Privacy Policy

1. Information We Collect

We collect the following categories of information:

• Account information: When you create an account, we collect your email address, name, and account type (user or business owner). Business owners are required to provide a phone number for verification purposes. This information is provided directly by you during signup or listing submission.
• Business listing data: If you are a business owner, we collect your business name, address, phone number, website, hours of operation, photos, and other listing details that you provide or that are sourced from publicly available platforms (Google Places, Yelp).
• Usage data: We automatically collect information about how you interact with the Service, including pages visited, search queries, timestamps, IP address, browser type, and device type. This data is used to improve the Service and is not sold to third parties.
• Reviews: Reviews you submit, including your display name, rating, and review text, are stored and publicly displayed.

2. How We Use Information

• To operate, maintain, and improve the Service.
• To authenticate users and enforce role-based access (user, owner, admin).
• To classify restaurant listing attributes (cuisine type, dietary options, tags, etc.) using AI models — see Section 4 for details.
• To send transactional emails (account confirmation, password reset) when required.
• To generate aggregate analytics about usage patterns. We do not sell personally identifiable information to advertisers or data brokers.
• To comply with legal obligations and enforce our Terms & Conditions.

3. Cookies and Tracking

We use cookies and similar technologies to maintain your session and remember your preferences. Authentication cookies are essential for the Service to function. We may use analytics tools (such as Google Analytics) to understand aggregate usage patterns. You can disable non-essential cookies in your browser settings; note that this may affect Service functionality.

4. AI Data Processing

IndianFoodFinder uses artificial intelligence to automatically classify and enrich restaurant listing data. You should understand how this works:

• What data is processed: Publicly available information — including business names, Google Places descriptions, and aggregated review content from Google and Yelp — is processed by AI models to infer attributes such as cuisine type, dietary options, business type, tags, and descriptions.
• No personal data from reviews is stored: When processing review text for AI classification, only the resulting aggregated classification labels are retained. Raw review text from third-party sources is not permanently stored in our systems beyond what is required for immediate processing. Native reviews submitted directly to IndianFoodFinder are stored as submitted.
• AI services: We use industry-standard AI classification services to process listing data. Data sent to these services is subject to their respective privacy policies and data processing agreements.
• AI-inferred labels: Classifications generated by AI are marked as "AI-Inferred" on listing pages. Once a verified business owner updates their listing, these labels are considered owner-reviewed and the AI-inferred designation is removed.
• No user profiling: We do not use AI to build individual user profiles or target advertising. AI is used exclusively to enrich business listing data.

5. Third-Party Services

We use the following third-party services, each of which has its own privacy policy:

• Cloud infrastructure providers — We use third-party cloud services for database hosting, authentication, and storage. Your account data and listing data reside on secure cloud infrastructure.
• Mapping and location services — Used for map embeds on listing pages and to enrich listing data (addresses, hours, photos, ratings). Your use of map features is subject to the respective provider's privacy policy.
• AI classification services — Used for automated classification of listing attributes. Only publicly available business data is sent to these services.
• Review aggregation services — Used to import and enrich listing data including ratings and reviews from publicly available platforms.

6. Data Retention

We retain your account information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide the Service. If you delete your account, your personal information will be removed from our active systems within 30 days, except where retention is required by law. Business listing data may be retained in an anonymized or aggregated form after account deletion. Reviews submitted by you may persist as they form part of the public record, but will be disassociated from your account upon deletion.

7. Your Rights

Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have the following rights regarding your personal data:

• Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
• Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data.
• Deletion: Request deletion of your personal data, subject to legal retention obligations.
• Portability: Request your data in a portable, machine-readable format.
• Objection: Object to processing of your data for certain purposes, including analytics.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at hello@indianfoodfinder.com. We will respond to verified requests within 30 days.

8. GDPR and CCPA Compliance

IndianFoodFinder is committed to complying with applicable data protection regulations, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) for users in the European Union and United Kingdom, and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) for California residents.

• Cookie consent: We display a cookie consent banner on your first visit. You may accept all cookies or limit to essential cookies only. Your preference is stored locally and respected across sessions.
• Essential cookies: Required for the Service to function (authentication, session management). These cannot be disabled.
• Analytics cookies: Used to understand how visitors interact with the Service. These are only enabled with your consent.
• GDPR rights (EU/UK residents): You have the right to access, rectify, erase, restrict processing, data portability, and object to processing of your personal data. You may also withdraw consent at any time.
• CCPA rights (California residents): You have the right to know what personal information is collected, request deletion, and opt out of the sale of personal information. We do not sell personal information.
• Data Protection Officer: For GDPR-related inquiries, contact us at privacy@indianfoodfinder.com.

9. 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 we have inadvertently collected such information, please contact us and we will promptly delete it.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will update the "last updated" date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Continued use of the Service after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

11. Contact

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, contact us at hello@indianfoodfinder.com.