TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.Introduction
& Mission 2.Purpose of
This Policy 3.Scope &
Global Applicability 4.Who Controls
Your Data 5.Key
Definitions 6.Personal
Data We Collect o6.1 Essential Information (Required
for Service) o6.2 Additional Voluntary Profile
Information 7.Sensitive
Data – Our Promise 8.How We Use
Your Information 9.User
Permissions & Choices 10.Search &
Matching Filters (Religion / Food / Language) 11.Communication
& Messaging Data 12.Third-Party
Links & Integrations 13.Third-Party
Service Partners 14.Data Storage
& Security Protocols 15.How Long We
Retain Your Data 16.When We
Share Your Data 17.International
Data Transfers 18.Children
& Minor Protection Policy 19.Your Data
Rights (Access, Correction, Deletion) 20.Legal Basis
for Processing (GDPR, CCPA, IT Act) 21.Dispute
Resolution & Grievance Redressal 22.Updates to
This Privacy Policy1. INTRODUCTION & MISSION Ethnic BNB exists to celebrate local culture,
diversity, hospitality, sustainability and community identity. Our purpose is to build a global travel network where customers can experience
genuine homes, cultural stays, regional foods, religious & spiritual
experiences, local languages and community-guided tourism. We operate with a single corporate office
in India and
offer services globally. We serve Hosts, Guests, Community Experts, Local
Guides, Culinary Hosts, Language Tutors, Spiritual Guides, Wellness
Specialists, and Heritage Stay Operators. At Ethnic BNB, we believe: 1) Everyone should belong anywhere while respecting local values 2) Travel must be safe, transparent, and ethical 3) Data privacy is a human right 4) No person shall be discriminated based on religion, ethnicity,
gender, food preference, health condition, disability, or language 5) Our platform supports diversity-based search filters, but only for comfort, cultural
relevance, dietary needs, and safety We are committed to handling
your information lawfully, fairly, and transparently.2. PURPOSE OF THIS POLICY This Privacy Policy & Terms
of Service
explains: 1) What information we
collect 2) Why we collect it 3) Where we store it 4) How long we keep it 5) When we share it 6) Your rights to access, modify, or delete your data 7) Legal compliance & dispute handling 8) How religion, ethnicity, language & food identity filters are used only for discovery &
comfort3. SCOPE & GLOBAL APPLICABILITY This policy applies to all users, including: ·Guest – Individuals who search
for or book accommodations or experiences. ·Host – Individuals who offer
accommodations or cultural services on the platform. ·Local
Partners
– Guides, chefs, spiritual practitioners, translators, and other community
experts who provide on-ground services. ·Support
Staff
– EthnicBNB employees and authorised service vendors who assist in platform
operations. ·Platform
Visitors
– Anyone browsing the platform; certain data such as location may be collected
even without logging in. This policy applies worldwide, including regions with dedicated
privacy regulations such as GDPR (EU), LGPD (Brazil), CCPA (California), PIPEDA
(Canada), Indian IT Act, and digital consumer protection laws.4. WHO CONTROLS YOUR DATA We operate with ONE single legal office globally and follow multi-country data
compliance
through contractual & technical frameworks.5. KEY DEFINITIONS Here is a
clean, professional, simple, and slightly more polished version in point form: Platform: Refers to the website, booking system, and all related tools and services. Host: The individual or entity offering accommodation, stays, or cultural
experiences. Guest: The individual booking an accommodation, service, or experience through
the Platform. Sensitive Data: Includes information such as religion, ethnicity, language, food
preferences, and gender identity. Controller: The legal entity responsible for safeguarding, managing, and overseeing
the protection of personal data. Processing: Involves the collection, storage, analysis, sharing, or deletion of any
personal data. Filters: Search categories and selection tools used to match user needs,
preferences, and requirements. Experience: A cultural, traditional, or tourism-based activity offered by a Host or
authorized Partner.6. PERSONAL DATA WE COLLECT When you create an account or
use Ethnic BNB, we may collect the following: 6.1 Essential Information (Required for Service) ·Full
Name ·Contact
Number ·Email
Address ·Postal
Address ·Date
of Birth ·Government
ID (as per legal compliance) ·Payment
method details 6.2 Additional Voluntary Profile Information Users may optionally provide: ·Gender
identity / preferred pronouns ·Religion
(only if relevant for matching/local comfort) ·Mother
tongue / languages spoken ·Cultural
food preferences ·Biography
/ host introduction ·Photos
and videos ·Travel
purpose: wellness, culinary exploration, worship, work, festival visit7. SENSITIVE DATA – OUR PROMISE Ethnic BNB strictly prohibits
discrimination. We use encrypted
storage & restricted access for such data. We will never: 1) Allow religious profiling 2) Sell user data 3) Use ethnicity/language to block or reject users 4) Permit hate speech or exclusionary listings8. HOW WE USE YOUR INFORMATION We process your data to
provide platform services such as: ·Account
Creation:
Includes login methods such as email, OTP verification, and Google sign-in. ·Booking
Management: Covers reservation confirmations and related updates. ·Payment
Processing: Handles all payment transactions and billing activities. ·Search
& Recommendations: Provides comfort-based filters and tailored search suggestions. ·Customer
Support:
Maintains technical assistance and help-desk communication logs. ·Security
& Verification: Ensures identity checks, fraud prevention, and safety compliance. ·Legal
Compliance: Generates GST invoices, tax documentation, and statutory records. ·Cultural
