Privacy Policy
Your privacy is not a feature. It is the foundation.
1. Purpose and Scope
This Privacy Policy describes how HungryWatch, operated by CloudBuckle Technologies LLC ("HungryWatch", "we", "our", or "us"), collects, uses, stores, and protects information from users of the HungryWatch platform, including the website at hungrywatch.com, the web application, and any related services (collectively, the "Platform").
This Policy applies to all users of the Platform, including people who post hunger requests (red pins), people who post food availability (green pins), and anyone who views the public map without an account.
2. Information We Collect
2.1 Information You Provide
Phone number. When you create an account, we collect your phone number for verification purposes. Your phone number is immediately hashed using a keyed HMAC algorithm before storage. The plaintext phone number is never written to our database. We use a blind index to verify your identity at login without storing your actual number.
Pin content. When you post a pin, we collect:
- Pin type (hungry, or food available)
- Approximate location: your GPS coordinates are immediately snapped to a coarse geographic grid before storage. Your exact location is never stored.
- Optional dietary flags (for example, vegetarian, halal), selected from a predefined list
- Optional short note, maximum 140 characters. URL patterns, phone numbers, and email addresses are automatically rejected.
- Pin creation timestamp and expiry time
Optional profile information (donors only). Donor accounts may optionally provide an organization name (restaurant, temple, church, etc.). This information is voluntary and used only to display context on green pins.
2.2 Information We Collect Automatically
Usage data. We collect limited technical information when you use the Platform:
- Device type and operating system (for compatibility purposes)
- Browser type and version
- IP address (used for rate limiting and fraud prevention, not stored long-term)
- Pages viewed and features used (aggregate, not individual tracking)
- Error logs (for debugging, stripped of personal identifiers before storage)
Location data. Location data is collected only when you explicitly drop a pin. We do not track your location continuously, in the background, or when you are simply viewing the map. Location data is grid-snapped at the application layer before any storage operation.
2.3 Information We Do Not Collect
HungryWatch deliberately does not collect:
- Your real name (hungry users are permanently anonymous on the platform)
- Government ID or immigration status
- Financial information of any kind
- Racial, ethnic, or national origin data
- Health or medical information
- Precise real-time location outside of pin creation
- Browsing history outside our Platform
- Social media profiles or connections
- Device contacts, camera, or microphone access beyond what you explicitly grant
3. How We Use Your Information
3.1 To Operate the Platform
- Verify your identity via phone OTP at account creation and login
- Display pins on the public map at approximate (grid-snapped) locations
- Enforce pin expiry and lifecycle rules
- Generate and deliver handoff codes to confirmed claim participants
- Track reputation metrics for donor accounts (meals helped counter)
- Enforce rate limits and prevent abuse
3.2 To Keep the Platform Safe
- Detect and prevent spam, fraud, and abuse
- Investigate reports of prohibited content or behavior
- Enforce our community guidelines and Terms of Use
- Respond to law enforcement requests as required by law
- Monitor for behavioral patterns associated with platform misuse
3.3 To Improve the Platform
- Analyze aggregate, anonymized usage patterns to improve features
- Debug technical issues using stripped error logs
- Measure platform effectiveness (pin resolution rates, response times)
3.4 What We Never Do With Your Information
- Sell, rent, or trade your personal information to any third party
- Use your information for advertising targeting
- Share your phone number with other users
- Share your exact location with anyone
- Use your hunger status for any purpose beyond operating your pin
- Contact you for marketing purposes without explicit opt-in
4. How We Share Your Information
4.1 Public Information
The following information is visible to anyone who views the map, including users without accounts:
- Pin type (red or green)
- Approximate neighborhood location (grid-snapped, not exact)
- Optional dietary flags
- Optional note text
- Time posted and time remaining
Critically: no name, no phone number, no exact address, and no account identity is ever visible on the public map.
4.2 Claim Participants
When a donor confirms a claim on a hungry pin, both the pin owner and the claiming donor are shown the handoff code for that pin. No other personal information is exchanged through the platform.
4.3 Service Providers
We share minimal data with third-party service providers who help us operate the Platform:
- Amazon Web Services (AWS): cloud hosting, database, and message delivery. AWS processes data under our instructions and is bound by data processing agreements. Data is stored in US East regions.
- CARTO: basemap map tiles. When you view the map, CARTO's content delivery network receives viewport coordinates in order to serve the corresponding map tiles. See CARTO's privacy policy at carto.com.
- MapLibre GL: an open-source map rendering library that runs entirely in your browser. By itself it does not transmit your data to us or to any third party.
- OpenStreetMap / Overpass API: public place data for meeting-spot suggestions. Queries contain only geographic coordinates, no user identifiers.
4.4 Legal Requirements
We may disclose your information if required by law, including:
- In response to a valid court order, subpoena, or legal process
- To comply with applicable laws and regulations
- To protect the rights, property, or safety of HungryWatch, our users, or the public
- In connection with a law enforcement investigation where we have a good faith belief that disclosure is required
4.5 Aggregate and Anonymized Data
We may share aggregate, anonymized data, such as demand heatmaps showing hunger patterns by neighborhood, with institutional partners including food banks, city governments, and academic researchers. This data contains no personal identifiers and cannot be used to identify any individual user.
5. Data Retention
5.1 Retention Periods
| Data type | Retention period | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Phone number hash | Account lifetime | Required for login verification |
| Active pins | Until resolved or expired | Core platform function |
| Resolved pin metadata | 90 days | Abuse investigation, audit trail |
| Expired pin metadata | 30 days, then anonymized | Impact metrics only |
| Report records | 1 year | Safety and moderation audit |
| Usage logs | 30 days | Security monitoring |
| IP addresses | 7 days | Rate limiting and fraud prevention |
| Handoff codes | Until pin resolution | Core platform function |
| Reputation counters | Account lifetime | Community trust signal |
5.2 Account Deletion
You may request deletion of your account and associated data at any time by emailing hungrywatchapp@gmail.com. Upon receiving a verified deletion request we will:
- Delete your phone number hash within 30 days
- Remove all active pins immediately
- Anonymize historical pin data (remove account association, retain aggregate location data)
- Confirm deletion to you
Some data may be retained beyond 30 days where required by law or for legitimate safety purposes (for example, records related to an active law enforcement investigation).
6. Your Rights (CCPA)
California residents have the following rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA):
6.1 Right to Know
You have the right to request information about the categories and specific pieces of personal information we have collected about you, the purposes for which we use it, and the third parties with whom we share it.
6.2 Right to Delete
You have the right to request deletion of personal information we have collected about you, subject to certain exceptions required by law.
6.3 Right to Opt Out of Sale
HungryWatch does not sell personal information. This right is not applicable, but we state it explicitly for clarity.
6.4 Right to Non-Discrimination
We will not discriminate against you for exercising your CCPA rights. Exercising your rights will not affect your ability to use the Platform.
6.5 How to Exercise Your Rights
Submit requests to hungrywatchapp@gmail.com with the subject line "Privacy Request". We will respond within 45 days. We may need to verify your identity before processing your request.
7. Security
We implement technical and organizational measures to protect your information:
- All data encrypted in transit using TLS 1.2 or higher
- All data encrypted at rest using AES-256
- Phone numbers stored as a keyed HMAC blind index, never plaintext
- Raw GPS coordinates discarded before database write
- Database access restricted to the application layer via IAM roles
- API rate limiting and abuse detection
- Regular security reviews and dependency scanning
8. Children's Privacy
HungryWatch is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child under 13 has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately at hungrywatchapp@gmail.com and we will delete that information.
Users between 13 and 17 may use the Platform with parental consent.
9. Undocumented Users
HungryWatch serves communities that include undocumented immigrants. We want to be explicit:
- We do not collect immigration status information
- We do not share user data with immigration enforcement authorities
- We respond to valid legal process only. We do not proactively cooperate with immigration enforcement.
- Phone verification is the only identity requirement. No government ID is ever required.
10. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of material changes before they take effect. The updated Policy will be posted at hungrywatch.com/privacy with the new effective date. Continued use of the Platform after the effective date constitutes acceptance of the updated Policy.
11. Contact Us
For privacy questions, requests, or concerns:
- Email: hungrywatchapp@gmail.com
- Subject line: Privacy Request
- Response time: within 45 days