Privacy Policy

Information we collect

• Account information. When you sign up, we collect your email address (via magic link), or the account identifier and verified email address provided by Sign in with Apple or Google Sign-In, plus the display name you choose. We do not receive your password from Apple or Google, and we do not request access to any other data in your Apple or Google account.
• Location. With your permission, we use your device's location to suggest nearby restaurants and places. Location is sent to our servers only when you use place recognition or related features.
• Photos and camera. With your permission, you can attach photos or videos from your camera or photo library to reviews. Media you choose to upload is stored on our servers.
• Reviews and activity. We store the places you review, ratings, comments, and related metadata (such as when a review was created).
• Notifications. With your permission, we send push notifications when friends post a new review and when someone accepts your invitation to connect. You can turn notifications off at any time in your device’s notification settings for Foodie Banter.
• Device and usage data. We may collect basic technical information needed to operate the app (for example, an anonymous install identifier used before you sign in, and error logs if something fails).

How we use information

• To create and manage your account and authenticate you.
• To suggest nearby places and record your reviews and corrections.
• To show you recommendations and reviews from people in your trust network — not public reviews from strangers.
• To improve reliability, security, and the beta experience.

How we share information

Your choices

• You can deny or revoke location, camera, photo, and notification permissions in your device settings; some features will not work without them.
• You can sign out of the app at any time. To delete your account and associated data, email privacy@foodiebanter.com and we will remove it.

Data retention

We keep your information while your account is active and as needed to operate the beta.

You can delete your account at any time from inside the app: Profile → Account → Delete Account. Deletion is immediate and permanent. It removes your account and display name, the places you added, your reviews and comments, the photos you uploaded (including the image files), your friend connections and invites, and your push notification registrations. Full details, and what to do if you no longer have the app, are on the account deletion page.

Restaurants and places themselves are shared reference data and remain in the app, no longer linked to you. Usage and error logs are kept with the link to your account removed, so they no longer identify you.

After a deletion we keep a dated note that the deletion happened, including how much data was removed. We don’t keep your name or email address — only a scrambled version, like a fingerprint. It can’t be turned back into your details, but if you write to us later with your email address, we can scramble it and check whether it matches. The only other thing the note holds is the random ID number our system used for your account, which points to nothing once the account is gone.

We keep this note for 6 years so that we can confirm a deletion was carried out if you or anyone else asks, and to defend legal claims within the usual time limit for bringing them.

Minimum age

Foodie Banter is intended for people aged 18 and over. You must be at least 18 to create an account or use the app during the beta. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18.

Changes

We may update this policy as the beta evolves. We will change the "Last updated" date at the top when we do. Continued use of the app after changes means you accept the updated policy.