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ExpatsKey v2.0

Trust & Transparency

At Expatskey, we believe in clear, honest communication. Our Legal Hub provides everything you need to know about how we manage data, protect your rights, and maintain a safe community for expats.

Privacy Policy

Version 4.1, 4 October 2026

At expatskey.com, we believe that legal documents should be as easy to understand as our platform. This policy explains our data practices in a transparent, conversational format.

1. Who is the "Data Controller" for my information?

Anantham Krithrimam Technologies (OPC) Private Limited, an Indian One Person Company, is the "Data Controller." This means we are the ones responsible for deciding how and why your personal data is processed when you use expatskey.com.

2. What information do we collect about you?

Our Engineering team collects data to ensure a premium experience. We categorize this as:

  • Profile Data: Your name and email address (collected during our passwordless login and signup). You may optionally add a phone number to your Profile page to enhance your account.
  • Verification Data: Professional credentials for "Verified Experts" (to maintain platform trust).
  • Content Data: Any text, photos, or videos you upload to listings or articles.
  • Technical Data: Your IP address, device type, and GPS coordinates (specifically used to show you the most relevant local discovery results).

3. Why do we need your information?

We use your data strictly for the following reasons:

  • To verify your identity: Using secure passwordless Email OTP or Social Auth (Google/Facebook).
  • To localize your experience: Your GPS data ensures that when you search for a restaurant or event, you see the ones closest to you.
  • To protect the community: Verification of credentials prevents fraud and ensures the high quality of "Pillar" articles.
  • To keep you updated: Sending transactional emails (via Brevo) for account security and platform updates.

4. Where is my data physically stored?

We prioritize your data's residency. Our primary production servers—including our Frontend, Backend, and PostgreSQL database—are hosted on infrastructure located in Frankfurt, Germany (EU Region) via Render.

5. Do we share your data with third parties?

We do not share your data. We only share it with trusted "Data Processors" who provide essential technical infrastructure:

  • Render: Infrastructure and hosting (Frankfurt).
  • Mapbox: Geographic search and premium visualization.
  • Cloudinary: Secure media storage and optimization.
  • Brevo: Reliable transactional email delivery.
  • Slack: Internal alerts to our moderation team when something you submit (a page, course, event, listing, offer or edit) is waiting for review. The alert includes your name and email address so the team can review it and contact you.
  • Social Providers: Google and Facebook (only if you choose to use Social Auth).
  • Google sign-in: When you open ExpatsKey while signed out, we show Google's sign-in option. Google receives the request from your browser. If you choose 'Continue as…', Google shares your name, email address and profile picture with us to sign you in or create your account. If you have signed in before, Google may sign you in automatically; you can sign out at any time.

6. How do we protect data sent outside of Europe?

While our core servers are in Frankfurt, some third-party tools may process metadata internationally. To protect this, we implement Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) (as per Art. 46 GDPR), which are legally binding agreements ensuring that these providers maintain EU-equivalent privacy standards regardless of their location.

7. How long do we keep your information?

To stay lean and efficient (leveraging Art. 30(5) GDPR waivers), we apply a 5-year retention baseline for standard profile data. After this, or if you delete your account, we securely erase your personal identifiers, though we may retain anonymized data for platform history and SEO (e.g., historical listings without user names).

8. What are my rights over my data?

We believe in "Data Control by Default." You have the following rights, which you can exercise directly via our dashboard:

  • Right to Access: Instantly download a machine-readable (JSON) file of your data.
  • Right to Rectification: Correct your profile information at any time.
  • Right to Erasure: Use our "Self-Service Deletion" tool to instantly remove your account and data.
  • Right to Complain: You have the right to lodge a complaint with your local Data Protection Authority (GDPR Art. 77).

Grievance & Compliance

If you have any questions, please contact us at:
Email: [email protected]
Address: #9-5-77, Charbowli Road, Girmajipet, Warangal, Telangana – 506002, India.

Terms of Use

Version 3.0 - March 12, 2026

These General Conditions of Use ("Terms") govern your use of expatskey.com (the "Platform"), operated by Anantham Krithrimam Technologies (OPC) Private Limited. By accessing the Platform, you agree to these Terms.

