Privacy Policy

Last updated: August 25, 2026

This Privacy Policy explains how Fort Worth Founded (“we,” “us,” or “our”) collects, uses, discloses, and protects personal information when you use fortworthfounded.com, the Fort Worth Founded app at app.fortworthfounded.com, our newsletters, memberships, Passports, Offers, and related services (collectively, the “Services”).

Information We Collect

Account and profile information

When you create an account, we collect information such as your email address and name. Authentication credentials are handled by our authentication provider; we do not receive your password in readable form. You may choose to add a username, photo, bio, general location, neighborhood preferences, website, or social-media handles. Information you add to a public profile or public list may be visible to other people.

Membership, purchase, and payment information

Stripe processes membership and one-time Passport payments. We do not store full card numbers or card security codes. We retain transaction, customer, subscription, entitlement, invoice-status, and purchase identifiers needed to provide access, manage billing, prevent fraud, and keep business records.

Activity and content

We collect information about how you use the Services, including searches, filter selections, result counts, pages and listings viewed, acquisition and referral source, clicks, saved places, directions, reservation or business-website actions, guides, visit history, reactions and private notes, lists, Passport enrollments and check-ins, stamps, rewards, Offer views and redemptions, communications preferences, and issue reports you submit. Issue reports may include the category, note, related Offer or Passport, app route, time, and diagnostic status needed to investigate the problem.

Precise location at Passport check-in

When you attempt a location-verified Passport check-in, the app asks your device for permission to provide precise location. If you allow it and continue, we use and store the check-in coordinates, verification result, and related distance or fraud-prevention information to confirm that you are at the participating location, award the correct stamp, prevent abuse, and resolve support issues. We do not collect precise location continuously or in the background. You may deny or revoke device permission, but location-verified check-in features may be limited.

Consent: by allowing device location and submitting a location-verified check-in, you consent to this processing of precise location for the purposes described above.

Device, usage, and cookie information

We and our service providers may automatically receive device and browser information, IP address, timestamps, referring pages, session identifiers, pages or features used, and performance or error information. We use cookies, browser storage, and similar technologies for sign-in, security, preferences, analytics, and service operation.

Communications

We collect your email address and communication preferences when you create an account, join a membership, subscribe to a newsletter, or change email settings. We also keep records needed to send and track account, billing, purchase, security, newsletter, product, and engagement messages.

How We Use Information

• Provide, secure, troubleshoot, and improve the Services
• Create and manage accounts, memberships, purchases, Passports, Offers, stamps, and rewards
• Verify check-in location and prevent fraud, abuse, duplicate redemptions, and unauthorized access
• Personalize directory results, discovery feeds, content, Passports, Offers, and recommendations using preferences and activity within our Services
• Understand how people find us, which searches and filters are useful, where journeys stop, and what encourages return visits
• Measure engagement, product performance, and retention
• Respond to support requests and investigate reported issues
• Send account, billing, purchase, redemption, security, newsletter, and marketing communications in accordance with your choices and applicable law
• Generate aggregated or de-identified reporting for participating restaurant partners
• Comply with legal obligations and protect our rights, users, partners, and the public

When We Disclose Information

We disclose information only as reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this policy:

• Service providers. These include Supabase for database and authentication; Stripe for payments and billing; Lovable and hosting providers for app delivery and product analytics; Beehiiv for newsletter and member-email management; Resend for account and engagement email; Google services for website analytics; and automation or messaging providers used to deliver operational alerts.
• Restaurant partners. We may provide aggregated or de-identified reporting about listing views, QR scans, check-ins, Passport participation and completion, Offer redemptions, reactions, conversions, and trends. We do not provide restaurant partners with your name, email address, private notes, precise check-in coordinates, or identifiable individual visit history unless you direct us to do so or limited disclosure is necessary to fulfill a reward or resolve a request you made.
• Public information you choose to share. Public profiles, usernames, profile details, and public or shared lists can be seen by others.
• Legal and safety reasons. We may disclose information when reasonably necessary to comply with law, enforce agreements, investigate fraud or security incidents, or protect rights and safety.
• Business changes. Information may be transferred as part of a merger, financing, acquisition, sale, or similar transaction, subject to applicable law.

We do not sell personal data. We do not provide personal data to restaurant partners for their own direct marketing, and we do not currently process personal data for targeted advertising or qualifying automated profiling as those terms are defined by applicable state privacy laws.

Email Choices

You can change Fort Worth Founded marketing-email preferences in Account Settings and unsubscribe from the newsletter using the link in a newsletter. We may still send non-marketing messages needed to administer your account, membership, purchase, redemption, security, or a request you made. Closing an account does not automatically cancel an active Stripe subscription; use Manage my membership in the app before requesting account deletion.

Cookies and Analytics Choices

We use cookies, browser storage, analytics tags, and session or visitor identifiers to operate the Services, remember preferences, understand repeat use, measure traffic and acquisition sources, and improve the website and app. You can control cookies and location permission through your browser or device. Blocking essential storage may prevent sign-in or other features from working. Because we do not sell personal data or currently use it for targeted advertising, a sale or targeted-advertising opt-out does not change our current practices.

Data Retention

We retain personal information for as long as reasonably necessary to provide the Services and for the purposes described above. Account and activity records are generally kept while an account is active. Check-in coordinates and verification records may be retained with Passport activity for support, integrity, and fraud prevention. Transaction and subscription records may be retained longer for tax, accounting, chargeback, fraud-prevention, and legal obligations. Issue reports and security logs are retained for a reasonable investigation and audit period. After a valid deletion request, we delete or de-identify information that is not subject to a lawful retention need; residual copies may remain temporarily in backups.

Your Privacy Rights

Depending on where you live and subject to applicable exceptions, you may have the right to:

• Confirm whether we process your personal data and access it
• Correct inaccurate personal data
• Delete personal data provided by or obtained about you
• Obtain a portable copy of personal data you previously provided
• Opt out of sale, targeted advertising, or certain profiling (we do not currently engage in these activities)
• Exercise privacy rights without unlawful discrimination or retaliation

You can correct many profile details in the app. To make a privacy request, email fortworthfounded@gmail.com with the subject “Privacy Request.” We may need to verify that you control the account or email address involved. We will respond within the period required by applicable law; for requests governed by the Texas Data Privacy and Security Act, that is generally 45 days, subject to a permitted extension.

If we deny a request, you may appeal by emailing fortworthfounded@gmail.com with the subject “Privacy Appeal” and identifying the denied request. We will respond as required by applicable law. If a Texas appeal is denied, we will provide information about contacting the Texas Attorney General.

Security

We use reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational safeguards, including encrypted transmission, access controls, row-level database security, protected payment processing, and monitoring. No security measure is perfect, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

Children

The Services are not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided personal information, contact us so we can investigate and delete it as appropriate.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy as the Services or applicable requirements change. We will post the revised policy with a new “Last updated” date and provide additional notice when required.

Contact

Questions, requests, or privacy appeals may be sent to fortworthfounded@gmail.com.