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Plain-English summary
Alto's privacy policy indicates several concerns, including the continuous video recording of all individuals, including minors, in its vehicles, with Alto claiming sole ownership of these recordings (risk_flags-1). Users are also required to consent to the monitoring and recording of their phone calls made through the platform (risk_flags-2). Even after account termination, Alto may retain user information for various purposes (risk_flags-3). The company engages in extensive collection of personal, location, and device information (data_use-1), including location tracking even when the app is off if permissions are granted (data_use-2). Private communications like calls and texts between users and drivers are collected and may be monitored or recorded (data_use-3), and Alto may access and store address book contacts (data_use-4). User information is also extensively shared with third-party partners and services, for which Alto disclaims control over their privacy practices (data_use-5). Users must email support to opt out of marketing texts but cannot opt out of transactional emails (cancellation_renewal-1). Continued use of the platform implies agreement to any privacy policy updates (gotchas-1). Users’ names are always shared with drivers, and other deleted profile information may not be immediately or permanently removed (gotchas-2). Furthermore, core service functionality is dependent on location sharing, limiting user choice (gotchas-3).
88% confidence
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Risk Flags
Clauses that indicate potential high-severity risks to the user.
high95% confidence confidence
All individuals in Alto vehicles, including minors, are video recorded at all times, with recordings owned by Alto.
All drivers, customers, and other persons within Alto vehicles, including minors, are video recorded at all times, and persons outside an Alto vehicle but within its immediate vicinity may also be recorded. Alto states that it is the sole and undisputed owner of all these security recordings.
Why it matters: Alto video records all persons inside its vehicles, including minors, at all times, and may record those immediately outside its vehicles. Alto claims sole and undisputed ownership over these recordings.
. Recordings of all trips initiated within Alto vehicles (each, a “Security Recording”) are uploaded to a secure cloud server through our third party service partner Samsara Networks Inc. Each person that enters into an Alto Vehicle acknowledges and agrees (i) to be recorded at all times during a trip and its immediate aftermath and (ii) that Alto is the sole and undisputed owner of all Security Recordings.
B. Information We Collect From You When You Use the Alto Platform or Services, paragraph 2 · Citation strength: strong
high90% confidence confidence
Mandatory consent to communication monitoring and recording.
The policy states that users consent to the monitoring and/or recording of phone calls made on the Alto Platform, such as those between Customers and Drivers, for security purposes.
Why it matters: Users are required to consent to the monitoring and recording of their phone calls and text messages made through the Alto Platform, which may impact their privacy.
For security purposes, we may also monitor and/or record the contents of phone calls made on the Alto Platform, such as those between Customers and Drivers. You hereby consent to the monitoring of the communications as outlined herein above.
B. Information We Collect From You When You Use the Alto Platform or Services, paragraph 9 · Citation strength: strong
medium90% confidence confidence
Information may be retained after account termination.
If a user chooses to terminate their Alto account, Alto will deactivate it but may retain information from the account for a certain period of time and disclose it in a manner consistent with their practices for open accounts. Information may also be retained to collect fees, resolve disputes, troubleshoot problems, analyze usage, assist with investigations, prevent fraud, enforce Terms of Service, or for other legally required or permitted actions.
Why it matters: Even after account termination, Alto may retain user information and use it for various purposes, including collecting fees, resolving disputes, and legal compliance.
If you choose to terminate your Alto account, we will deactivate it for you but may retain information from your account for a certain period of time and disclose it in a manner consistent with our practices under this Privacy Policy for accounts that are not closed. We also may retain information from your account to collect any fees owed, resolve disputes, troubleshoot problems, analyze usage of the Alto Platform, assist with any investigations, prevent fraud, enforce our Terms of Service, or take other actions as required or permitted by law.
Your Choices, paragraph 6 · Citation strength: strong
Data Use
How the company collects, processes, and shares personal information.
medium90% confidence confidence
Extensive collection of personal, location, and device information.
