Privacy Policy

Last updated: July 8, 2026

1. Introduction

Crisp Munch ("we," "us," or "our") respects your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website (the "Website"). By using the Website, you consent to the practices described in this policy. If you do not agree with this policy, please do not use the Website.

2. Information We Collect

We may collect the following types of information:

  • Information you voluntarily provide: When you submit a recipe, submit a blog post, use a contact form, leave a rating or review (on a recipe or on an Author Profile), edit your Author Profile, or otherwise interact with the Website, you may provide your name, email address, recipe details, blog post content, photos, profile photo, short bio, favorite cuisine, location, years of experience, social media link, and other content. This information is provided voluntarily and at your own discretion.
  • Public vs. private submission data: When your recipe or blog post is approved and published, your name, content, uploaded photos, profile photo (if any), short bio, favorite cuisine, location, years of experience, and any social media URL you provided are displayed publicly on the Website, including on your Author Profile page. Your email address is kept private and is used only for internal review, moderation, ownership verification, and communication purposes — it is never shown publicly.
  • Author Profiles: Each contributor automatically gets a public Author Profile page once their first recipe or blog post is approved. The profile aggregates published recipes, published blog posts, optional profile photo and bio fields, and reader ratings/reviews of the author. To edit profile fields or upload a photo, we send a one-time secure verification link to the author's email; clicking the link confirms ownership of the author identity. Verification tokens are stored temporarily and expire after use.
  • Ratings and reviews: Star ratings (1–5) and written reviews you leave on recipes or on Author Profiles are public. We use browser local storage to help discourage duplicate ratings from the same device. We do not require an account to leave a rating.
  • Blog post submissions: Blog post submissions require email verification before entering our review queue. The email you submit is kept private and used for verification, moderation, and communication only.
  • Payment information: Recipe and blog post submissions are currently free and no payment information is collected. If we introduce a publishing fee in the future, payments will be processed entirely by a third-party provider (such as Paddle, acting as Merchant of Record). We will not store, process, or have access to your credit card details, bank account information, or other financial data on our servers.
  • Usage data: We automatically collect certain information when you visit the Website, including your IP address, browser type and version, operating system, device type, referring URLs, pages viewed, time spent on pages, and access times.
  • Cookies and tracking technologies: We may use cookies, web beacons, local storage, and similar technologies (including Google AdSense and analytics) to enhance your experience, remember your preferences, serve relevant ads, and collect analytics data. You can control cookies through your browser settings, but disabling them may affect Website functionality.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use collected information to:

  • Operate, maintain, and improve the Website and its features;
  • Review, moderate, and publish recipe and blog post submissions;
  • Display approved recipes, blog posts, Author Profiles (name, photo, bio, favorite cuisine, location, years of experience), and social links publicly on the Website;
  • Send one-time verification emails so authors can confirm ownership before editing their profile, uploading a photo, or publishing a blog post;
  • Respond to inquiries, feedback, and support requests;
  • Analyze usage patterns, trends, and optimize user experience;
  • Serve and measure advertising (including via Google AdSense);
  • Prevent fraud, abuse, spam, and unauthorized access;
  • Comply with legal obligations and enforce our terms.

4. Sharing of Information

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties. We may share information with:

  • Service providers: Third-party services that help us operate the Website, including hosting providers, analytics services, content delivery networks, and payment processors. These providers are contractually obligated to protect your information;
  • Legal requirements: When required by law, regulation, subpoena, court order, or other legal process;
  • Protection of rights: When necessary to protect the rights, property, or safety of Crisp Munch, our users, or others;
  • Business transfers: In connection with a merger, acquisition, reorganization, or sale of assets, in which case your information may be transferred as part of such transaction.

5. Data Retention

We retain personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this policy, comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements. When information is no longer needed, we will securely delete or anonymize it.

6. Data Security

We implement reasonable administrative, technical, and physical security measures to protect your information. However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. We cannot and do not guarantee absolute security of your information. You acknowledge that you provide information at your own risk.

7. Third-Party Services and Links

Our Website may contain links to third-party websites, services, and platforms. We have no control over and assume no responsibility for the content, privacy policies, practices, or availability of any third-party sites or services. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party services you interact with. Your interactions with third-party services are governed solely by their own terms and policies.

8. Children's Privacy

The Website is not intended for children under 13 years of age (or under 16 in the European Economic Area). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we become aware that we have collected information from a child, we will take prompt steps to delete it. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us using the form below.

9. Your Rights

Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have the right to:

  • Access the personal information we hold about you;
  • Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal information;
  • Request deletion or erasure of your personal information;
  • Object to or restrict certain data processing activities;
  • Request portability of your personal information;
  • Withdraw consent at any time where processing is based on consent;
  • Lodge a complaint with a supervisory or data protection authority.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the form below. We will respond within a reasonable timeframe in accordance with applicable law.

10. International Users

The Website is operated from the United States. If you are accessing the Website from outside the United States, please be aware that your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States or other countries where data protection laws may differ from those in your jurisdiction. By using the Website, you consent to such transfers.

11. Do Not Track

Some browsers offer a "Do Not Track" setting. We do not currently respond to Do Not Track signals, as there is no uniform standard for compliance.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated "Last updated" date. Your continued use of the Website after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the revised policy. We recommend reviewing this policy periodically.

13. Disclaimer

TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, CRISP MUNCH MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES REGARDING THE ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS, OR RELIABILITY OF ANY INFORMATION COLLECTED OR PROCESSED. WE SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES ARISING FROM THE USE, DISCLOSURE, OR PROCESSING OF YOUR INFORMATION, EXCEPT WHERE REQUIRED BY MANDATORY APPLICABLE LAW.

14. Contact

For questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal information, please contact us using the form below.

Contact Us

Have a question or concern? Send us a message and we'll respond as soon as possible.