1. Introduction
Welcome to eatmap.com.au ("EatMap", "we", "us", or "our"). We are committed to protecting your personal information and your right to privacy in accordance with the Australian Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs).
This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website eatmap.com.au and use our services. Please read this policy carefully. By using EatMap, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy.
2. About EatMap
EatMap is a Melbourne-based food and venue review platform. We review and blog about cafes, restaurants, and other dining venues across Melbourne. Registered users can contribute by writing reviews and uploading photos of venues and food they have experienced.
3. Information We Collect
We collect the following types of information:
Personal Information Provided by You:
- Email address (used for account registration and login)
- Password (securely stored and managed by Firebase Authentication)
- Any additional profile information you choose to provide
User-Generated Content:
- Reviews and comments you post about venues
- Photos of venues and food that you upload
- Ratings and other feedback you provide
Information Collected Automatically:
- Device information (browser type, operating system, device type)
- IP address and approximate geographic location
- Pages visited, time spent on pages, and navigation patterns
- Referring website or source
- Cookies and similar tracking technologies
4. How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect for the following purposes:
- To create and manage your user account
- To enable you to post reviews and upload photos
- To operate, maintain, and improve our website
- To communicate with you regarding your account or our services
- To monitor and analyse usage trends and preferences
- To display personalised advertisements through Google AdSense
- To ensure the security and integrity of our platform
- To comply with legal obligations under Australian law
5. Cookies and Tracking Technologies
EatMap uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your experience on our website. These include:
- Essential Cookies: Required for the basic functionality of the website, including authentication and security.
- Analytics Cookies: We use Google Analytics (GA4) to understand how visitors interact with our website. Google Analytics collects information such as pages visited, session duration, and device information.
- Advertising Cookies: We use Google AdSense to display advertisements. Google and its partners may use cookies to serve ads based on your prior visits to our website or other websites. You can opt out of personalised advertising by visiting Google's Ads Settings.
You can manage your cookie preferences through your browser settings. Please note that disabling cookies may affect the functionality of our website.
6. Third-Party Services
We use the following third-party services that may collect and process your data:
- Firebase Authentication: Manages user registration, login, and account security. Operated by Google LLC.
- Firebase Cloud Firestore: Stores user-generated content including reviews and profile data. Operated by Google LLC.
- Firebase Storage: Stores photos uploaded by users. Operated by Google LLC.
- Google Analytics (GA4): Collects website usage and traffic data for analytical purposes.
- Google AdSense: Displays advertisements and may use cookies to serve personalised ads.
- Vercel: Hosts our website and may process server logs including IP addresses.
These third-party services have their own privacy policies, and we encourage you to review them.
7. Disclosure of Your Information
We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties. We may share your information in the following circumstances:
- With service providers (such as Firebase and Vercel) who assist us in operating our website, subject to their privacy policies
- With advertising partners (Google AdSense) for the purpose of serving relevant advertisements
- If required by law, regulation, or legal process under Australian law
- To protect the rights, property, or safety of EatMap, our users, or the public
8. Data Storage and Security
Your data is stored securely using Firebase services provided by Google LLC. While we implement reasonable security measures to protect your personal information, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security of your data.
Your data may be stored and processed on servers located outside of Australia, including in the United States, where Google's Firebase infrastructure operates. By using our services, you consent to this transfer of data.
9. Your Rights Under Australian Privacy Law
Under the Australian Privacy Act 1988, you have the right to:
- Access the personal information we hold about you
- Request correction of inaccurate or outdated information
- Request deletion of your account and associated data
- Opt out of receiving marketing communications
- Lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) if you believe your privacy has been breached
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at the details provided below.
10. Children's Privacy
EatMap is not intended for children under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 16. If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a child under 16, we will take steps to delete that information promptly.
11. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated "Last Updated" date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information.
12. Contact Us
If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us at:
Email: eatmapau@gmail.com
Website: eatmap.com.au