Terms of Service

Last updated: February 2026

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing and using InstaCritic ("the Service"), you accept and agree to be bound by these Terms of Service. If you do not agree to these terms, please do not use the Service.

2. Description of Service

InstaCritic is a camera-based review aggregation application that allows users to scan streaming service screens and game store displays to instantly retrieve review scores and information for movies, TV shows, and video games. The Service uses artificial intelligence to analyze camera images and identify titles, then aggregates review data from third-party sources including OMDB (IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes, Metacritic) and OpenCritic. The Service also includes community features such as ratings and discussions.

3. User Accounts

You must create an account to use the Service. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials and for all activities that occur under your account. You must provide accurate and complete information when creating an account. You must be at least 13 years of age to use the Service.

4. Camera and Image Usage

The Service requires access to your device camera to scan and identify titles displayed on screens. Images captured through the Service are:

• Processed by AI services (Google Gemini, OpenAI, xAI Grok) for title identification and content analysis
• Used solely for the purpose of retrieving review information
• Temporarily stored on our servers linked to your scan history for quality improvement and A/B testing, then automatically deleted
• Not shared with third parties beyond what is necessary for title identification and content analysis

5. Acceptable Use

You agree not to use the Service to:

• Upload or share illegal, harmful, or offensive content
• Violate any applicable laws or regulations
• Infringe on the intellectual property rights of others
• Attempt to gain unauthorized access to the Service
• Abuse or circumvent API rate limits
• Use the Service for any automated or commercial data scraping
• Post spam, misleading content, or harassment in community features

6. Community Content

You retain ownership of content you post in discussions. By posting content, you grant us a limited, non-exclusive license to display it within the Service. We reserve the right to remove content that violates these terms. User ratings and comments are visible to other users of the Service.

7. Third-Party Services

The Service aggregates data from third-party sources including OMDB, OpenCritic, and YouTube. Review scores, critic reviews, and video content are the property of their respective owners. We do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or availability of third-party data. YouTube video content is subject to YouTube's Terms of Service.

8. Intellectual Property

The InstaCritic application, its design, features, and original content are the property of InstaCritic. Movie, TV show, and video game titles, posters, cover art, and review data belong to their respective rights holders and are displayed under fair use for informational purposes.

9. Limitation of Liability

The Service is provided "as is" without warranties of any kind, express or implied. We do not guarantee that the AI will correctly identify all titles, that review scores will always be accurate or up to date, or that the Service will be uninterrupted or error-free. In no event shall InstaCritic be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, or consequential damages arising from your use of the Service.

10. Termination

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate your account at any time for violations of these terms. You may delete your account at any time through Account settings, which will remove your personal data in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

11. Changes to Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. Continued use of the Service after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms. We will notify users of material changes through the app.

12. Governing Law

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of Norway. Any disputes arising from or relating to these Terms or the Service shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Norway, without regard to conflict of law principles. For EU/EEA residents, this does not affect your statutory rights under applicable consumer protection laws of your country of residence.

13. Contact

For questions about these Terms, please contact us at vegard@havamedia.com.

Privacy Policy

Last updated: February 2026

InstaCritic respects your privacy. This policy explains what data we collect, how we use it, and your rights regarding your personal information.

Information We Collect

Account Information: Email address and password (hashed) for authentication.

Camera Images: Photos taken through the app's scanner are sent to AI services for title identification and content analysis. Scan images may be temporarily stored on our servers linked to your scan history for quality improvement purposes.

User-Generated Content: Ratings, comments, and discussion posts you create.

Search History: Titles you have scanned and their associated review data, stored for quick access.

Usage Data: App interactions and feature usage for service improvement (optional, can be disabled).

How We Use Your Information

• To authenticate your identity and provide the Service
• To process camera images through AI for title identification
• To retrieve and display review scores from third-party sources
• To store your scan history, ratings, and favorites
• To enable community features (discussions, ratings)
• To send password reset emails when requested
• To improve and optimize the Service

Third-Party Data Processing

Camera images are processed by the following AI services for title identification:

• Google Gemini (primary image analysis)
• OpenAI GPT-4o (fallback image analysis)
• xAI Grok (content analysis for Woke Meter feature)

Review data is retrieved from:

• OMDB API (movie and TV scores from IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes, Metacritic)
• OpenCritic API (video game scores and critic reviews)
• YouTube Data API (review videos)

Email delivery is handled by Resend (for password resets only). These services process data according to their own privacy policies. We send only the minimum data necessary for each service to function.

Data Storage and Security

• Account data and user content are stored in a secure PostgreSQL database
• Passwords are hashed using bcrypt and never stored in plain text
• Authentication uses secure token-based sessions
• Scan images may be temporarily stored for quality improvement, linked to your scan history
• We use HTTPS for all data transmission
• Content Security Policy and XSS protections are implemented

Data Sharing

We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information. We share data only:

• With AI services for image processing (camera images only, not stored)
• With third-party APIs to retrieve review data (title names only)
• When required by law or to protect our rights and safety
• With your explicit consent

Data Retention

• Account data is retained for as long as your account is active
• Scan images linked to your history are retained temporarily for quality improvement, then deleted
• Search history is retained until you delete individual entries or your account
• When you delete your account, all associated data is permanently removed within 30 days
• Expired sessions and password reset tokens are automatically cleaned up

Your Rights

You have the right to:

• Access your personal data
• Correct inaccurate data
• Delete your account and all associated data
• Export your data
• Opt out of optional analytics tracking
• Deny camera permissions
• Withdraw consent at any time

Children's Privacy

The Service is not intended for children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we discover we have collected data from a child under 13, we will delete it promptly.

Cookies and Local Storage

We use essential cookies and local storage for authentication and session management only. We do not use tracking or advertising cookies.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify users of material changes through the app. Continued use after changes constitutes acceptance.

Contact

For privacy-related questions or to exercise your rights, please contact us at vegard@havamedia.com.

GDPR Compliance

Last updated: February 2026

InstaCritic is committed to protecting the privacy and rights of EU/EEA residents under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Legal Basis for Processing

We process your personal data based on:

• Contract: To provide the Service you requested, including account management, scanning, and review retrieval.
• Consent: For optional features such as analytics tracking.
• Legitimate Interest: To improve, secure, and maintain the Service, prevent abuse, and ensure platform integrity.

Data We Process

• Account credentials (email, hashed password)
• Camera images (temporarily, for AI-based title identification)
• User-generated content (ratings, comments, discussion posts)
• Search and scan history
• Session tokens and authentication data

Your GDPR Rights

Under GDPR, you have the following rights:

• Right to Access: Request a copy of all personal data we hold about you.
• Right to Rectification: Correct inaccurate or incomplete personal data.
• Right to Erasure: Request deletion of your data ("right to be forgotten"). You can delete your account through Account settings.
• Right to Portability: Receive your data in a machine-readable format.
• Right to Object: Object to processing based on legitimate interests.
• Right to Restrict: Request limited processing of your data.
• Right to Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent for optional features at any time (e.g., opt out of analytics, deny camera access).

International Data Transfers

Your data may be processed outside the EU/EEA by our third-party service providers:

• Google (Gemini AI for image analysis)
• OpenAI (GPT-4o for fallback image analysis)
• xAI (Grok for content analysis)
• Resend (email delivery for password resets)

We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place for all international transfers, including Standard Contractual Clauses and adequacy decisions where applicable.

Data Controller

InstaCritic acts as the data controller for personal information collected through our Service. We determine the purposes and means of processing your personal data.

Data Protection

For data protection inquiries, please contact us at vegard@havamedia.com. We are committed to responding to all requests within 30 days as required by GDPR.

Filing a Complaint

If you believe your data protection rights have been violated, you have the right to lodge a complaint with your local supervisory authority (Data Protection Authority) in the EU/EEA member state of your habitual residence, place of work, or place of the alleged infringement.

How to Exercise Your Rights

To exercise any of your GDPR rights:

• Go to Account settings in the app
• Use the "Delete Account" option for erasure requests
• Use the "Export My Data" option for portability requests
• Email us at vegard@havamedia.com for other requests
• We will verify your identity and respond within 30 days