We collect information in three main ways: information you provide directly, information collected automatically when you use Chowr, and information we receive from third parties. This includes account and profile information such as your name, email address, and profile picture when you sign up or log in using email, Apple, or Google through our identity provider Auth0 (we do not receive your password).
If you choose to continue as a guest, we create a temporary, pseudonymous profile tied to your device, which may still be associated with a random device identifier. We also collect content and activity data such as your spins, restaurants you view or save, foodie points and levels, comments, likes, friend requests, and other in-app interactions.
With your permission, we access your approximate location to suggest nearby restaurants; we do not continuously track your location in the background. Additionally, we collect technical and usage information such as device model, operating system version, app version, language, time zone, diagnostic logs, and a random device identifier stored on your device.
If you enable push notifications, we obtain a device token from Apple so we can send alerts about comments, likes, friend activity, and other account-related events. We use Google Mobile Ads (AdMob) to show banner ads; AdMob may collect device identifiers and related information as described in Google’s privacy policies, and where supported we request non-personalized ads.
If you contact us, we collect the information you provide, such as your name, email address, and the content of your message.
We use the information we collect to operate, maintain, and improve Chowr. This includes creating and managing your account or guest profile, authenticating you, and keeping your spins, foodie points, friends, and saved restaurants in sync across sessions and devices.
We provide core features such as restaurant discovery, spins, feeds, comments, likes, friend features, notifications, and saved restaurants, and we personalize your experience based on your general location and usage patterns. We send service-related communications such as notifications about comments, likes, friend requests, security alerts, and changes to our terms or policies.
We also use your information to show and measure ads, limit how often you see the same ad, and detect invalid activity. In addition, we monitor and analyze usage and trends to improve performance and develop new features. We also use your data to detect, investigate, and prevent fraud, abuse, security incidents, and other harmful activity, as well as to comply with legal obligations and enforce our terms.
Depending on your location, we rely on one or more legal bases: performance of a contract, legitimate interests (such as securing our services, understanding usage, enforcing limits, and showing relevant ads), and your consent for optional features like precise location, notifications, or marketing communications.
You may withdraw consent at any time through your device settings or by contacting us. Withdrawal does not affect processing already completed.
We do not sell your personal information. We may share it with trusted providers that assist us, such as hosting services, authentication partners like Auth0, analytics tools, Apple Push Notification service, and advertising platforms like Google Mobile Ads.
We may also disclose information where required by law, to protect the safety of Chowr and its users, or to address fraud and technical issues. In the event of a business transfer (e.g., merger or acquisition), your information may be transferred accordingly.
We may share aggregated or de-identified information that cannot be used to identify you.
We implement technical and organizational measures to help protect your information, including secure token storage, restricted access, and regular security reviews. However, no method of electronic storage or transmission is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute protection.
If a data breach or security incident affects your personal information, we will investigate and notify you and relevant authorities if required. We are not responsible for breaches caused by compromised devices or reused passwords.
You are responsible for safeguarding your account credentials and enabling device-level protections such as passcodes or biometrics.
Depending on your location, you may have rights such as accessing, correcting, deleting, or restricting processing of your information, as well as requesting data portability. Where processing relies on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.
Some rights can be exercised in the app; others require contacting us. We may need to verify your identity before responding.
We and our partners use cookies, SDKs, and similar technologies for preferences, authentication, analytics, and app improvement. Advertising partners like Google Mobile Ads may use mobile identifiers to deliver and measure ads. Where possible, we request non-personalized ads.
You can control tracking through device settings by resetting your advertising ID, limiting ad tracking, or disabling permissions such as location or notifications.
We retain information as long as necessary to operate Chowr, meet legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce agreements. Account data is stored while your account is active. Guest and device identifiers may be deleted upon uninstalling the app, clearing data, or resetting the device.
We may retain logs and backups for a limited period for security and fraud prevention. You may contact us for details about retention periods for specific data types.
Chowr is not intended for children under 13 (or the minimum age in your region). We do not knowingly collect data from children. If we discover such data was collected, we will delete it promptly.
We may update this Privacy Policy as needed to reflect changes in our practices, technologies, or legal requirements. Material updates will be reflected in the “last updated” date and may include an in-app notification.
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your rights, contact us at [email protected].