Comfort:
Helps match guests with hosts based on cultural preferences for a better stay
experience.9. USER PERMISSIONS & CHOICES You may at any time: ·Access
your information ·Edit
profile details ·Disable
sensitive filters ·Request
full data export ·Request
deletion of account ·Limit
data sharing We will complete your request
within
legal timelines
per governing law.10. SEARCH & MATCHING FILTERS
(RELIGION/FOOD/LANGUAGE) Ethnic BNB offers voluntary discovery tools only for comfort & safety, such as: ·Culinary style ·Cultural immersion ·Spiritual tourism ·Diet-based search11. COMMUNICATION & MESSAGING DATA To ensure trust and safety,
we may: ·Store
chats for verification or dispute resolution ·Scan
messages for fraud / spam / harmful content ·Record
calls when legally required ·Log
customer support interactions We do NOT sell or publicly
share message data. It is encrypted & stored only for legitimate safety reasons.12. THIRD-PARTY LINKS & INTEGRATIONS Ethnic BNB may integrate
with: ·Google
Maps API ·Digital
payment gateways ·Language
translation systems When you use third-party
services, their
privacy policy will apply. We encourage users to review them before use.13. THIRD-PARTY SERVICE PARTNERS To provide seamless services
across cultures, locations, languages, food preferences, safety expectations
and spiritual needs, we may use approved third-party platforms, which may include: ·Maps
& Navigation: Integrated services such as the Google Maps API for accurate routes
and location guidance. ·Online
Payments:
Secure payment options including Credit Cards, Debit Cards, UPI, and leading
banking channels. ·Language
Support:
Real-time translation tools and community-based language assistance for
smoother communication. All third-party interactions
occur only
with your knowledge and consent, and data is shared strictly on a need-to-know
basis.14. HOST & GUEST RESPONSIBILITIES 14.1 Host Obligations Every Host must: 1) Provide accurate listing details 2) Maintain safety and hygiene standards 3) Respect all local laws & building regulations 4) Maintain correct GST/tax compliance 5) Avoid any religious, language-based, ethnic or caste-based rejection Hosts must NOT: 1) Deny guests due to religion, nationality or language 2) Display extremist symbols / hate messaging 3) Violate any privacy or identity laws 4) Engage in deception or hidden fees 14.2 Guest Responsibilities Guests must: 1) Respect property rules and local customs 2) Use truthful identity & booking details 3) Avoid aggressive behavior or damage 4) Follow cultural sensitivity protocols 5) Acknowledge dietary/allergy restrictions honestly Guests must NOT: 1) Abuse hosts or support staff 2) Host illegal gatherings 3) Misrepresent religion or ethnicity for discrimination 4) Provide false payment or identity15. PAYMENT & BILLING TERMS All bookings must be made
through approved
Ethnic BNB payment channels only. Direct payment to hosts is strongly discouraged and
not protected
under this policy. ·Map
& Navigation Support: Utilizes services such as the Google Maps API to provide accurate maps, routes,
and location guidance. ·Secure
Online Payments: Supports multiple payment methods including credit cards, debit cards, UPI, and
various banking options. ·Language
Assistance: Offers live translation tools and access to community-based language support
for smoother communication. Chargebacks,
disputes or suspicious activities may cause temporary account suspension
pending verification.16. LOCAL TAX COMPLIANCE &
GOVERNMENT REPORTING We may share your booking and
transaction data with verified authorities if legally mandated, such as: ·GST
audits (India) ·Tourism
Department Regulations ·Income
Tax Department ·Foreign
Exchange & FEMA laws ·Safety
& law enforcement investigations We are fully compliant with Indian IT Act, GDPR (EU),
CCPA (California), PIPEDA (Canada), LGPD (Brazil) and regional government
notifications.17. COOKIES & DIGITAL TRACKING
POLICY 17.1 Essential Cookies Used only to maintain login
sessions, booking security & platform behavior. 17.2 Analytics Cookies Track usage trends to improve
experience. Users may disable analytics cookies anytime via browser settings. 17.3 No Cross-Advertising Cookies We do NOT track users for global ad networks. Data is used only for improving our platform performance.18. DATA RETENTION TIME PERIOD ·Booking
and Payment Records: Retained for 8 years as
required for legal and compliance purposes. ·Host
Listing Information: Maintained and stored as long as the host’s account remains active. ·Messages
and Support Logs: Preserved for up to 5 years for service quality, security, and audit
requirements.19. VOLUNTARY DELETION & ACCOUNT
CLOSURE You may request: 1) Full data deletion 2) Export of your account data 4) Deactivation for fixed duration Once deleted, all data
becomes permanently
unrecoverable,
except transaction records legally required for GST or tax audits.20. PLATFORM SAFETY — ZERO TOLERANCE
POLICY We will block, suspend or terminate
accounts for: 1) Hate speech / religious
harassment 2) Sexual exploitation / trafficking 3) Criminal intent / illegal gatherings 4) Data theft or identity fraud 5) False claims against hosts or guests 6) Host misuse of sensitive data21. UPDATES TO THIS POLICY We may revise this document anytime, as per law. 1) Revised version will
mention “Last Updated On” date 2) You will be notified by email 30 days before activation 3) Continued
use of the platform will be considered legal acceptance of the updated policy.22. FINAL DECLARATION Ethnic BNB commits to an inclusive, respectful,
lawful travel ecosystem where cultural diversity is celebrated without discrimination. We use information such as religion, identity, ethnicity, and food preferences solely to help guests find comfort-based options. These factors are never used to restrict access or exclude anyone.
