Privacy Policy

712 West LLC (“712 West,” “we,” “us,” or “our”), the owner and operator of Social Foodie, runs the Social Foodie mobile application and the socialfoodieapp.com website (together, the “Service”). This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, who we share it with, and what choices you have. By using the Service you agree to this policy.

1. Information we collect

Account information

When you create an account we collect your email address, password (hashed — we never see it in plain text), and a username you choose.

Profile information

If you complete your profile you may provide a display name, bio, hometown (a text field shown on your profile), and a profile photo. Photos are stored in our cloud storage provider. All of this is optional beyond username and email.

Location information

The app requests permission to access your device's precise location (GPS) to surface restaurants near you in the Hot feed and Eats search. We also store a preferred discovery city you select in settings so we can personalise your feed across sessions. Your precise GPS coordinates are used only for proximity calculations and are not stored in a way that reconstructs your movement history. You can deny or revoke location permission at any time in your device settings.

Engagement data

When you use the app we record:

• Tastemakers you follow
• Restaurants you save (bookmark)
• Reactions you leave on reviews (agree, disagree, going next)
• Your notification preferences (push, in-app, email digest, content toggles)
• Listing reports you submit (place, reason, your email if provided)
• Saved search presets

Push notification tokens

If you enable push notifications we store a device push token (Expo/APNs/FCM), your platform (iOS or Android), and a device identifier. These are used solely to deliver notifications you have opted into.

Website forms

If you use the Suggest a Tastemaker form on the website we collect the details you submit (typically name, email, social handle, platform, city, and the description you write). We use this only to evaluate suggestions and follow up if needed.

Usage and analytics data

We use PostHog to collect behavioural analytics.

In the app: screen views, searches, taps on restaurants and tastemakers, follows, saves, reactions, and performance metrics. You can opt out under Settings → Privacy & Terms. When opted out, no analytics events are sent.

On the website: if you accept analytics cookies, we collect page views and on-site interactions (for example clicks). If you also accept session replay, PostHog records the session (clicks, scrolling, and on-screen content). Form inputs are masked, and we do not record admin or account pages. Analytics and replay stay off until you choose in the cookie banner. You can change that later via Cookie settings in the footer. If you reject analytics, we may still count visits in aggregate using a privacy-preserving hash that does not use cookies. If your browser sends a Do Not Track or Global Privacy Control signal, we do not load website analytics or advertising pixels.

Advertising and marketing data

If you accept marketing cookies, we load the Meta Pixel so we can measure visits from Facebook and Instagram ads and store-button taps (App Store and Google Play). Meta may set cookies such as _fbp and _fbc. Marketing stays off until you choose in the cookie banner. You can change that later via Cookie settings in the footer.

Crash and error reports

We use Luciq for crash reporting and bug feedback. When a crash or error occurs, Luciq captures a stack trace, device information, and a scrubbed log of recent network activity (authentication headers and bodies are stripped before transmission). If you submit a bug report via the shake gesture, any details you type are included. Crash reporting is also disabled when you opt out of analytics.

Information we do not collect

Social Foodie is a discovery platform, not a review platform. You cannot post your own restaurant reviews or upload food videos. All tastemaker content on the platform is editorially curated by our team from publicly available social media.

2. Website cookies

The website uses cookies and similar storage as follows.

• Necessary: a first-party cookie (sf_consent) stores your analytics, replay, and marketing choice for up to one year. If you sign in to the blog CMS, Supabase sets session cookies required to keep you logged in. These are strictly necessary and are not used for marketing.
• Analytics (optional): if you accept, PostHog may store cookies and local storage so we can tell returning visitors apart and measure how the site is used.
• Session replay (optional): if you accept, PostHog records the session so we can diagnose usability issues. This uses cookies and local storage and is off unless you opt in. Replay requires analytics.
• Marketing (optional): if you accept, the Meta Pixel may store cookies (_fbp, _fbc) so we can measure ad performance and store-button taps. Off unless you opt in.

You can accept all, reject all, or choose each category. Rejecting is as easy as accepting. You can reopen the banner from Cookie settings in the footer on any page.

3. How we use your information

• Provide the Service — authenticate your account, personalise your feed, deliver push notifications, and process saves and reactions.
• Improve the Service — analyse usage patterns, diagnose bugs, and prioritise features.
• Communicate with you — send transactional emails (password reset, email verification), weekly or daily digest emails of new tastemaker coverage near you (if opted in), and service announcements.
• Safety and trust — investigate reports, enforce our Terms of Service, and prevent abuse.
• Measure advertising — if you accept marketing cookies, attribute visits and store-button taps to Facebook and Instagram ads.
• Legal compliance — comply with applicable laws and respond to lawful requests.

4. Third-party services

We work with the following third-party providers. Each has its own privacy policy governing how it handles data.

• Supabase — database, authentication, and file storage. Your account data, engagement data, and uploaded photos are stored on Supabase infrastructure.
• PostHog — product analytics (app and website) and optional website session replay. Opted-out app users send no events. On the website, analytics and replay wait for cookie consent; a reject may still produce an aggregated, cookieless visit count.
• Meta (Facebook / Instagram) — advertising measurement via the Meta Pixel when you accept marketing cookies. Events include page views and App Store / Google Play button taps. See Meta's privacy policy.
• Luciq — crash reporting and in-app bug feedback.
• Expo / Apple APNs / Google FCM — push notification delivery.
• Brevo — transactional and marketing email delivery (digest emails, feedback and report acknowledgements).
• Google Maps & Google Places API — map display and restaurant geocoding inside the app.
• Yelp Fusion API — external rating data displayed on restaurant detail screens. We pass a restaurant name and location to retrieve ratings; no personal user data is shared with Yelp.

5. Sharing your information

We do not sell your personal information. We share it only:

• With the service providers listed above, to the extent necessary to operate the Service.
• When required by law or legal process (court order, subpoena, regulatory request).
• To protect the rights, safety, or property of Social Foodie, our users, or the public.
• In connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of all or part of Social Foodie, provided the acquiring party agrees to honour this policy or provides you notice.

Public-facing parts of your profile (username, display name, profile photo) are visible to other users of the app. Reactions, follows, and saves are not publicly displayed.

6. Data retention and deletion

We retain your data for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide the Service. You can delete your account at any time from Settings → Account. Account deletion permanently removes your profile, follows, saves, reactions, notification preferences, and push tokens. This action is irreversible.

Aggregated or anonymised analytics data that cannot identify you may be retained after account deletion.

7. Your choices

• Location: Deny or revoke location permission in your device settings at any time.
• Push notifications: Disable in the app under Settings → Notifications or in your device settings.
• Email digest: Unsubscribe via the link in any digest email or under Settings → Notifications.
• App analytics: Opt out under Settings → Privacy & Terms.
• Website analytics, replay, and marketing: Use the cookie banner or Cookie settings in the footer. You can withdraw consent at any time; we will stop using optional cookies for future visits.
• Account deletion: Available under Settings → Account.

8. Children's privacy

The Service is not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child under 13 has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will delete it promptly.

9. Security

We use industry-standard measures to protect your information, including encrypted connections (HTTPS/TLS), hashed password storage, and access controls on our infrastructure. No method of transmission or storage is 100% secure; we cannot guarantee absolute security.

10. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will update the effective date above and, for material changes, notify you via the app or email. Continued use of the Service after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.

11. Contact

Questions about this policy? Reach us at support@socialfoodieapp.com.