⚖️ Startup Regulatory Waiver

As a recognized startup, we leverage the exemptions provided under Section 17(3) of the DPDP Act (India) and Article 30(5) of the GDPR (EU). These waivers enable us to maintain a lean administrative structure while providing a robust, community-first platform.

1. Description of Services

Expatskey.com is a specialized discovery and community platform for expatriates. The Company acts strictly as a neutral intermediary and a venue provider. We facilitate the discovery of articles, business listings, and curated offers, but we are not a party to any underlying contracts, agreements, or transactions between Users and Merchants/Experts.

2. Content Authoring & Intellectual Property

A. Two-Tier Article Ecosystem (Governance)

To ensure the highest quality of informational pillar content, the Platform uses a two-tier system:

  • Tier 1 (Pillar Articles): Comprehensive, foundational guides authored exclusively by "Verified Experts" vetted by the Platform.
  • Tier 2 (Cluster Articles): Community-driven insights authored by regular users. These are subject to moderator approval before publication.
  • Independent Contributors: You acknowledge that "Verified Experts" are independent contributors and not employees or official agents of Anantham Krithrimam Technologies (OPC) Private Limited.

B. User-Generated Content License

By uploading content (including text, photos, and videos) to listings or articles, you grant Anantham Krithrimam Technologies (OPC) Private Limited a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, and sub-licensable license to use, reproduce, and display such content in connection with the Platform's services and marketing.

3. Community Accuracy & Data Integrity

A. Community Aggregation

The Platform may aggregate business listings (Events, Restaurants, Housing, etc.) from public third-party sources to provide a centralized resource for the Indian community.

B. Best Effort Principle

Under the Section 8(3) waiver of the DPDP Act, while we strive for excellence, we provide aggregated community listings on a "Best Effort" basis. We provide business owners with tools to correct data via our Claim Procedure, reducing reliance on manual platform oversight.

4. The Listing Claim & Verification Procedure

Original business owners or authorized representatives may "Claim" their listings on the Platform using our two-tier verification system:

A. Soft Claim (Preliminary Management)

A business owner can initiate a "Soft Claim" to assert preliminary control over an aggregated listing. This allows for basic information updates and corrections while the verification process is ongoing.

B. Hard Claim (Verified Status)

To achieve full management rights and a "Verified" badge, owners must complete a "Hard Claim." This requires the submission of official business registration documents or valid identification to our compliance team. The Platform reserves the right to revert a claim if verification is not completed or if documentation is deemed insufficient.

5. Notice and Takedown (IP & Safety Protection)

If you are the owner of original content aggregated on our site and wish for it to be removed, or if you believe your intellectual property rights have been violated, please contact us at [email protected] immediately.

Our Commitment: Upon receipt of a valid request, we aim to review and remove contested data within a target window of 24 to 48 hours.

6. Listings & "Soft Deactivation"

A. Accuracy of Listings

Users and owners are responsible for ensuring that all listings (Events, Restaurants, Housing, etc.) are accurate and up-to-date.

B. SEO-Friendly Availability (Soft Deactivation)

To maintain search engine visibility and community history, the Platform handles unavailable listings through a "Soft Deactivation" process:

  • Sold Out/Unavailable: Listings marked as sold out or past their date remain visible on the Platform but are clearly flagged to users as unavailable.
  • Archiving: The Platform reserves the right to archive or de-index listings that have been deactivated for extended periods.

7. Moderation and Governance

The company reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to:

  • Review: Screen all Tier 2 Articles and Listings before or after publication.
  • Reject: Refuse to publish or remove any content that violates community standards or local laws.
  • Suspend: Terminate or suspend user accounts for repeated violations or fraudulent claims.

As a Micro-Enterprise under the EU Digital Services Act (DSA), we are exempt from certain annual transparency reporting requirements, but we maintain a dedicated manual "Notice and Takedown" system for community safety.

8. Liability & Contingencies

A. General Disclaimer

The Platform provides information as-is. While we facilitate claiming and verification, we do not guarantee the absolute accuracy of aggregated or user-generated listings. Users are encouraged to exercise due diligence before engaging in transactions or services listed on the Platform.

B. Force Majeure

The Company shall not be liable for any failure or delay in performance due to circumstances beyond its reasonable control, including but not limited to acts of God, server/ISP outages, or technical failures of third-party infrastructure.

