1. Introduction
Welcome to Bookwarm ("we," "our," or "us"). We are committed to protecting your personal information and your right to privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our mobile application Bookwarm (the "App").
By using the App, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy. If you do not agree with the terms of this Privacy Policy, please do not access the App.
2. Information We Collect
2.1 Information You Provide to Us
We collect information that you voluntarily provide when you:
- Create an Account: Email address, username, password, and profile picture (optional)
- Complete Your Profile: Your favorite book story (onboarding), reading preferences, and preferred genres
- Build Your Library: Books you've read, are currently reading, or want to read, along with reading progress
- Use Matching Features: Matching preferences including frequency, focus books, and gender preferences
- Communicate: Messages sent to other users, book ratings, and book club interactions
- Make Purchases: Transaction information for Page Points and subscription purchases (payment processing is handled by Apple/Google)
2.2 Information Collected Automatically
When you use the App, we automatically collect certain information:
- Device Information: Device type, operating system version, unique device identifiers
- Usage Data: App interactions, features used, time spent, and pages visited
- Log Data: Error logs, crash reports, and performance metrics
- Location Data: Approximate location based on IP address (we do not collect precise GPS location)
2.3 Information from Third Parties
We may receive information from:
- OAuth Providers: If you sign in with Google or Apple, we receive your email address and basic profile information
- Goodreads Import: If you import your library from Goodreads, we receive your book list and reading status
- Open Library: We fetch book metadata (titles, authors, covers, descriptions) from Open Library's public API
3. How We Use Your Information
We use your information to:
- Provide the Service: Create and manage your account, enable matching with other readers, facilitate messaging and book clubs
- Personalize Experience: Show relevant book recommendations and matches based on your library and preferences
- Process Transactions: Handle Page Points purchases and subscription management
- Communicate: Send push notifications about matches, messages, and book club activities
- Improve the App: Analyze usage patterns to enhance features and fix issues
- Ensure Safety: Detect and prevent fraud, abuse, and violations of our Terms of Service
We do NOT: Sell your personal information to third parties, use your data for advertising profiles, or share your reading habits with external marketers.
4. Data Sharing & Disclosure
We may share your information in the following circumstances:
4.1 With Other Users
When you use matching features, other users may see your username, profile picture, reading statistics, and books in your library. Your messages are visible only to the recipients.
4.2 With Service Providers
We work with trusted third-party services that help us operate the App:
- Supabase: Database hosting and authentication
- Adapty: Subscription and in-app purchase management
- Expo: Push notification delivery
- Agora: Video call functionality for book clubs
4.3 Legal Requirements
We may disclose your information if required by law, court order, or governmental authority, or when we believe disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, your safety, or the safety of others.
4.4 Business Transfers
In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred to the new owner. We will notify you of any such change.
5. Data Security
We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information:
- Encryption of data in transit (HTTPS/TLS)
- Secure password hashing
- Row Level Security (RLS) policies to ensure users can only access their own data
- Regular security audits and updates
However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.
6. Your Rights & Choices
Depending on your location, you may have certain rights regarding your personal data:
- Access: Request a copy of your personal information
- Correction: Update or correct inaccurate information
- Deletion: Request deletion of your account and associated data
- Portability: Request your data in a portable format
- Opt-Out: Disable push notifications in your device settings
To exercise these rights, please contact us at privacy@bookwarmapp.com or use the "Delete Account" option in the App settings.
7. Data Retention
We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide you services. If you delete your account:
- Your profile and library data will be deleted within 30 days
- Messages will be anonymized (sender marked as "Deleted User")
- Transaction records may be retained for legal/financial compliance (up to 7 years)
- Anonymized analytics data may be retained indefinitely
8. Children's Privacy
Bookwarm is not intended for children under the age of 13 (or 16 in the European Economic Area). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe we have inadvertently collected such information, please contact us immediately at privacy@bookwarmapp.com.
9. International Data Transfers
Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your country of residence. These countries may have different data protection laws. By using the App, you consent to such transfers. We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your data in compliance with applicable laws.
10. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any material changes by:
- Posting the new Privacy Policy on this page
- Updating the "Last updated" date
- Sending a notification through the App (for significant changes)
We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically.
11. Contact Us
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:
- Email: privacy@bookwarmapp.com
- Website: bookwarmapp.com
We will respond to your inquiry within 30 days.