Privacy Policy
Effective Date: January 1, 2025
Welcome to Calorize, your trusted AI-based calorie counter app. Your privacy and trust are paramount to us. This Privacy Policy explains how Calorize (“we,” “our,” or “us”) collects, uses, discloses, and safeguards your personal information when you use our app (the “App”). Please read this policy carefully to understand our views and practices regarding your personal data.
1. Information We Collect
To provide you with the best possible experience, Calorize collects the following types of information:
1.1. Information You Provide During Signup
When creating an account, you provide the following information:
- Name (required): To personalize your experience.
- Gender (required): Used to calculate personalized calorie recommendations.
- Age (required): Essential for calculating Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR).
- Weight (required): Used for accurate calorie and activity tracking.
- Height (required): To improve the accuracy of our calorie calculations.
- Target Weight (required): To tailor your fitness and weight management goals.
- Profile Picture (optional): If provided, stored securely in Firebase Cloud Storage.
1.2. Google Account Linking (Optional)
After providing your signup details, you will be prompted to link your Google account. Linking your Google account is optional but recommended to enhance your experience by keeping your data synchronized and backed up. If you choose to link your Google account, the following information is collected:
- Email Address: Used for account identification and communication.
- Name: To personalize your experience.
- Profile Picture: If available, used to enhance your profile within the App.
1.3. Speech-to-Text Input
If you use the speech-to-text feature, we request permission to access your microphone. Audio data is processed locally on your device to convert speech into text and is not stored on our servers.
1.4. Information Collected Automatically
When you use Calorize, the following data is collected automatically:
- Device Information: Includes device model, operating system version, and unique device identifiers.
- Log Data: Information about app usage, crashes, and errors to help us troubleshoot and improve the App.
- Analytics Data: Collected through Firebase Analytics to understand user behavior and improve app performance.
- Login Data: Information related to your login sessions, including timestamps and IP addresses, to enhance security and monitor unauthorized access.
1.5. User Activity History
We store your usage history within the App to provide personalized insights and track your progress over time. This includes:
- Meal Logs: Details of meals you log, including food items and calorie counts.
- Exercise Logs: Information about physical activities tracked through Google Fit or entered manually.
- Calorie Intake and Expenditure: Data on your daily calorie consumption and burning.
- Progress Metrics: Information related to your weight loss or fitness goals.
1.6. Integration with Google Fit (Optional)
With your explicit consent, Calorize integrates with Google Fit to access fitness and activity data, including:
- Location Data: To calculate steps, distance, activity duration, and calories burned.
- Physical Activity Data: Such as steps taken, calories burned, type of activity (e.g., running or cycling), distance traveled, and duration of activities.
You can disable Google Fit integration at any time in the App settings.
1.7. Firebase Services
We use Firebase for the following purposes:
- Firebase Authentication: To manage secure login and account creation, including Google account integration.
- Firebase Database: To store user profile data, preferences, and activity history.
- Firebase Cloud Storage: To store optional profile pictures uploaded by users.
- Firebase Analytics: To analyze user activity and improve the App’s functionality.
1.8. Information Shared with GeminiAI
To provide more personalized results and health suggestions, we send certain user details to GeminiAI APIs, including:
- Personal Metrics: Name, gender, age, weight, height, and target weight.
- Activity Data: Information from Google Fit or manually entered exercise logs.
- Meal Logs: Details of meals logged by the user.
Note: No sensitive information such as passwords or financial data is shared with GeminiAI. All data sent to GeminiAI is anonymized and used solely to enhance your experience within Calorize.
2. How We Use Your Information
We use your data to provide, maintain, and improve the features of Calorize. Specific uses include:
- Personalized Recommendations: To calculate your daily calorie intake, provide fasting schedules, and suggest recipes or exercises tailored to your fitness goals.
- Activity Tracking: To display your steps, calories burned, and activity history when connected to Google Fit.
- Performance Improvement: Using analytics data to understand app usage patterns and enhance features.
- Secure Operations: To authenticate users, manage login sessions, and maintain the security of the App.
- User Support: To respond to your inquiries, provide customer support, and send important updates about the App.
- Data Sharing with Partners: Sharing necessary user data with GeminiAI to offer personalized health suggestions and insights.
Note: We do not use your data for marketing or advertising purposes and do not share it with third parties without your explicit consent, except as described in this Privacy Policy.
3. How We Protect Your Information
We take the security of your data seriously and implement industry-standard practices, including:
- Data Encryption: All data transmissions are encrypted using SSL/TLS protocols to protect your information during transfer.
- Access Controls: Access to user data is restricted to authorized personnel only, based on the principle of least privilege.
