Privacy Policy

1. Who We Are

throwback.now ("Throwback," "we," "our," or "us") is a mobile application that uses artificial intelligence to apply decade-specific photo aesthetics to your images. We are operated by App Star Family.

If you have any questions about this privacy policy, contact us at: privacy@throwback.now

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Photos and Camera Access

Throwback requires access to your camera and photo library to function. Specifically:

• Camera access: Required to take photos directly within the app for immediate transformation.
• Photo library access: Required to select existing photos from your device for transformation.

Photos you submit for transformation are sent to our servers for AI processing. We process them securely, do not store them beyond what is necessary for processing, and do not use them to train our AI models without your explicit consent.

You can revoke camera and photo library permissions at any time in your device's Settings app.

2.2 Account Information

If you create an account, we collect:

• Email address
• Display name (optional)
• Authentication tokens when you use Sign in with Apple or Google Sign-In

2.3 Usage Data

We automatically collect certain information about how you use the app:

• Features used and frequency of use
• App performance metrics and crash reports
• Device type, operating system version, and app version
• General location (country/region level only, derived from IP address)
• Session duration and interaction patterns

This data helps us improve the app and fix problems. We do not collect precise GPS location data.

2.4 Purchase Information

Premium subscriptions are processed through Apple's App Store. We receive confirmation of your subscription status but do not store your payment card details — Apple handles all payment processing.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Provide and operate the Throwback app and its features
• Process your photos through our AI transformation engine
• Manage your account and subscription
• Send transactional emails (account confirmation, subscription receipts)
• Improve app performance, fix bugs, and develop new features
• Provide customer support
• Comply with legal obligations

We do not use your photos for marketing purposes. We do not share or sell your personal data to third parties for their marketing purposes.

4. AI Processing and Your Photos

Throwback's core functionality involves sending your photos to our AI processing servers. Here is how we handle that:

• Transmission: All photos are transmitted over encrypted HTTPS connections.
• Processing: Your photo is processed by our AI system to apply the requested transformation.
• Retention: Uploaded photos are deleted from our servers within 24 hours of processing unless you have explicitly saved them to a Throwback account. Processed (transformed) images are retained only as long as your account is active.
• AI Training: We do not use your photos to train or improve our AI models without your explicit opt-in consent. If we request permission to use your photos for model improvement, it will be clearly labeled and entirely optional.

5. Data Sharing

We share your information only in limited circumstances:

• Service providers: We use third-party services for cloud infrastructure (AWS), analytics (privacy-focused), and crash reporting. These providers process data on our behalf under strict data processing agreements.
• Legal requirements: We may disclose information if required by law or to protect the rights, property, or safety of Throwback, our users, or others.
• Business transfers: If Throwback is acquired or merged, your data may be transferred to the successor company. We will notify you before this happens.

We do not sell personal information. We do not share photos with advertising networks or data brokers.

6. Data Retention

We retain your data for the following periods:

• Account data: Retained while your account is active and for 90 days after deletion, to allow account recovery.
• Uploaded photos: Deleted within 24 hours of processing unless explicitly saved to your account.
• Usage analytics: Aggregated and anonymized data retained for up to 2 years.
• Purchase records: Retained for 7 years for financial and tax compliance.

7. Your Rights

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

• Access: Request a copy of your personal data.
• Correction: Request correction of inaccurate data.
• Deletion: Request deletion of your account and associated data.
• Portability: Request your data in a machine-readable format.
• Objection: Object to certain types of processing.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at privacy@throwback.now. We will respond within 30 days.

You can delete your Throwback account directly within the app in Settings → Account → Delete Account. Account deletion removes all personal data within 30 days.

8. Children's Privacy

Throwback is not directed at children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe we have collected information from a child under 13, please contact us at privacy@throwback.now and we will delete it promptly.

Users between 13 and 17 years of age should use the app only with parental or guardian supervision.

9. Security

We use industry-standard security measures to protect your data:

• All data transmission is encrypted using TLS 1.3
• Photos are stored in encrypted cloud storage
• Access to production systems is restricted and logged
• We undergo regular security reviews

No system is completely secure. If you discover a security vulnerability, please report it to privacy@throwback.now.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time. If we make material changes, we will notify you through the app or by email. The date at the top of this page indicates when the policy was last revised.

Continued use of the app after changes to the privacy policy constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.

11. Contact Us

For privacy-related questions, requests, or concerns:

• Email: privacy@throwback.now
• Response time: We aim to respond within 2 business days
• Data deletion requests: Processed within 30 days