Overview
This Privacy Policy explains how Story World (“we”, “us”, or “our”) collects, uses, and protects information about you when you use our platform at [storyworld.example].
Story World is a fictional-story publishing and reading platform. We do not sell your personal information to third parties.
By using Story World, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy. If you do not agree, please do not use our platform.
Information We Collect
Information You Provide
- Account registration details: email address, display name, and password (stored securely via our authentication provider)
- Profile information: biography, avatar image, and other optional profile fields you choose to complete
- Content you create: stories, chapters, and other content you publish on the platform
- Communications: messages you send to us via the contact form or email
Information Collected Automatically
- Usage data: pages visited, stories read, features used, and time spent on the platform
- Reading activity: reading progress, library additions, bookmarks, and reading history
- Device and browser information: browser type, operating system, and screen resolution
- IP address and approximate geographic location (country/region level)
- Cookies and similar tracking technologies (see the Cookies section below)
How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect to:
- Provide, operate, and improve the Story World platform
- Authenticate your account and keep it secure
- Save your reading progress, library, and bookmarks
- Personalise your experience and surface stories you may enjoy
- Send transactional emails such as password resets and account notifications
- Respond to your support requests and enquiries
- Monitor for abuse, fraud, and violations of our community guidelines
- Analyse usage patterns to improve our features and content
- Comply with legal obligations
We do not use your information for automated decision-making that produces legal or similarly significant effects without human review.
Data Retention
We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide you with our services. If you delete your account, we will delete or anonymise your personal information within a reasonable period, except where we are required to retain it for legal or compliance purposes.
Published stories and chapters may be retained for a period after account deletion to allow for content moderation and legal compliance. We will handle such content in accordance with our content policies.
Your Rights
Depending on your location, you may have the following rights regarding your personal information:
- Access: request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
- Correction: request that we correct inaccurate or incomplete information
- Deletion: request that we delete your personal information
- Portability: request your data in a structured, machine-readable format
- Objection: object to certain types of processing, including marketing
- Restriction: request that we restrict processing of your information in certain circumstances
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us via our Contact page. We will respond within a reasonable timeframe.
Security
We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorised access, loss, or misuse. Your password is never stored in plain text. We use industry-standard encryption for data in transit.
No method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.
Children's Privacy
Story World 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 you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will delete it promptly.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make significant changes, we will notify you by updating the “Last updated” date at the top of this page and, where appropriate, by sending you a notification. Your continued use of Story World after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.
Contact
If you have questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your data, please contact us via our Contact page or at [privacy@storyworld.example].