Welcome — Your social world, secured
At Dostiya, an Indian social networking platform similar to Facebook, we respect your privacy and take data protection seriously. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store and protect personal information when you use our website, mobile app and services.
1. About Dostiya
Dostiya is a social media app in India designed to help people connect, share posts, photos, videos, join communities, and chat securely. We combine community features with strong data protection and online safety practices tailored for Indian users.
2. Information we collect
We collect information to provide and improve our services, keep the platform safe, and personalise your experience.
a. Information you provide
- Personal details: name, date of birth, gender, mobile number, email.
- Profile details: photos, bio, location, interests, education.
- Content: posts, comments, reactions, messages and uploaded files.
- Support & feedback you send to us.
b. Information we automatically collect
- Device & app data: device model, OS, app version, browser type.
- Usage data: login activity, pages visited, actions and times.
- Location data: approximate location if enabled by you.
- Cookies & tracking: to personalise content, ads and measure performance.
c. From third parties
If you sign in via Google, Facebook or other services we may receive limited profile information such as your name, profile picture and verified email address.
3. How we use your information
We use data responsibly to:
- Create and manage your Dostiya account and profile.
- Enable communication and social interactions with other users.
- Personalise content, recommendations and advertising.
- Improve product features, analytics, and app performance.
- Detect and prevent fraud, spam, and security threats.
- Comply with applicable Indian laws and law enforcement requests.
4. Cookies and tracking
Dostiya uses cookies, web beacons and similar technologies to remember sessions, personalise your experience and measure traffic. You can manage cookie preferences via your browser settings; disabling cookies may limit certain features.
5. How we share information
We never sell your personal data. We may share information in limited circumstances:
- With your consent when you choose to share posts or profile data.
- With trusted service providers who help with hosting, analytics, or customer support.
- When required by law, legal process, or government authorities.
- To prevent harm, fraud or misuse of the platform.
6. Data storage & security
We store data on secure cloud servers and use technical safeguards such as SSL/TLS encryption, access controls, firewalls and monitoring. We follow best practices to minimise unauthorized access. You can help protect your account by using strong passwords and avoiding sharing login credentials.
7. Your privacy rights
Indian users have rights relating to their personal data. These include:
- Access & update: View and modify your profile information anytime.
- Delete account: Permanently delete your Dostiya account and associated data.
- Withdraw consent: Disable permissions like location access.
- Data portability: Request a copy of your personal data in a standard format.
We aim to comply with the Information Technology Act, 2000 and the Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDP) 2023 of India.
8. Children's privacy
Dostiya is intended for users aged 13+. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If we discover an account for a minor, we will take steps to remove it.
9. Third-party links & services
External links or ads may lead to third-party sites with separate privacy practices. We are not responsible for their content or policies — please review those policies before sharing personal data.
10. Data retention
We retain account data while your account is active. When you delete your account, we remove personal data except where retention is required for legal, tax or fraud prevention reasons. Backup copies may remain briefly before permanent deletion.
| Data type | Retention |
|---|---|
| Account profile & public posts | Until account deletion or user removal |
| Logs & security records | Up to 2 years for fraud prevention |
| Backups | Brief retention, then removed |
11. Advertising & personalised content
We may show interest-based advertising and promotional content to Indian users. Advertisers only receive aggregated or anonymised trends, not your raw personal data.
12. Updates to this policy
We may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in law, technology, or our services. Significant changes will be communicated via in-app notice or email. The latest version will be available at www.dostiya.com/privacy-policy.php.
13. Contact us
If you have questions or concerns, contact our privacy team:
Email: privacy@dostiya.com
Support: support@dostiya.com
14. Your trust matters
At Dostiya, we build our community on trust and transparency. By using our services you agree to this Privacy Policy. Your data privacy and security are our continued priorities.