Privacy Policy | Cheesebase

Personal Information:

When you create an account, we ask for basic details like your name and email address. This helps us identify you and communicate with you. (We will also collect any other information you choose to provide in your account settings, such as a profile picture or bio.)

User-Generated Content:

We collect the content you create and share on Cheesebase. This includes your profile information (like your username, biography, profile photo), posts, photos, videos, comments, and any other material you upload or submit on the platform. Keep in mind that content you post may be visible to other users on the platform.

Location Data:

If you choose to share your location or enable location features, we may collect location information. For example, you might tag a post with a location or allow Cheesebase to access your location to show nearby trainers or relevant content. Providing location data is optional – we only collect it if you have enabled it on your device or within the app. You can disable location access at any time in your device settings.

Usage and Device Information:

Like most apps and websites, we gather some data automatically about how you use Cheesebase. This includes things like your device or browser type, IP address, and usage logs (for instance, pages or features you use, timestamps, and crashes or error reports). We collect this to help diagnose technical issues and understand overall usage trends. This information is typically collected via our analytics tools (explained below) and helps us improve Cheesebase's functionality and user experience.

Communications with Us:

If you contact Cheesebase support or communicate with us (for example, by emailing support@cheesebase.com or through an in-app help feature), we will collect the information you provide in those interactions. This may include your contact information and a record of the correspondence, which we use to assist you and improve our services.

Providing and Personalizing the Service:

We use your information to create and manage your account, allow you to connect with trainers and other users, and display your profile and content to others as you intend. For example, we use your name and profile info to identify you to other users, and your posts and photos are used to populate your feed and those of your followers. We also may use your information to customize your experience – such as suggesting trainers or content you might like.

Facilitating Bookings and Transactions:

Cheesebase is also a trainer booking platform, so we use data to enable sessions and payments. If you book a session with a trainer or earn money as a trainer, we will use your relevant information to process payments (via our payment processor, Stripe) and keep records of transactions. This includes using personal info to confirm your identity, process your credit card or other payment details through Stripe, and send you receipts or booking confirmations.

Communicating with You:

We use your email (and any other contact info you provide) to send important notices and updates. This includes confirmations of account actions (like signing up or password resets), notifications about bookings or messages, updates about new features or changes to our terms/policies, and responses when you contact support. We may also send you marketing communications about new features, content, or promotions on Cheesebase that we think you'd be interested in. If you prefer not to receive promotional emails, you can opt out at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in those emails or contacting us. (Transactional and account-related messages, however, will still be sent as needed for the service.)

Analytics and Product Improvement:

We want to make Cheesebase better. To do that, we analyze how users interact with the platform. We use analytics tools (like PostHog) to collect usage data (e.g. which features are popular, how often certain buttons are clicked, or where users encounter errors). This helps us understand what is working and what needs improvement. Wherever possible, we use this data in an aggregated or anonymized form, so it doesn't directly identify individuals. By monitoring usage patterns and fixing bugs, we can improve Cheesebase's performance, safety, and user experience. (See more about PostHog in the "Third-Party Services" section below.)

Safety, Security, and Legal Compliance:

We are committed to keeping Cheesebase a safe community. We may use your information to monitor for fraud, security threats, or violations of our Terms of Service. For example, we might review reports of inappropriate content or misuse, and use data (like user content and account info) to investigate and take action. We also use data as needed to comply with legal obligations – for instance, retaining transaction records for financial regulations or responding to valid legal requests. If necessary, we may use or disclose information to protect the rights, property, or safety of our users, OTUSK LLC, or others (for example, to report suspected illegal activity).

With Other Cheesebase Users:

Since Cheesebase is a social platform, some of your information is shared with other users by design. For example, other users can see the profile information you provide (like your name, username, bio, profile picture), as well as any content you post publicly (such as your photos, posts, and comments). If you book a session with a trainer, the trainer will see your relevant information (e.g. your name and any details necessary for the booking). Likewise, if you are a trainer, the users who book with you will see information you share about your services. Remember: any information you choose to share publicly on your profile or in posts will be visible to others, so only share content you are comfortable being public.

With Service Providers (Third-Party Partners):

We use a few trusted third-party companies to help us provide the Cheesebase service. We only share information with these service providers as needed for them to perform their tasks, and they are contractually required to protect it and use it only for that purpose. The key third-party services we use are:

Aside from the above, we may also use other third-party services for features like email delivery, customer support, or content moderation. If we do, we will ensure they are similarly bound to protect your data, and we'll update this policy if needed.

For Legal Reasons or Safety:

We may disclose your information if we are required to do so by law or legal process (for example, in response to a court order or a valid subpoena), or when we believe in good faith that disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, your safety or the safety of others, investigate fraud, or respond to a government request. In such cases, we will only share the information that is necessary to comply with the law or ensure safety.

Business Transfers:

If Cheesebase or OTUSK LLC is involved in a merger, acquisition, sale of assets, bankruptcy, or reorganization, your information may be transferred to another entity as part of that transaction. If that happens, we will ensure that the new owner respects your privacy rights in the same way and notify you (for example, via email or a notice on the platform) of any change in data handling.

With Your Consent:

Apart from the situations above, we will only share your personal information if you direct us to or give us your consent. For instance, if in the future we introduce a feature that lets you share information with a third-party app, we would do so only if you opt in to that sharing.