Privacy guide

Ride-hailing app privacy: who knows where you go.

What cab and bike apps in India collect from your trips and location, how movement data can be used, and how to limit what you share.

The simple answer

Ride-hailing apps need your location to work, but that also means they can build a detailed map of where you go: home, work, late nights, clinics, anywhere a trip takes you.

Trip history is sensitive because movement patterns reveal a lot. The question is how long it is kept, who it is shared with, and whether it feeds marketing or profiling.

What to check

1
Set location to while-using where possible.

If this is unclear, treat it as a signal to ask the company for a plain-English explanation.

2
Review saved places like home and work.

If this is unclear, treat it as a signal to ask the company for a plain-English explanation.

3
Check how long trip history is kept.

If this is unclear, treat it as a signal to ask the company for a plain-English explanation.

4
Look at ad and sharing settings.

If this is unclear, treat it as a signal to ask the company for a plain-English explanation.

From our investigation

Trips draw a map of your life.

State of Privacy treats movement data as high-signal because a trip history can expose home, work, health visits and routines far beyond a single ride.

What to do next

1
Limit precise location to while-using.

Keep it practical: take one action, save proof, and avoid giving more data than the task needs.

2
Clean up saved places you do not need.

Keep it practical: take one action, save proof, and avoid giving more data than the task needs.

3
Ask the app how trip data is retained and shared.

Keep it practical: take one action, save proof, and avoid giving more data than the task needs.

People also ask

What do ride-hailing apps know?

Your location, trip history and saved places, which together reveal where you live, work and go.

Is my trip history kept?

Often yes. Check retention settings and how long the app stores your rides.

How do I reduce exposure?

Use while-using location, trim saved places and review sharing and ad settings.

If you are a company
Check your own website.

How many trackers run on your pages? Does your privacy policy name them? Can you answer a data-rights email? If you don't know, we can help you find out.

Talk to Meridian Bridge Strategy →
Your right under Indian law
Mera data mera hai.

Your personal data belongs to you. Under DPDP, every company must tell you what they have and delete it if you ask. One email is all it takes.

Get the template email →
Read the full investigation.

We investigated 107 Indian company websites. The public report shows what we found.

Read the reportTry the experience