Privacy Policy

Last Updated: 10 December 2025

At Fuel Smart AU, we are committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal information when you use our mobile application and API services.

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Account Information

When you create an account using Google or Apple Sign-In, we collect and store the following information:

• User ID (UID): A unique identifier provided by Firebase Authentication
• Email Address: Your email address (if provided by your authentication provider)
• Display Name: Your name (if provided by your authentication provider)
• Profile Photo: Your profile picture URL (if provided by your authentication provider)
• Authentication Provider: Whether you signed in with Google or Apple
• Account Status: Whether you have completed onboarding

1.2 User Preferences

To provide personalised fuel recommendations, we collect and store:

• Preferred Fuel Type: Your preferred fuel type (e.g., E10, U91, U95, U98, Diesel)
• Tank Size: Your vehicle's fuel tank capacity (in litres)
• Vehicle Name: A name you assign to your vehicle
• Weekly Distance: Estimated weekly driving distance (optional)
• Preferred Brands: Fuel station brands you prefer (optional)
• Average Fuel Consumption: Your vehicle's average fuel consumption (optional)
• Refuel Moment: Your preferred time to refuel (optional)

1.3 Location Information

When you request fuel prices with location data:

• Geographic Coordinates: Your latitude and longitude (provided by you via the mobile app)
• We use this information only to calculate distances to nearby fuel stations and provide location-based recommendations
• Location data is not stored on our servers—it is processed in real-time for your request only
• Location services are optional and used only when you explicitly request nearby stations

1.4 Favorite Stations

We store a list of station codes for stations you mark as favorites. This allows us to quickly retrieve your preferred stations.

2. How We Use Your Information

2.1 Core Functionality

• To authenticate you and maintain your account
• To provide personalised fuel price recommendations based on your tank size, location, and preferences
• To calculate the total cost of refuelling (price per litre × tank size) for better decision-making
• To filter and prioritise fuel stations based on your preferred brands
• To show you favorite stations you've saved
• To provide 7-day fuel price history trends

2.2 Location-Based Features

• When you provide your location (latitude/longitude), we use it to:
• Calculate distances to nearby fuel stations
• Sort stations by proximity (nearest) or total cost (cheapest within radius)
• Filter stations within your specified maximum distance
• Only suggest farther stations if they provide savings of $1.00 or more when using your tank size

Important: Your location coordinates are not stored. They are processed only for the duration of your API request.

3. Data Storage and Security

3.1 Storage Infrastructure

Your data is stored securely in MongoDB databases with the following protections:

• Data is encrypted in transit using TLS/SSL
• Database access is restricted and requires authentication
• Regular security updates and monitoring

3.2 Data Retention

• Account Data: Retained until you delete your account
• User Preferences: Retained until you delete your account or update them
• Favorite Stations: Retained until you remove them or delete your account
• Fuel Price History: Retained for 7 days, then automatically deleted
• Station Data: Public fuel station data is cached for up to 12 hours and refreshed from NSW Fuel Check API

4. Third-Party Services

4.1 Firebase Authentication

We use Firebase Authentication (provided by Google) to handle user authentication:

• Firebase processes your Google or Apple sign-in credentials
• We receive a verified user ID and basic profile information (name, email, photo) if provided
• Your authentication credentials are managed by Google/Apple and are not stored on our servers
• Firebase's privacy policy applies to authentication data: https://firebase.google.com/support/privacy

4.2 NSW Fuel Check API

We use the official NSW Fuel Check API to obtain fuel price data:

• We fetch public fuel station data, prices, and brand information from the NSW Government's Fuel Check API
• This data includes station locations, fuel types, prices, and brands—all publicly available information
• We cache this data on our servers to improve performance and reduce API load
• Station data is refreshed up to 5 times per day at scheduled intervals
• Fuel price history is maintained for 7 days to show price trends
• NSW Fuel Check API terms and privacy information: https://www.nsw.gov.au/driving-boating-and-transport/fuel-check

4.3 Data Sharing

We do not sell, rent, or share your personal information with third parties except:

• When required by law or legal process
• To comply with government requests
• To protect our rights or prevent fraud

5. Your Rights and Choices

5.1 Access and Control

You have the following rights regarding your data:

• Access: Request a copy of your personal data by contacting us
• Update: Modify your preferences and account information through the app
• Delete: Delete your account and all associated data using the account deletion feature
• Location: Control location sharing through your device settings—you can use the app without providing location data
• Favorites: Add or remove favorite stations at any time

5.2 Account Deletion

You can delete your account at any time by:

• Using the account deletion feature in the app (DELETE /auth/delete endpoint)
• This will permanently delete:
• Your user account information
• Your preferences
• Your favorite stations list
• Your Firebase user account (if deletion is successful)

6. Location Services

Location services in Fuel Smart AU work as follows:

• Opt-in Only: Location data is only used when you explicitly provide it (by enabling location services in the app and making a request with location parameters)
• No Tracking: We do not track your location over time or store location history
• Real-time Processing: Location coordinates are processed only for the duration of your API request to calculate nearby stations
• No Storage: Your location is not saved to our servers
• Distance Calculation: Location is used solely to calculate distances between your position and fuel stations to help you find the nearest or cheapest options
• Control: You can disable location services on your device at any time and still use the app for general fuel price information

7. Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your information:

• Encryption of data in transit (TLS/SSL)
• Secure database access controls
• Regular security audits and updates
• Firebase Authentication for secure user verification
• JWT tokens for API authentication

8. Children's Privacy

Fuel Smart AU is not intended for users under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe we have inadvertently collected such information, please contact us immediately so we can delete it.

9. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any significant changes by:

• Updating the "Last Updated" date at the top of this policy
• Posting a notice in the app for significant changes

Your continued use of the service after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

10. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your data, please contact us:

• Website: kiranpaudel2000.com.np
• Creator: Kiran Paudel

11. Compliance

This Privacy Policy is designed to comply with:

• Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth)
• General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) for users in the European Economic Area
• Other applicable data protection laws