Privacy Policy for Hot Potato Training
Last Updated & Effective Date: August 31, 2026
Welcome to Hot Potato Training (the "App"), operated by Hot Potato Training ("we," "us," or "our"). We are committed to safeguarding your personal data and upholding complete transparency in how your information is handled.
This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, disclose, and protect your information when you use our mobile application across iOS and Android devices, as well as our web services. By downloading, accessing, or using Hot Potato Training, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy.
1. Information We Collect
Depending on how you use the App, we collect information in the following categories:
👤 A. Account & Profile Information You Provide
- Guest & Authenticated Accounts: When you first launch the App, a secure anonymous account is created via Firebase Authentication so you can begin training immediately. If you choose to link an Email Address & Password, Apple Sign-In, or Google Sign-In, we store this identifier to enable seamless multi-device data syncing and account recovery.
- Profile Details: If you choose, you can set a public display name and upload a profile picture avatar to represent yourself in challenges and community leaderboards.
- User Content & Custom Workouts: Names of custom exercises you configure, challenge parameters, in-challenge chat messages, and community forum comments.
- Support Communications: When you contact us via email (hotpotatotraining@gmail.com), we receive your email address and any message content you provide.
👟 B. Health & Physical Activity Data (Apple HealthKit & Android Health Connect)
With your explicit, affirmative permission, Hot Potato Training integrates with device health platforms to read your daily step count:
- Apple HealthKit (iOS): Read-only access to step count (
HKQuantityTypeIdentifier.stepCount). - Android Health Connect (Android): Read-only access to step count and cadence (
android.permission.health.READ_STEPS/StepsCadence/Steps).
🛡️ Strict Health Data Protections, Limited Use & Policy Compliance:
Google Health Connect Policy Compliance: Hot Potato Training\'s use of information received from Health Connect adheres to the Health Connect Permissions Policy, including the Limited Use requirements:
- Purpose & Primary Use: Step data is used exclusively to provide and improve user-facing features: automatically verifying daily step challenge completions, maintaining personal streaks, and contributing batched deltas (>= 500 steps) toward collective Company & Community Goals.
- Read-Only Access: We only read step counts. We never write, modify, or export workout or health data back into Health Connect or HealthKit.
- No Advertising or Marketing: We never share, sell, or disclose HealthKit or Health Connect data to advertising platforms, third-party data brokers, information resellers, or marketing networks. Health data is never used for serving ads (including personalized, retargeted, or interest-based ads).
- No Lending or Creditworthiness: Health data is never used to determine creditworthiness or for lending decisions.
- No Third-Party AI/ML Model Training: Health data is not used to train generalized artificial intelligence (AI) and/or machine learning (ML) models.
- Data Minimization: We only request step counts. We do not request or track continuous background GPS distance coordinates, heart rate, or biometric data.
- User Control & Revocation: Health sync is entirely optional and disabled by default. You can revoke permission at any time directly in the app\'s Profile or Settings screen, or via your device\'s system settings (Android: Settings > Security & Privacy > Privacy > Health Connect; iOS: Settings > Health > Data Access & Devices).
⚡ C. Data Collected Automatically (Cloud & Analytics)
-
Firebase Services (Google Cloud): We use Google Firebase to power the cloud synchronization features:
- Firebase UID: A unique random user key managing your challenges and friendships.
- Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) Token: Device token used strictly to deliver challenge notifications (e.g. "Alex passed the turn to you!").
- Firestore State: Turn statuses, completion logs, community points, and team scores.
- Advertising & Device Identifiers (Google Mobile Ads / AdMob): We may utilize the Google Mobile Ads SDK to display non-intrusive advertisements in the free tier. Subject to device consent (such as App Tracking Transparency on iOS or Google Advertising ID settings on Android), Google may collect pseudonymous device identifiers (IDFA/GAID) and interaction statistics to serve relevant ads.
- Crash & Diagnostics Data: Anonymized crash logs and app stability diagnostics to identify and resolve software bugs.
💾 D. Data Stored Locally on Your Device
For maximum speed and offline resilience, detailed workout execution logs, personal repetition records, and local challenge caches are stored locally on your device (using Room database on Android and SwiftData/CoreData on iOS).
2. How We Use Your Information
We use the collected information solely for legitimate operational purposes:
- To operate and deliver real-time social workout challenges (Hot Potato, Knockout, Ticking Bomb, Ramp Up, Stacks).
- To track personal streaks, rest days, and progressive program completions.
- To automatically verify and credit daily step goals via Apple HealthKit and Android Health Connect.
- To coordinate corporate community workspaces, auto-balance team rosters, and celebrate company milestones.
- To send critical in-app workout turn alerts and friend invitations.
- To maintain application reliability, prevent abuse, and provide customer support.
3. Third-Party Service Providers
We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal data. We only share necessary data with trusted cloud infrastructure providers who adhere to strict data protection standards:
- Google Firebase: Backend database, user authentication, and push messaging. Governed by Google's Privacy Policy.
- Google Mobile Ads (AdMob): Advertising delivery in supported free modes. Governed by Google Advertising Policies.
4. Advertising Choices & Opt-Out
You have full control over personalized advertising at the operating system level:
- iOS: Control tracking via the in-app AppTrackingTransparency prompt or navigate to Settings > Privacy & Security > Tracking.
- Android: Manage personalized advertising via Settings > Google > Ads (or Privacy > Ads) to reset your Advertising ID or opt out of ad personalization.
5. Data Retention & Security
We apply industry-standard cryptographic protocols, HTTPS encryption in transit, and role-based Firestore access controls. While no electronic transmission method is 100% infallible, we continually maintain strict administrative and technical measures to protect your information against unauthorized access or alteration.
🔒 6. Your Rights, Data Access & Account Deletion
You maintain full sovereignty over your information, including the right to inspect, export, or permanently delete your account and associated data:
A. Instant Self-Service In-App Deletion:
Open the App > Navigate to your Profile / Settings screen > Tap the red "Delete Account" button. This immediately and irreversibly purges your user profile, active challenges, community memberships, and FCM tokens from Firebase.
B. Email Deletion Request:
You can also email us directly at hotpotatotraining@gmail.com with the subject line "Account Deletion Request" along with your registered email or username. We will process and confirm your data deletion within 30 days.
7. Children's Privacy
Hot Potato Training is not intended for or directed toward children under the age of 13 (or under 16 in certain European jurisdictions). We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under these age thresholds. If we discover that personal information has been unintentionally collected from a minor, we will promptly purge such records. Please report any inquiries to hotpotatotraining@gmail.com.
8. Changes to this Privacy Policy
We may revise this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect app updates, new fitness features, or regulatory requirements. Any modifications will be posted to this page with an updated "Effective Date" at the top. Continued use of Hot Potato Training following any posted update constitutes your acceptance of the revised terms.
9. Contact Us
If you have any questions, suggestions, or data privacy requests, please reach out to:
Hot Potato Training Support