1. Information We Collect

• Account Information: Name, email address, and login credentials.
• Usage Data: Book interactions, bookshelf activity, theme preferences, and feedback.
• Device Information: Anonymous data about device type, OS, and app version.
• Subscription Info: Purchase status and subscription tier from RevenueCat.
• AI Input Data: Book titles, authors, and content topics you define are sent to OpenAI to generate personalized recommendations and content alerts. We do not send your name, email address, or account identifiers to OpenAI.
• Local Storage: The app caches book analysis results, content filter matches, and reading preferences in your browser's local storage to improve performance. This data remains on your device.

2. How We Use Your Information

• To provide and personalize book recommendations.
• To display and manage your bookshelves.
• To enforce subscription access through RevenueCat.
• To analyze app usage and improve functionality.
• To respond to support requests and account management needs.

3. Data Sharing and Disclosure

We do not sell your personal information. We may share limited data with:

• Firebase (Google): For authentication, real-time database storage, and analytics.
• RevenueCat: For subscription management and purchase validation.
• OpenAI: For generating book themes, ratings, and recommendations using anonymized book and topic inputs.
• Stripe: For processing promotional code redemptions. Stripe handles payment data directly and we do not store your full card details.
• Sentry: For error monitoring and crash reporting. Sentry may capture technical information about errors including device data and anonymized request context. We configure Sentry to minimize capture of personal data.
• Legal authorities: If required to comply with applicable laws or to protect our legal rights.

4. Analytics and Cookies

We may use Firebase Analytics or similar tools to understand how Book Scout is used and improve the app. We do not use third-party advertising cookies or trackers.

5. Your Rights and Choices

• Access/Edit: You can update your account or preferences anytime in the app.
• Deletion: You may request full account and data deletion by contacting us at heybookscout@gmail.com.
• Analytics Opt-out: You may limit tracking through your device settings.

6. Children's Privacy

Book Scout is not intended for users under age 13. If we become aware that a child under 13 has created an account, we will delete it promptly.

7. Data Retention

We retain your personal data for as long as your account is active. If you request deletion of your account, we will remove your personal data from our active systems within 90 days of receiving your request. Anonymized or aggregated data, automated backup copies, and system logs may be retained for a longer period as required by our infrastructure providers (Firebase, Sentry) but will not be used to identify or contact you. Subscription records may be retained for up to 7 years as required by tax and financial regulations.

8. Data Security

We use secure cloud infrastructure, encrypted connections (HTTPS), and access-controlled storage to protect your data. While no system is completely secure and we cannot guarantee absolute security, we take reasonable and industry-standard steps to safeguard your information. In the event of a data breach that materially affects your personal information, we will make reasonable efforts to notify affected users promptly and will cooperate with any applicable legal notification requirements.

9. California and International Users (CCPA / GDPR)

If you are a California resident, you have the right to know what personal data we collect, request deletion, and opt out of any sale of your data (we do not sell your data). If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA) or United Kingdom, you have rights under GDPR including access, rectification, erasure, and portability of your data. To exercise any of these rights, contact us at the email below. Because Book Scout is operated by a single developer and is not a large-scale data processor, we may not have a formal Data Protection Officer; requests will be handled directly.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically. Major updates will be announced in the app or via email.

11. Contact Us