1. Introduction

Welcome to Guestaurant™ ("we," "our," or "us"). We are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring the security of your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our platform.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide

• Account Information: Name, email address, password, phone number, role selection
• Profile Information: Bio, profile photo, address, years of residence, travel preferences
• Venue Information: Business name, license documents, venue photos, capacity, parking, insurance documents
• Chef/Expert Information: Qualifications, experience, specialties, hourly rates, payment methods, insurance documents
• Event Information: Event details, menus, pricing, photos, dietary options, lesson offerings, recurring patterns
• Booking Information: Number of seats, dietary preferences, special requests, guest count, lesson selections
• Payment Information: Payment method details (processed by Stripe), payment history
• Communication Data: Messages sent through our messaging platform and bulk message history
• Reviews and Ratings: Your reviews, ratings, responses, and moderation flags
• Background Check Information: Information provided for verification purposes and background check results
• Dispute Information: Details of disputes filed, responses, and resolutions
• Follower/Following Data: Your connections and networking relationships
• Email Preferences: Your communication preferences and opt-in/opt-out choices
• Wishlist Information: Events you've saved for later

2.2 Information We Collect Automatically

• Usage Data: Pages visited, features used, time spent on the platform, clicks, search queries
• Device Information: IP address, browser type, operating system, device type
• Location Data: Approximate location based on IP address (not precise GPS tracking)
• Cookies: We use cookies and similar tracking technologies for site functionality
• Analytics Data: Aggregated usage patterns, event popularity, booking trends
• Transaction Data: Booking completions, payment attempts, refund requests

2.3 Information From Third Parties

• Background Checks: Results from background check providers regarding criminal history and verification status
• Payment Processors: Payment confirmation, transaction IDs, and fraud detection signals from Stripe
• Social Media: Information from social media platforms (if you connect them)
• Verification Providers: Email verification and address verification data

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Provide, maintain, and improve our Service
• Process bookings, cancellations, and payments
• Facilitate communication between users via messaging
• Conduct background checks and verify user identities
• Send booking confirmations, reminders, event notifications, and waitlist updates
• Display your profile and listings to other users
• Calculate and process refunds and disputes
• Process and display reviews, ratings, and responses
• Manage recurring events and instant bookings
• Detect and prevent fraud, abuse, and security issues
• Comply with legal obligations and tax reporting
• Send marketing communications (with your consent)
• Analyze usage patterns and improve user experience
• Resolve disputes and enforce our Terms of Service
• Generate performance analytics for hosts and venues
• Monitor content for violations through moderation

4. How We Share Your Information

4.1 With Other Users

• Public Profile: Name, bio, profile photo, verification status, and ratings are visible to all users
• Event/Chef/Expert Listings: Details, photos, pricing, availability, and qualifications are public
• Confirmed Bookings: Contact information (email, phone if provided) shared with booking counterparty
• Location: Approximate location (neighborhood) shown publicly; exact address revealed only to confirmed guests within 48 hours of event
• Reviews: Your reviews, ratings, and responses are public (unless removed for policy violations)
• Follower Status: Your follower/following relationships are visible to other users

4.2 With Service Providers

We share information with third-party service providers who perform services on our behalf:

• Payment Processing: Stripe (for payment processing and dispute handling)
• Background Checks: Third-party background check providers
• Cloud Hosting: Supabase and other database/server providers
• Analytics: Analytics and performance monitoring services
• Email Services: Email delivery and notification providers
• Verification Services: Email and address verification providers

4.3 For Legal Reasons

We may disclose your information:

• To comply with legal obligations, court orders, or government requests
• To protect our rights, property, or safety, or that of our users
• To investigate and prevent fraud, security issues, or technical problems
• In connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets

4.4 With Your Consent

We may share your information with third parties when you give us explicit consent to do so.

5. Location Information and Privacy

5.1 Approximate Location

Event listings display approximate locations (neighborhood level) publicly to help guests discover events in their area of interest.

5.2 Exact Address

The exact address of a venue is considered private information and is only revealed to guests who have confirmed bookings, and only within 48 hours of the scheduled event. This protects host privacy while ensuring guests can attend their booked events.

6. Background Checks

To promote safety and trust, we may conduct background checks on users. By agreeing to a background check, you authorize us to collect and use information about your criminal history and other relevant records. Background check results are used solely for verification purposes and are not shared with other users beyond verification status indicators.

7. Communications

7.1 Service Communications

We will send you transactional emails related to your bookings, account activity, and service updates. You cannot opt out of these essential communications.

7.2 Marketing Communications

With your consent, we may send you promotional emails about new features, events, and special offers. You can opt out of marketing communications at any time.

7.3 In-App Messaging

Messages sent through our platform are stored and may be reviewed for safety and quality purposes. Do not share sensitive personal information through in-app messaging.

8. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

Security Measures Include:

• Encryption of data in transit and at rest
• Regular security audits and updates
• Access controls and authentication requirements
• Secure payment processing through PCI-compliant providers
• Employee training on data privacy and security

9. Your Rights and Choices

9.1 Access and Update

You can access and update your account information at any time through your profile settings.

9.2 Data Deletion

You can request deletion of your account and personal information by contacting us. Please note that we may retain certain information as required by law or for legitimate business purposes.

9.3 Cookie Preferences

You can control cookie preferences through your browser settings. Note that disabling cookies may affect your ability to use certain features of the Service.

9.4 Marketing Opt-Out

You can opt out of marketing emails by clicking the unsubscribe link in any marketing email or updating your communication preferences in your account settings.

9.5 Do Not Track

Some browsers have a "Do Not Track" feature. Currently, we do not respond to "Do Not Track" signals.

10. Children's Privacy

Our Service is not intended for children under 18 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us.

11. International Users

Our Service is primarily intended for users in the United States, specifically the Charleston, South Carolina area. If you access our Service from outside the United States, your information may be transferred to and processed in the United States, which may have different data protection laws than your country.

12. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to provide our Service and fulfill the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law.

Retention Periods:

• Account Information: Until you delete your account, plus 30 days
• Booking Data: 7 years for tax, legal, and dispute resolution compliance
• Payment/Transaction Data: 7 years for PCI compliance and accounting
• Reviews and Ratings: Indefinitely, unless removed for policy violations
• Messages: Until either party deletes their account, plus 90 days for support purposes
• Background Check Results: 3 years from last verification; automatically revoked if negative status detected
• Dispute Records: 7 years for legal and chargeback protection
• Moderation Flags: Indefinitely for pattern detection and user safety
• Profile Photos: Until deleted by user; archived copies may be retained for 30 days

13. Third-Party Links

Our Service may contain links to third-party websites or services. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third parties. We encourage you to read their privacy policies.

14. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of material changes by posting the updated policy on our Service and updating the "Last Updated" date. Your continued use of the Service after changes become effective constitutes acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.

15. California Privacy Rights

If you are a California resident, you have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA):

• Right to know what personal information we collect and how we use it
• Right to request deletion of your personal information
• Right to opt-out of the sale of personal information (we do not sell personal information)
• Right to non-discrimination for exercising your privacy rights

To exercise these rights, please contact us at privacy@guestaurant.com (note: correct spelling).

16. Contact Us

If you have questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us at:

• Email: privacy@guestaurant.com
• Mail: Guestaurant™ Privacy Team, Charleston, SC

17. Your Consent

By using Guestaurant™, you consent to the collection, use, and sharing of your information as described in this Privacy Policy.