Privacy Policy

1. Who We Are

iRateQ8 is Kuwait's trusted company reputation and review platform, operated by iRateQ8 LLC. We help consumers make informed decisions by providing transparent, community-driven ratings and trust scores for businesses across Kuwait.

If you have any questions about this policy, contact us at privacy@irateq8.com.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide

• Name, email address, and password when you create an account.
• Optional profile picture, headline, bio, and public visibility settings.
• The text, star ratings, and any attached photos or media you submit as part of a review.
• Business name, category, contact information, and logo/banner images if you register as a company representative.

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

• Device type, operating system version, app version, and session duration to diagnose crashes and improve performance.
• IP address, timestamps, and pages visited, retained for security and fraud prevention purposes.

2.3 Information from Your Device (iOS App)

• Only accessed when you explicitly tap the photo picker to attach images to a review or update your profile picture. We never scan or access your library without your action.
• Not accessed. The app uses the system photo picker, which does not require camera access.
• Not collected. The app displays a map pin based on a company's registered address — it never requests your device location.

3. How We Use Your Information

• To create and manage your account and authenticate your sessions.
• To display your public profile and reviews on the platform (subject to your visibility settings).
• To moderate content and enforce our Community Guidelines.
• To send transactional notifications (e.g., replies to your reviews, account alerts).
• To improve the platform through aggregated, anonymised analytics.
• To comply with applicable Kuwaiti law and regulatory requirements.

We do not sell your personal data to third parties. Ever.

4. Data Sharing

We share your data only in the following limited circumstances:

• Reviews and ratings you post are publicly visible on the platform unless you choose to post anonymously.
• We use Google Cloud Platform to host our backend and store uploaded images securely.
• We may disclose data if required by Kuwaiti law, a court order, or to protect the safety of our users.

5. Data Retention

We retain your account data for as long as your account is active. If you delete your account, all personally identifiable information associated with your profile is permanently deleted within 30 days. Anonymised review data may be retained for platform integrity purposes.

6. Your Rights & Controls

You have the right to:

• Request a copy of the data we hold about you.
• Update your profile information at any time through Settings.
• Delete your account at any time via Settings → Danger Zone → Delete Account. This is permanent and immediate.
• Request an export of your data by emailing Request an export of your data by emailing.
• Revoke photo library permissions at any time in your device Settings → iRateQ8 → Privacy.

7. Security

We protect your data using industry-standard practices: encrypted connections (HTTPS/TLS), hashed passwords (bcrypt), short-lived JWT tokens with secure refresh mechanisms, and role-based access controls. No system is 100% impenetrable, but we take every reasonable measure to safeguard your information.

8. Children's Privacy

iRateQ8 is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal data, please contact us immediately at privacy@irateq8.com.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make material changes, we will notify you via email or an in-app notification at least 14 days before the change takes effect. Your continued use of the platform after that date constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

10. Contact Us

For any privacy-related questions or requests: