Privacy Policy

Aaj Kya Pakayein (“we,” “us,” or “our”) operates the Aaj Kya Pakayein mobile application and related website/services (the “App”). This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect information when you use the App.

By using the App, you agree to this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, please do not use the App.

1. Who we are

• App name: Aaj Kya Pakayein
• Purpose: An AI-powered cooking assistant that suggests recipes based on ingredients you select or detect from kitchen/fridge photos, with optional cuisine, time, servings, and mood preferences.
• Privacy contact: privacy@aajkayapakaaye.com

2. Information we collect

2.1 Information you provide

• Account / Sign-In: When you sign in with Google or Apple, we receive and store information from that provider such as your name, email address (if provided), profile picture URL (Google), and a provider account identifier (subject ID), as permitted by the provider and your account settings.
• Ingredients & preferences: Ingredients you select or type, servings, cuisine preference, available cooking time, mood/style preferences, and similar recipe request details.
• Feedback on AI suggestions: Like or dislike votes on AI-generated recipes. For dislike, a written comment is required. For like, a comment is optional. We may also store a snapshot of the recipe you rated.
• Custom text: Custom ingredient names and feedback comments you submit.

2.2 Photos you upload

• If you use fridge/kitchen photo scan, you upload an image of your fridge, pantry, counter, or kitchen items.
• Photos are sent to our servers and processed by an AI vision model to detect ingredients.
• Do not upload images containing sensitive personal information, other people’s faces without consent, or illegal content.

2.3 Information collected automatically

• Device / technical data: IP address, approximate request metadata, app/API request logs, timestamps, and error logs needed for security, rate limiting, debugging, and abuse prevention.
• Authentication tokens: After Google or Apple Sign-In, we issue an app session token stored on your device so you stay signed in for feedback and account-related features.
• API usage: Authenticated API calls for recipe and related services.

2.4 Information we do not intentionally collect

We do not ask for your phone contacts, precise GPS location, SMS, call logs, or payment card details for the core App features described in this policy. If we add paid features later, we will update this policy.

3. How we use your information

We use collected information to:

• Provide recipe suggestions and ingredient detection
• Personalize results based on your selected preferences (cuisine, time, mood, servings)
• Authenticate users via Google Sign-In
• Allow you to like/dislike AI suggestions and collect required/optional feedback
• Improve recipe quality, safety, relevance, and App performance
• Prevent abuse, enforce rate limits, and secure our services
• Communicate about service issues, policy updates, or support (if you contact us)
• Comply with legal obligations

4. Artificial Intelligence (AI) processing

The App uses third-party AI services to:

• Detect ingredients from uploaded photos
• Generate recipe suggestions (names, ingredients, steps, tips, and related content)

Important AI disclosures:

• AI outputs may be inaccurate, incomplete, or unsuitable for your dietary, allergy, religious, or health needs.
• You are responsible for verifying recipes, ingredients, cooking safety, and any dietary restrictions (including allergies).
• Do not rely on the App as medical, nutritional, or professional dietary advice.
• Photos and text you submit for AI features are processed to generate results and may be processed by our AI providers as described in Section 6.

5. Legal bases (where applicable)

Depending on your location, we process data based on:

• Contract / service delivery (providing App features you request)
• Consent (e.g., Google Sign-In permissions, uploading photos, submitting feedback)
• Legitimate interests (security, abuse prevention, improving AI suggestion quality using aggregated/feedback signals)
• Legal obligations when required by law

6. How we share information

We do not sell your personal information.

We may share information with:

6.1 Service providers / processors

• Google: For Google Sign-In / authentication. Google’s use of data is governed by Google’s Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy
• AI providers (e.g., OpenRouter and underlying model providers): To process recipe generation and image-based ingredient detection. Content you submit for these features (such as ingredient lists, preferences, and uploaded images) may be transmitted to these providers to generate results.
• Hosting / database providers: To store accounts, feedback, and operate the App backend.

6.2 Legal and safety

We may disclose information if required by law, court order, or governmental request, or to protect rights, safety, security, and integrity of users or the App.

6.3 Business transfers

If we merge, are acquired, or transfer assets, user information may be transferred as part of that transaction, subject to this Policy or a successor policy.

7. Data storage and retention

• Account data (name, email if provided, avatar URL, and linked Google/Apple identifiers) is stored while your account remains active. When you delete your account in the App, this data is permanently removed.
• Feedback (like/dislike, comments, related recipe snapshots) is retained while your account is active. Deleting your account also deletes this feedback.
• Uploaded photos are processed to extract ingredients; we do not intend to keep photos longer than needed for providing the feature, security, and troubleshooting, unless required for legal/security reasons.
• Logs and IP-based rate-limit data are retained for a limited period for security and operations.
• Session tokens expire after a limited period and can be cleared by signing out or clearing app data.

8. Data security

We use reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect information, including HTTPS/TLS where supported, access controls, API authentication, and rate limiting. No method of transmission or storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security.

9. Your choices and rights

Depending on your location, you may have rights to access, correct, delete, withdraw consent, object to or restrict certain processing, and request export/portability of certain data.

In-app controls:

• You can choose not to sign in with Google or Apple (rating AI suggestions requires sign-in)
• You can choose not to upload photos
• You can sign out and clear local session data
• You can decline providing optional like comments (dislike requires feedback)
• You can permanently delete your account from the App (Settings → Delete account). This immediately removes your profile, linked Google/Apple sign-in, and recipe feedback from our servers.

Account deletion: Signed-in users can delete their account at any time in the mobile app. Deletion is processed immediately. After deletion, you will need to sign in again if you want to create a new account. Some limited logs needed for security (for example IP-based rate limiting) may remain for a short period and are not used to identify you.

To exercise other privacy rights, email privacy@aajkayapakaaye.com with the subject “Privacy Request”.

10. Children’s privacy

The App is not directed to children under 13 (or the minimum age required in your country). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child provided personal data, contact us and we will take appropriate steps to delete it.

11. International data transfers

Your information may be processed on servers located in countries different from your own (including where our hosting or AI providers operate). Where required, we take appropriate steps to protect transferred data.

12. Third-party links and services

The App may show links (for example YouTube search links for recipe videos). Third-party sites and apps have their own privacy policies. We are not responsible for their practices.

13. Android permissions (as applicable)

Depending on device/OS and feature usage, the App may request permissions such as:

• Internet — required for AI recipe generation, authentication, and API calls
• Camera / Photos / Media — only if you choose to capture or upload kitchen/fridge images for ingredient detection

We use permissions only for the stated features.

14. Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will post the updated version with a new “Last updated” date. Continued use of the App after changes means you accept the updated Policy, where permitted by law.

15. Contact us

• Email: privacy@aajkayapakaaye.com
• App: Aaj Kya Pakayein
• Website: Home