Privacy Policy

Effective Date: 7/9/2025 | Last Updated: 7/9/2025

1. Introduction

Welcome to Butter Decisions ("we," "our," or "us"). This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our website and services (collectively, the "Service"). Butter Decisions is a platform that helps users search and find food, track recipes and restaurants, and share their culinary experiences. By using our Service, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide Directly

  • Email Address: Required for account registration and verification
  • Profile Information: Optional information you choose to provide (name, profile picture, bio)
  • Content: Restaurant reviews, dish reviews, recipes, photos, videos, and other content you choose to share
  • Recipe Imports: URLs of recipes you choose to import from external websites
  • Photo Uploads: Photos of recipes you upload for text extraction and recipe creation
  • Communications: Messages you send to us through our contact forms or support channels

2.2 Information We Collect Automatically

  • Location Information: We collect location data to help you find nearby restaurants and improve our services. You can control location sharing through your device settings
  • Device Information: Device type, operating system, browser type, IP address, and unique device identifiers
  • Usage Information: How you interact with our Service, including pages visited, features used, and time spent
  • Log Information: Server logs, error reports, and performance data for debugging and service improvement

2.3 Information from Third-Party Services

  • Social Media Integration: When you connect your Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, or Facebook accounts, we may access your public profile information, content you choose to share, and basic account details as permitted by the respective platforms
  • Recipe Import Sources: When you import recipes from external websites, we collect the source URL, website information, recipe content, images, and creator attribution details
  • Authentication Cookies: Session cookies for login verification and security

3. How We Use Your Information

  • Provide, maintain, and improve our Service
  • Create and manage your account
  • Enable you to share and discover food-related content
  • Import and process recipes from external URLs with proper attribution
  • Extract recipe information from uploaded photos using text recognition technology
  • Connect you with nearby restaurants and food experiences
  • Track your culinary journey across different cuisines and countries
  • Facilitate social media integrations (Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, Facebook)
  • Communicate with you about your account and our services
  • Respond to your requests and provide customer support
  • Detect, prevent, and address technical issues and security threats
  • Comply with legal obligations

4. Information Sharing and Disclosure

4.1 Information We Do NOT Share

We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties for marketing purposes.

4.2 Information We May Share

  • Public Content: Content you choose to make public (reviews, recipes, photos) will be visible to other users
  • Recipe Attribution: Source URLs, creator names, and website information for imported recipes (displayed publicly for attribution purposes)
  • Social Media Platforms: Content you choose to redistribute from your connected Instagram/TikTok/Twitter/Facebook accounts
  • Service Providers: Trusted third parties who help us operate our Service (hosting providers like Heroku, image processing services)
  • Legal Requirements: When required by law, court order, or to protect our rights and safety
  • Business Transfers: In connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets (with prior notice)

5. Data Storage and Security

  • Location: Your data is stored on servers located in the United States (East Coast region via Heroku)
  • Security: We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your information
  • Retention: We retain your information as long as your account is active or as needed to provide services

6. Your Rights and Choices

6.1 Account Management

  • Access: View and update your account information at any time
  • Download: Request a copy of your personal data
  • Account Deactivation: Temporarily hide your profile and content ("sleep mode")
  • Account Deletion: Permanently delete your account and associated data

6.2 Data Deletion Timeline

  • Immediate: Account deactivation (sleep mode) - your information is hidden but preserved
  • Permanently: Complete data removal within 24 hours of deletion request, or automatically after 6 months of deactivation
  • Backup Systems: Data may remain in backup systems for up to 30 days after deletion

6.3 Communication Preferences

  • Email: Control promotional email preferences in your account settings
  • Location: Disable location services through your device settings

6.4 Social Media Connections

  • Disconnect: Remove Instagram/TikTok/Twitter/Facebook account connections at any time
  • Content Control: Choose which content to share or redistribute from connected accounts

7. Children's Privacy

Our Service is intended for users aged 13 and older. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a child under 13, we will take steps to delete such information promptly. Parents or guardians who believe their child has provided personal information to us should contact us at privacy@butterdecisions.com.

8. International Data Transfers

If you are accessing our Service from outside the United States, please be aware that your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States where our servers are located and our central database is operated.

9. Third-Party Services

9.1 Social Media Platforms

9.2 External Links

Our Service may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these external sites.

10. Data Subject Rights (GDPR/CCPA)

If you are a resident of the European Union, California, or other jurisdictions with applicable privacy laws, you may have additional rights including:

  • Right to access your personal information
  • Right to correct inaccurate information
  • Right to delete your personal information
  • Right to restrict processing
  • Right to data portability
  • Right to object to processing

To exercise these rights, contact us at privacy@butterdecisions.com.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

  • Posting the new Privacy Policy on this page
  • Updating the "Last Updated" date
  • Sending you an email notification (for significant changes)

12. Contact Information

13. Cookie Policy

  • Authenticate your login sessions
  • Remember your preferences
  • Improve our Service performance
  • Ensure security of your account

You can control cookies through your browser settings, but disabling cookies may affect the functionality of our Service.

By using Butter Decisions, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy.