Privacy Policy

Sparkplate

Effective date: November 2, 2026

1. Introduction

Sparkplate ("Sparkplate," "we," "us") is a mobile app that connects home cooks, home bakers, and professional chefs with customers in their area. Sparkplate is operated by Derrick Lyons, based in Sacramento, California.

This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use and share it, and the choices you have. It applies to the Sparkplate app and to sparkplateapp.com.

Sparkplate is a platform for discovery and conversation. We do not process payments, prepare food, or deliver orders. Cooks and customers arrange price, payment, and pickup or delivery directly with each other, so we do not collect payment card or bank information.

2. Information we collect

We collect information you give us, information created when you use the app, and limited information from your device.

We do not collect payment card numbers, bank details, or government ID numbers unless you choose to include them in a credential document.

3. How we use information

We use information to run Sparkplate and keep the community safe:

• Create and manage your account and profile.
• Show nearby cooks on the map and in search, and filter by cook type, cuisine, and dietary needs.
• Deliver messages between customers and cooks, and apply messaging rules, such as customers starting the first conversation.
• Record Deal Made confirmations, send reminders, and require reviews after a deal.
• Review credential documents and display verification status.
• Investigate reports, enforce our Terms of Service, and prevent fraud, abuse, and fake reviews.
• Send service notifications, such as new messages, deal updates, and review reminders.
• Fix bugs, measure performance, and improve the app.
• Comply with legal obligations.

We do not sell your personal information, and we do not use it for third-party advertising.

4. What other users can see

Cook profiles are public to other Sparkplate users; most customer information is shared only with cooks you contact.

Visible to other users:

• Cook profiles: name or display name, profile photo, bio, cook type, verification status, cuisines, dietary and allergen information, food photos, pickup or delivery options, general hours, and approximate location on the map.
• Reviews and ratings, along with the reviewer's display name, once reviews are revealed.
• Customer display name and profile photo, to cooks you message or make a deal with.

Not shown to other users:

• Email address and phone number, unless you choose to share them in a message.
• A cook's exact address. Cooks decide whether to share a pickup address in a private message.
• Credential documents. Only the verification status is shown.
• Reports you submit and accounts you block.

Anything you write in a message or review can be seen by the people it is shared with, so please share personal details carefully.

5. How we share information

We share information only as described here, and we do not sell it.

• Other users: as described in Section 4.
• Service providers that run parts of Sparkplate for us, under their own privacy terms: Google Firebase (sign-in, data storage, push notifications, crash reports, and app analytics), Google Maps Platform (map and location features), Cloudinary (photo storage), Resend (sign-in and verification emails), and Apple and Google (app distribution and push notification delivery).
• Legal and safety: when required by law, or when we believe in good faith that sharing is needed to protect someone's safety, investigate fraud or abuse, or enforce our Terms of Service.
• Business changes: if Sparkplate is reorganized, merged, or sold, information may transfer to the new operator, who must honor this policy.
• With your permission: in any other case, only with your consent.

6. Location information

We use location only to show nearby cooks and to place cooks on the map, and we show cooks' locations as an approximate area.

• Customers: with your permission, we use your device location while the app is open to show cooks near you. We do not track your location in the background.
• Cooks: the map shows an approximate area based on the service area or location you set, not your exact address.
• Your control: you can turn off location access in your device settings at any time. You can still search by city or area, but the map will be less precise.

7. Credential and verification documents

Credential documents are used only to verify the Professional Chef label and are never shown to other users.

• Only Sparkplate administrators can view submitted documents, through a restricted admin dashboard.
• We show other users only the result: Pending, Verified, or Not verified.
• Please submit only what proves your training or experience. You may cover ID numbers or other details not needed for verification.
• We keep documents while your account is active so we can re-check verification if questions arise, and delete them when you delete your account or remove the Professional Chef label.

8. Messages, reports, and moderation

Messages are private between the people in the conversation, but we may review them when needed to keep Sparkplate safe.

• We do not read your messages routinely.
• If a message, profile, review, or photo is reported, administrators may review the related content to investigate.
• We may also review content to look into fraud, harassment, safety concerns, or Terms of Service violations, or when required by law.
• When you block someone, they can no longer message you.

9. Data retention and account deletion

You can delete your account at any time from the app's Settings, and we then delete your personal information within 30 days, with the limited exceptions below.

• What we delete: your profile, photos, credential documents, location settings, and account details.
• What may remain: reviews you wrote may stay visible with your name removed, so other users' review histories remain accurate. Messages you sent may remain in the other person's conversation.
• What we keep longer: limited records needed for safety, fraud prevention, legal obligations, or resolving disputes, such as reports and suspension history, kept only as long as needed.
• Backups: deleted information may remain in secure backups for a short period before being overwritten.

You can also request deletion by emailing support@sparkplateapp.com. See how to delete your account.

10. Your choices and rights

You can access, correct, or delete your information, and some states give you additional rights.

• Edit your profile at any time in the app.
• Delete your account in Settings or by emailing us (Section 9).
• Turn off location access in your device settings.
• Turn off push notifications in your device settings or in the app.
• Request a copy of your information by emailing support@sparkplateapp.com.

Depending on where you live, such as California, you may have rights to know what we collect, request deletion or correction, and not be discriminated against for using these rights. We do not sell or share personal information for targeted advertising. To make a request, email support@sparkplateapp.com. We may need to verify your identity before responding. Because we don't track users across other websites or apps, we don't respond to browser "Do Not Track" signals.

11. Security

We use reasonable safeguards to protect your information, but no system is completely secure.

Safeguards include encrypted connections, secure cloud storage, and restricted administrator access to sensitive data such as credential documents. Please protect your account by using a strong password and not sharing your sign-in details. If we learn of a breach affecting your information, we will notify you as required by law.

12. Age requirement

You must be at least 18 years old to use Sparkplate.

Sparkplate involves arranging food sales and meetups between people who may not know each other, so it is intended for adults only. We do not knowingly collect information from anyone under 18. If we learn that a user is under 18, we will delete the account. If you believe a minor is using Sparkplate, please contact support@sparkplateapp.com.

13. Changes and contact

We may update this policy as Sparkplate grows, and we will tell you about significant changes before they take effect.

We will update the effective date at the top and, for significant changes, notify you in the app or by email. Continuing to use Sparkplate after changes take effect means you accept the updated policy.

Questions or requests: Sparkplate, Derrick Lyons, Sacramento, California, support@sparkplateapp.com