Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

HalalBuzz respects your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains what data we collect, why we collect it, and how we use it when you visit or interact with our platform.

2. Information We Collect

Account Information

When you sign in via Google OAuth, we receive and store your name, email address, and profile image from Google. This information is used to identify your account and display your profile within the platform.

Session Data

We use session-based authentication with cookies. Session tokens are stored in HTTP-only cookies with a 30-day expiration.

Crowdsource Session IDs

For users who submit restaurant suggestions or vote on attributes (including anonymous users), we store a session identifier to track submissions and prevent abuse. This cookie persists for up to one year.

IP Addresses

We collect IP addresses for restaurant suggestion submissions. This data is used solely for rate-limiting and spam prevention.

User-Generated Content

Restaurant suggestions, attribute votes, and associated metadata that you submit to the platform are stored in our database.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Provide and improve the HalalBuzz platform.
• Authenticate users via Google OAuth.
• Prevent spam and abuse through rate-limiting via IP and session tracking.
• Review and moderate user submissions.
• Display user profile information (name, avatar) within the platform.

4. Third-Party Services

HalalBuzz integrates with the following third-party services:

• Google OAuth: Used for user authentication. Subject to Google's Privacy Policy.
• Google Maps / Places: Used for restaurant direction links and location data. Subject to Google's Privacy Policy.
• Supabase: Our database is hosted on Supabase. Subject to Supabase's Privacy Policy.

5. Cookies

We use the following cookies:

• Authentication session cookie: Stores your login session. HTTP-only, secure in production, 30-day expiration.
• Crowdsource session cookie: Tracks anonymous submissions for restaurant suggestions and attribute voting. Persists for up to one year.

6. Data Retention

Account data is retained while your account is active. Submission data (restaurant suggestions, attribute votes) is retained for platform operation. You may request deletion of your personal data by contacting us.

7. Data Security

We take reasonable measures to protect your data, including the use of HTTPS encryption, HTTP-only cookies, and secure cookie flags in production environments. However, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure.

8. Your Rights

You may request access to, correction of, or deletion of your personal data at any time by contacting us. We will respond to your request within a reasonable timeframe.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes will be reflected by updating the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. Your continued use of HalalBuzz after any modifications constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

10. Contact

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us through the information provided on the website.