Privacy Policy
Last updated: October 26, 2026
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This policy explains what The Hotel Cat (the "app" and this website) collects, why, how long we keep it, and what choices you have. We keep it short on purpose.
1. Who is responsible
The controller is Erdal Irmak, an independent developer (not a company), who publishes the app on Google Play under the developer name "kikugi".
Mediciyeköy Mah., Uğur Sokak, 3/2, Şişli, İstanbul, Türkiye
Privacy contact: support@thehotelcat.com
2. What the app does
The Hotel Cat turns the rating you enter for a hotel or restaurant into a short video card on your phone. You decide whether and where to share the video. There are no accounts, no sign-in, and no ads.
3. What we store on our servers
When you create a card while your phone is online, the app sends us a copy of it. The server is not required: if you are offline or the upload fails, nothing is sent, nothing is queued for later, and the app works the same.
| Data | Why | Legal basis (GDPR / KVKK) |
|---|---|---|
| Card content: venue type, venue name, location text, your star ratings, the overall rating, card and app language, date and time | Operating the service, quality control, statistics, and the business use described in section 5 | Legitimate interests |
| The name you typed on the card, if you typed one (optional) | Same as above | Legitimate interests |
| Random installation ID created by the app (not linked to your Google account or any device identifier; a new one is created after reinstalling) | Detecting abuse and duplicate uploads, counting installations | Legitimate interests |
| Technical information: app version, Android version, device manufacturer and model, screen size and density, time zone offset | Fixing bugs, compatibility, security | Legitimate interests |
| IP address of the upload request | Security, abuse prevention, rate limiting, and defending legal claims | Legitimate interests |
| Share record: when you press Share, the name of the app you chose in the Android share sheet (for example, its package name) and the time | Understanding which apps people share to | Legitimate interests |
We do not collect your name or email unless you write to us, your precise or approximate location, contacts, photos or files, advertising ID, Android ID, IMEI, or MAC address. We do not see what you post on other apps, or the link of any post.
Video cards are created and stored on your phone. The video file itself is not uploaded to us.
4. Website
This website sets no cookies and uses no analytics or advertising tools. Our web server keeps standard access logs (IP address, date and time, requested page, browser information) for security and fault finding, for up to 12 months.
The demo video on the home page is loaded from YouTube (Google) only after you press play, using YouTube's privacy-enhanced mode. At that point YouTube may collect data and use cookies under its own policy.
5. Business use of card data
We may in the future offer businesses, such as hotel or restaurant brands, access to cards about their own venues and to statistics, possibly for a fee. This may include the venue, ratings, date, and the name you typed on the card (if any). We will never include your IP address, device information, installation ID, or share records. We do not use card data for advertising. Some US state laws may treat such access as a "sale" or "sharing"; you can opt out by emailing us, and we will stop including your cards.
6. Who else receives data
- DigitalOcean, our hosting provider (servers in New York, USA), as a processor.
- Google Play and YouTube, under Google's own policies.
- The app you pick in the share sheet receives the video you choose to share. That is your decision and is governed by that app's terms and policy.
- Authorities or courts, if the law requires it or to establish, exercise or defend legal claims.
We do not sell your data to data brokers.
7. International transfers
Our servers are in the United States, and we are based in Türkiye. Your data is therefore processed outside your country. DigitalOcean states that it relies on its EU-U.S., UK and Swiss-U.S. Data Privacy Framework certifications for such transfers, with Standard Contractual Clauses as a fallback. By using the upload feature you understand that your data will be processed in the United States. If you do not want this, use the app offline or turn off your internet connection while creating a card.
8. How long we keep data
We keep card records and the related technical records (including IP address) for up to 10 years from creation, and longer only where needed to establish, exercise or defend legal claims. Web server logs are kept for up to 12 months. Data is protected with access controls, encrypted connections (HTTPS), hashed admin passwords, and request limits.
9. Your rights
Depending on where you live (GDPR, UK GDPR, KVKK Article 11, California and other US state laws), you may ask to access, correct, delete, restrict, or object to the use of your data, to receive a copy, and to withdraw any consent you gave. To make a request, email us and tell us which card you mean (venue name, date, and the name on it if any); since the app has no accounts, we need this to find your records. When you ask for deletion, we remove or anonymize the card content and any name. We may keep minimal technical records where the law allows, for security and legal claims. We will reply within 30 days and will not discriminate against you for using your rights.
You can also complain to your local data protection authority. In Türkiye this is the Personal Data Protection Authority (KVKK).
10. Children
The app is not directed to children under 13 (or the higher minimum age in your country). If you believe a child has sent us data, contact us and we will delete it.
11. Do Not Track
We do not track you across websites, so there is nothing to switch off.
12. Changes
If we change this policy, we will update the date above. Material changes will be shown in the app or on this page.