Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Plate-wise ("we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our mobile application and services (collectively, the "Service").

By using Plate-wise, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy. If you do not agree with our policies and practices, please do not use our Service.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide

Account Information: Email address, password, name, username
Profile Information: Age, gender, weight, height, health goals, activity level, dietary preferences, allergies
Health Data: Meal logs, calorie intake, nutritional data, weight history, medical notes (optional)
Women's Health Data: Menstrual cycle information (optional, for female users who enable cycle tracking)
Photos: Food images you upload for AI analysis (temporarily processed, not permanently stored)
Social Data: Friends list, Table memberships, group activities, streak data shared with Tables
Payment Information: Billing information processed securely through Stripe (we do not store your payment card details)

2.2 Automatically Collected Information

Device Information: Device type, operating system, unique device identifiers
Push Notification Tokens: FCM device tokens for delivering notifications you've enabled
Usage Data: Features used, time spent in app, interaction patterns
Log Data: IP address, browser type, access times, crash reports
Location Data: General location (country/region) for timezone and regional features (not precise location)
Offline Activity: Locally stored meal data that syncs when online
Health Sync Preferences: Whether you've enabled health app sync (stored locally on device)

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the collected information for:

Service Delivery: Providing nutrition tracking, AI food analysis, personalized recommendations
Personalization: Customizing meal suggestions based on your goals, preferences, allergies, medical conditions, and cycle phase (if enabled)
Social Features: Enabling Tables (group tracking), Friends connections, Plate Party shared meals, and streak tracking
Account Management: Creating and managing your account, authentication, subscription billing
Communications: Sending meal reminders, social notifications (friend requests, Table activity), account notifications, subscription updates
Offline Sync: Storing meal data locally and synchronizing with cloud when connectivity is restored
Improvement: Analyzing usage patterns to improve AI accuracy and app features
Security: Detecting and preventing fraud, abuse, rate limit violations, and security incidents
Legal Compliance: Complying with legal obligations and enforcing our Terms of Service

4. AI and Machine Learning

Plate-wise uses advanced AI technology for food recognition and nutrition analysis. When you use AI features:

Your food photos are sent to AI servers for processing
Photos are analyzed in real-time and not stored permanently
AI-generated nutritional data is stored in your account according to your subscription tier's retention policy
Your dietary preferences, allergies, and medical conditions are used to personalize AI recommendations
Aggregate, anonymized data may be used to improve AI accuracy
AI responses are filtered to block harmful content and protect personal information

Important: AI nutritional estimates are approximations based on visual analysis. For precise medical nutrition needs, consult a healthcare professional.

5. Information Sharing

5.1 Service Providers

We share information with trusted third parties who assist in operating our service:

Cloud Infrastructure: Authentication, database, cloud storage, and hosting services
AI Services: Food recognition and nutritional analysis powered by Google AI
Payment Processing: Secure subscription billing (we never store your card details)
Push Notifications: Delivery of meal reminders and social activity alerts
Analytics: Aggregated, anonymized usage data to improve app features

5.2 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required by law, court order, or government request, or to protect our rights, property, or safety.

5.3 Business Transfers

If Plate-wise is involved in a merger, acquisition, or asset sale, your information may be transferred. We will notify you of any such change.

✓ We never sell your personal data to third parties for advertising or marketing purposes.

6. Social Features & Data Sharing

When you use social features (Tables, Friends, Plate Party), certain data is shared with other users:

Tables: Group members can see if you've logged meals today (for streak purposes), but not your specific meals or calories unless you choose to share
Friends: Based on your privacy settings, friends may see your streak count and daily calorie total
Plate Party: Participants see the shared meal photo and agreed calorie split
Nudges: Table members can send reminders, but cannot see your specific data

You can control social visibility in Settings > Privacy. You can leave Tables or remove friends at any time.

7. Data Security

Your data is stored securely using industry-leading cloud infrastructure with enterprise-grade protection:

Encryption: All data is encrypted in transit (HTTPS/TLS) and at rest using enterprise-grade encryption
Authentication: Secure authentication with optional biometric login (fingerprint/face)
Cloud Security: Data stored on trusted, enterprise-grade cloud services that meet the highest security standards
Access Controls: Strict access policies and monitoring
Rate Limiting: Protection against abuse and automated attacks

However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we use trusted cloud providers and implement strong security measures, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

8. Data Retention

We retain your information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide services. Retention varies by subscription tier:

By Subscription Tier:

Free Plan: 7-day meal log retention (local storage only, single device)
Pro Plan: 12-month meal log retention (cloud sync across all devices)

Account Data: Retained until you delete your account
Social Data: Table memberships, friends lists retained until you leave/remove them
Offline Data: Pending meals stored locally until synced, then follow tier retention
Photos: Processed temporarily for AI analysis and not permanently stored
Deleted Accounts: Data is permanently deleted within 30 days of account deletion
Backup Data: May remain in encrypted backups for up to 90 days

9. Your Privacy Rights

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights:

Access: Request a copy of your personal data
Correction: Update or correct inaccurate information in Settings
Deletion: Delete your account and all associated data in Settings > Data Management
Portability: Request your data in a portable format (contact support)
Opt-Out: Disable notifications, cycle tracking, or other optional features
Withdraw Consent: Stop using specific features at any time

To exercise these rights, use the in-app settings or contact us at privacy@plate-wise.com

10. Account & Data Deletion

You have the right to delete your account and all associated data at any time. We make this process simple and transparent.

How to Delete Your Account

1

Open Plate-wise app and go to Settings (gear icon)

2

Scroll down and tap Data Management to expand the section

3

Tap the red Delete button next to "Delete Account"

4

Confirm your decision in the confirmation dialog

Other options in Data Management:

• Export My Data - Download a PDF report with your weight, calories, and macros
• Clear All Data - Delete all meals, progress, and settings (keeps account)

What Gets Deleted

Your account credentials and profile information
All food logs, meal history, and nutrition data
Health profile (weight, goals, medical notes)
AI chat history with Sage
Photos uploaded for food recognition
Streak data, achievements, and progress history
Subscription information (though payment records are retained by Stripe as required by law)

Deletion Timeline

Immediate: Account access is revoked and data removed from active systems
Within 30 days: All personal data permanently deleted from our servers
Within 90 days: Data removed from encrypted backup systems

Alternative: Request Deletion via Email

If you cannot access the app, you can request account deletion by emailing privacy@plate-wise.com from the email address associated with your account. Include "Delete My Account" in the subject line. We will process your request within 30 days.

⚠️ Warning: Account deletion is permanent and cannot be undone. We recommend exporting your data before deletion if you want to keep a copy of your nutrition history.

11. Children's Privacy

Plate-wise is not intended for children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe we have collected information from a child under 13, please contact us immediately and we will delete such information.

12. International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and maintained on servers located outside your country, where data protection laws may differ. By using Plate-wise, you consent to the transfer of your information to these locations. We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place for all international transfers.

13. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of significant changes by posting the new policy in the app and updating the "Last Updated" date. Continued use of the Service after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.