Hot Takes — Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains how ROCKYWATER LLC (also known as Hot Takes) ("Hot Takes," "we," "us," or "our") collects, uses, shares, and protects information when you use the Hot Takes mobile app, our website at https://rockywaterapps.com, and related services (the "Service"). By using the Service, you agree to this Policy.

1. Information We Collect

Information you provide.

• Account and profile data: username, display name, email address, password (stored in hashed form by our authentication provider), profile photo or avatar, and any optional profile details.
• User Content: your Takes, opinions, predictions, votes, ratings, confidence levels, reasons and reason tags, emotional reactions, watch intent, and similar structured responses you provide through Cards and other features; comments; and anything else you post.
• Communications: messages you send us (for example, support requests or feedback).
• Purchase information: records of subscriptions and in-app purchases. Payment-card details are processed by Apple, not by us; we do not collect or store your full payment-card numbers.

Information collected automatically.

• Usage and engagement data: the Cards you see and respond to, sessions, streaks, experience points, league and leaderboard activity, taps and interactions, feature usage, and timestamps.
• Device and technical data: device type and model, operating system and version, app version, language, time zone, general (coarse) location inferred from IP address, and diagnostic or crash data.
• Analytics and identifiers: event data and unique identifiers collected through analytics tools (see Section 4).

Information from third parties. If you sign in through a third-party login (for example, Sign in with Apple), we receive the information that service shares with us, such as a name or email (or a relay email). We may also receive limited information from our infrastructure and analytics providers.

We do not knowingly collect Social Security numbers, government-ID numbers, financial-account numbers, precise geolocation, or biometric identifiers, and we ask that you not provide them. We do not collect or process facial-recognition or other biometric data.

2. How We Use Information

We use information to:

• provide, operate, maintain, and secure the Service;
• create and manage your account and authenticate you;
• display, personalize, and improve Cards, content, recommendations, and your experience;
• run progression features (XP, streaks, leagues, leaderboards, badges, rewards);
• process subscriptions and purchases;
• measure and analyze usage, performance, and engagement, and conduct research and product development;
• develop new features, products, and services, including by building, training, and improving models, algorithms, and analytics (we use de-identified or aggregated data for these purposes wherever feasible — see Section 6);
• communicate with you about the Service, including service-related and, where permitted, promotional messages (you can opt out of promotional messages);
• detect, prevent, and respond to fraud, abuse, security incidents, and violations of our Terms; and
• comply with law and enforce our agreements.

3. How We Share Information

We share information as follows:

• Service providers / processors. We share information with vendors that perform services for us, who are contractually required to protect it and use it only for us. These include:
  • Supabase — database, authentication, and backend infrastructure (hosts account data and User Content);
  • Apple — app distribution and payment processing;
  • PostHog — product analytics; and
  • other providers for hosting, communications, customer support, and security.
• Other users and the public. Your username, profile, Takes, reactions, and leaderboard standings may be visible to other users and publicly, including on our website.
• Legal and safety. We may disclose information to comply with law, regulation, legal process, or governmental request; to enforce our Terms; or to protect the rights, property, or safety of Hot Takes, our users, or others.
• Business transfers. We may transfer, sell, or assign any and all information we hold — including your personal information and User Content — to a successor or acquirer in connection with, or in preparation for, a merger, acquisition, financing, due-diligence process, reorganization, bankruptcy, dissolution, or sale of some or all of our assets or equity. The recipient may use the information in accordance with this Policy or a successor policy. We will use reasonable efforts to notify you of a material change in how your information is handled following such a transaction, to the extent required by law.
• Affiliates. We may share information with our current and future parent, subsidiary, and affiliated entities.
• With your direction or consent. We share information when you ask us to or otherwise consent.
• De-identified and aggregated data. We may share or otherwise make available de-identified or aggregated data freely, as described in Section 6.

