BrandEU

1. Introduction

Welcome to BrandEU. This Privacy Policy explains how the BrandEU app collects, uses, and protects your data. BrandEU is developed and maintained by an independent developer based in the European Union.

By using BrandEU, you agree to this Privacy Policy.

2. Who We Are

BrandEU is a personal project created to help users discover European alternatives to global brands. The app is operated by an independent developer. There is no company or organization behind BrandEU.

For privacy-related inquiries, you can reach out via: Email: info@brandeu.app

3. Information We Collect

3.1 Information You Provide

• Account Information: if you sign in using Google or email authentication, we receive your display name and email (if shared by your provider).
• Favorites: brands you star or save within the app.
• Feedback: messages you send through contact forms or feedback channels.
• Authentication: BrandEU uses a third-party authentication provider (Hanko, hanko.io) to manage user sign-in. We do not store or have access to your passwords. Authentication credentials are handled securely by the provider according to industry standards.
• Brand Claim Information: if you apply to claim a brand profile, we may collect information necessary to review and manage your claim, such as your name, business email address, role, company details, and claim notes.
• Brand Profile Content: if you claim a brand, we may collect and store text, descriptions, links, logos, contact details, and other profile information you submit or edit, including public-facing “About” section content.
• Verification Information: where applicable, we may collect information used to verify your relationship to a brand, such as domain-based verification data, business identity details, supporting documents, or correspondence related to the claim.

3.2 Information Collected Automatically

We collect minimal technical and usage data, including:

• App usage data: pages viewed, searches performed, interactions with features.
• Device data: app version, operating system, device type, language settings.
• IP address: When you access the App, your IP address may be temporarily recorded in server logs for security, fraud prevention, abuse detection, and system monitoring.
• Authentication and security logs: Information related to login attempts, failed authentication attempts, and suspicious activity.
• Analytics (if enabled): anonymous statistics (screens visited, interactions) to improve app performance and user experience.

IP addresses are:

• Not used for marketing purposes
• Not sold or shared for advertising
• Not used to track users across apps or websites

3.3 Claim Review and Moderation Records

If you submit a brand claim or edit a claimed profile, we may keep records related to claim review, verification, moderation decisions, disputes, enforcement actions, and related communications.

This may include:

• Submitted claim details
• Profile edit history
• Timestamps
• Security-related logs
• Reports or disputes
• Moderation outcomes and
• Communications relating to claim approval, rejection, suspension, or revocation

3.4 Public Brand Profile Content

If a brand profile is claimed, public-facing information submitted or edited by the claimant may be displayed publicly within the App.

BrandEU may also create and display informational profile content for unclaimed brands, including “About” sections or similar editorial descriptions.

Please do not include personal data in public brand profile fields unless it is appropriate, necessary, and you are authorized to publish it.

3.5 Usage and Interaction Events

BrandEU may record limited interaction events, such as:

• when a brand card or brand profile is opened;
• when a brand website link is clicked;
• when a brand is added to or removed from favorites;
• when an alternative or sponsored placement is shown or opened.

For signed-in users, some events may be associated with a pseudonymous technical identifier derived from the user account. This identifier is used to prevent abuse, avoid duplicate counting, maintain fair ranking signals, measure aggregate interest, and improve the App.

These identifiers are not used for marketing, are not sold, and are not used to track users across other apps or websites.

Where possible, BrandEU stores analytics in aggregated or non-identifiable form.

3.6 Local Storage

The App may store login tokens or preferences locally on your device to:

• Keep you signed in
• Save favorites
• Improve user experience

This data remains under your control and can be removed by logging out or uninstalling the App.

4. How Your Data Is Used

We use your data only to:

1. Operate and improve the App
2. Enable authentication and account functionality
3. Save favorites and user preferences
4. Improve user experience and performance
5. Analyze aggregated, anonymous usage patterns
6. Detect, prevent, and investigate misuse, abuse, fraud, or unauthorized access
7. Measure sponsored campaign performance
8. Ensure system stability and security
9. Review, verify, approve, reject, and manage brand claims
10. Publish and maintain public brand profile content within the App
11. Prevent fraudulent or unauthorized brand claims
12. Investigate and resolve disputes relating to brand ownership, authority, or submitted profile content
13. Moderate, remove, or restrict brand-related content where necessary

Your information is never sold or shared for marketing purposes.

