Privacy Policy

Vinyl PolarScan  ·  Last updated: June 1, 2026  ·  Effective: June 1, 2026

This Privacy Policy explains how Vinyl PolarScan ("we", "us", "our", or "the app") collects, uses, shares, and protects information when you use our mobile application and related services. It is designed to comply with the EU and UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the California Consumer Privacy Act as amended by the CPRA (CCPA/CPRA), the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), Apple's App Store requirements, and other applicable privacy laws. Please read it carefully. If you do not agree with this policy, please do not use the app.

1. Who We Are (Data Controller)

Vinyl PolarScan is the controller responsible for your personal data. For any privacy question, data request, or to contact our data protection point of contact, email privacy@vinylpolarscan.com or use the in-app contact form.

2. Information We Collect

We collect only what is necessary to provide the app's features:

• Record images & photos you submit for scanning — When you scan a vinyl record label, run-out (dead wax) groove, or assess a record's condition using your camera or photo library, the image is sent to our server and passed to a third-party AI analysis service (OpenAI) to identify the record and return metadata. Images are processed in memory and are not stored on our servers after the analysis is complete.
• Barcodes — When you scan a barcode, the barcode number is sent to our server, which queries the Discogs music database to look up the matching release. We do not store the barcode after the lookup.
• Contact form submissions — If you use the in-app contact form we collect your name, email address, and the message you write, so we can respond to you.
• Advertising enquiry submissions — If you submit an advertising enquiry we collect your name, email address, and the details of your enquiry.
• Review submissions — If you submit a review, we collect the name you provide and your review content and rating. Approved reviews (including the name you submit) may be displayed publicly in the app. Please do not include sensitive information in a review.
• Technical & log data — Our servers automatically record limited technical information such as your IP address, request time, and the endpoint requested. We use this for security, rate-limiting, abuse prevention, and diagnosing errors. Server logs do not contain the content of your scanned images.

We do not collect your precise geographic location, device advertising identifiers, contacts, browsing history across other apps or websites, or any payment information. The app contains no third-party advertising, analytics, or tracking SDKs.

3. Information Stored Only on Your Device

Your personal vinyl collection (the records you save), all export files (CSV, TSV, JSON, XML, XLSX), and your app preferences are stored exclusively on your device using local storage. We have no access to this data and it is never transmitted to our servers. If you delete the app, this data is permanently lost unless you have exported it.

4. How We Use Your Information & Legal Bases

We use the information described above for the following purposes:

Purpose	Legal basis (GDPR / UK GDPR)
Analyse scanned images and barcodes to return record metadata, condition, and lookups	Performance of a service at your request; your consent to camera/photo access
Respond to contact and advertising enquiries	Taking steps at your request and our legitimate interest in responding
Display approved reviews you choose to submit	Your consent
Maintain security, prevent abuse, rate-limit, and debug errors	Our legitimate interest in operating a secure, reliable service
Comply with legal obligations	Compliance with a legal obligation

Where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time (see Section 9).

5. Third-Party Services

We share data with the following service providers (processors) only to the extent necessary to deliver the features you use. They are contractually required to protect your data and not to use it for their own purposes:

• OpenAI — processes scanned record images to identify records and return metadata. Image data is transmitted solely to generate a response and, per OpenAI's API terms, is not used to train their models. See OpenAI's Privacy Policy.
• Discogs — receives scanned barcode numbers to return matching release information. See Discogs' Privacy Policy.
• Hosting & infrastructure — our application and database are hosted on secure cloud infrastructure that processes data on our behalf.

We do not sell or rent your personal information, and we do not share it with third parties for their own marketing.

6. International Data Transfers

We are based in, and our service providers (including OpenAI and Discogs) may process your data in, the United States and other countries that may have data protection laws different from those in your country. Where we transfer personal data from the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom, or Switzerland, we rely on appropriate safeguards such as the European Commission's Standard Contractual Clauses (and the UK Addendum) to protect your information.

7. Data Retention

• Scanned images — not retained; deleted from memory once the AI response is returned.
• Barcodes — not retained after the lookup.
• Contact & advertising enquiry submissions — retained for up to 24 months or until you request deletion, whichever comes first.
• Reviews — retained while published, until you request removal.
• Server logs — retained for up to 30 days for security and debugging.

8. Data Security

All data transmitted between the app and our servers is encrypted in transit using TLS. Our database is hosted in a secured environment with access controls. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure; we encourage you not to submit sensitive personal information through the app beyond what a feature requires.

9. Your Privacy Rights

Everyone

You can ask us to access, correct, or delete the personal data we hold about you (such as contact, advertising-enquiry, or review submissions) by emailing us.

EEA / UK / Switzerland (GDPR)

If you are in these regions, you have the right to:

• Access a copy of your personal data;
• Rectify inaccurate or incomplete data;
• Erase your data ("right to be forgotten");
• Restrict or object to certain processing;
• Data portability (receive your data in a portable format);
• Withdraw consent at any time, without affecting prior processing;
• Lodge a complaint with your local data protection supervisory authority.

California (CCPA/CPRA)

If you are a California resident, you have the right to:

• Know the categories and specific pieces of personal information we have collected;
• Delete personal information we have collected from you;
• Correct inaccurate personal information;
• Opt out of the "sale" or "sharing" of personal information — note that we do not sell or share your personal information, and we do not use it for cross-context behavioural advertising;
• Not receive discriminatory treatment for exercising your rights.

You may use an authorized agent to make a request on your behalf. We will verify your identity before fulfilling a request.

To exercise any of these rights, email privacy@vinylpolarscan.com or use the in-app contact form. We will respond within the timeframe required by applicable law.

10. Children's Privacy

Vinyl PolarScan is not directed to children. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 (or under 16 in the EEA/UK where a higher age applies). If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will delete it promptly.

11. Permissions We Request

• Camera — to scan vinyl record labels, dead-wax grooves, and barcodes.
• Photo Library — to let you select an existing photo of a record to scan.

You can grant or revoke these permissions at any time in your device settings. The app's scanning features will not work without camera or photo access.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The "Last updated" date at the top reflects the latest revision. Material changes will be made available within the app or on this page. Continued use of the app after an update constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.

13. Contact Us