Privacy Policy — Folio Novel

Effective date: May 12, 2026 Last updated: May 12, 2026 Version: 1.0

    Your privacy matters to us. This policy explains in plain language what data Folio Novel collects, why we collect it, and the choices you have. We never sell your personal information to third parties.
  

1 Who We Are

Folio Novel ("we", "our", or "us") is an online reading platform that lets users discover, read, and engage with novels and serialized stories. These terms apply to our website, mobile applications, and any related services (collectively, the "Service").

If you have questions about this policy, you can reach us at:
Email: [email protected]

2 Information We Collect

Information you provide directly

Account data: email address, display name, and password (stored as a secure hash).
Profile data: avatar, bio, and any optional details you add to your profile.
Content interactions: bookmarks, reading progress, ratings, and comments you submit.
Support communications: messages or emails you send to our team.

Information collected automatically

Usage data: chapters read, novels viewed, search queries, and interaction timestamps.
Device & log data: IP address, browser type, operating system, referring URL, and pages visited.
Cookies & tokens: session tokens (JWT) stored in browser storage to keep you logged in.

3 How We Use Your Information

Purpose	Legal basis
Provide and operate the Service (authentication, reading, bookmarks)	Performance of contract
Personalise recommendations based on reading history	Legitimate interest / consent
Send transactional notifications (new chapter alerts, account updates)	Performance of contract / consent
Improve the Service through aggregated analytics	Legitimate interest
Prevent fraud, abuse, and security incidents	Legitimate interest / legal obligation
Comply with applicable law or respond to legal requests	Legal obligation

4 Sharing Your Information

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We may share data in the following limited circumstances:

Service providers: trusted vendors who process data on our behalf (hosting, email delivery, analytics) under data processing agreements.
Legal requirements: if required by a court order, subpoena, or applicable law.
Business transfers: in the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your data may be transferred to the successor entity under equivalent privacy protections.
With your consent: in any other case, only with your explicit permission.

5 Cookies & Tracking Technologies

We use the following technologies:

Authentication tokens (JWT): stored in localStorage to maintain your logged-in session. These are essential and cannot be disabled without logging you out.
Functional cookies: remember your preferences (theme, language).
Analytics: aggregated, anonymised data to understand how the Service is used. No cross-site tracking.

You can clear cookies and local storage at any time through your browser settings.

6 Data Retention

We retain your personal data for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide the Service. Specifically:

Account data: retained until you delete your account.
Reading history & bookmarks: retained until you delete your account or clear them manually.
Server logs: retained for up to 90 days for security and debugging purposes.
Backup snapshots: may persist for up to 30 days after deletion before being purged.

7 Security

We implement industry-standard safeguards to protect your data:

Passwords are hashed using a strong one-way algorithm (bcrypt) — we never store plain-text passwords.
All data in transit is encrypted using TLS/HTTPS.
Access to production systems is restricted to authorised personnel only.
Regular security reviews and dependency audits are performed.

No method of transmission over the internet is 100 % secure. If you suspect your account has been compromised, please contact us immediately.

8 Children's Privacy

Folio Novel is not directed at children under the age of 13 (or the applicable minimum age in your jurisdiction). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we learn that we have inadvertently collected such information, we will delete it promptly. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us.

9 Your Rights

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights regarding your personal data:

Access: request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Rectification: request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data.
Erasure: request deletion of your account and associated data.
Portability: receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format.
Objection / Restriction: object to or restrict certain types of processing.
Withdraw consent: where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw it at any time without affecting prior processing.

To exercise any of these rights, email us at [email protected]. We will respond within 30 days.

10 Third-Party Links

The Service may contain links to external websites or services. This Privacy Policy applies solely to Folio Novel. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of third-party sites and encourage you to review their policies before providing any personal information.

11 Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make material changes, we will notify you by updating the "Last updated" date at the top of this page and, where appropriate, by sending an in-app notification or email. Your continued use of the Service after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

12 Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy, please contact us:

Folio Novel Support
Email: [email protected]
Response time: within 2 business days