Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy describes how World Beverage Institute ("WBI", "we", "us", or "our") handles information in connection with the WBI mobile application for Android and iOS (the "App"). It applies to the App. Our website at https://wbi.org may have additional policies for web pages, forms, and membership services you use outside the App.

By installing or using the App, you agree to this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, please do not use the App.

1. Who we are

2. What the App does

The App is a public information application. You can browse industry news and events, read about WBI, and open links to membership and other services on wbi.org.

In the current version:

• You do not need to create an account in the App.
• The App does not process in-app purchases and does not collect payment card details. Membership applications and any payments take place on our website or other linked pages, not through an in-app checkout.
• The App does not request access to your contacts, photos, microphone, calendar, or precise location.

3. Information we handle

3.1 Information you provide in the App

You are not required to submit personal information to use the main features of the App (reading news and events, changing appearance settings, opening public links). If you use your device's Share feature, you choose what to share; we do not receive that action unless you contact us directly.

3.2 Information stored on your device

The App stores limited data on your device to remember preferences and support offline use:

• Appearance preference (light, dark, or system) until you change it or uninstall the App.
• Cached public news and events (typically up to approximately 24 hours) for faster loading and offline viewing.
• Other non-personal technical state needed for the App to operate.

This information remains on your device unless the App communicates with our servers as described below. Uninstalling the App generally removes this data. We do not use on-device storage to profile you for advertising, and we do not sell personal information.

3.3 Information when the App uses our services

When you are online, the App may request public content from:

• The WBI API at https://wbi.org/api/v1 (news, events, and related public content), and/or
• Public RSS feeds on wbi.org, and/or
• Bundled public event information when the API is unavailable.

Standard technical data may be processed by our systems and hosting providers, including:

• IP address
• Date and time of the request
• Requested path or URL
• Device and client information in HTTP headers
• Network information needed to deliver a response

We use this information to deliver content, secure our services, diagnose errors, and prevent abuse. The App does not ask for your name or email solely to load public content. The App may include an application API key that identifies the App, not you personally.

3.4 Network connectivity

The App checks whether your device has an internet connection to show offline status and refresh content. This status is used within the App and is not stored by us as a personal profile.

3.5 In-app browser and external links

Links (for example membership, event registration, or articles on wbi.org) may open inside an in-app browser or in your device browser. Pages on wbi.org or third-party sites may use cookies, analytics, or forms under their own policies. Information you submit on wbi.org (such as a membership application) is governed by the notices on those pages. The App may open external services (for example map links); those providers operate under their own privacy terms.

3.6 Analytics

The App is built to support usage analytics to improve the product. In the current public version, no third-party analytics SDK (such as Firebase Analytics) is active, and usage events are not sent to external analytics providers. If we enable a provider in a future update, we will update this policy and app store disclosures as required.

4. How we use information

We use information as described above to:

• Provide and improve App features (news, events, about WBI, membership links)
• Support offline caching and appearance preferences
• Operate and secure our API and content delivery
• Understand aggregate use if analytics providers are enabled in the future
• Comply with applicable law

We do not sell your personal information through the App.

5. How we share information

We may share information only:

• With service providers that host wbi.org, operate APIs, or provide infrastructure, under appropriate contractual safeguards and only as needed to provide the service
• When required by law or to protect rights, safety, or security
• In connection with a merger or similar transaction, with notice where required by law

We do not share App information with third parties for their independent marketing, except as needed for linked websites you choose to visit or as disclosed if we enable analytics in a future version.

6. Data retention

• On your device: theme preference and cached news/events (up to about 24 hours for the persisted content cache) until you clear app data or uninstall.
• On our servers: server and security logs are retained for up to 90 days, then deleted or aggregated unless a longer period is required by law or for security investigations.

7. Security

We use reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect information processed through our services. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure.

8. Your choices and rights

Depending on your location (including the European Economic Area and Austria), you may have rights to access, correct, delete, restrict, or object to certain processing of personal information we control, or to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority.

In the App you can change appearance settings, uninstall the App to remove local data, and open pages in your system browser where available.

To exercise your rights regarding website or membership data, contact us at membership@wbi.org.

9. Children

The App is intended for a general audience and is not directed at children under 13 (or the minimum age in your jurisdiction). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children through the App. Contact us if you believe a child has provided personal information to us.

10. International transfers

World Beverage Institute is based in Austria. If you use the App from other countries, your information may be processed in Austria or other countries where our service providers operate, under safeguards consistent with applicable law.

11. Changes

We may update this Privacy Policy. The current version is published at https://wbi.org/privacy-policy. We will update the "Last updated" date when we make changes. Material changes may be communicated in the App or on our website where required.

12. App store disclosures

This policy supports Google Play and other app store requirements. Our Google Play Data safety declarations are intended to match this policy, including: no account required in the App; no in-app payment data collected by the App; on-device preferences and cached public content; technical data sent when fetching content; no third-party analytics SDK in the current build.

13. Contact

For questions about this Privacy Policy or the App:

Policy URL: https://wbi.org/privacy-policy