Privacy Policy
Last updated: 29 June 2026
Setu handles sensitive information about vulnerable people - children, elders and those who are lost. We collect the minimum needed to reunite them with their families, protect it carefully, and delete it as soon as it is no longer needed.
Our principles
- Minimal data. We only collect what helps make a match.
- Masked & hashed PII. Direct identifiers such as contact numbers and verification answers are masked or hashed, not stored in the clear.
- No biometric storage by default. We do not run or store facial-recognition templates by default; photos, where used, are for human eyes only.
- Auto-purge. Case data is automatically purged after reunification or after a short retention window.
What we collect
For a missing or found report, we may collect:
- a description of the person (name if known, approximate age, gender, language, clothing, last-seen location);
- an optional photo, captured to aid identification;
- an optional voice sample and the spoken-language transcript used to fill the report;
- a family contact number, stored in masked form;
- an optional secret question and answer, where the answer is stored only as a one-way hash for verification.
How we use it
We use this information solely to match missing and found reports across participating centers, to verify a genuine family member before a reunion, and to produce announcements that help locate the person. Aggregated, non-identifying statistics (such as reunion rates and hotspots) may be used to improve coordination on the ground.
How we protect it
Contact numbers are masked and verification answers are stored as one-way hashes, so they cannot be read back. Access to records is restricted to authorised operators. Data can be captured and held offline on a device and is transmitted securely when syncing.
Retention and deletion
Once a person is reunited, their case is closed and the associated personal data is purged on a scheduled basis. Open cases are retained only for the duration of the event plus a short window needed to complete reunifications, after which they are deleted.
Sharing
We do not sell personal data. Information is shared only with the participating lost-and-found centers and the responsible authorities for the purpose of reuniting the person, or where required by law.
Children and vulnerable people
Much of this data concerns minors and vulnerable adults. Releases are handled by on-site authorities following safeguarding procedures; Setu's verification step is an additional protection against impersonation, not a substitute for those procedures.
Your rights and data requests
You can ask us to access, correct or delete personal data relating to a case. Email adityajethani11@gmail.com with the case ID where possible, or use our contact form. Because data may be purged automatically after reunification, some records may no longer exist by the time of a request.
Changes to this policy
We may update this policy as the service evolves. Material changes will be reflected by the "last updated" date above.