This Privacy Policy explains what information ChowTime collects, why, and what choices you have. We aim to collect the minimum data needed to run a recommendation map you can trust.
1. Information you give us
- Account. Your name, handle, profile photo, and one of: phone number, email address, Apple ID, or Google ID. Phone numbers are verified via SMS and are never shared publicly.
- Pins, captions, photos, and saved places. These are visible to the audience you choose (private, friends, or public) and to ChowTime for moderation purposes.
- Reports.When you flag content, we record the report and the reporter’s identity for moderation.
2. Information collected automatically
- Approximate and precise location. Used only when you grant permission, only to center the map and show nearby places. Location is not stored on our servers unless you attach it to a pin you post.
- Device and crash data. App version, OS version, and crash stack traces. Used to fix bugs.
- Network metadata. Standard server logs (IP address, timestamps) retained for up to 30 days for abuse prevention.
We do not use third-party advertising trackers and we do not show ads.
3. How we use information
- To operate, secure, and improve the Service.
- To deliver pins and notifications you opted into.
- To prevent fraud, abuse, and spam.
- To comply with legal obligations.
4. Sharing
We share information only with:
- Service providers who process data on our behalf under contract: Google Cloud / Firebase (auth, database, storage, analytics), and SMS providers for phone verification.
- Other users as you direct: your handle, profile photo, and any pins you mark friends-only or public.
- Law enforcement when required by valid legal process and only to the extent required.
We do not sell personal information.
5. Your rights
You may access, correct, export, or delete your data at any time. The in-app “Delete account” option permanently removes your profile, pins, saves, follows, and invite codes. Email privacy@chowtimeapp.comfor any other request, including data exports. EU/UK residents have rights under GDPR; California residents have rights under CCPA/CPRA — both are honored regardless of residency.
6. Children
ChowTime is not directed at children under 13 (or 16 in the EU/UK). We do not knowingly collect data from those users. If you believe a child has created an account, contact privacy@chowtimeapp.com.
7. Retention
We retain account data for the life of your account plus 30 days after deletion in encrypted backups. Server logs are retained for 30 days.
8. Security
Data in transit is encrypted with TLS 1.2+. Firestore data is encrypted at rest. We use Firebase App Check and Cloud Audit Logs to harden against abuse. No system is perfectly secure; if we learn of a breach affecting you we will notify you within 72 hours where required by law.
9. International transfers
We process data in the United States. If you are in another jurisdiction, we rely on Standard Contractual Clauses or equivalent protections.
10. Changes
We will post any changes to this policy here and notify users in-app for material changes at least seven days before they take effect.
11. Contact
Privacy questions: privacy@chowtimeapp.com. DMCA notices: dmca@chowtimeapp.com.