4. Analytics, Cookies, and Similar Technologies

We and our analytics provider PostHog use SDKs, cookies, pixels, and similar technologies to collect usage and device data, understand how the Service is used, and improve it. On the website, you can control cookies through your browser settings and our cookie controls. We honor recognized opt-out preference signals, including the Global Privacy Control (GPC), where required by law.

5. "Sale" and "Sharing" of Personal Information; Targeted Advertising

Some U.S. state privacy laws define "sale" and "sharing" of personal information broadly, including disclosures for monetary or other valuable consideration and disclosures for cross-context behavioral (targeted) advertising.

We may "sell" or "share" certain categories of personal information (such as identifiers and usage data) as those terms are defined under applicable state laws. You have the right to opt out. To opt out, email support@rockywaterapps.com. We do not knowingly sell or share the personal information of anyone under 16.

6. De-Identified and Aggregated Data

We may create de-identified, pseudonymized, or aggregated data from information collected through the Service. We may use, retain, license, sell, disclose, and otherwise exploit de-identified and aggregated data for any lawful purpose, including research, analytics, benchmarking, product development, and commercial offerings, without restriction and without further notice to you. Where we maintain data in a de-identified form, we will not attempt to re-identify it except as permitted by law, and we will maintain it as de-identified.

7. Data Retention

We retain personal information for as long as your account is active and for as long thereafter as permitted to serve our business purposes — including providing and improving the Service, research and product development, analytics, security, fraud prevention, dispute resolution, and enforcement of our agreements — and as otherwise permitted by applicable law. We may retain information, including de-identified and aggregated data, indefinitely.

8. Data Security

We maintain a written information-security program with administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect personal information appropriate to its sensitivity. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security. You are responsible for keeping your account credentials confidential.

9. Children's Privacy

The Service is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. We do not require users to disclose their age, and we do not knowingly determine that any user is under 13. If we learn that we have collected personal information from a child under 13 without verifiable parental consent, we will delete it promptly. If you believe a child under 13 has provided us with personal information, contact support@rockywaterapps.com. Where additional protections apply to teens under 16 or 18 under applicable law, we comply with them.

10. Your Privacy Rights and Choices

Depending on where you live, you may have some or all of the following rights regarding your personal information:

• to know/access the personal information we hold about you and how we use and share it;
• to delete your personal information;
• to correct inaccurate personal information;
• to obtain a portable copy of your personal information;
• to opt out of any "sale" or "sharing" of personal information and of targeted advertising;
• to limit the use of sensitive personal information (note: we do not seek to collect sensitive personal information); and
• to not be discriminated against for exercising your rights.

How to exercise your rights. Submit a request in the app (Settings → Privacy) or by emailing support@rockywaterapps.com. You may delete your account and associated data at any time from within the app. We will verify your request, typically using your account credentials, and respond within the time required by law. You may use an authorized agent where the law allows. If we deny a request, you may appeal by replying to our decision or emailing support@rockywaterapps.com; if your state provides one, you may also contact your state Attorney General.

California "Shine the Light." California residents may request information about disclosures of personal information to third parties for their direct-marketing purposes. To make such a request, email support@rockywaterapps.com.

Marketing choices. You can opt out of promotional emails using the unsubscribe link in those messages or by contacting us. You can manage push notifications in your device settings.

11. International Users

We are based in the United States and process and store information in the United States and in other countries where our providers operate. If you access the Service from outside the United States, you understand that your information will be transferred to and processed in the United States, where data-protection laws may differ from those in your country.

12. Third-Party Links and Services

The Service may link to or integrate third-party sites and services (including those referenced in Section 3). Their privacy practices are governed by their own policies, and we are not responsible for them. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of Supabase, PostHog, and Apple.

13. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Policy from time to time. If we make material changes, we will provide notice by updating the "Last updated" date and, where appropriate, through an in-app notice. Your continued use of the Service after changes take effect means you accept the updated Policy.

14. Contact Us

ROCKYWATER LLC — for privacy requests, support, and any other concerns, contact support@rockywaterapps.com.