Privacy Policy — ReTaste

1. Information We Collect

To provide a personalized food journal experience, we collect the following types of information:

Camera access: We access your camera only when you explicitly choose to take a photo of a meal or scan a barcode.
Photos & Media: Images you capture are stored on our secure servers to maintain your journal, and cached locally on your device for performance.
Location data: We request access to your GPS location to help you quickly identify and tag restaurants or food establishments.
Account Data: We collect your email address and profile information (which may be provided via third-party authentication services like Apple or Google Sign-In) to manage your account, authenticate you, and synchronize your data.
Voice-to-Text Features (Microphone): If you choose to use voice dictation (when available), the app requires temporary access to your microphone. To provide accurate text transcription, your audio may be processed by trusted third-party service providers. The audio data is used strictly for transcription purposes, is not permanently stored, and is not linked to your personal identity.

2. Advanced Feature Processing (AI & Identification)

Automated Image Analysis: To enhance your experience, images uploaded to ReTaste may be processed by automated systems, including neural networks and artificial intelligence (AI). This processing is used to:

Automatically recognize food items and dishes.
Generate suggested tags, categories, and descriptions.
Improve the accuracy of our search and organizational features.

This processing is purely functional and aimed at automating manual entry tasks for the user.

Legal Disclaimer regarding AI: Our automated image analysis and voice processing are strictly limited to identifying food objects and transcribing speech. We do not use these technologies for biometric identification, facial recognition, or extracting personal data from your media.

3. How We Use Your Information

Lawful Basis for Processing (EEA Users): Under the GDPR, we process your data based on:

Performance of a Contract — to provide the core app features like the journal and syncing;
Your Consent — for camera, microphone, and precise location access, which you can revoke at any time via your device settings;
Legitimate Interest — for anonymized analytics and generating aggregated public insights.

Beyond core app functionality, we use collected data for:

Internal Analytics: We analyze anonymized and aggregated user data (such as rating trends and popular food categories) to improve our algorithms, user interface, and overall service quality.
Product Improvement: Technical logs and performance data help us identify bugs and optimize app speed.
App Features & Personalization: Your primary Food Journal is organized chronologically and is free from algorithmic sorting. However, we may use your anonymized and aggregated ratings to power separate discovery features (such as local recommendations or community top lists) within the app. This helps improve the service for everyone without compromising your private journal.
Aggregated Analytics & Public Hubs: We may use strictly anonymized and aggregated rating data (e.g., the total number of "Must Retaste" ratings a specific dish receives) to create public city guides or provide statistical insights to food establishments. This aggregated data will never contain your personal information or link back to your individual profile.

4. Data Sharing & Third Parties

We do not sell your personal data to advertisers or data brokers.

We may share data only in the following limited circumstances:

Service Providers: We use trusted third-party services for cloud storage, AI processing, and infrastructure. These providers process data only on our behalf and under strict confidentiality agreements.
Legal Requirements: We may disclose information if required to do so by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities.

International Data Transfers: ReTaste operates globally. Your data may be transferred to, and processed in, countries outside the European Economic Area (EEA), such as the United States (e.g., via our cloud hosting or AI providers). When we transfer your data internationally, we ensure it is protected by appropriate legal safeguards, including Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) approved by the European Commission.

5. Data Security & Retention

We implement industry-standard technical and organizational measures to protect your data. We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide you with services. You may delete your account and associated data at any time through the app settings.

6. Changes to This Policy

We may update our Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the "Last updated" date.

7. Your Privacy Rights (GDPR & CCPA)

Depending on your location, including if you are a resident of the European Economic Area (EEA), you possess specific data protection rights:

Right to Access & Portability: You can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Right to Rectification: You can request that we correct any inaccurate data.
Right to Erasure ("Right to be Forgotten"): You can delete your account and all associated data directly through the app settings at any time.
Right to Withdraw Consent: You can revoke access to your camera, microphone, or location at any time via your device settings.
Right to Lodge a Complaint: If you believe we are unlawfully processing your personal data, you have the right to complain to your local data protection supervisory authority (e.g., the Data State Inspectorate / Datu valsts inspekcija in Latvia).

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us.

8. Children's Privacy

ReTaste is a food journal designed for general audiences and is not intended for children under 13 (or 16 in certain European jurisdictions). We only collect basic information (like an email address) to sync your journal and do not verify the age of our users. However, because our app handles location data and photos, we must comply with child privacy laws. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If you are a parent or guardian and become aware that your child has created an account, please contact us so we can delete their information.

9. Contact Us & Data Controller Identity

For the purposes of data protection laws, the developer of ReTaste is the Data Controller. If you have any questions regarding this policy, your data, or wish to exercise your privacy rights, please contact us at:

Email: [email protected]
Developer: "ReTaste Team"