Features

Privacy by Design: What Actually Happens During a Scan and Beyond

Features · 2026-07-26 · 7 min read

A food scan sends only the selected image for analysis — not your health profile, labs, or symptoms — and the image is deleted within 24 hours; your records stay on your device by default, with no sale of personal data, no third-party advertising, and no cross-app tracking.

What a scan sends

When you run a food scan, the app sends only the image you selected to the analysis service. It does not include your health profile, lab values, symptoms, medication records, or HealthKit data in the request. The analysis service receives a photo of food and returns a structured estimate — nothing else leaves your device as part of that transaction.

This is a deliberate design choice. Your health context is yours; the scan does not need it to produce an estimate of what is on a plate.

What happens to the image

The image is deleted after the analysis reaches a result, with a cleanup target within 24 hours. The structured result — the text description of recognized ingredients and estimated factors — may be kept for up to 90 days so that an interrupted scan can recover. After that window, the structured result is also cleaned up.

Signing out of the app is not deletion. If you want to remove your account and associated data, Settings provides a verified server-deletion workflow with a one-time receipt confirming completion.

On-device by default

Your records — meals, lab entries, flare diary, medication records, hydration logs — are stored on your device by default. They are not synced to a cloud service. This means your health data stays where you put it: on the phone in your pocket. You can edit or delete individual records at any time, and the full account deletion workflow in Settings runs a verified server-deletion process that produces a one-time receipt.

HealthKit and notifications

HealthKit access is optional and requested per data type. If you grant access, the app reads only the specific data types you authorized. HealthKit data is not included in scan requests and is not used for advertising or cross-app tracking.

Push notifications, if you enable them, do not include health records, food names, images, or lab values in the notification payload. A reminder tells you it is from Gout Radar; it does not reveal what the reminder is about to anyone who glances at your lock screen.

No sale, no advertising, no cross-tracking

Gout Radar does not sell personal data. There is no third-party advertising in the app. There is no cross-app tracking for marketing purposes. The business model is a subscription for PRO features, not a data marketplace. Your records are your records.

For the full details, the privacy policy covers every data flow. The about page explains who builds the app and why.

Deletion when you want it

1. Open Settings in the app.
2. Select Delete Account & Data.
3. Follow the verified deletion workflow.
4. Receive a one-time receipt confirming the deletion is complete.

This is a real deletion process, not a soft delete or a hidden archive. Once confirmed and receipted, the data is gone. For users who prioritize privacy, this workflow is as important as the on-device storage that precedes it.

Privacy is not a toggle you flip on. It is the shape of the system.

Gout Radar provides educational estimates and organizes records. It does not diagnose gout, predict flares, or recommend treatment. Confirm health and treatment decisions with a qualified healthcare professional.