Privacy Policy
Last updated: May 5, 2026
This Privacy Policy explains how NiONlite LLC ("NiONlite", "we", "us", or "our") collects, uses, stores, and protects information when you use Plate Atlas ("Plate Atlas" or the "App"). Plate Atlas is an AI menu dish guide and food journal that helps users understand menu items, dietary fit, saved dishes, safe-for-me notes, and restaurant context.
1. Information We Collect
Information You Provide
- Dietary profile: diet type, dietary strictness, allergens, custom allergens, disliked ingredients, preferred output language, and disclaimer acknowledgment.
- Menu and dish text: dish names, menu text, or text you type into search.
- Saved food journal content: saved dishes, safe-for-me tags, restaurant names, addresses, city, region, country, user notes, and post-meal notes.
- Support messages: any information you send to support@nionlite.com.
Information Collected or Processed Automatically
- Camera and photo content: when you choose to scan a menu or dish, the App uses camera/photo access to extract menu text. Camera and photo access is used only after you grant permission or choose a photo.
- OCR confidence and language: the App may process recognized text confidence and detected language to improve the response.
- Location for restaurant discovery: with your permission, the App uses location and MapKit search to help find nearby restaurants. If you save a restaurant, restaurant details and coordinates may be stored with your saved dish.
- Purchase status: the App uses Apple StoreKit to determine whether Plate Atlas Pro is active.
- Usage limits and security data: our AI proxy may process request metadata, app entitlement status, device/app integrity signals, IP address, and rate-limit counters to prevent abuse and operate free scan limits.
- Crash and diagnostic data: Apple may provide crash logs and diagnostics through App Store Connect or TestFlight.
- Advertising data for free users: the free version may show Google AdMob banner ads. Google may process app-bounded device identifiers, device information, approximate location, app interaction data, app performance data, and ad performance data according to Google's policies.
Information We Do Not Intentionally Collect
- We do not require you to create an account to use Plate Atlas.
- We do not collect payment card numbers; purchases are handled by Apple.
- We do not intentionally collect health records, medical diagnoses, or treatment information.
- We do not sell your personal information.
2. How We Use Information
- To generate AI dish explanations, ingredient estimates, preparation notes, taste profiles, and dietary fit warnings.
- To compare dishes with your diet, allergens, custom allergens, disliked ingredients, and strictness settings.
- To save dishes, safe-for-me items, restaurants, notes, and post-meal observations in your food journal.
- To find restaurants near your current location or a map area you choose.
- To provide free and Pro feature access, scan limits, and subscription status.
- To show ads to free users and remove ads for Pro users.
- To protect the AI proxy from abuse, fraud, excessive traffic, and automated requests.
- To respond to support, privacy, and deletion requests.
Food safety note: Plate Atlas provides AI estimates, not medical, nutrition, allergy, or restaurant-certified ingredient advice. Always verify ingredients, allergens, cross-contact, and preparation with restaurant staff before eating.
3. AI Processing
When you request an AI explanation, Plate Atlas sends the minimum needed request data to our Cloudflare-hosted AI proxy. This can include recognized menu text or typed dish text, detected language, requested output language, OCR confidence, and a summary of your dietary profile such as diet type, strictness, allergens, custom allergens, and disliked ingredients.
Our AI proxy may route requests to third-party AI providers, including Google Gemini, Cloudflare Workers AI, and OpenAI, depending on availability and configuration. These providers process the request to return a dish explanation. We do not use your submitted menu text or dietary profile to build a user advertising profile.
4. Storage
Plate Atlas stores your profile, scan history, saved dishes, safe-for-me tags, restaurants, and notes on your device using Apple's app storage technologies. When private iCloud sync is available for Plate Atlas, this data can also sync through your own Apple iCloud account using Apple's private CloudKit database so it can be restored on another device signed in to the same Apple ID.
NiONlite does not require you to create a separate account for this sync. If iCloud is unavailable, disabled, or not configured for the App, Plate Atlas keeps this data on the device only.
5. Third-Party Services
- Apple: App Store, TestFlight, StoreKit subscriptions, private iCloud/CloudKit sync, camera/photo/location permission prompts, MapKit, diagnostics, and crash reporting.
- Cloudflare: AI proxy hosting, rate limiting, request security, and optional Workers AI fallback.
- Google: Gemini AI processing and AdMob banner ads for free users.
- OpenAI: optional AI fallback if configured by NiONlite.
6. Subscriptions and Payments
Plate Atlas Pro purchases and subscription management are handled by Apple through your Apple ID. We receive subscription entitlement status from StoreKit, but we do not receive your full payment card information.
7. Data Retention and Deletion
Data stored on your device or in your private iCloud account remains there until you delete it in the App, reset your profile or history, uninstall the App, or manage it through Apple's iCloud controls. AI proxy rate-limit records and security logs may be kept for a limited period for abuse prevention, reliability, and legal compliance.
To request help accessing or deleting data associated with Plate Atlas, email support@nionlite.com with the subject line "Plate Atlas Privacy Request". Because Plate Atlas does not require a NiONlite account and uses your private iCloud account for sync, some data may exist only on your device or in your Apple account and may not be accessible to NiONlite.
8. Your Choices
- You can deny or later change camera, photo, and location permissions in iOS Settings.
- You can edit or reset your dietary profile in the App.
- You can delete saved dishes, safe-for-me items, notes, and scan history in the App where available.
- You can manage or cancel Plate Atlas Pro through your Apple ID subscriptions settings.
- You can contact us for privacy requests at support@nionlite.com.
9. Children's Privacy
Plate Atlas is not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us personal information, contact us and we will take appropriate steps.
10. International Processing
NiONlite is based in the United States. Third-party providers used to operate the App may process information in the United States and other countries where they operate.
11. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last updated" date and, where appropriate, provide notice in the App or on our website.