Privacy Policy

Effective: 11 November 2026 App: CarVee (com.carvee.carcinema) Operator: PRABHDEEP AULAKH, Melbourne, Australia

This Privacy Policy explains how personal information is handled in the CarVee iOS application (“CarVee”, “the app”). It is written to comply with the Australian Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), including the Australian Privacy Principles. It describes only practices that the app actually implements. We do not claim any certification or membership that we have not obtained.

1. Who we are

CarVee is developed and published by PRABHDEEP AULAKH, based in Melbourne, Australia (the “developer”, “we”, “us”). The App Store listing appears under the developer name PRABHDEEP AULAKH.

You can use most of CarVee, including purchasing a subscription, without creating an account. Signing in is optional and is used to sync account features such as playlists, favorites, library items, watch history and preferences.

2. Information we collect

2.1 Account information (optional Sign in with Apple)

The only third-party sign-in method offered in CarVee is Sign in with Apple. If you choose to sign in, Apple may provide us with:

a unique Apple user identifier;
your name, if you choose to share it; and
an email address, if you choose to share it, which may be your real address or an Apple Hide My Email relay address.

We create a CarVee user identifier and store these details in our database, together with sign-in session records. Session tokens typically expire after seven days. The current session token is stored on your device in the iOS Keychain.

If you previously used another sign-in method and later sign in with Apple using the same email address, we may link the Apple identifier to your existing CarVee account so that your library, playlists and related data can stay with you.

2.2 Information stored on our servers when you are signed in

When you are signed in, our backend database may store:

Favorites — title, web or video address, source (for example YouTube or a URL), thumbnail address and the time you saved it;
Playlists — playlist name and the items you add (title, address, source, thumbnail and time added);
Preferences — pinned entertainment services and recent search terms;
Watch history — title, address, source, thumbnail, playback position (so you can resume) and last updated time;
Library — links or videos you save to your library (title, address, source, thumbnail); and
AI messages — the text of requests you make to “Hey CarVee” or “My Mood” (including text produced from a voice recording) and the app’s replies, together with a session identifier and time.

Guest use does not create a CarVee user record. Features that require an account will not sync until you sign in.

2.3 Operational caches (not tied to your account)

To operate the service we also keep short-lived operational caches that are not stored against your user identifier:

YouTube search caches (the search query and the results returned); and
text-to-speech audio caches (generated spoken replies, stored as audio data).

2.4 Voice and microphone

The microphone is used only after you start a voice feature, such as voice search, Hey CarVee, or My Mood playlists. The app requests microphone permission for this purpose.

Voice recordings are sent to our servers and then to OpenAI so they can be turned into text and, where you use the assistant or mood features, so that a reply can be generated and spoken. Recordings are handled in temporary files for processing and are not saved in our database. The resulting text may be stored as an AI message as described above, and a confirmed search term may be saved in your recent searches if you are signed in.

2.5 Location and movement

If you allow location access, CarVee may read your device’s speed while a video is playing, so it can warn the driver if the vehicle appears to be moving. The permission is used only for this safety warning.

Your location is processed on the device. It is not sent to our servers and is never stored.

2.6 Photos and videos on your device

If you allow access to your photo library, you can pick videos stored on your iPhone to play in CarVee. Those files remain on your device unless you separately save a link into your signed-in library.

2.7 Subscriptions and payments

Subscriptions are purchased through the Apple App Store. Apple processes the payment. We do not receive your full payment card number.

We use RevenueCat to check whether a trial or CarVee Premium subscription is active, and to support restore purchases. RevenueCat may process an app user identifier and subscription status. Purchases can be made without a CarVee account; in that case the subscription is associated with an anonymous RevenueCat identifier on the device until you restore or sign in.

2.8 In-app browser and third-party services

CarVee can open third-party websites and services (for example YouTube and other streaming services) in an in-app browser. Bookmarks, browsing history, cookies and site logins for those sites are stored on your device. We do not receive the passwords you enter on those sites. Those services have their own privacy policies, which govern any information you provide to them.

YouTube search and embedded playback go through our backend so that search and the official YouTube player can function. Search queries may be cached as described above.

2.9 Technical information we do not collect through analytics SDKs

CarVee does not include a separate third-party analytics or crash-reporting SDK (for example, there is no Sentry, Firebase Analytics, Amplitude or similar product listed in the app’s dependencies). Apple, the App Store, and the hosting and infrastructure providers we use may process technical information in the ordinary course of operating their services.

3. How we use information

We use the information described above to:

provide, operate and improve CarVee, including sign-in, cloud sync of library features, search, playback resume, and AI features;
verify subscription status and honour a restore of purchases;
warn drivers when video appears to be playing while the vehicle is moving;
respond to support requests you send us; and
comply with law and enforce our Terms of Use.

We do not sell your personal information.

We share information only as needed to operate the app:

Apple — Sign in with Apple, App Store payments, subscription management, and (where you use it) CarPlay;
RevenueCat — subscription status and related identifiers, so we can unlock CarVee Premium and restore purchases;
OpenAI — voice recordings and text prompts for transcription, the Hey CarVee assistant, My Mood playlists, and spoken replies;
YouTube / Google — search queries and playback through the official embedded player when you use YouTube features;
Other streaming or websites you open — whatever you enter or play on those sites is handled by those providers; and
Hosting and database providers — the companies that host the CarVee backend and database, solely to store and process the data described in this policy.

We may also disclose information if required by law, or to protect the rights, safety or property of users or the developer.

5. Overseas disclosure

Some of the providers above are located outside Australia, including in the United States. If you use Sign in with Apple, subscriptions, voice or AI features, YouTube, or other overseas services, your information may be disclosed to those countries. Those organisations are subject to their own privacy terms and the laws of the places where they operate. We take reasonable steps to deal with reputable providers, but we cannot control how a third party handles information once it is in their systems.

6. On-device data

In addition to server data, CarVee stores certain information only on your device, including your sign-in session token (in the iOS Keychain), in-app browser bookmarks, browser history, and cookies or site logins for websites you open. Uninstalling the app, or clearing that data in the app where a control is provided, removes on-device copies. It does not by itself delete server-side account data — use account deletion for that, as described below.

7. Retention

We keep signed-in account data for as long as your account exists, or as needed to provide the service. Session records expire after about seven days, or sooner if you sign out. If you delete your account, we delete the user record, sessions, favorites, watch history, library, playlists, preferences and AI messages associated with that account.

Operational caches (YouTube search and generated speech) are not stored against your user identifier and may remain after account deletion until they are overwritten or removed as part of ordinary system maintenance.

Deleting your CarVee account does not cancel an App Store subscription. You must cancel that separately in your Apple ID subscription settings. Apple and RevenueCat may retain purchase records as required to operate the store and prevent abuse.

8. Your rights and account deletion

Under the Australian Privacy Principles, you may request access to, or correction of, personal information we hold about you. You may also request deletion, withdraw consent where processing is based on consent (for example, microphone or location permission on the device), and complain if you believe we have mishandled your information.

You can delete your CarVee account from inside the app: open Settings, go to the bottom of the screen, choose Delete account, then confirm Delete permanently. This permanently deletes the account data listed in section 7. Creating an account is optional and is used for cloud sync.

You can also turn off location or microphone access in iOS Settings, manage or cancel a subscription in Settings › Apple ID › Subscriptions, and use Restore purchases in the app if you reinstall or change devices.

To make an access or correction request, or if you cannot use the in-app deletion control, contact us using the details in section 12. We will respond within a reasonable time.

9. Children

CarVee is an automotive entertainment application and is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will take reasonable steps to delete it.

10. Security

We use reasonable administrative and technical measures to protect information, including transmitting data over HTTPS, storing session tokens in the iOS Keychain, and restricting account data to the signed-in user. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

11. Changes

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The effective date at the top of the page will change when we do. The current version will always be published at this URL. If changes are material, we will take reasonable steps to bring them to your attention, for example by updating the copy in the app or on this site.

12. Contact and complaints

Privacy questions, access or correction requests, and complaints can be sent to the developer:

PRABHDEEP AULAKH
CarVee
Melbourne, Australia
Support and privacy email: deepaul781@gmail.com

If you are not satisfied with our response, you may complain to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC). See oaic.gov.au for how to make a privacy complaint.