Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

TimeForBurgers.com ("we," "us," or "our") is committed to protecting your privacy and being transparent about our data practices.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Recipe Rating Cookies (Strictly Necessary)

When you rate a recipe, we set a small cookie to prevent duplicate ratings:

• Cookie Name: rated_[recipe-slug]
• Purpose: Prevent the same user from rating the same recipe multiple times
• Type: HttpOnly cookie (cannot be accessed by JavaScript, more secure)
• Duration: 30 days, then automatically deleted
• Data Stored: Only a true/false flag indicating you've rated this recipe
• Personal Information: None - these cookies contain no personal data

2.2 Temporary Rate Limiting (Security)

To prevent abuse of our recipe rating system, we temporarily store IP addresses:

• Purpose: Prevent automated bots from spamming recipe ratings
• Storage: In-memory only (not written to disk or database)
• Duration: 5 minutes maximum, then automatically deleted
• Data Stored: IP address and timestamp of last request
• Usage: Only to enforce rate limits (max 10 requests per 5 minutes)

2.3 What We Do NOT Collect

3. How We Use Your Information

The minimal data we collect is used exclusively for:

3.1 Recipe Rating System

• Prevent duplicate ratings from the same user (rating cookies)
• Calculate average recipe ratings
• Display star ratings to other visitors

3.2 Security and Abuse Prevention

• Prevent automated bots from manipulating ratings (rate limiting)
• Protect website infrastructure from abuse
• Ensure fair rating system for all users

We do NOT use your data for marketing, advertising, profiling, or any other purpose beyond the strictly necessary functions listed above.

4. How We Share Your Information

4.1 Hosting Provider

Our website is hosted on a third-party platform (likely Vercel or similar). This hosting provider may have access to server logs and technical data as part of their infrastructure services. We recommend reviewing their privacy policy:

• Vercel Privacy Policy: vercel.com/legal/privacy-policy

4.2 Legal Requirements

We may disclose information if required by law, court order, or government request to:

• Comply with legal obligations
• Protect our rights or property
• Prevent fraud or illegal activity
• Protect the safety of users or the public

5. Data Security

We implement security measures to protect the minimal data we collect:

• HTTPS Encryption: All data transmitted between your browser and our servers is encrypted
• HttpOnly Cookies: Rating cookies cannot be accessed by JavaScript, preventing XSS attacks
• In-Memory Storage: Rate limiting data is stored in RAM only, never written to disk
• No Database: We don't store personal data in databases
• Automatic Deletion: All temporary data is automatically deleted after expiration

6. Data Retention

We retain data for the minimum time necessary:

• Rating Cookies: 30 days, then automatically deleted by your browser
• Rate Limiting Data: 5 minutes maximum, then automatically cleared from memory
• Recipe Ratings (aggregate): Stored indefinitely as part of recipe data (no personal information attached)

You can delete rating cookies anytime through your browser settings (see Section 8.2).

7. Your Privacy Rights

7.1 Cookie Control

You have full control over cookies:

• Delete Cookies: Clear cookies anytime through browser settings
• Block Cookies: Configure browser to reject cookies (may prevent rating recipes)
• View Cookies: Inspect cookies through browser developer tools

7.2 Managing Cookies in Your Browser

• Chrome: Settings → Privacy and Security → Cookies and other site data
• Firefox: Settings → Privacy & Security → Cookies and Site Data
• Safari: Preferences → Privacy → Manage Website Data
• Edge: Settings → Cookies and site permissions → Cookies and site data

7.3 GDPR Rights (European Users)

If you are in the European Economic Area (EEA), you have rights under GDPR:

• Right to Access: Request information about data we hold (minimal in our case)
• Right to Deletion: Request deletion of your data (you can delete cookies yourself)
• Right to Restriction: Request limited processing (you can block cookies)
• Right to Object: Object to data processing (you can disable cookies)
• Right to Portability: Request data in portable format (not applicable - we collect no personal data)

7.4 CCPA Rights (California Users)

If you are a California resident, you have rights under CCPA:

• Right to Know: Request disclosure of data collection practices (detailed in this policy)
• Right to Delete: Request deletion of personal information (you can delete cookies)
• Right to Opt-Out: We do not sell personal information, so opt-out is not applicable
• Right to Non-Discrimination: We will not discriminate for exercising your rights

8. Children's Privacy

TimeForBurgers.com is a general audience website about burger recipes and cooking. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 years of age.

If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided personal information, please contact us immediately. However, our rating cookies do not constitute personal information under COPPA.

9. International Users

TimeForBurgers.com is accessible globally. If you access our website from outside your country, please note:

• Data may be processed on servers located in various countries
• By using our website, you consent to the transfer of minimal data as described in this policy
• We comply with GDPR requirements for European users and CCPA for California residents

10. Links to External Websites

Our articles may contain links to external websites (e.g., ingredient suppliers, equipment manufacturers, restaurant websites). We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these external sites.

We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any external website before providing personal information.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated "Last Updated" date at the top.

If we make material changes to our data collection practices, we will provide notice through a prominent message on our website before the changes take effect.

Your continued use of the website after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.

12. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices: