Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Welcome to PlantsPack. We respect your privacy and are committed to protecting your personal data. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your information when you use our platform.

This policy applies to all users of PlantsPack, regardless of location. For users in the European Union, we comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide

When you create an account and use PlantsPack, we collect:

• Account Information: Username, email address, password (encrypted), name, and profile picture
• Profile Information: Bio, preferences, and any other information you choose to add
• Content: Posts, comments, images, videos, recipes, events, and other content you create or share
• Location Data: If you choose to share your location or add vegan places, we collect city, country, and coordinate data
• Places Data: When you add or review vegan places, we collect the place name, address, coordinates, category, images, and reviews
• Payment Information: For voluntary supporter donations, processed securely through Stripe (we do not store full payment details)

2.2 Automatically Collected Information

When you use PlantsPack, we automatically collect:

• Usage Data: How you interact with the platform, features you use, and time spent
• Device Information: Browser type, operating system, and device identifiers
• IP Address: For security and analytics purposes
• Cookies: Small data files stored on your device (see Cookie Policy below)

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your information to:

• Provide Services: Create and maintain your account, enable posting and social features
• Personalize Experience: Show relevant content and connections based on your interests
• Communication: Send transactional emails (account confirmations, notifications you've enabled, password resets) and respond to inquiries
• Security: Protect against fraud, abuse, and unauthorized access
• Moderation: Enforce Community Guidelines and Terms of Service
• Analytics: Understand how users interact with PlantsPack to improve our services
• Legal Compliance: Comply with legal obligations and respond to lawful requests

3.1 Marketing Communications (Optional)

If you opt in — either by ticking the newsletter checkbox at signup or by enabling the preference in your account settings — we may send you a periodic newsletter covering new vegan places, top-rated spots, and platform updates. We send these emails on the basis of your explicit consent under GDPR Article 6(1)(a).

You can withdraw consent at any time by (a) toggling the newsletter preference off in your account settings, (b) clicking the unsubscribe link included in every newsletter, or (c) emailing hello@plantspack.com. Withdrawal takes effect immediately and does not affect transactional emails you receive for account activity (confirmations, notifications you've enabled, password resets, claim responses) — those continue regardless of your newsletter preference because they are necessary for operating your account.

We never pre-tick the newsletter checkbox, never bundle it into Terms acceptance, and never share your email address with third-party marketers. We keep a record of when and how you consented (required for GDPR audit) and preserve unsubscribe history indefinitely so we can prove we respected your choice.

4. Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR)

For EU users, we process your data based on:

• Contract: To provide services you've requested
• Consent: When you've given explicit permission (e.g., location sharing)
• Legitimate Interests: To improve our services, ensure security, and prevent abuse
• Legal Obligation: To comply with applicable laws

5. Information Sharing and Disclosure

We do not sell your personal information. We may share your data with:

• Other Users: Your public profile and posts are visible to other users as per your privacy settings
• Service Providers: Third-party services that help us operate (e.g., Supabase for database, Stripe for payments)
• Legal Requirements: When required by law or to protect our rights
• Business Transfers: In the event of a merger or acquisition

6. Data Retention

We retain your data for as long as:

• Your account is active
• Needed to provide services
• Required by law

When you delete your account, we remove or anonymize your personal data within 30 days, except where retention is required by law or for legitimate business purposes (e.g., preventing abuse).

7. Your Privacy Rights

You have the right to:

• Access: Request a copy of your personal data
• Correction: Update or correct inaccurate information
• Deletion: Request deletion of your account and data
• Portability: Request your data in a machine-readable format
• Objection: Object to certain processing of your data
• Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent for data processing where applicable
• Complaint: Lodge a complaint with your data protection authority

To exercise these rights, contact us at hello@plantspack.com or through your account settings.

8. Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your data:

• Encryption of data in transit (HTTPS) and at rest
• Secure password hashing
• Regular security audits
• Access controls and authentication
• Monitoring for suspicious activity

However, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security but take all reasonable precautions to protect your information.

9. Cookies and Tracking

PlantsPack uses cookies to:

• Essential Cookies: Required for authentication and basic functionality
• Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how users interact with our platform
• Preference Cookies: Remember your settings and preferences

You can manage cookie preferences in your browser settings or through our cookie consent banner.

10. Third-Party Services

PlantsPack integrates with third-party services:

• Supabase: Database and authentication services
• Stripe: Payment processing for voluntary supporter donations
• Vercel: Hosting and deployment
• OpenStreetMap: Map data and geocoding for vegan places
• OpenAI: Content moderation assistance
• Resend: Transactional email delivery

These services have their own privacy policies. We encourage you to review them.

11. Children's Privacy

PlantsPack is not intended for users under 16 years of age. We do not knowingly collect information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal data, please contact us immediately.

12. International Data Transfers

Your data may be processed in countries outside your residence. We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your data in accordance with this Privacy Policy and applicable laws.

13. Changes to Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of significant changes via email or platform notification. Your continued use of PlantsPack after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

14. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your data, please contact us. PlantsPack is operated by Cleareds, a company registered in Belgium.

• Data Controller: Cleareds (Belgium)
• Email: hello@plantspack.com
• Contact Form: Contact Us

For GDPR-related inquiries or to exercise your data rights, please include "GDPR Request" in your subject line.