Culture Garage

Privacy Policy

Effective date: May 31, 2026

Culture Garage is an iOS app provided by App Garage for managing movies and TV shows. The app lets users save movies and TV shows, track watch status, ratings, notes, recommendations, notifications, iCloud sync, and friend reaction sharing. This policy explains the types of information the app processes, why it is used, where it is stored, how it may be shared, and the choices available to users.

The app does not create a separate App Garage account. However, Apple iCloud, the App Store, Firebase, and external content information providers may be used when selected by the user or required to provide app features.

1. Information We Process

Library information: saved movies and TV shows, planned/watching/completed status, watched episodes, user ratings and comments, and modification dates.
Recommendation, profile analysis, and usage signals: impressions, selections, interactions, recommendation training samples, on-device recommendation model state, and aggregated taste summaries used to generate profile text on supported devices.
Profile and friend sharing information: display name, avatar color, avatar image selected by the user, friend reactions, shared participant status, and blocked profiles.
Settings information: language, region, adult content filter, notification preferences, iCloud sync status, sorting options, and premium subscription entitlement status.
Search and content request information: search terms entered by the user, selected language or region, content identifiers, and request values needed to retrieve images, videos, or ratings.
Purchase information: subscription product, purchase, restore, and subscription status. Payments are processed by Apple, and the app only checks entitlement status.
Support information: when a user sends an email inquiry, the email address, message contents, app version, language, region, iOS version, device name, and other information sent by the user may be processed.
Diagnostics and analytics: release builds may send Firebase Analytics events, app version, device and OS information, country/language settings, premium/iCloud/notification setting status, limited event parameters such as search length ranges or result counts rather than raw search terms, crash logs, and diagnostic information at the time of an error.

2. How We Use Information

To save and display the user's library, ratings, comments, and episode progress.
To retrieve content search results, details, poster images, video thumbnails, external ratings, and availability information.
To provide personalized recommendations, widget recommendations, profile taste text, background refresh, cache refresh, and release notifications.
To provide iCloud sync, CloudKit sharing links, friend reaction sharing, and blocking features.
To verify premium subscription entitlement, restore purchases, and show subscription management screens.
To improve app stability, analyze errors, understand feature usage trends, and provide customer support.

3. Storage and Sync

Primary data is stored on the user's device using Core Data, SwiftData, UserDefaults, URLCache, App Group storage, Spotlight indexes, and similar system storage.
If the user enables iCloud sync, some library data is synced to the user's private iCloud/CloudKit database.
If friend reaction sharing is enabled, profile and reaction data may be stored as CloudKit shared records and displayed to participants invited by the user.
Recommendation learning events and recommendation model artifacts are stored in the app's local storage and App Group area and, in the current implementation, are not sent to App Garage servers.
On supported devices, aggregated taste summaries may be processed by Apple's on-device language model to generate profile text. This processing is not sent to App Garage servers.
OMDb rating cache data may be stored in local cache and the CloudKit public database to improve public content lookup performance. This cache may include public content identifiers such as English title, year, IMDb ID, and external rating data, but does not include the user's ratings, comments, or profile.
When backup features are used, a backup file containing library data may be created in a location selected by the user, or data may be restored from a backup file selected by the user.

4. Third-Party Services

The app may use Apple iCloud, CloudKit, StoreKit, App Store subscriptions, notifications, Spotlight, Handoff, widgets, Firebase Analytics and Crashlytics, TMDB, OMDb, YouTube, Wikidata, KOBIS, KMDb, CNC, TVmaze, JustWatch, and similar services to provide app features.

When requests are sent to external content services, information needed to process the request may be transmitted, such as search terms, language/region settings, content identifiers, image paths, or content title and year. Each third-party service's own terms and privacy policy may apply to its processing of information.

5. Sharing

The app does not sell the user's library, ratings, comments, or profile. It also does not combine such data with data from third-party apps or websites for advertising tracking.

If the user enables iCloud sync or CloudKit friend sharing, information is processed through Apple iCloud/CloudKit.
If the user sends a friend sharing link or invitation, invited participants may view the shared profile and reactions.
If the user sends an email inquiry, the mail service provider and App Garage process the inquiry.
Information may be provided to relevant authorities or rights holders when necessary to comply with law, protect rights, or respond to security issues.

6. Retention and Deletion

On-device data may be removed when the user deletes it in the app or deletes the app. Information remaining in iCloud, backup files, external services, or system caches may need to be deleted separately.
To delete iCloud sync data, users may use the relevant app features, iOS iCloud settings, or Apple account management features.
When friend sharing is stopped, the app attempts to clean up related CloudKit sharing references and shared reaction records.
Retention periods for Firebase Crashlytics and Analytics data follow Google/Firebase policies and App Garage settings.
Support emails may be retained for the period necessary to handle support and disputes.

7. User Choices

iCloud sync can be turned on or off in app settings, and related data can also be managed in iOS iCloud settings.
Release notifications can be managed in the app settings and iOS notification settings.
Friend sharing can be started or stopped from the profile screen, and sharing participants and block lists can be managed there.
Language, region, adult content filter, and sorting options can be changed in app settings.
Subscriptions can be managed or canceled in the App Store subscription management screen.
Deleting the app may remove on-device app data, but iCloud data, App Store subscriptions, and exported backup files must be managed separately.

8. Children's Privacy

The app is not designed to knowingly collect personal information from children under 14. If a guardian believes that a child's information has been processed, please contact culturegarage@appgarage.app.

9. International Processing

Apple, Google/Firebase, and external content information providers may process relevant information outside the user's country to provide services, verify payments, sync data, analyze usage, diagnose crashes, and retrieve content. The scope of information that may be transferred is limited to the items described in "Information We Process" and "Third-Party Services." Retention periods and safeguards are governed by each service's privacy policy, terms, and contractual conditions.

10. Changes

This policy may be revised due to changes in app features, third-party services, laws, or operations. Important changes may be announced in the app or on the distribution page.

11. Contact

For privacy requests, access, correction, deletion, or questions, contact culturegarage@appgarage.app.