The Chef Culinary Conference website and the Chef Culinary Conference app for iOS and Android (together, “the service”) are run by UMass Dining, part of Auxiliary Enterprises at the University of Massachusetts Amherst (“we”, “us”). This policy explains what information the service collects, why, who it is shared with and the choices you have.
Conference registration and payment are handled in IRIS, the university’s registration system, and are covered by its own terms and the UMass Amherst privacy policy. Signing in to the app does not register you for the conference.
Information we collect
Without an account
You can browse the schedule, speakers, exhibitors, maps and resources without signing in. Sessions you save while signed out stay on your device.
Your account
- Email address and name. We use your email address to send sign-in links and to match you with your conference registration.
- Passkeys. If you add a passkey, we store only its public key and the name you give it. Face ID, Touch ID and other biometric data never leave your device.
- Your agenda and preferences. Sessions you save and your notification and read-receipt settings, so they follow you across devices.
Attendee profile and connections
Once conference staff approve your attendee access, you can create a profile with your name, photo, title, organization and a short biography. There is no public attendee directory: your profile is shown to people you connect with, either by scanning each other’s QR code or by exchanging messages. You can reset your QR code at any time so the old one stops working.
Messages
Messages you send to other attendees (text, photos and GIFs) are stored on our servers so they can be delivered to the recipient and shown on your devices. We record when messages are read unless you turn off read receipts. GIF searches are sent to GIPHY from our server, not from your device, and are not linked to your account by GIPHY.
If you block or report someone, we keep a record of it. A report includes the reported message as it read when you reported it, so conference staff can review it.
Presenters
If you present at the conference, the name, title, headshot, biography, links and materials you add in the presenter portal are published on the website and in the app.
Notifications
If you allow notifications, we store a push token for your device so we can send conference announcements and message alerts. Session reminders are scheduled on your device and are not sent to us.
Usage and diagnostics
- Analytics. The app uses Google Firebase Analytics to count which screens are viewed, tied to your account’s internal ID when you are signed in. It does not collect your device’s advertising identifier, and we do not use analytics for advertising.
- Crash and error reports. The website and the app send error reports to Sentry so we can fix problems. Reports contain technical details about the error and your account’s internal ID, but not your email address or IP address.
- Cookies. The website uses cookies only to keep you signed in and to protect sign-in. It does not use advertising or tracking cookies.
How we use information
- To run the conference website and app, and to sign you in securely.
- To confirm which attendees may use attendee-only features such as messaging.
- To deliver messages, announcements and reminders you have asked for.
- To review reports, enforce our terms of use and keep the service safe.
- To understand how the service is used and to fix errors.
We do not sell your information, and we do not use it for advertising.
Who we share it with
We share information only with people you choose to connect with in the app, with conference staff who run the event, and with service providers that process it on our behalf:
- Postmark, to deliver sign-in and notification emails.
- Google Firebase, for push notifications and app analytics; Apple, for push notifications on iOS.
- Sentry, for error reports.
- GIPHY, for GIF search (without your identity).
- Our hosting providers, which store the service’s data and files.
We may also disclose information when the law requires it or to protect the safety of people at the conference.
How long we keep it
We keep your account, profile, agenda and messages while your account is active. Error reports and analytics are kept for a limited period by Sentry and Firebase. When your account is deleted, your profile, saved sessions, passkeys, devices and preferences are deleted with it. Messages you sent may remain visible to the people you sent them to.
Your choices
- Edit your attendee profile, or reset your QR code, in the app at any time.
- Turn announcement and message notifications on or off in the app or in your device settings.
- Turn off read receipts, and block people, in Account & security.
- Remove passkeys and sign out in Account & security.
- Ask for a copy of your information, a correction or the deletion of your account by emailing lauras@umass.edu from the address you sign in with.
Security
Information is sent over encrypted connections. Sign-in uses one-time email links and passkeys, so the service holds no passwords. No system is perfectly secure, so please tell us at once if you believe your account has been misused.
Children
The service is meant for conference attendees and professionals. It is not directed at children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect their information.
Changes to this policy
We will post any changes on this page and update the date above. If a change significantly affects how we use your information, we will also tell you in the app.
Contact
Questions about this policy or your information: UMass Dining, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003 · lauras@umass.edu · 413-545-6529.