1. Scope
This Privacy Policy applies to PlateCompass’s web and iOS apps, the PlateCompass analysis service, this website, and messages sent through our contact page (together, the “Service”). In this policy, “PlateCompass,” “we,” and “us” refer to the operator of the Service.
2. Information handled on your device
You can draft food questions and revisit your recent checks in the app. Drafts, saved checks, and the iOS app’s randomly generated installation identifier are handled on your device. The installation identifier is stored in app preferences and resets if you uninstall the app. A question is sent to our analysis service only when you submit it. No PlateCompass account or cloud profile is required.
Your check history is saved on your device so it is still there the next time you open the app. It keeps the guidance — the food name, verdict, reasoning, and suggested swap — for a limited number of recent checks, oldest entries first to be dropped. Captured photos are not saved: a photo stays available only for the session in which you took it, and a check reopened after you close the app shows its guidance without the image. You can delete every saved check at any time with “Clear history” on the check history screen, or by uninstalling the app. Nothing in this history is sent to us.
A submitted question, captured photo, and result may remain visible in the app for your current session. Your device and browser may manage their own temporary files according to their settings.
3. Food analyses
When you submit a food question or choose to analyze a meal, menu, nutrition label, or barcode, PlateCompass processes:
- The photo you submit. The app sends it to the PlateCompass server only after you start a camera analysis.
- The question you submit. The app sends the question text to the PlateCompass server only after you submit the question.
- AI analysis. The server forwards the submitted image or question and analysis instructions to an OpenAI-compatible AI provider configured by us. The provider returns a structured food assessment.
- Barcode information. If the image contains a readable barcode rather than a legible nutrition panel, the server may send the barcode number to Open Food Facts to retrieve public product and nutrition information. The photo itself is not sent to Open Food Facts.
- The result. The server returns the generated title, verdict, explanation, and suggested swap to your app.
PlateCompass does not write submitted photos, questions, or analysis results to an application database. We process them to answer the request and do not intentionally retain a copy after that processing finishes. The configured AI provider and hosting infrastructure may process request data under their own terms, security practices, and retention settings.
4. Technical information
Our server and hosting provider process limited technical data needed to deliver and protect the Service:
- Installation identifier. The iOS app sends a random, app-specific identifier with an analysis request so we can apply the Free allowance. The server stores only a one-way, secret-salted hash of it and timestamps of accepted requests for the rolling seven-day limit. It is not an advertising identifier and is not linked to an account.
- IP address. The analysis API uses an IP address in an in-memory fair-use limiter to prevent abuse. When no installation identifier is supplied, including for web requests, a secret-salted hash of the IP address is also used for the Free allowance. Inactive in-memory entries are periodically removed; rolling allowance timestamps expire after seven days.
- Subscription proof. A subscriber’s iOS app may send an Apple-signed StoreKit transaction proof. We validate it to confirm the product, app, and active subscription period. We do not send it to Apple, and we do not log or retain the proof.
- Request metadata. Standard server or hosting logs may include an IP address, timestamp, requested path, response status, browser or device information, and diagnostic data. We do not configure application logs to record submitted request bodies.
- Local settings. The web app may use browser storage on your device for a server address or similar preferences. This storage is not an advertising cookie.
We do not use third-party advertising pixels, sell personal information, or create cross-site advertising profiles.
5. Contact messages
If you use our contact form, we receive the name, email address, and message you provide. The form is delivered by Web3Forms, which processes the submission on our behalf. If you email us directly, your email provider and ours process the message. Please do not include meal photos, medical records, or other sensitive health information in a support message.
We use contact information to reply, provide support, prevent abuse, and improve PlateCompass. We retain correspondence only as long as reasonably needed for those purposes and applicable legal obligations.
6. Why we process information
We process the information described above to provide a feature you request, keep the Service secure and reliable, respond to you, and comply with applicable law. Where applicable law requires a legal basis, those purposes generally rely on performing the service you request, our legitimate interests in operating and protecting the Service, consent where requested, or legal obligations.
7. Your choices and rights
You can choose not to submit a photo or question for analysis. You can also choose not to submit the contact form and can clear local app or browser data through your device settings.
Depending on where you live, you may have rights to access, correct, delete, restrict, or object to certain processing of your personal information, or to withdraw consent. Contact us to make a request. We may need to verify the request, and some rights are subject to legal exceptions. Because we do not maintain user accounts or an analysis database, we may not be able to identify or retrieve a past anonymous analysis.
8. Data transfers and security
Our hosting, AI, form-delivery, and email providers may process information in countries other than yours. We use reasonable technical and organizational safeguards appropriate to the nature of the Service, but no internet transmission or storage system can be guaranteed completely secure.
9. Children
The Service is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has submitted personal information, contact us so we can address it.
10. Changes to this policy
We may update this Privacy Policy as the Service changes. We will post the revised policy here and update the date at the top. Material changes may be highlighted in the Service where appropriate.
11. Contact
Questions or privacy requests can be sent to contact@azcomputingltd.com or through our contact page.