Privacy Policy.

Introduction

Welcome to Cheezus ("we", "our", or "us"), operated by Cheezus Ltd. We respect your privacy and are committed to protecting your personal data. This policy explains how we collect, use, and safeguard your information when you use our mobile application and website.

Information We Collect

Account information

• Email address: used for account creation, sign in, password recovery, and important communications. Authentication is handled by Supabase, our backend provider.
• Display name and username: your chosen name, visible to other users.
• Profile photo and tagline: optional, and visible on your public profile if you make your profile public.

Cheese activity data

• Cheese logs: cheeses you add to your cheese box, including ratings, tasting notes, and dates.
• Wishlist items: cheeses you save to try later.
• Taste preferences: flavour tags and preferences you set, used for recommendations.
• Photos: images you choose to upload of cheeses and labels.

Photos, camera, and the AI label scanner

The app asks for camera and photo library access only when you use those features, for example photographing a cheese for your box or picking a profile picture. When you use the label scanner:

• The photo of the label is processed to extract the cheese details.
• Label images are sent to OpenAI's vision API for analysis.
• Scanner images are not stored permanently after processing.

Location

If you grant location permission, we use your location while you are using the app to show cheese shops, producers, and cheese events near you on the map. We do not track your location in the background, and you can use the rest of the app fully with location denied. You can revoke the permission at any time in your device settings.

Social data

• Following and followers: users you follow and who follow you.
• Badges and achievements: your progress inside the app.

Usage analytics

We record analytics events about how the app is used, for example which screens are viewed, searches performed, cheeses logged or shared, and which platform (iOS or Android) the app is running on. These events are stored in our own Supabase database and are linked to your account. We use them only to understand and improve the app; we do not use third party advertising or cross-app tracking SDKs.

Device information

• Push notification tokens: to deliver notifications, if you enable them.
• Device type and app version: for optimisation and support.

How We Use Your Information

• Provide the service: log cheeses, track your cheese journey, and discover new cheeses.
• Social features: follow friends, see their activity, and share recommendations.
• Personalisation: suggest cheeses based on your preferences and history.
• Notifications: updates about your activity, badges earned, and friend activity (configurable).
• Improve the app: analyse usage patterns to enhance features and fix issues.
• Support: respond to your questions and provide assistance.

Data Sharing

We do not sell your personal data. We share data only with the service providers needed to run Cheezus:

• Supabase: our database, authentication, and storage provider. Your account and activity data live here.
• OpenAI: processes label images for the AI scanner (images are not retained).
• Expo, Apple, and Google: push notification delivery.
• Legal requirements: if required by law or to protect our rights.

Data Storage and Security

• Your data is stored securely on Supabase infrastructure.
• We use industry standard encryption for data in transit and at rest.
• Account passwords are hashed and never stored in plain text.
• Access controls limit data access to necessary personnel.

Your Rights

• Access: request a copy of your personal data.
• Correct: update inaccurate information in your profile.
• Delete: delete your account and associated data at any time.
• Export: download your cheese logs and activity data.
• Opt out: disable notifications and certain data collection.

To exercise these rights, contact us at info@cheezus.co.

Account Deletion

You can delete your account directly in the app: go to Profile → Account Details → Delete Account. This permanently removes your account and personal data. If you have any trouble, email info@cheezus.co and we will do it for you.

Data Retention

• Active accounts: data is retained while your account is active.
• Deleted accounts: personal data is deleted within 30 days of account deletion.
• Anonymised data: aggregated, non-identifiable data may be retained for analytics.

Children's Privacy

Cheezus is not intended for users under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect data from children under 13.

Notification Settings

You can control notifications in the app:

• Push notifications (on or off)
• In-app notifications by type
• Email communications
• Quiet hours

Third Party Links

Our app and website may contain links to external websites or services. We are not responsible for their privacy practices.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this privacy policy periodically. We will notify you of significant changes through the app or by email.

Contact Us

Email: info@cheezus.co
In the app: use the feedback feature, or visit our support page.

Summary

We believe your cheese journey is yours. We collect only what is needed to make Cheezus work for you.