C. Account Succession

In the event of a user's death or permanent incapacity, access to the account and data rights shall be handled in accordance with applicable laws and our internal verification procedures.

9. Contact Us

For disputes or legal inquiries, please contact us at [email protected].

Dispute Resolution (EU): If you are an EU resident, you may also access the European Commission's Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) platform at https://ec.europa.eu/consumers/odr/.

Terms of Sale (ToS)

Version 1.0 - March 12, 2026

These General Terms and Conditions of Sale ("ToS") govern the offers, promotions, and wallet services provided on expatskey.com (the "Platform"), operated by Anantham Krithrimam Technologies (OPC) Private Limited.

1. Nature of the Platform

Expatskey.com is a discovery and engagement platform. We facilitate the connection between users and merchants by displaying promotional offers (the "Offers").

IMPORTANT: The Platform is NOT a payment processor. Final transactions, payments, and the delivery of goods or services occur directly at the merchant's physical or digital location.

2. The Offer Ecosystem

A. Scarcity & Availability

All Offers displayed on the Platform are subject to availability and technical constraints:

  • Max Claims: Offers may have a predefined limit on the number of claims. Once reached, the offer will automatically deactivate.
  • Merchant Kill-Switch: Merchants have the authority to manually mark an offer as "Sold Out" or "Inactive" at any time through the Platform's merchant dashboard (as implemented in our 'Merchant-in-the-Loop' logic).

B. Offer Types

Offers may include Discounts, Combo Bundles, Fresh Arrival Alerts, or Special Announcements. The specific terms of each offer are set by the respective merchant.

3. Wallet & Redemption Logic

A. Saving Offers

When you save an offer to your "Wallet," the Platform generates a unique QR code for validation purposes.

B. The 24-Hour "Grandfather" Grace Period

To protect user engagement and prevent disappointment from sudden deactivations, the Platform enforces a technical Grace Period:

  • If you save an offer while it is active, it will remain valid and viewable in your Wallet for 24 hours, even if the merchant subsequently toggles the offer to "Inactive" on the public feed.
  • Inventory Disclaimer: This grace period is a technical availability window on the Platform only. It does not guarantee that the Merchant will have physical stock or inventory available at their location. Redemption is always subject to the Merchant's actual supply.
  • Exception: This grace period does NOT apply if the offer reaches its absolute "End Date" (Hard Expiration) as specified in the offer details.

C. Redemption Process

Redeeming an offer involves presenting the Wallet QR code to the merchant. This QR code serves as a validation of your claim but does not constitute a financial payment or a guaranteed contract of sale.

4. Pricing & Tax Transparency

A. Merchant as Seller of Record

The Merchant is the sole "Seller of Record" for all products or services redeemed via the Platform. Expatskey.com does not set prices, nor does it collect payments for the underlying goods.

B. Pricing & Tax Compliance

Merchants are responsible for calculating, collecting, and remitting any applicable taxes (such as GST in India or VAT in Europe) associated with an Offer. Displayed prices on the Platform are as per the information provided by the merchant or as seen on their respective websites. As we do not verify these prices on a regular basis, users must exercise caution and verify the correct information directly on the merchant's website or at their physical location. Final taxes may be applied at the point of sale.

5. Liability & Fulfillment

A. Merchant Responsibility

The merchant is solely responsible for the fulfillment, quality, and accuracy of the goods or services provided under an Offer. Anantham Krithrimam Technologies (OPC) Private Limited is not a party to the transaction between you and the merchant.

B. Platform Disclaimer

The Platform is not liable for:

  • Direct or indirect losses resulting from a merchant's refusal to honor an offer.
  • Technical errors in the "Max Claims" counter or real-time availability sync.
  • The quality of products or services redeemed via the Platform.

6. Amendments

We reserve the right to modify these ToS to reflect changes in our Scarcity Engine or Wallet logic. Continued use of the Wallet features constitutes acceptance of the updated terms.

7. Contact & Disputes

For inquiries regarding offer redemption logic, please contact us at [email protected].

7. EU Consumer Rights (Right of Withdrawal)

If you are a consumer residing in the European Union, you have a statutory right to withdraw from digital contracts within 14 days without giving any reason. Note that this right expires once the digital content or service—such as an offer redemption or wallet activation—has been fully executed with your prior express consent.

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