Effective date: August 19
SortHK helps people in Hong Kong identify everyday items, understand how they should be recycled or disposed of, and find suitable nearby collection points.
This Privacy Policy explains what information SortHK processes, why it is used, and how it is protected.
SortHK does not require you to create an account or sign in.
We do not ask for your name, phone number, postal address, or other profile information in order to use the app.
When you choose to identify an item using Photo Scan, the photo is sent securely to SortHK's backend and processed by an AI service to determine what the item appears to be.
AI is used only for item identification.
The AI does not decide how an item should be recycled or disposed of. After identification, SortHK applies its own deterministic, source-backed Hong Kong recycling and disposal rules.
SortHK does not intentionally store uploaded photos in its own persistent database.
Photos are used only as necessary to process the identification request.
The photo may be processed by a third-party AI provider used by SortHK for image identification. That provider may process data according to its own privacy and service terms.
SortHK currently uses Google Gemini for photo identification.
Google Privacy Policy:
https://policies.google.com/privacy
Search is processed using SortHK's built-in item vocabulary and recycling rules.
Your normal Search queries do not require an account.
SortHK does not build an advertising profile from the items you search for.
The recycling or disposal result is generated from SortHK's rules rather than from an AI-generated disposal answer.
SortHK may request access to your location when you choose to find nearby collection points.
Your location is used to determine which compatible collection points are near you.
SortHK does not save or share your precise location.
You can also choose a location manually instead of giving SortHK access to your current location.
Location permission is optional and is not required to search for items or view recycling guidance.
SortHK requests camera access only when you choose to use Photo Scan.
Camera access is not required to use Search or other non-camera features.
SortHK does not continuously access your camera in the background.
SortHK uses Apple's App Attest technology to help verify that requests to protected backend services are coming from legitimate instances of the SortHK app.
For security purposes, SortHK may process and store technical information such as:
A cryptographic hash associated with the validated App Attest key
App Attest security counters
Request timestamps
Security challenge information
Environment information needed to distinguish production from development systems
These values are used for security, abuse prevention, and service integrity.
They are not used for advertising or user profiling.
To protect the service from automated abuse and control the cost of AI processing, SortHK applies limits to AI photo identification.
SortHK may store limited operational information such as:
A hashed App Attest identifier
The Hong Kong quota day
Number of AI scans used
Request timestamps
Hashed request identifiers used to prevent duplicate requests
SortHK does not store the following for quota enforcement:
Photos
AI prompts
OCR text
Identified item descriptions
Location data
Request identifiers used for duplicate protection are normally retained for approximately 2 days.
Daily quota counters may be retained for approximately 35 days.
Temporary records used to prevent simultaneous duplicate scans expire automatically.
SortHK uses recycling and collection-point information to help determine which facilities may accept a particular item or recycling stream.
Your location may be compared with this information on your device or as part of the app's normal service operation.
SortHK does not use your location to create a history of places you visit.
SortHK relies on a limited number of third-party services to operate.
These may include:
Apple provides technologies including App Attest, camera/location permission controls, MapKit, and App Store distribution.
Apple Privacy Policy:
https://www.apple.com/legal/privacy/
Google Gemini is used to assist with identifying objects from photos submitted through Photo Scan.
Google Privacy Policy:
https://policies.google.com/privacy
SortHK uses Supabase infrastructure for backend services and securely hosted application data.
Supabase Privacy Policy:
These providers process information according to their own terms and privacy policies.
SortHK does not:
Require a user account
Sell personal information
Sell user data to advertisers
Use your data for targeted advertising
Build advertising profiles from your recycling activity
Intentionally store submitted photos in its persistent database
Store your precise location history
Use AI to invent recycling or disposal rules
SortHK retains information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it is processed.
For example:
Photo identification images are not intentionally retained by SortHK after processing
Duplicate-request hashes are normally retained for about 2 days
AI usage counters are normally retained for about 35 days
Temporary active-request records expire automatically
Security records required for App Attest may remain for as long as necessary to maintain the integrity of the app and backend
SortHK uses technical safeguards designed to protect its backend and reduce unauthorized access.
These include measures such as:
HTTPS encryption
Apple App Attest
Server-side access controls
Row-level database security
Rate limiting
AI scan quotas
Restricted backend service permissions
Hashed identifiers where appropriate
No internet service can guarantee absolute security, but SortHK is designed to minimize the amount of user data it collects and stores.
SortHK is a general-purpose recycling utility and is not designed to collect personal information from children.
Because SortHK does not require an account or profile, it does not intentionally request information such as a user's age, name, or contact details as part of normal app use.
If you believe personal information has been submitted to SortHK inappropriately, contact us using the information below.
You can use many SortHK features without granting Camera or Location permission.
You can control permissions at any time through your device's Settings app.
You can:
Use Search instead of Photo Scan
Choose a location manually instead of sharing your current location
Disable Camera access
Disable Location access
Stop using the app at any time
If you have a privacy question or request relating to information held by SortHK, contact us.
SortHK may update this Privacy Policy when the app, its services, or legal requirements change.
The latest version will always be available at:
[YOUR PRIVACY POLICY URL]
The effective date at the top of this page will be updated when material changes are made.
For privacy questions, support requests, or concerns about SortHK, contact:
swayfocus.support@gmail.com
SortHK
Clear Hong Kong recycling and disposal guidance for everyday items.