SangatNow

Privacy Policy — SangatNow

Last updated: 14 October 2026

SangatNow ("we", "us", the "App") helps the Sikh community discover and share local events. This policy explains what we collect, why, and your choices.

Who we are

SangatNow is operated independently by its developer. Contact: contact@sangatnow.com.

Information we collect

Browsing without an account. You can browse events, listings, and gurdwaras without signing in. We don't create an account for you; if analytics are on (see below), usage is linked to a random identifier stored on your device rather than to you.

Account & profile. When you sign up (email one-time code, Google, or Apple) we store your email and a user ID. Your profile may include a display name, first/last name, bio, and an optional profile photo that you provide.

Location. With your permission, we use your device's approximate/precise location to show events near you and to power "new event nearby" notifications, and to tell you when a pracharak you follow is booked within about 150 miles. Your last-known coordinates are stored to match you to nearby events. You can disable location in your device settings; the App still works with a default feed.

Content you create. Events you post, comments, likes, RSVPs, saved events and listings, the gurdwaras, pracharaks, and organizers you follow, and reports you submit are stored so the App can function. Events, comments, and listings you post are visible to other users. Who you follow is private — it is never shown to anyone, including the people you follow.

Your name on events you post. When you post an event as yourself, your name and profile photo are shown with it to signed-in users, so people know who is organizing (visitors who aren't signed in see "Community member"). You can turn off Show my name on this event when posting — for example for a program at your home, where the event shows its address — and it will appear as "Community member" with no name or photo. Events posted as a gurdwara or pracharak page show that page instead of you.

Suggestions. When you suggest an edit to a gurdwara page or suggest a page for a pracharak, we store the suggestion and your user ID so our reviewers (and, for a claimed gurdwara, its committee) can act on it and so we can limit spam. Your name is not shown to the committee or to other users.

Community listings. Listings you post (title, description, photos, city, and price) are public. If you choose WhatsApp as the contact method, the phone number you enter is shown on the listing so people can reach you — only add one you are comfortable sharing publicly.

Messages. Messages you exchange with other users about a listing are stored so both of you can read the conversation. They are visible only to the participants (and to us where needed to investigate a report). While you have a conversation open, the App briefly signals that you are viewing it so we don't send you a push notification for messages you are already reading; this signal is not stored after you leave.

Business profiles. If you set up a business profile, the business name, description, location, website, and phone number you provide are shown to other users on your business profile and alongside your listings.

Page and listing statistics. When you open, save, or contact someone through a listing, or open a business page, a gurdwara page, a pracharak page, or an event linked to one, while signed in, we record that it happened, how you got in touch (call, text, WhatsApp, email, or message), and the city or area you're browsing in — not your coordinates. The listing's poster, or the page's managers, see totals only: counts of views, visits, people, inquiries, saves, and followers, and the top areas their viewers are in. Areas with fewer than three viewers are grouped as "Other", and they never see who viewed or who follows. The individual records are deleted after 90 days; the totals are kept.

Pracharak pages. SangatNow has pages for raagis, kathavachaks, dhadis, and kavishars ("pracharaks") so the sangat can follow them. A page holds only information about their public seva — name, other spellings, where they are based, a short bio, a photo, and their upcoming programmes as posted in the App. Pages are created by our reviewers from events posted in the App and community suggestions, not from private sources. If a page is about you and you want it corrected or removed, email contact@sangatnow.com. A pracharak (or whoever manages their seva) can also claim their page in the App.

Gurdwara submissions & claims. Gurdwaras you add or edit are public. When you claim a gurdwara or pracharak page, we keep what you send with the claim: your role, the account or email address you'll verify from, any contact number, note or photo, and the verification code. To verify, you either message or email that code to us from that account, add it to its website or video description, or (for a gurdwara) we call its listed number. All of this, including your verification message, is visible only to you and our reviewers, is used solely to verify the claim, and is deleted with your account.

Device & push tokens. If you enable notifications, we store a push token (via Apple APNs / Google Firebase Cloud Messaging) to deliver them. We also store your device's time-zone offset so notifications respect quiet hours (10 pm – 8 am your local time).

Flier scanning and listing photos. When you post an event from a flier, the flier image is sent to Google's Gemini API to read the event details and pre-fill the form. When you add a listing photo, it is sent to Gemini to check it against our community rules and suggest listing details. These images are processed only to return that result to the App; we don't use them to build profiles of you.

Purchases & subscription status. If you leave a tip or subscribe to SangatNow Supporter or a Business plan, the purchase is processed by Apple or Google. We use RevenueCat to verify and manage subscription status; it receives your app user ID and purchase receipt information from the app stores. We do not receive or store your card or payment details. Your supporter or business status may be stored on your profile so features like the supporter badge and business listings work across your devices. Deleting your account does not cancel a subscription — cancel it in your App Store or Google Play settings.

Analytics & diagnostics (optional, on by default — you can opt out).

You can turn both off anytime in Profile → Data & Privacy → "Share analytics & crash reports."

Address lookups. When you enter a venue address, we query a third-party geocoding provider (Geoapify/Radar) to suggest and validate addresses.

How we use information

We do not sell your personal information.

Where your data is stored / sharing

Your data is stored with our backend provider Appwrite Cloud in the San Francisco, USA region (SFO). We share data only with service providers that help us run the App:

These providers process data under their own terms and security practices.

Your choices & rights

Children

SangatNow is not directed to children under 13 (or the minimum age in your region). We do not knowingly collect data from them.

Changes

We may update this policy; we'll revise the "Last updated" date and, for material changes, notify you in the App.

Contact

Questions? contact@sangatnow.com