5. Legal Basis for Processing

Data is processed under these legal bases (per GDPR):

• Performance of a contract: To provide core app functionality (e.g., authentication, favorites).
• Legitimate interest: To improve the App, ensure security, prevent abuse, and maintain system stability.
• Consent: Where required for optional features or analytics (if applicable).

No personal data is processed without lawful basis.

6. Data Retention

• Account data: Stored until you delete your account.
• Favorites and preferences: Stored until account deletion or manual removal.
• Server logs (including IP addresses): Retained for security and monitoring purposes for up to 30 days, unless longer retention is required for investigating abuse, fraud, or legal obligations.
• Anonymous analytics data: Stored in aggregated, non-identifiable form.
• Feedback messages: Retained as needed for support or troubleshooting.
• Pseudonymous interaction events: Limited interaction events, such as brand website clicks, favorite/unfavorite actions, brand card opens, or sponsored/featured placement interactions, may be stored with a pseudonymous technical identifier for deduplication, abuse prevention, ranking integrity, analytics, and sponsored campaign measurement. These events are retained for up to 90 days, unless longer retention is necessary to investigate abuse, fraud, security incidents, disputes, or legal obligations. After that, they are deleted, anonymized, or aggregated.
• Brand claim and verification data: Stored for as long as necessary to review, administer, and evidence the claim relationship, and for a reasonable period afterward where needed for fraud prevention, dispute handling, legal compliance, or recordkeeping.
• Brand profile content and edit history: Stored while the claimed profile remains active and for a reasonable period afterward where necessary for audit, dispute resolution, abuse prevention, or legal compliance.
• Moderation and dispute records: Retained as needed to investigate claims, enforce policies, resolve disputes, and comply with legal obligations.

You may request deletion of your personal data at any time.

7. Data Sharing

BrandEU does not sell or rent user data. Minimal data may be shared with third-party services strictly necessary to run the app, such as:

• Analytics services for anonymous app usage statistics, where applicable
• Hosting providers for infrastructure and server operation
• Authentication providers for secure sign-in, without sharing passwords with BrandEU
• Technical service providers supporting verification, security, moderation, communications, storage, or analytics where necessary to operate the App
• Email delivery services (Brevo) for transactional emails (e.g. account verification, login links, or important notifications). These emails may include tracked links and measure limited interaction data (such as link clicks) to confirm actions, ensure security, and improve deliverability. This processing is limited to what is necessary for the proper functioning of the service and is not used for marketing purposes.

These providers process data only as necessary and are expected to comply with applicable data protection laws, including GDPR where applicable.

8. Data Transfers

If any data is processed outside the EU/EEA, it will be protected using GDPR-approved mechanisms (such as Standard Contractual Clauses).

9. Your Rights

You have the following rights under GDPR:

• Access: request a copy of your data.
• Correction: update incorrect information.
• Deletion: delete your account and associated personal data directly from within the app, or request deletion where applicable.
• Restriction/Objection: opt out of optional analytics or processing.

To make a request, contact: info@brandeu.app

10. Security

The app uses standard security practices, including:

• HTTPS for secure communication.
• Secure authentication mechanisms, including token-based authentication and secure HTTP-only cookies (for dashboard access). Cookies used for authentication are strictly necessary for the operation of the dashboard and are not used for tracking or marketing.
• Limited use of third-party APIs and no unnecessary tracking.
• Authentication is handled via a secure third-party provider (Hanko), and BrandEU does not process or store user passwords.

Despite best efforts, no app can guarantee 100% security.

11. Children’s Privacy

BrandEU is not intended for users under 16 years old. No personal information is knowingly collected from minors. If you believe such data has been provided, please contact us to delete it.

12. Changes to This Policy

This Privacy Policy may be updated from time to time. Any changes will be reflected in the app with an updated “Last Updated” date.

13. Contact

For questions or privacy requests, please contact: Email: info@brandeu.app

By using BrandEU, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy.