Privacy Policy

CineMatch ("we," "our," or "the app") is an AI-powered iOS application for movie and TV show recommendations, episode tracking, and watchlist management. We are committed to protecting your privacy and being transparent about how we handle your data.

This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and the choices you have.

1. Data We Collect

Account Information

When you create an account, we collect the information necessary for authentication:

• Email address and display name (for email/password sign-up)
• Apple ID identifier (for Sign In with Apple)
• An anonymous identifier (for anonymous/guest accounts)

Authentication is handled through Firebase Authentication by Google.

Watchlist & Activity Data

• Movies and TV shows you add to your watchlist, including watch status (e.g., watching, completed, plan to watch)
• Your ratings and reactions (like, dislike, love, etc.) on content
• Episode tracking data for TV shows you follow

Preferences & Interactions

• Genre preferences and mood selections
• Content interactions such as searches, browsing history within the app, and recommendation feedback

AI Concierge Chat Messages

When you use the AI Concierge chat feature, your messages are sent to OpenAI's servers for processing via our secure server-side Cloud Functions. These messages are used solely to generate relevant recommendations and responses.

Push Notification Tokens

If you enable notifications, we collect your device token through Firebase Cloud Messaging to send you air date alerts and other relevant notifications.

Analytics (Optional)

We may collect anonymized app usage analytics to improve the experience. You can opt out of analytics sharing at any time in the app's Privacy Settings.

2. How We Use Your Data

• Personalized Recommendations -- We use your watchlist, ratings, reactions, and genre preferences to power our hybrid recommendation engine (combining collaborative filtering, content-based filtering, and AI) to suggest movies and TV shows tailored to you.
• AI Concierge -- Your chat messages are processed by OpenAI's GPT-5 models via our server-side Cloud Functions to provide conversational recommendations. Messages are never sent directly from your device to OpenAI.
• Episode Tracking & Notifications -- We use your tracked shows and device token to send air date notifications so you never miss a new episode.
• Improving Accuracy -- Your ratings, reactions, and feedback help us improve recommendation accuracy over time.
• Cross-Device Sync -- Your watchlist, preferences, and account data are synced across your devices via Firebase so you can pick up where you left off.

3. Third-Party Services

We use the following third-party services to operate the app:

4. Data Storage & Security

• Your data is stored in Google Cloud Firestore with security rules that restrict access to authorized users only.
• Subscription data (tier, status, expiry) is protected server-side -- it can only be modified by our Cloud Functions, not by the client app.
• All communication between the app, our Cloud Functions, and third-party APIs uses encrypted HTTPS connections.
• We do not sell your data to third parties.
• We do not use advertising SDKs or third-party tracking frameworks.

5. Your Privacy Controls

CineMatch provides in-app Privacy Settings that give you control over your data:

• Watching Activity -- Toggle whether your currently-watching activity is visible to others.
• Watchlist Sharing -- Control whether your watchlist is shared.
• Ratings & Notes -- Choose whether your ratings and notes are visible.
• Collections -- Control the visibility of your collections.
• Pause All Sharing -- Instantly pause all social sharing with a single toggle.
• Analytics Opt-Out -- Opt out of anonymized analytics sharing.
• Request Data Deletion -- Request full deletion of your data.

6. Data Deletion

You can delete your account and all associated data at any time:

• In the app: Go to Settings > Account > Delete Account. This performs a cascading deletion that removes all your data from Firestore, including your watchlist, preferences, ratings, chat history, and account information.
• Via our data deletion page: If you are unable to access the app, you can request data deletion through our data deletion page.
• Via email: Contact us at support@cinematch.app to request account and data deletion.

Upon deletion, your data is permanently removed from our systems. Note that data already processed by third-party services (e.g., OpenAI) is subject to their respective retention policies.

7. Children's Privacy

CineMatch is not 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 inadvertently collected data from a child under 13, we will take steps to delete that information promptly. If you believe a child under 13 has provided us with personal data, please contact us at support@cinematch.app.

8. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make changes, we will update the "Effective Date" at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Continued use of the app after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

9. Contact Us

If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

Email: support@cinematch.app