Privacy Policy & Terms of Service
Last Updated: October 16, 2025
Introduction
Welcome to Fork In The Road! This application is a personal project created and maintained by Andrew Persad. This Privacy Policy & Terms of Service describes how we collect, use, and protect your information when you use our restaurant discovery and group decision platform.
By creating an account and using Fork In The Road, you agree to the terms outlined in this policy. If you do not agree with these terms, please do not use our service.
SMS Notifications & Consent
How SMS Notifications Work
When you opt-in to SMS notifications, you consent to receive transactional text messages from Fork In The Road. These messages are sent via Twilio and include:
- Group decision notifications (when decisions start or complete)
- Friend request alerts
- Group invitation notifications
Message Frequency & Costs
Message frequency varies based on your activity and participation in groups. Some users may receive no messages if they are not part of any groups, while others may receive multiple messages per day if they participate in many active groups. Message and data rates may apply from your mobile carrier.
Consent & Opt-Out
Consent to receive SMS messages is not required to create an account or use Fork In The Road. You can opt-in during registration or at any time in your profile settings. To opt-out of SMS notifications, simply disable the SMS notifications toggle in your Profile Settings. We do not currently support replying STOP to opt-out, but you can always disable SMS in your settings.
SMS Support
For help with SMS notifications or to report issues, please contact us at nodemailer_persad@yahoo.com
Data Collection & Usage
Information We Collect
We collect the following types of information to provide and improve our services:
- Account Information: Name, email address, username, password (encrypted), and optional profile picture
- Contact Information: Phone number (optional, for SMS notifications)
- Location Data: City, state, and default search location (optional)
- User Content: Restaurant collections, group memberships, friend connections, preferences, and activity
- Usage Analytics: Pseudonymized user behavior data collected via Google Analytics 4 (GA4) for understanding app usage patterns and improving user experience. We use cryptographically hashed user identifiers (SHA-256) to track user journeys while preserving privacy. This includes page views, feature interactions, search queries, decision-making patterns, and other in-app activities.
- Error & Performance Data: Application errors and performance metrics collected via Sentry for debugging and improvement purposes
How We Use Your Information
We use your information to:
- Provide and maintain our services
- Send you notifications about group activities and social interactions
- Personalize your experience with restaurant recommendations
- Improve our application based on usage patterns and error reports
- Communicate with you about service updates or support requests
- Ensure the security and integrity of our platform
Data Storage & Security
Your data is securely stored in MongoDB Atlas with encryption at rest and in transit. We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your information, including encrypted passwords, secure API endpoints, and regular security audits. However, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.
Third-Party Services
We use the following third-party services to provide our functionality:
Clerk
Authentication and user management platform. Handles secure login, registration, and session management.
Twilio
SMS messaging service for sending text notifications to users who opt-in.
Google Analytics 4 (GA4)
We use Google Analytics 4 to collect and analyze usage data to improve our application. GA4 collects information about how you interact with our app, including:
- Pages visited and features used (with timestamps and frequency)
- Search queries, filter selections, and restaurant interactions
- Collection and decision-making activities
- Social interactions (friend requests, group activities)
- Performance metrics and error occurrences
Privacy Protection: Your actual user ID is never sent to Google Analytics. Instead, we use a cryptographic hash (SHA-256) of your user ID, which allows us to track individual user journeys without exposing your identity. Additionally, we anonymize IP addresses and do not collect personally identifiable information (PII) through GA4.
Opting Out: You can opt out of Google Analytics tracking by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on. Learn more about how Google uses data in their Privacy Policy.
Google Maps & Places API
Google Analytics (anonymized usage analytics), Google Maps API (location services), and Google Places API (restaurant search and information).
Yelp Fusion API
Restaurant data, ratings, reviews, and business information.
Sentry
Error tracking and performance monitoring to help us identify and fix issues quickly.
MongoDB Atlas
Cloud database service for secure data storage.
Each of these services has their own privacy policies and terms of service. We encourage you to review their policies to understand how they handle your data.
Your Rights & Choices
You have the following rights regarding your data:
- Access: You can view and access your account information at any time through your Profile Settings.
- Modify: You can update your profile information, preferences, and notification settings at any time.
- Delete: You can delete your account and associated data by contacting us at nodemailer_persad@yahoo.com. We will process deletion requests within 30 days.
- Opt-Out: You can disable SMS notifications, email notifications, and push notifications at any time in your settings.
- Data Export: You can request a copy of your data by contacting us at nodemailer_persad@yahoo.com.
Children's Privacy
Fork In The Road is not intended for use by children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we become aware that we have collected information from a child under 13, we will take steps to delete that information promptly. If you believe we have collected information from a child under 13, please contact us immediately at nodemailer_persad@yahoo.com.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy & Terms of Service from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for legal, operational, or regulatory reasons. When we make changes, we will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page. For significant changes, we will notify you via email or through a prominent notice in the application. Your continued use of Fork In The Road after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.
Contact Us
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy & Terms of Service, or about how we handle your data, please contact us:
We will respond to your inquiry as soon as possible, typically within 5-7 business days.