Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Welcome to FlavorShare. We are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring the security of your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our recipe sharing platform, mobile applications, and related services (collectively, the "Services").

By accessing or using FlavorShare, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy. If you do not agree with the terms, please do not access or use our Services.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide

• Account Details: Name, email address, password, and profile photo when you register or update your account.
• Recipe Content: Titles, ingredients, instructions, tags, dietary labels, and photos/videos you upload.
• Community Interactions: Comments, likes, bookmarks, shares, messages, and reviews you post.
• Communications: Information provided when you contact support, participate in surveys, or enter contests.

2.2 Information Automatically Collected

• Usage Data: Pages visited, time spent, recipes viewed, search queries, and feature interactions.
• Device & Browser Info: IP address, device type, operating system, browser type, and unique device identifiers.
• Location Data: Approximate location based on IP address, or precise location if you enable geolocation features for local recipe discovery.
• Cookies & Similar Technologies: Details covered in Section 5.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the collected information to:

• Provide, operate, maintain, and improve the Services
• Create and manage your account, verify identity, and prevent fraud
• Process recipe uploads, optimize images, and deliver content efficiently
• Personalize your feed, recommend recipes, and tailor community features
• Facilitate community interactions (comments, follows, collections)
• Send service-related notifications, security alerts, and updates
• Respond to support requests, feedback, and inquiries
• Analyze usage patterns to enhance platform performance and user experience
• Comply with legal obligations and enforce our Terms of Service

4. Sharing & Disclosure

FlavorShare does not sell your personal information. We may share data in the following circumstances:

• With Other Users: Publicly posted recipes, comments, profile information, and bookmarks are visible to other users as per your privacy settings.
• Service Providers: Trusted third parties who assist in platform operations, including cloud hosting (AWS), image processing, analytics, and email delivery.
• Business Transfers: In connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as a business asset.
• Legal Requirements: When required by law, subpoena, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of FlavorShare, our users, or the public.
• With Your Consent: When you explicitly authorize sharing for specific purposes.

5. Cookies & Tracking Technologies

We use cookies, pixels, and similar technologies to:

• Essential Cookies: Keep you logged in, remember preferences, and secure the platform.
• Performance Cookies: Analyze traffic, measure feature usage, and improve site speed.
• Functional Cookies: Remember language, region, and display settings.
• Personalization Cookies: Deliver recipe recommendations and curated content feeds.

You can manage cookie preferences through your browser settings or our Cookie Control Panel. Disabling essential cookies may limit functionality.

6. Data Security

We implement industry-standard technical and organizational measures to protect your information, including:

• Encryption in transit (TLS 1.3) and at rest (AES-256)
• Regular security audits, penetration testing, and vulnerability assessments
• Strict access controls and employee training on data handling
• Automated backups and disaster recovery protocols

While we strive to protect your data, no internet-based service is 100% secure. We encourage you to use strong passwords and enable two-factor authentication.

7. Your Privacy Rights

Depending on your location, you may have the right to:

• Access, correct, or delete your personal information
• Export your data in a portable, machine-readable format
• Object to or restrict certain processing activities
• Withdraw consent for marketing communications
• Lodge a complaint with a data protection authority

To exercise these rights, contact us at privacy@flavorshare.com. We will respond within 30 days. You can also manage most preferences directly in your Account Settings.

8. Children's Privacy

FlavorShare is not intended for children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 without verifiable parental consent. If we discover a child under 13 has provided personal information, we will take steps to delete it promptly. Parents or guardians who believe their child has shared information may contact us at privacy@flavorshare.com.

9. Policy Updates

We may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in our practices, technology, or legal requirements. Material changes will be notified via email, platform announcement, or prominent notice on our homepage. The "Last Updated" date at the top of this page indicates when revisions were made. Continued use of the Services after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

10. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please reach out:

• Email: privacy@flavorshare.com
• Support Center: help.flavorshare.com
• Mailing Address: FlavorShare Privacy Team, 123 Culinary Way, Suite 400, San Francisco, CA 94107, USA

For privacy requests outside the US, please include your jurisdiction and a copy of valid government-issued ID for verification.