliWatch is focused solely on outage information:

• No GPS tracking: We don't continuously track your exact location
• No utility account access: We don't connect to or access your electricity account
• No energy usage data: We don't collect information about your power consumption
• No personal details: We don't need your full name, address, or billing information
• No contacts or photos: We don't access your contacts or photo library (unless you explicitly choose to upload a photo for a report)

How We Use Your Information

We use your information to provide outage alerts and information:

• Show relevant outages: Display power outage information for your area
• Send notifications: Alert you when outages are reported or restored in areas you follow
• Aggregate reports: Combine community reports to show outage patterns
• Improve accuracy: Verify and cross-reference reports to reduce false information
• Provide support: Help you with technical issues or questions

Location Data Details

Understanding how BijliWatch uses location:

• Approximate only: We use city/neighborhood level, not precise GPS coordinates
• Not stored permanently: Location is used to fetch relevant data, not logged continuously
• You control it: You can manually enter your area instead of using device location
• No tracking: We don't create a location history or track your movements
• Multiple areas: You can follow multiple areas (home, work, family) without revealing personal connections

User-Submitted Reports

When you report an outage or restoration:

• Your report is shared with other users in that area
• Reports are anonymized—your name or account isn't publicly displayed
• Report time and general area are shown
• We may moderate reports to prevent spam or false information
• Repeated false reports may result in reporting restrictions

Important: Only report accurate information. False reports harm the community.

Data Sharing

BijliWatch is built on community collaboration:

• Public outage data: Anonymized outage reports are visible to all users in the affected area
• Aggregate statistics: We may publish general statistics (e.g., "average outages per month in a region") without personal data
• No personal data sharing: We never share your email, phone number, or personal information with third parties
• No selling data: We don't sell your data to advertisers or data brokers

Third-Party Services

BijliWatch uses minimal third-party services:

• Push notifications: Firebase Cloud Messaging (Google) for alerts
• Map services: For displaying outage locations on a map
• Analytics: Basic usage analytics to improve the app (no personal data included)
• Crash reporting: To identify and fix technical issues

We do NOT use advertising networks or tracking pixels.

Data Accuracy Disclaimer

Important things to know about BijliWatch data:

• Outage information is crowdsourced from users and may not always be accurate
• We're not affiliated with utility companies and can't access official outage data in all areas
• Reports are based on user submissions and may have delays
• Always verify critical information with your utility provider
• We're not responsible for inaccurate reports or consequences of relying on the data

Data Storage and Security

• Data is stored securely with encryption
• Location data is not permanently logged
• User reports are stored to maintain community history
• Passwords are hashed and never stored in plain text

Your Control & Choices

You have full control over your data:

• Use without an account: View outage data without creating an account
• Manage notifications: Choose which areas and types of alerts you receive
• Change location: Update the areas you follow at any time
• Delete reports: Remove reports you've submitted (within a reasonable timeframe)
• Delete account: Remove your account and all associated data

Data Retention

• Active accounts: Data retained as long as your account is active
• Outage reports: Kept for historical analysis (anonymized after 90 days)
• Deleted accounts: Personal data removed within 30 days
• Aggregated statistics: May be retained indefinitely (no personal data)

Children's Privacy

BijliWatch is suitable for all ages. We don't knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If a child wants to submit reports, we recommend parental supervision.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy as we add features to BijliWatch. Significant changes will be communicated through the app. Continued use means you accept the updated policy.

Contact Us

Questions about privacy in BijliWatch?

Email: support@barqmedia.com
Subject line: "BijliWatch Privacy Question"

For app help, visit our BijliWatch Support Page.

For complete privacy information, see our Master Privacy Policy.