Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

ChefLane is committed to protecting your privacy. This policy explains what personal data we collect, how we use it, and what rights you have regarding your information. By using ChefLane, you agree to the collection and use of data as described in this policy.

2. Data We Collect

We collect the following types of information:

• Account information: your name, email address, and password when you create an account.
• Profile information: optional details such as your bio and profile image.
• Creator information: site name, subdomain, branding preferences, social media links, and subscription pricing if you set up a creator site.
• Content: recipes, images, blog posts, newsletters, comments, and other materials you publish on the platform.
• Usage data: pages visited, features used, recipe views, and other interactions with the service.
• Payment information: transaction records related to subscriptions. Payment card details are processed securely by Stripe and are not stored on our servers.
• Email and newsletter data: your email preferences, newsletter subscriptions, and engagement data (e.g. whether emails were opened).
• Device information: browser type, operating system, and IP address collected automatically when you access the platform.

3. How We Use Your Data

We use the data we collect to:

• Provide and maintain the ChefLane platform.
• Process subscriptions and payments between subscribers and creators.
• Send newsletters from creators you follow or subscribe to.
• Deliver transactional emails such as password resets, subscription confirmations, and payment receipts.
• Personalize your experience, including creator recommendations.
• Send you important account notifications and updates.
• Monitor and improve the performance, security, and reliability of the service.
• Enforce our Terms and Conditions and prevent misuse of the platform.

4. Cookies

ChefLane uses cookies and similar technologies to keep you signed in, remember your preferences, and understand how you use the platform. We use the following types of cookies:

• Essential cookies: authentication session cookies and CSRF tokens required for the platform to function.
• Functional cookies: site_dark (dark mode preference), user_locale (currency/locale), and cookie_consent (your cookie banner choice).
• Analytics cookies: Vercel Analytics collects anonymous performance and usage data. Google Analytics may be added in the future.

You can manage your cookie preferences through the cookie banner shown when you first visit the site, or by clearing your browser cookies. For more details, see our Cookie Policy.

5. Third-Party Services

We use the following third-party services to operate ChefLane. Each provider has access to your personal data only to the extent necessary to perform their functions and is obligated to handle it in accordance with applicable privacy regulations:

• Stripe — payment processing for subscriptions, payouts, and refunds.
• Vercel — hosting, deployment, and web analytics.
• Cloudflare R2 — secure storage for recipe images, profile photos, and other uploaded media.
• Resend — transactional email delivery (password resets, subscription confirmations, newsletters).
• Google OAuth (optional) — social login for users who choose to sign in with their Google account.

We do not sell your personal data to third parties.

6. Data Retention

We retain your personal data for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide you with the service. If you close your account, we will delete your personal data within 30 days, except where we are required to retain it for legal or regulatory purposes. Anonymized usage data may be retained indefinitely for analytics purposes.

7. Data Security

We take reasonable measures to protect your personal data from unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. This includes encryption of data in transit, secure password hashing, and regular security reviews. However, no method of electronic transmission or storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

8. Your Rights

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

• Access: request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
• Correction: request that we correct any inaccurate or incomplete data.
• Deletion: request that we delete your personal data, subject to legal obligations.
• Portability: request a machine-readable export of your data.
• Objection: object to certain types of processing, such as marketing communications.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details below.

9. Children's Privacy

ChefLane is not intended for children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If you believe that a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will take steps to delete it.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time. When we make significant changes, we will notify you by email or through the platform. We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your data.

11. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this privacy policy or how we handle your data, please contact us at privacy@cheflane.co.