Who operates Ramen Scout
Ramen Scout Canada is published by Nocturnal Devs, an independent product studio in Toronto, Canada. Nocturnal Devs is responsible for this directory’s publishing systems and is the contact for privacy questions and requests.
Directory browsing, search and server delivery
You do not need an account. Most filtering runs in your browser. Search words and selected filters may be added to the page URL so a search can be revisited; this also means they can appear in browser history, analytics reports and ordinary web-server request logs. Our hosting and security infrastructure may automatically process an IP address, requested URL, timestamp, browser or device information and diagnostic data to deliver and protect the site.
Optional location access
Ramen Scout asks for location only after you press “Use my location” and approve your browser’s permission prompt. The coordinates are used in page memory to calculate approximate straight-line distances. Ramen Scout does not add them to the URL, cookies, local storage or session storage, send them to our server, or deliberately send them to Google Analytics. On the search page, “Stop using my location,” a refresh or leaving the page clears them from Ramen Scout. The homepage discards them after calculating the nearest matches.
Your browser, operating system or device location provider determines the coordinates under its own settings and privacy terms. Your browser may remember the permission choice; you can review or revoke it in browser or device settings.
Messages and correction requests
If you email us, we receive the address, message and attachments you choose to provide. We use them to respond, investigate a correction, document an editorial decision, address accessibility feedback or handle a privacy request. Do not include sensitive personal information that is not needed. We do not sell contact information.
Firebase Analytics and cookies
Ramen Scout uses Firebase Analytics, a Google Analytics service, only after you choose “Allow analytics” in the Analytics privacy settings at the bottom of any page. It is off by default. You can decline or withdraw at any time without losing directory features. Your choice is saved in browser local storage under ramen-scout-analytics-choice. If allowed, we use it to understand whether the directory is useful and how visitors find and navigate it. The service may collect the page URL and title, referring page, visit and engagement times, interactions, general device and browser details, language, an approximate region derived from an IP address and browser identifiers. After you opt in, Google Analytics may set first-party cookies such as _ga to distinguish visits and devices. We do not deliberately send names, email addresses or the precise coordinates obtained from “Use my location” to Analytics.
Analytics information is sent to and processed by Google and may be handled outside Canada. Optional Analytics account data-sharing settings are disabled. Google describes its handling of Analytics data in its privacy policy and its Analytics privacy and data safeguards. You can withdraw in Analytics privacy settings; we disable further collection and remove accessible Analytics cookies. Previously received data is not erased automatically. You can also limit cookies in your browser or use the Google Analytics opt-out browser add-on; blocking Analytics does not prevent use of the directory.
Advertising and AdSense review
Ramen Scout is connected to Google AdSense for domain ownership verification and program review. The site currently publishes an AdSense account-identification meta tag and a root ads.txt seller record; ad-serving code and manual ad units are not active during this review stage. Advertising eligibility remains separate from restaurant rankings and editorial conclusions, and noindex listings, internal search, correction, contact and trust pages remain ad-free.
If Google approves ramenscout.ca and ad serving is enabled later, Google AdSense may process the page visited, referring page, IP address, general device and browser information, advertising identifiers, cookie or local-storage identifiers, approximate location and interactions with ads to select, deliver, limit and measure advertising, prevent fraud and produce reports. Ads may be personalized or non-personalized depending on consent, region and account settings. For visitors in the EEA, United Kingdom and Switzerland, Ramen Scout will use Google’s certified consent-management message before eligible advertising is served. Google explains its advertising data practices in its advertising policies and technologies notice.
Restaurant and source information
Listing pages use public business information and material from official restaurant, menu, reservation or ordering sources. They do not publish imported reviewer identities, review text or third-party ratings. Contact details published for a restaurant are business details, not a personal profile.
Service providers and processing locations
We use service providers, including our hosting provider, Google Analytics and Google AdSense, to host, secure, measure, review and—if approved—support the site through advertising. They process information for those services under their own contractual and technical controls. Depending on their infrastructure, limited information may be processed outside your province or outside Canada, where privacy laws may differ.
Retention and security
Location coordinates are not retained by Ramen Scout. Search URLs may remain in browser history, Analytics reports or ordinary server logs according to user, browser and provider settings. Google Analytics identifiers and event information are retained according to the property’s configured retention controls and Google’s applicable policies. Messages and correction records are kept only as long as reasonably needed to respond, maintain editorial accountability, meet legal obligations or resolve disputes. We use reasonable safeguards, but no internet service can promise absolute security.
Children
Ramen Scout is a general restaurant directory and is not directed to children. We do not knowingly request personal information from children. A parent or guardian who believes a child sent personal information can contact us for review.
Your choices and requests
You can browse without using location, deny or revoke location permission, decline or withdraw optional Analytics, block or clear Analytics cookies, use Google’s opt-out add-on, clear search URLs from browser history and avoid sending an email. If AdSense advertising is enabled after approval, eligible visitors can use the displayed privacy message to make or revisit consent choices. Depending on applicable law, you may also ask about personal information we hold from a message, request a correction or deletion, or raise a complaint. We may need enough information to verify and respond to the request.
Changes and contact
We will update the date at the top when this notice changes materially. Privacy questions, requests and complaints can be directed to:
Privacy Officer, Nocturnal Devs
419 Markham Road
Toronto, Ontario M1J 3E1, Canada
nocturnaldevs@gmail.com
+1 (437) 366-2920