Privacy Policy

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Account Information

When you create an account, we collect:

• Email address
• Display name
• Profile information from your Google account (if you sign in with Google), including your name and profile picture

1.2 User-Generated Content

When you submit reviews, photos, or ratings, we store that content along with associated metadata (submission date, shop association, category tags).

1.3 Photo Metadata

Photos you upload may contain EXIF data (such as GPS coordinates and capture date). We may use this metadata to verify the authenticity of submissions. You can strip EXIF data from your photos before uploading if you prefer.

1.4 Automatically Collected Information

When you use the Service, we automatically collect:

• IP address
• Browser type and version
• Pages visited and time spent
• Referring website
• Device information

This data is collected through server logs and analytics tools.

1.5 Cookies

We use cookies for:

• Authentication (keeping you signed in)
• Preferences (language selection)
• Analytics (understanding how the Service is used)
• Advertising (third-party ad networks, if applicable)
• Affiliate tracking (third-party booking and travel services)

See Section 6 for more details on cookies and your choices.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use your information to:

• Provide, operate, and improve the Service
• Display your reviews, photos, and ratings to other users
• Translate user-generated content into other languages
• Generate AI-assisted summaries and editorial content based on aggregated user reviews
• Moderate content for compliance with our Community Guidelines
• Calculate user rankings, experience points, and progression
• Communicate with you about your account or the Service
• Analyze usage patterns to improve the user experience
• Display relevant advertisements
• Create anonymized, aggregated statistics (see Section 4)

3. How We Share Your Information

3.1 Public Content

Your display name, rank, reviews, photos, and ratings are publicly visible on the Service. Do not include personal information in your reviews or photos that you do not wish to make public.

3.2 Service Providers

We share data with third-party service providers who help us operate the Service:

• Supabase (database hosting and authentication)
• Vercel (website hosting)
• Google (OAuth authentication)
• Cloud storage providers (photo storage)

These providers process data on our behalf and are contractually obligated to protect your information.

3.3 Advertising & Affiliate Partners

If you interact with advertisements or affiliate links, third-party ad networks and affiliate partners may collect information through cookies. See Section 6.

3.4 Aggregated Data

We may share anonymized, aggregated data with third parties for analytics, research, or commercial purposes. This data does not identify individual users. For example, we may share statistics such as "the average difficulty rating of ramen shops in Shinjuku" or "the most common visitor feedback for high-difficulty shops."

3.5 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required by law, regulation, or legal process, or to protect the rights, safety, or property of Ramen Gateway, our users, or the public.

4. Data Retention

• Account data: Retained as long as your account is active.
• User-generated content: Retained as described in our Terms of Use (Section 4). Even if you delete your account, previously published reviews may remain in anonymized form.
• Server logs: Retained for up to 12 months.
• Cookies: See Section 6 for cookie durations.

5. Your Rights

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights:

5.1 Access & Portability

You can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.

5.2 Correction

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

5.3 Deletion

You can request deletion of your account and associated personal data. Note that:

• Publicly posted reviews may be retained in anonymized form (with your display name removed) to preserve the integrity of the Service.
• Aggregated data that has already been generated will not be affected.

5.4 Cookie Opt-Out

You can manage cookie preferences through our cookie consent banner or your browser settings. See Section 6.

5.5 Objection to Processing

You may object to certain processing activities, including the use of your data for advertising purposes.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at info@ramengateway.com. We will respond within 30 days.

6. Cookies & Tracking

6.1 Essential Cookies

Required for the Service to function (authentication, language preferences). These cannot be disabled.

6.2 Analytics Cookies

Help us understand how the Service is used. You may opt out through the cookie consent banner.

6.3 Advertising Cookies

Used by third-party ad networks (such as Google AdSense) to display relevant ads. You may opt out through the cookie consent banner or through the ad network's own settings.

6.4 Affiliate Cookies

Used by affiliate partners (such as booking platforms) to track referrals. These are placed only when you click an affiliate link.

You can manage your cookie preferences at any time by clicking "Cookie Settings" in the website footer.

7. Children's Privacy

The Service is not intended for users under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 16. If we become aware that we have collected such data, we will delete it promptly.

8. International Data Transfers

Your data may be processed in countries other than your own, including Japan and the United States (where our hosting providers operate). By using the Service, you consent to the transfer of your data to these countries. We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place for such transfers.

9. Security

We implement reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your data, including encryption in transit (HTTPS) and secure authentication. However, no method of transmission or storage is completely secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make material changes, we will notify registered users by email or through the Service and update the "Last updated" date. Continued use after changes take effect constitutes acceptance.

11. Contact

If you have questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or your personal data, please contact us at: info@ramengateway.com