Privacy Policy - Channels Wala

Privacy Policy - Channels Guru & Channels Wala

Last Updated: September 29, 2026

Welcome to Channels Guru and Channels Wala ("we," "us," or "our"). This Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use, store, and protect your information across our website (https://www.channelswala.com) and our mobile application Channels Guru ("the App").

Channels Guru is an independent discovery, promotion, and marketplace platform designed to help WhatsApp channel creators showcase their channels and allow users to explore verified communities, viral captions, and font tools. Channels Guru and Channels Wala are independent platforms and are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially associated with WhatsApp Inc. or Meta Platforms, Inc.

By downloading, installing, accessing, or using the App or our website, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, please do not use our app or services.

This policy is designed to align with:

1. WHO WE ARE (DATA CONTROLLER)

The data controller responsible for your personal data is:

Name: Channels Guru / Channels Wala

Country: United Arab Emirates

Email: hello@channelswala.com

2. INFORMATION WE COLLECT IN THE MOBILE APP

A) Account Authentication Data

When you create an account via Google Sign-In, we collect basic profile identifiers provided through Google Authentication:

  • Full Name: Used to display your profile and channel ownership.
  • Email Address: Used for account identification, login session management, and support.
  • Google User ID (UID): A unique key generated by Firebase Authentication to identify your data securely.

B) Channel Listing & Contact Information

If you choose to submit or manage a WhatsApp channel on Channels Guru, you voluntarily provide:

  • WhatsApp Mobile Number: Used to verify channel ownership and to let interested buyers or collaborators contact you on WhatsApp. Your number is shown only to users who tap the "Contact Owner" button, and it is locked after verification to prevent impersonation.
  • Public WhatsApp Channel Link: Your channel's public invitation URL.
  • Channel Category & Metadata: Channel name, category, and public metrics.

Channel listings you submit are public and visible to other users of the App.

C) Automatically Collected Device & App Data

  • Crash and Performance Data (Firebase Crashlytics): Crash logs, stack traces, device model, operating system version, and app version, used to find and fix bugs.
  • Usage Analytics (Google Analytics for Firebase): App interactions (such as screens viewed and features used), app instance identifiers, device information, and approximate location derived from IP address.
  • Advertising Identifier: The Android Advertising ID (GAID) and related data are collected by the Google Mobile Ads SDK (AdMob) to serve and measure ads.
  • Network State: Approximate location based on IP address and connectivity status.

D) Local Caching on Device

To reduce internet usage, Channels Guru stores daily channels, captions, and user preferences locally on your device (using Android SharedPreferences). This cache is not shared with unauthorized third parties.

3. HOW WE USE YOUR INFORMATION AND LEGAL BASIS

If you are in the European Economic Area (EEA) or the United Kingdom, we process your personal data on the following legal bases:

  • Creating and authenticating your account; publishing your channel listing; enabling contact between users: performance of a contract (providing the service you requested).
  • Preventing duplicate listings, spam, fraud, and unauthorized takeover attempts; crash reporting and app stability: our legitimate interests in keeping the App secure and working.
  • Usage analytics: our legitimate interests in understanding and improving the App [or consent, where required by local law].
  • Serving ads via Google AdMob: your consent, where required by law (see the Advertising section below).
  • Responding to support requests and sending important service messages: legitimate interests and performance of a contract.
  • Complying with legal obligations: where the law requires us to retain or disclose data.

4. ADVERTISING

Channels Guru shows ads through Google AdMob. AdMob may use your advertising ID and device data to show ads and measure their performance. You can reset your advertising ID or opt out of ads personalization in your Android device settings (Settings > Google > Ads).

5. INTERNATIONAL DATA TRANSFERS

We operate from United Arab Emirates, and our service providers (including Google/Firebase) may process data on servers outside your country, including outside the EEA and the UK. Where such transfers happen, they rely on safeguards such as the Standard Contractual Clauses or other mechanisms provided by these providers. You can read more in Firebase's privacy information.

6. DATA RETENTION

  • Account and channel data: kept while your account is active, and deleted when you delete your account.
  • Advertising and notification data: Google AdMob and Firebase Cloud Messaging may process device-level identifiers (such as the advertising ID and the notification token). These are kept by Google for the periods set in their own privacy policies.
  • Backups: data may remain in backups for a short period after deletion before being overwritten.
  • Legal reasons: we may keep limited data longer if the law requires it or to resolve disputes and prevent abuse.

7. ACCOUNT & DATA DELETION (IN-APP & WEB)

In line with Google Play's Account Deletion Policy, you have full control over your personal data in the Channels Guru app by Channels Wala:

How to Delete Your Account from Within the App:

1. Open the Channels Guru App and sign in if you are not already signed in.
2. Tap the Navigation Drawer Menu and select Settings.
3. Tap Delete Account & Data.
4. Confirm your deletion request and verify with your Google account.
Your account is deleted immediately.

What happens upon account deletion?

  • Your user document, profile name, and email are erased from our Firebase database, and your Firebase Authentication record is removed.
  • Your registered WhatsApp mobile number is released from our phone registry.
  • All WhatsApp channels submitted by your account are deleted from our live directory.
  • Your profile and your channels are removed from the app's cache on your device, and you are signed out.

What is kept? We do not keep your account data after deletion, except as described in Section 6 (short-term backups and legal reasons). Google AdMob and Firebase may keep limited device-level data under their own privacy policies.

Web Deletion Request: If you have uninstalled the App and want your account and channel listings deleted, email hello@channelswala.com from your registered Google email address with the subject "Delete my Channels Guru account". We will process your request within 72 hours where possible, and in any case within one month.

8. THIRD-PARTY SERVICES & SDK DISCLOSURES

Channels Guru uses third-party services that may collect information used to identify you or show ads. Their privacy policies:

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal phone numbers or profile credentials to third-party marketing companies.

9. WEBSITE, COOKIES & ANALYTICS

Our website may use cookies and similar technologies for basic functionality, analytics, and advertising. Where required by law (for example in the EEA and the UK), non-essential cookies are used only with your consent, and you can manage cookies through the cookie banner or your browser settings.

10. WHATSAPP & THIRD-PARTY PLATFORM DISCLAIMER

  • Channels Guru is an independent directory platform and is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by WhatsApp Inc. or Meta Platforms, Inc.
  • When you tap "View Channel" or "Contact Owner", you are redirected to the official WhatsApp application. Those communications are governed by WhatsApp's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
  • Channels Guru does not guarantee sales, followers, or income resulting from listing a channel.
  • Users are responsible for ensuring their channels follow WhatsApp's Community Guidelines. Channels sharing illegal, fraudulent, or adult content will be removed.

11. CHILDREN'S PRIVACY

Channels Guru is not directed to children under 13 (or under 16 where required by local law in your country). We do not knowingly collect personal data from children below these ages. If we learn that such data has been provided, we delete it promptly. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal data, contact us at hello@channelswala.com.

12. DATA SECURITY

We protect your data using Firebase Security Rules, SSL/HTTPS encryption in transit, and restricted database permissions. No method of transmission or storage is 100% secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security. If a data breach affects your rights, we will notify the relevant authorities and affected users as required by law.

13. YOUR RIGHTS (GDPR, UK GDPR & CCPA)

Depending on where you live, you have the right to:

  • Access the personal data we hold about you.
  • Rectification: ask us to correct inaccurate data.
  • Erasure: ask us to delete your data.
  • Restriction: ask us to limit how we use your data.
  • Portability: receive your data in a structured, commonly used format.
  • Objection: object to processing based on legitimate interests.
  • Withdraw consent at any time, without affecting processing done before withdrawal.
  • Automated decisions: we do not make decisions based solely on automated processing that significantly affect you.
  • California residents (CCPA): the right to know, delete, and not be discriminated against for exercising your rights. We do not sell personal information.

To exercise any of these rights, email hello@channelswala.com. We will respond within one month.

Right to complain: If you are in the EEA or the UK, you may lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority. In the UK, this is the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO): https://ico.org.uk. A list of EU authorities is available at edpb.europa.eu.

14. CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will post the new version on this page and update the "Last Updated" date. Please review this page periodically.

15. CONTACT US

If you have questions, suggestions, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy, contact us:

App Name: Channels Guru

Official Website: https://www.channelswala.com

Support Email: hello@channelswala.com