Introduction

ForkIt ("we," "our," or "the app") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your information when you use the ForkIt application on Android, iOS, or the web.

Information We Collect

Location Data

ForkIt collects and uses your device's location data to provide the core functionality of the app:

• Precise Location (GPS): Used to find nearby restaurants within your selected radius
• Approximate Location: Used as a fallback if precise location is unavailable

How we use location data:

• Finding restaurants near you using the Google Places API
• Calculating distances to restaurant locations
• Filtering search results based on your selected radius

Location data handling:

• Location data is processed in real-time and is NOT stored on our servers
• Location data is NOT shared with third parties (except Google Places API for search functionality)
• Your most recent location coordinates are temporarily cached on your device for faster searches. This cached data expires after 1 hour and is removed when you uninstall the app
• No location history is maintained beyond the single most recent lookup

Group Fork Sessions (Premium Feature)

When you use the Group Fork feature to pick a restaurant with friends:

• Display Name: A self-chosen nickname (not your real name) is stored temporarily in the session and visible to other participants.
• Filter Preferences: Your selected filters are stored temporarily in the session.
• Session Data: All session data is stored on our servers using Vercel KV (Redis) and automatically deleted after 1 hour. No session data is retained beyond this window.
• No Account Required: Group Fork does not require user accounts, login, or registration.

Data NOT Collected

ForkIt does NOT collect, store, or process:

• Personal identifying information (real name, email, phone number)
• User accounts or login credentials
• Payment information
• Device identifiers
• Usage analytics or behavior tracking
• Crash reports or diagnostic data (in current version)

Third-Party Services

Google Places API

ForkIt uses the Google Places API to:

• Search for nearby restaurants
• Retrieve restaurant details (name, rating, price, hours, phone number)
• Provide location-based services

When you use ForkIt, your location data is sent to Google Places API in accordance with Google's Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy

Note: We do not control Google's data practices. Please review Google's Privacy Policy to understand how they handle data.

External Links

ForkIt provides links to:

• Google Maps (for navigation)
• Recipe websites (YouTube, Google Search, Allrecipes)

When you click these links, you leave the ForkIt app and are subject to the privacy policies of those external services.

Data Storage

• Local Storage: All app preferences and filter settings are stored locally on your device
• Ephemeral Server Storage: Group Fork sessions are stored temporarily (max 1 hour) on Vercel KV (Redis) servers and then automatically deleted
• No Persistent Cloud Storage: ForkIt does not use persistent cloud storage or databases for user data

Permissions

Android

1. ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION - For precise GPS location
2. ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION - For approximate location (fallback)
3. INTERNET - To communicate with Google Places API

iOS

1. Location When In Use - For GPS location while the app is open

Web

1. Geolocation - Browser-level location access via the Geolocation API

You can revoke these permissions at any time through your device or browser settings. If you deny location permissions, the app will not function as it requires location to search for nearby restaurants.

Children's Privacy

ForkIt is intended for users aged 13 and older. We do not knowingly collect information from children under 13.

Data Security

• All network communications use HTTPS encryption
• Location data is transmitted securely to Google Places API
• No user data is stored on remote servers
• No user authentication system (no passwords to protect)

Data Retention

• Location Data: Not retained (ephemeral, used only during active session)
• Filter Preferences: Stored locally on device until app is uninstalled
• Search History: Not stored
• Group Fork Sessions: Automatically deleted after 1 hour (server-side)

User Rights

Data Deletion

Since ForkIt does not collect or store personal data on remote servers:

• Uninstalling the app removes all locally stored data
• No account deletion is necessary (no accounts exist)
• No server-side data to request deletion of

Data Access

You can view all data ForkIt stores by checking your device's local app storage. No remote data access is available because no remote data is stored.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do:

• The "Last Updated" date will be revised
• Material changes will be communicated through app updates
• Continued use of the app after changes constitutes acceptance

Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR)

For users in the European Economic Area (EEA):

• Legal Basis: Legitimate interest and consent
• Purpose: Provide location-based restaurant search functionality
• Data Minimization: We only process location data necessary for core functionality
• Right to Object: You can deny location permissions to stop processing

California Privacy Rights (CCPA)

For California residents:

• ForkIt does not "sell" personal information
• ForkIt does not collect personal information beyond location data (which is not stored)
• No opt-out mechanism is needed as data is not sold or stored

International Data Transfers

Location data sent to Google Places API may be transferred internationally in accordance with Google's data practices. ForkIt itself does not transfer data internationally as we do not operate servers.

Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or ForkIt's privacy practices, contact us at:

Consent

By using ForkIt, you consent to:

• This Privacy Policy
• The collection and use of location data as described
• The sharing of location data with Google Places API for functionality
• Google's Privacy Policy regarding Places API usage