- Regular Monitoring: Our systems are regularly monitored to detect and address vulnerabilities.
- Secure Storage: Personal data is stored securely in Firebase Cloud Storage, which adheres to strict security standards.
- Manual Verification for Data Deletion: When you request data deletion, we verify your identity manually to ensure that data is deleted securely and accurately.
However, no system is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee the absolute safety of your data. Please use Calorize at your own discretion.
4. Third-Party Services
Calorize uses trusted third-party services to provide core functionality:
- GeminiAI APIs: For generating calorie and food data from user prompts. No personal information is sent to GeminiAI beyond what is necessary for personalization.
- Firebase Services: For user authentication, data storage, and analytics. Firebase adheres to strict data security standards.
- Google Fit: For optional fitness data synchronization, which requires explicit consent.
Each third-party service has its own privacy policy. We recommend reviewing these policies to understand how your data may be used:
5. Data Retention and Deletion
5.1. Data Retention
We retain your data as long as your account remains active or as necessary to provide the App’s services. Specifically:
- Account Data: Retained until you delete your account.
- Activity History: Stored to provide ongoing insights and progress tracking.
- Login Data: Retained for security monitoring and to prevent unauthorized access.
- Log Data and Analytics: Retained for troubleshooting and performance improvement purposes.
If you stop using Calorize but do not delete your account, your data will continue to be stored securely unless you request otherwise.
5.2. Data Deletion Policy
Currently, Calorize does not have an in-app data deletion feature. However, if you wish to delete your account and associated data, you can contact us at abhi@writeme.com with the subject line “Data Deletion Request.”
- Verification Process: To ensure the security of your data, we will verify your identity manually before proceeding with the deletion.
- Deletion Timeline: After verification, we will manually delete your account and data from our servers within 30 days.
- Retention for Legal Purposes: Some data may need to be retained for legal or regulatory purposes, even after your account is deleted.
6. Your Rights
While Calorize is not yet fully compliant with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) or the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), we are committed to aligning with these standards in the future. Until then, you have the following rights:
- Access and Update Your Data: You can view and modify your profile information through the App settings.
- Disable Google Fit Integration: You can revoke access to Google Fit at any time through the App settings.
- Request Data Deletion: As outlined above, you can contact us to request the deletion of your data.
- Data Portability: You can request a copy of your data by contacting us at abhi@writeme.com.
To exercise these rights, please contact us using the information provided in the Contact Us section below. We will respond to your requests within a reasonable timeframe.
7. Cookies and Tracking Technologies
Calorize does not use cookies or similar tracking technologies directly. However, third-party services integrated into the App, such as Firebase Analytics, may use cookies and similar technologies to collect data. These technologies help us understand how users interact with the App and improve its performance.
You can manage your cookie preferences through your device settings or by adjusting permissions within the App.
8. Children’s Privacy
Calorize is not intended for use by children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal data, please contact us at abhi@writeme.com, and we will delete the information promptly.
9. International Data Transfers
Your information may be transferred to and maintained on servers located outside your country of residence. By using Calorize, you consent to the transfer of your information to countries outside your home country, which may have different data protection laws than your jurisdiction.
We take appropriate measures to ensure that your data is treated securely and in accordance with this Privacy Policy.
10. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes to the App, our practices, or legal requirements. Updates will be posted within the App, and the revised policy will include the effective date. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy regularly to stay informed about how we are protecting your information.
11. Contact Us
If you have any questions, concerns, or feedback about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:
Thank you for trusting Calorize to support your health and fitness goals. Your privacy is our top priority!
Summary of Enhancements:
- Accurate Login Flow: Clarified that users first provide their details and are then prompted to link their Google account, rather than choosing between login methods initially.
- Data Sharing with GeminiAI: Detailed the types of user data shared with GeminiAI to provide personalized results, ensuring transparency about data usage.
- Login Data Storage: Included information about storing login data such as timestamps and IP addresses for security purposes.
- User Activity History: Added a comprehensive section on storing user’s activity history, including meal logs, exercise logs, and progress metrics.
- Additional Sections: Expanded to clarify the use of third-party tracking technologies and informed users about potential data transfers across borders.
- Data Portability: Included the right for users to request a copy of their data.
- Detailed Security Measures: Enhanced the security section with more specific practices like secure storage and manual verification for data deletion.
- Professional and Clear Tone: Maintained a professional yet approachable tone throughout to build user trust and ensure readability.
- Third-Party Privacy Links: Added placeholders for GeminiAI’s privacy policy link and ensured all third-party services are clearly referenced.
- Comprehensive User Rights: Expanded user rights to include data portability and more detailed descriptions of existing rights.