Daily Meal Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Welcome to AI Calorie Tracker: Daily Meal (the "App," "Daily Meal," "we," "us," or "our"). Developed and operated by our dedicated team, Daily Meal is an advanced nutrition and health management platform designed to help users achieve their fitness goals through artificial intelligence. Our core features include AI-powered food recognition via camera ("Snap & Analyze"), dynamic calorie allocation based on activity, and personalized meal planning for weight loss, maintenance, or muscle gain.

At Daily Meal, we recognize that health data is deeply personal. We are strictly committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring the security of the sensitive information you entrust to us. We believe that transparency regarding how we handle your dietary and biometric data is essential to building trust. This comprehensive Privacy Policy explains, in clear terms, the types of information we collect, how we process it to generate nutritional insights, and the robust measures we implement to protect it when you download, install, or use our App from the Google Play Store.

Before you begin your journey with Daily Meal, we urge you to read this Privacy Policy carefully. By choosing to use our App, you expressly consent to the data practices described herein. If you do not agree with any part of this policy, you must immediately cease using the Daily Meal app and its services.

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our business operations, technological advancements (such as new AI nutrition models), or to comply with legal obligations. We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed.

2. What Data We Collect

To provide an accurate, personalized, and effective weight management experience, Daily Meal collects and processes specific categories of data. This includes information you provide directly to calculate your metabolic rate, and data collected automatically as you interact with the App.

Personal Identification and Physical Characteristics: To function as a "Pocket Nutritionist" and calculate your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), we require specific physical data. This includes your height, weight, gender, age, and activity level.

Dietary and Health Goals: We collect data regarding your specific objectives, such as "lose weight," "gain muscle," or "maintain weight," as well as dietary preferences (e.g., Keto, Vegan) and any logged allergies. This allows our AI to generate compatible meal plans.

User-Generated Content (Food Logs): This is the core data that drives the App’s functionality. We collect:

Food Photos: Images of meals you capture using the "Snap & Analyze" feature. These images are processed by our AI to identify food items and estimate portion sizes.

Manual Logs: Information on food items, brands, or portions you manually search for or enter into your diary.

Meal Plan Adjustments: Data on how you interact with generated menus, including swaps, rejections, or favorites.

Activity and Exercise Data: To enable "Dynamic Calorie Allocation," we collect data regarding your physical activity. This may include manually logged exercises (e.g., "Running, 30 mins").

Device and Technical Information: To ensure the AI camera features work smoothly across the Android ecosystem, we collect technical data such as your device model, Android OS version, unique device identifiers (e.g., Android ID), IP address, screen resolution, and language settings.

Payment and Subscription Information: Daily Meal offers premium subscription plans. When you purchase a subscription, the transaction is processed entirely by the Google Play billing system. We collect non-sensitive transaction records (order status, expiration date, subscription type) to manage your access. We do not collect or store your credit card or banking information.

3. How We Collect Your Data

We use the following methods to collect data to ensure our AI services function correctly:

Directly from You: You provide data when you create your profile, take photos of your food, log water intake, update your weight, or provide feedback.

Automated Collection via Sensors: With your permission, we may access your device's camera to capture food images. We also use automated logs to track app performance and stability.

Third-Party Services: We utilize third-party analytics (like Google Analytics for Firebase) and advertising networks (like AdMob) to support the free version of the App. We may also utilize third-party AI databases to assist in the nutritional classification of food images.

4. How We Use Your Data

The data we collect is used for legitimate business purposes centered on your health and user experience:

Core Service Delivery: We use your physical data (height, weight, age) to calculate your BMR and daily calorie budget. We process your food photos to provide macronutrient analysis (protein, carbs, fats) and use your activity data to dynamically adjust your daily calorie allowance.

AI Model Improvement: Anonymized food images and logging corrections may be used to train and improve the accuracy of our visual recognition algorithms (e.g., teaching the AI to better distinguish between a latte and a cappuccino).

Personalization: To suggest meal swaps that fit your taste and to visualize your progress through weight-loss trend charts.

Security and Compliance: To prevent fraud, ensure the security of user accounts, and comply with legal obligations.

Advertising: In the free version, we partner with third-party networks to display ads. These may be personalized based on your device identifier (Advertising ID) and approximate location.

Subscription Management: To process renewals, handle cancellations for our Weekly, Monthly, and Annual plans, and verify premium status (e.g., unlocking the "20 extra daily scans").

5. Collection and Use of Device Data (Camera & Storage)

For Daily Meal to function as intended, we require specific Android permissions:

Camera Permission: This is essential for the "Snap & Analyze" feature. We only access the camera when you explicitly tap the camera icon to scan a meal. We do not record video or access the camera in the background.

Storage/Gallery Permission: Required to allow you to upload previously taken photos of food for analysis or to save generated diet plans and progress charts to your device.

Device Identifiers: We use identifiers like the Android Advertising ID (AAID) for marketing analysis and attribution. You can reset this identifier in your device settings.

6. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Daily Meal uses cookies, local storage, and mobile SDKs to enhance your experience. These technologies are used for:

Preferences: Remembering your measurement units (metric vs. imperial) and dietary modes.

Analytics: Understanding which features (e.g., the Barcode Scanner vs. AI Camera) are used most frequently.

Advertising: Serving relevant ads in the non-premium version of the App.

You can manage your preferences regarding these technologies through your device settings, though disabling them may affect the App's functionality.

7. Data Retention Policy

We retain your personal data only as long as necessary:

Account Data: We keep your profile, food logs, and weight history for as long as your account is active to provide you with historical trends and progress charts.

Legal Obligations: Transaction records regarding subscriptions are retained for tax and accounting purposes as required by law.

Anonymized Data: We may retain de-identified, aggregated data (such as general food popularity trends) indefinitely for research and product development.

If you delete your account via the App settings, your personal information will be removed from our active servers, subject to reasonable technical delays for backup deletion.

8. Security Measures

We employ industry-standard security measures to protect your health and personal data:

Encryption: Data transmitted between your app and our servers (such as food photos or login credentials) is encrypted using Transport Layer Security (TLS/SSL).

Access Control: Access to user data is strictly limited to authorized personnel who need it to maintain the service.

Server Security: We utilize secure cloud infrastructure with built-in firewalls and automated threat monitoring.

While we strive to protect your data, no digital service is strictly 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security but commit to prompt action in the event of any breach.

9. Children's Privacy

Daily Meal is a general audience health app. However, it is not designed for or directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we become aware that we have collected such information, we will take steps to delete it immediately.

Furthermore, weight loss and strict dieting can be sensitive topics for minors. We strongly recommend that users under 18 consult with a parent, guardian, or healthcare professional before using this App for weight management.

11. Data Analytics and Statistics

We use tools like Google Analytics for Firebase to analyze user behavior. We track metrics such as:

Retention: How many users return to log their second meal.

Accuracy: How often users correct the AI's food identification.

Conversion: The rate at which free users upgrade to Premium.

All analytics data is aggregated and anonymized. It is used solely to improve the Daily Meal experience.

Disclaimer: Daily Meal is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not a medical device and does not provide medical advice. Always consult a physician before starting any significant diet or exercise program.