YOUR DATA, YOUR RIGHTS
KARO EU processes personal data in line with the General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679.
Right to Access
Right to Erasure
Data Portability
Encrypted in Transit
01 · Introduction
Welcome to KARO EU
KARO EU is a free car marketplace app for European users. It lets people list cars for sale, browse listings and chat with sellers.
This Privacy Policy explains what personal data we collect, why we use it, who processes it on our behalf, and the rights you have under the GDPR.
Data controller: Salah Alshalani (KARO EU) · privacy@karoeu.com
02 · Data We Collect
What We Collect
- Account: your phone number (used to log in with a one-time SMS code) and the display name you choose.
- Listings: car details you enter (brand, model, year, price, mileage, description), the country and city you select, and the photos you upload.
- Chat: messages and photos you exchange with other users in the app.
- Activity in the app: your favorites, recently viewed cars and seller ratings you submit.
- Technical data: crash reports provided to us by Google Play, and a device token used to deliver notifications if you enable them.
We do not collect payment information. The app is free to use.
03 · What Other Users See
Public Information
When you publish a listing, the listing details, its photos, your display name and the phone number shown on the listing are visible to all users of the app, so that buyers can contact you.
Chat messages are only visible to you and the person you are chatting with.
04 · How We Use Your Data
Purpose and Legal Basis
- Create and secure your account, and verify your phone number
- Show your listings to potential buyers
- Deliver chat messages between buyers and sellers
- Send notifications about messages and your listings, if you enable them
- Fix errors and keep the app working reliably
We process this data because it is necessary to provide the service you request (Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR), and to keep the service secure and working (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR).
05 · Service Providers
Who Processes Data for Us
- Google Firebase (Google Ireland Ltd.): login, database and photo storage. Our database is hosted in Frankfurt, Germany.
- Twilio: sending the SMS verification code to your phone number.
- Netlify: hosting the service that verifies your login code.
These providers process data only on our instructions. Some of them may process data outside the EU under the safeguards required by the GDPR, such as Standard Contractual Clauses.
06 · How Long We Keep Data
Retention
We keep your data for as long as your account exists. Listings expire after 30 days.
You can delete your account at any time in the app (Profile → Delete Account). Your profile and listings are removed immediately; listing photos and chat messages you sent are deleted within 30 days. Details: account deletion page.
07 · Your GDPR Rights
Your Rights
- Access the personal data we hold about you
- Correct inaccurate or incomplete data
- Erase your data ("right to be forgotten")
- Receive your data in a portable format
- Object to or restrict processing
- Lodge a complaint with your national data protection authority
To exercise your rights, contact us at privacy@karoeu.com. We reply within 30 days.
08 · Data Security
How We Protect Your Data
- All communication between the app and our servers is encrypted (HTTPS/TLS)
- Access rules ensure each user can only change their own profile and listings
- Chats can only be read by the two people taking part in them
09 · What We Never Do
Our Commitments
- We never sell your personal data
- We never share your information with advertisers
- We never use your data outside the scope of this service
10 · Policy Updates
Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy. We will inform you in the app before any material change takes effect. The date at the top of this page shows the latest version.