Alto collects various types of information, including profile information (name, address, email, phone, photo, login, password, billing), communications, demographic data from surveys, security recordings, digital photographs of deliveries, precise location information (even when the app is off if permitted), device information, and usage information.
Why it matters: Alto collects a wide range of personal, location, and device data, including continuous video recordings in vehicles, which could lead to comprehensive profiling and tracking of users.
. We may collect information that you submit when you contact our Alto support team, provide ratings or compliments for Drivers, or otherwise contact us. For example when you request a ride or delivery we receive your requested pickup and dropoff location as well as any notes you provide for your Driver. In addition, when you contact our team, we will receive your name, email address, phone number, the contents of a message or attachments that you may send to us, and other information you choose to provide.
A. Information You Provide to Us, paragraph 3 · Citation strength: strong
medium85% confidence confidence
Use of explicit consent for location tracking while the app is off.
If given permission through device settings or the Alto app, Alto may collect user location even when the app is turned off to identify promotions or service updates in their area.
Why it matters: If users grant permission, Alto can collect their location while the app is not actively in use, potentially leading to continuous tracking even when not using the service.
If you give us permission through your device settings or Alto app, we may also collect your location while the app is turned off to identify promotions or service updates in your area.
B. Information We Collect From You When You Use the Alto Platform or Services, paragraph 6 · Citation strength: strong
medium90% confidence confidence
Collection and monitoring of call and text information facilitated through a third party.
Alto works with a third-party partner to facilitate phone calls and text messages between Customers and Drivers. This includes receiving information about the date, time, phone numbers, and content of SMS messages. For security purposes, Alto may also monitor and/or record the contents of phone calls.
Why it matters: Personal communications (calls and texts) between users and drivers are collected and may be monitored or recorded by Alto and a third-party, impacting communication privacy.
We work with a third party partner to facilitate phone calls and text messages between our Customers and Drivers who we have connected for a ride. The information about these communications that we receive includes their date, time of the call or SMS message, the parties’ phone numbers, and the content of any SMS messages. For security purposes, we may also monitor and/or record the contents of phone calls made on the Alto Platform, such as those between Customers and Drivers.
B. Information We Collect From You When You Use the Alto Platform or Services, paragraph 9 · Citation strength: strong
medium85% confidence confidence
Access and storage of address book contacts.
If permitted, Alto may access and store names and contact information from a user's device address book to facilitate invitations and social interactions.
Why it matters: Alto may collect and store contact information from user address books, which could expose personal details of contacts to the service.
If you permit Alto to access the address book on your device through the permission system used by your mobile platform, we may access and store names and contact information from your address book to facilitate invitations and social interactions that you initiate through our Platform and for other purposes described in this privacy policy or at the time of consent or collection.
B. Information We Collect From You When You Use the Alto Platform or Services, paragraph 10 · Citation strength: strong
medium90% confidence confidence
Sharing of user information with third-party partners and services.
Alto may share information about user use of the Alto Platform with third parties if connected through an integration. They may also share information with third-party partners to receive additional information about users or to create offers of interest. When connecting with other third-party services (like Apple Pay), Alto will provide information to allow those services to function, and states it cannot control the privacy practices of these third parties.
Why it matters: User data may be shared extensively with various third-party partners and services, which Alto admits it cannot control, potentially exposing users to unknown privacy practices by a wide array of external companies.
. The Alto Platform may allow you to connect with other websites, products, or services that we don’t have control over (for example, we may give you the ability to pay for a product using Apple Pay). If you use these services, we will provide the third party with information about you to allow them to provide our Service to you (for example, we would give Apple information about you and your purchase). We can’t control the privacy practices of these third parties, and we encourage you to read their privacy policies before deciding whether to use their services.
B. Sharing Between Alto and Third Parties, paragraph 2 · Citation strength: strong
Cancellation and Renewal
How the user can cancel their subscription or account, and terms around automatic renewals.
low90% confidence confidence
Email required to opt out of marketing emails or texts.
