Effective Date: March 20, 2026

1. Information We Collect

We collect information you provide directly when you create an account and use the Service:

• Account Information: Name, email address, and password (hashed). If you sign in with Google, we receive your Google profile information.
• Payment Information: Billing details are processed by Stripe. We store only your Stripe customer ID and last four digits of your card for display purposes.
• Usage Data: Token consumption, feature usage, and interaction patterns to improve the Service.
• Content: Text you input into our AI tools for processing. See section 4 for details on how this data is handled.
• Device Information: Browser type, IP address, and device identifiers collected automatically.

2. How We Use Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Provide, maintain, and improve the Service
• Process transactions and manage your subscription
• Send transactional emails (verification, password reset, billing receipts)
• Monitor usage for billing and rate-limiting purposes
• Detect and prevent fraud, abuse, and security threats
• Respond to support requests and communicate with you
• Comply with legal obligations

3. Data Sharing

We do not sell your personal information. We share data only in the following circumstances:

• Service Providers: We share data with trusted third parties who help us operate the Service, including Stripe (payments), SendGrid (email), and Google (authentication).
• AI Processing: Content you submit for AI processing is sent to our AI providers (e.g., Google Gemini) for generation. See section 4.
• Legal Requirements: We may disclose information if required by law, regulation, or legal process.
• Business Transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your data may be transferred.

4. AI & Data Processing

When you use our AI writing tools, the text you provide is sent to third-party AI services for processing. We want you to understand how this works:

• Your content is sent to AI providers solely for the purpose of generating responses to your requests.
• We do not use your content to train AI models.
• AI-generated content is returned to you and stored in your account.
• AI providers may temporarily process your data according to their own privacy policies.
• We recommend not including sensitive personal information in AI prompts.

5. Data Security

We take reasonable measures to protect your information:

• Passwords are hashed using scrypt with random salts
• Sessions are managed with secure, httpOnly cookies
• API keys are stored as SHA-256 hashes (the key itself is never stored)
• Database connections use TLS encryption
• We implement rate limiting to prevent brute-force attacks

No method of transmission over the Internet is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee its absolute security.

6. Your Rights (GDPR)

If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA), you have the following rights:

• Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
• Rectification: Request correction of inaccurate data
• Erasure: Request deletion of your personal data
• Portability: Request your data in a structured, machine-readable format
• Objection: Object to processing of your personal data
• Restriction: Request restriction of processing

To exercise these rights, contact us at info@author42.com. We will respond within 30 days.

7. Data Retention

We retain your account data for as long as your account is active. After account deletion:

• Account information is deleted within 30 days
• Usage logs and analytics data are anonymized
• Payment records are retained as required by law (typically 7 years)
• Backups containing your data are purged within 90 days

8. Cookies

We use cookies for the following purposes:

• Session Cookies: Essential for authentication and maintaining your login state across the platform (author42.com and its subdomains).
• Preference Cookies: Store your settings and preferences.

We do not use third-party tracking or advertising cookies. You can configure your browser to reject cookies, but this may limit your ability to use the Service.

9. Children's Privacy

The Service is not intended for children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child under 13 has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately and we will delete it.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify users of material changes by posting the updated policy on the Service and updating the effective date. Your continued use of the Service after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.

11. Contact

If you have questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us at:

Author42
Email: info@author42.com