Privacy Policy

1. Who is responsible

Watchlist is operated by James Storer, the controller responsible for the personal information described here. Contact james@jamesstorer.com for privacy questions or requests.

2. Information we use

• Account information. If you create an account, we process your email address, display name, account identifier and authentication information. With Sign in with Apple, this includes the identifier and any name or email address Apple shares with us, including a private relay address if you choose Hide My Email. For email sign-in, passwords are stored as hashes, not as readable passwords. Sign-in sessions may include IP address and device/browser information for security.
• Your library and preferences. This includes saved titles, watched history, likes, loves, dislikes, the time of changes, selected services, country and reminder preferences. Guest library information is held on your device. When you sign in, library information can be sent to our service to save and synchronise it with your account.
• Recommendations. When you request personalised recommendations, we process your rated titles, reactions, relevant title details and country. This also applies to free guest previews. We store account recommendation results and history. For guest previews, we store results against a hashed installation identifier and use hashed IP-based limits to prevent abuse; the guest’s submitted taste profile is not saved in the guest-preview database.
• Location. If you allow location access, the app uses an approximate location and Apple’s geocoding service to identify your country for streaming availability. Our account API stores the country code, rather than your raw coordinates. You can choose a region manually and decline location permission.
• Purchases. If you buy Plus where it is available, Apple handles payment. Watchlist processes subscription and transaction information to check your entitlement. We do not receive your full payment card details.
• Support and technical information. If you contact us, we receive your email address, your message and any attachments you choose to send. Requests to our website, API and service providers can include IP address, request times, device/browser information and error or security information needed to deliver and protect the service.

3. Why we use it

We use this information to operate Watchlist, authenticate accounts, save and sync your library, provide recommendations, check purchases, answer support requests and prevent misuse.

Where UK or European data-protection law applies, our legal bases are:

• Providing the service you request for account, library, recommendation and subscription features.
• Legitimate interests in keeping the service secure and reliable and responding to support requests, balanced against your rights.
• Consent where required, including optional device permissions. You can withdraw permission in your device settings.
• Legal obligations when records must be kept or information disclosed to comply with applicable law.

Recommendations use your preferences to suggest entertainment. They do not make decisions with legal or similarly significant effects on you. We do not sell your personal information.

4. Service providers and third-party content

We share information as needed to run the features you use:

• Vercel and Neon provide website/API hosting and database services. They process the account, library, recommendation and technical information needed for those services.
• Apple provides the App Store, purchases, optional Sign in with Apple, location/geocoding and device notification services.
• OpenAI processes rated-title preferences and candidate movie/TV information to generate personalised recommendations. Our recommendation request does not include your account email, name or Apple identifier. We request that responses are not stored as saved conversations; provider security and abuse-monitoring retention may still apply.
• The Movie Database (TMDB) provides catalogue information, artwork, search and streaming availability. Direct requests can disclose your IP address, requested titles or search terms and selected region to TMDB.
• YouTube/Google provides embedded trailers. Loading or playing a trailer can send your IP address, device information and playback activity to the provider and may involve its cookies or similar technologies.
• Email services process support correspondence and, when email registration is available, account-verification messages. Watchlist’s verification-email integration uses Resend.

These providers have their own privacy information: Vercel, Neon, Apple, OpenAI, TMDB, Google and Resend.

We may also disclose information where required by law, to protect users and the service, or in connection with a transfer of the service subject to applicable privacy protections.

5. Website storage and international processing

The marketing website does not use advertising trackers or analytics scripts. Its interactive rating example runs in your browser and does not submit your rating. Hosting providers may process ordinary request and security logs. The app uses local storage and the device Keychain to retain preferences, library information and sign-in credentials; third-party trailer content can have separate storage practices.

Our providers may process information outside the UK or your country, including in the United States. Where applicable law requires safeguards for international transfers, these must be provided through recognised adequacy arrangements or contractual protections such as approved standard contractual clauses and the UK addendum. Contact us for information about the safeguards applicable to your data.

6. Retention and deletion

Account and library records are retained while needed to provide your account and its features. Deleting your account removes its associated profile, preferences, library feedback and account recommendation records from our active application database. Some limited information may remain in backups, provider logs, support correspondence or records required for security, legal obligations or resolving disputes for as long as needed for those purposes.

Guest library data remains on your device until removed. Guest recommendation results and anti-abuse records are separate from an account and may remain after you delete the app or an account. Contact us if you need help with a deletion request relating to guest use; we may need information to locate the relevant record. We do not promise that deleting the app also deletes provider-held records.

7. Your choices and rights

• Use guest browsing where offered, or sign in for account features.
• Change location and notification permissions in iOS Settings, and manage your selected region in Watchlist.
• Manage or cancel Apple subscriptions in your Apple Account settings. Account deletion does not cancel a subscription.
• Delete your account from your profile using Delete Account. A fresh sign-in may be required for security.
• Email james@jamesstorer.com to request access, correction, deletion, restriction or a portable copy of your personal information, or to object to processing based on legitimate interests. Rights depend on your location and applicable exceptions. We may need to verify your identity before acting.

If you have a concern, please contact us. You can also complain to the UK Information Commissioner’s Office or your local data-protection authority.

8. Children and policy changes

Watchlist is a general-audience entertainment discovery service, not a service directed at young children. Follow the age rating for the app in your region. If you believe a child has supplied personal information without any consent required by law, contact us so we can investigate and take appropriate action.

We may update this policy as features or providers change. The latest version and its effective date will be published on this page. We will provide additional notice where a material change or applicable law requires it.