Users can unsubscribe from commercial or promotional emails, but will still receive transactional emails. To opt out of commercial or promotional text messages, users must email support. To opt out of all texts, including transactional ones, users must also email support, noting that this may impact their use of the platform.
Why it matters: Users must email support each time to manage their communication preferences for texts, and cannot opt out of essential transactional emails.
You can always unsubscribe from our commercial or promotional emails, but we will still send you transactional and related emails about your account’s use of the Alto Platform.
Your Choices, paragraph 1 · Citation strength: strong
Gotchas
Potentially surprising or obscure clauses that may be unfavorable to the user.
low85% confidence confidence
Continued agreement to privacy policy and updates through platform use.
As long as a user uses the Alto Platform or Services, they are agreeing to the Privacy Policy and any updates made to it.
Why it matters: Continued use of the platform implies acceptance of any changes to the privacy policy, requiring users to periodically review the policy to stay informed.
As long as you use the Alto Platform or our Services, you are agreeing to this Privacy Policy and any updates we make to it.
Other, paragraph 7 · Citation strength: strong
low90% confidence confidence
Partial data deletion: name always shared with Drivers.
While users can delete additional information added to their Alto Profile to prevent Drivers from seeing it, their name will always be shared with Drivers. Deleted information may also be retained for a certain period before permanent deletion.
Why it matters: Users cannot prevent their name from being shared with drivers, and deleted profile information may not be immediately or permanently removed, limiting control over their data.
While your name will always be shared with our Drivers, you can delete any additional information that you added to your Alto Profile at any time if you don’t want our Drivers to see it, however, your deleted information may be retained for a certain period of time until permanent deletion is processed in the Alto Platform.
Your Choices, paragraph 4 · Citation strength: strong
low85% confidence confidence
Core functionality requires location sharing, limiting user choice.
While users can prevent their device from sharing location information through device settings, customer location is core to the Alto Platform, and without it, Alto cannot provide its services.
Why it matters: Users lose core functionality of the service if they restrict location sharing, effectively forcing them to share location data to use the platform.
While you can prevent your device from sharing location information at any time through your Device’s operating system settings, Customer location is core to the Alto Platform and without it we can’t provide our Services to you.
Your Choices, paragraph 5 · Citation strength: strong
Protections
Clauses that provide explicit and meaningful benefits or controls to the user.
Protection85% confidence confidence
Right to withdraw consent for personal information collection, use, or disclosure.
Users can withdraw their consent for the continued collection, use, or disclosure of their Personal Information at any time by contacting support via email.
Why it helps: Users maintain control over their personal data by having a mechanism to withdraw consent for its processing.
If after you opt-in, you change your mind, you may withdraw your consent for us to contact you for the continued collection, use or disclosure of your Personal Information, at any time, by contacting us at [support@ridealto.com](mailto:support@ridealto.com) stating your request to opt-out or withdraw your consent.
Other, paragraph 4 · Citation strength: strong
Protection90% confidence confidence
Right to request access, correction, or deletion of personal information.
Users can request access to all their personally identifiable information maintained by Alto. Upon request, Alto offers the ability to have inaccuracies corrected in this information.
Why it helps: Users have the ability to review, correct, and request deletion of their personal information, enhancing their control and accuracy of their data.
You can request access to all your personally identifiable information maintained by us by sending an e-mail to us at the address listed below. Upon request we offer you the ability to have inaccuracies corrected in your personally identifiable information. You can have this information corrected by sending us an e-mail at the address listed below.
Other, paragraph 5 · Citation strength: strong
Protection95% confidence confidence
Commitment to not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13.
Alto states that its service is not directed to children under 13 years old and they do not knowingly collect Personal Information from children under 13 years old.
Why it helps: This commitment protects the privacy of young children by stating that Alto will not knowingly collect their personal information.
Alto is not directed to children under 13 years old, and we don’t knowingly collect Personal Information from children under 13 years old.
Other, paragraph 6 · Citation strength: strong
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