Privacy Policy

We collect the following types of information:

• Account Information: First name, last name, email address, and hashed password when you register. If you sign in via Google, we receive your name and email from Google OAuth.
• Text Content You Submit: Essays, documents, notes, and other text you paste or upload to use our AI tools (Essay Analyzer, Citation Finder, Study Pack — lessons, flashcards, quizzes, crosswords — and Paper Summarizer).
• Uploaded Documents: PDF, DOCX, and TXT files you upload for analysis, stored securely in cloud storage.
• Usage Data: Monthly word counts for the Paper Summarizer and study tools; number of analyses, citation searches, and study pack generations performed; feature usage patterns; Focus Mode usage (sites blocked, unlocks); badges and achievements progress.
• Social & Sharing Data (when available): If you use optional sharing features in the app, we may store friend connections, shared quizzes/flashcards/crosswords, and friend requests.
• Payment Information: Billing is processed by Stripe. We do not store your credit card number. We receive and store your Stripe customer ID and subscription status.
• Email Subscription Status: Whether you have subscribed to or unsubscribed from marketing communications.
• Communications: Messages you send to our support team.
• Technical Data: IP address, browser type, and approximate location for security and rate-limiting purposes.

We use the information we collect to:

• Provide and operate all WriteScholar features and AI tools
• Process your text through AI models to deliver Essay Analyzer, Citation Finder, Study Pack (lessons, flashcards, quizzes, crosswords), and Paper Summarizer results
• Enforce monthly usage limits according to your subscription plan
• Send transactional emails: account verification, password reset, and billing notifications
• Send optional marketing emails about new features and updates (you may unsubscribe at any time)
• Respond to support requests and questions
• Detect and prevent abuse, fraud, and security threats
• Analyse aggregate usage patterns to improve the service

We share data with the following trusted service providers strictly as necessary to operate the service. We do not sell your personal data.

• OpenAI — Text you submit to AI-powered features (Essay Analyzer, Citation Finder, Study Pack, Paper Summarizer) is sent to OpenAI's API for processing. OpenAI's use of API data is governed by their Privacy Policy.
• Stripe — Payment processing and subscription management. Stripe receives your name, email address, and billing details (including country and postal code) when you start or manage a paid subscription. Your full credit/debit card number is entered directly into Stripe's secure form and is never sent to or stored on WriteScholar's servers. See Stripe's Privacy Policy.
• Supabase — Our primary database and optional file storage provider, hosting your account data, document metadata, usage records, study pack history (quizzes, flashcards, crosswords, lessons), optional social/sharing data when those features are in use, and badge progress.
• Amazon Web Services (S3) — Cloud storage for uploaded document files in production environments.
• Email Provider (SMTP) — Transactional and marketing emails are delivered via our configured email service.

We may also disclose information when required by law or to protect our legal rights. In the event of a merger or acquisition, user information may be transferred to the successor entity.

When you use AI-powered features, the text you submit is transmitted to OpenAI's API. We do not use your submitted content to train our own AI models. However, as an API customer, OpenAI's own data handling policies apply to data sent through their API.

AI-generated outputs (essay feedback, citations, lessons, quiz questions, flashcards, crossword puzzles, summaries) are provided as tools to assist your work. We make no warranty that these outputs are accurate, original, or free from error. You are responsible for reviewing all AI outputs before use.

Focus Mode (Chrome extension): Focus Mode is an optional Chrome extension. Your list of blocked sites, unlock activity, and daily session statistics are stored locally in your browser using the extension's storage API. No browsing history, page content, or activity from blocked sites is transmitted to WriteScholar's servers. The extension uses host permissions (<all_urls>) only to detect when you visit a site on your block list and redirect you, not to read or transmit page contents.

Your account data is stored in a secure cloud database (Supabase/PostgreSQL). Uploaded documents are stored in encrypted cloud object storage (Supabase Storage or AWS S3).

WriteScholar stores your authentication token and basic account information (name, email, plan) in your browser's localStorage to keep you logged in between sessions. This data is not shared with third parties and is cleared when you log out.

We protect your information using industry-standard measures including:

• HTTPS encryption for all data in transit
• Bcrypt password hashing (no plaintext passwords stored)
• JWT authentication with token expiry and refresh
• Rate limiting on all API endpoints to prevent abuse
• Security headers (HSTS, CSP, X-Frame-Options) via Helmet
• Input validation and sanitisation on all user-submitted data

No method of transmission or storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security, but we take reasonable steps to protect your data.

We retain data for as long as necessary to provide the service:

• Account data: Retained while your account is active. When you delete your account, all account data is permanently and immediately removed — there is no recovery period and we cannot restore deleted accounts.
• Uploaded documents: Retained until you delete them or your account.
• Study pack history (quizzes, flashcards, crosswords, lessons): Study materials are automatically deleted after 30 days.
• Citation history and analysis history: Retained until deleted by you or as part of periodic cleanup.
• Monthly usage records: Retained for billing verification and limit enforcement.
• Email subscription records: Retained to honour unsubscribe requests; unsubscribing prevents you from being re-added.

You have the following rights regarding your personal data:

• Access & Update: View and edit your profile at any time in Account Settings
• Rectification: Correct inaccurate or incomplete personal data we hold about you
• Delete: Delete your account and all associated data via Account Settings or by contacting us
• Restrict Processing: Ask us to limit how we use your personal data (for example, while a correction request is being reviewed)
• Object: Object to processing of your personal data for direct marketing or where we rely on legitimate interests
• Unsubscribe: Opt out of marketing emails at any time via the unsubscribe link or Settings
• Data Portability: Request a copy of your data in a structured, machine-readable format by contacting privacy@writescholar.com
• Withdraw Consent: Stop using the service and delete your account at any time

If you are located in the EU/EEA or UK, you may have additional rights under the GDPR (or UK GDPR), including the right to lodge a complaint with your local supervisory authority.

WriteScholar uses browser localStorage (not cookies) to store your session token and basic user profile to keep you logged in. We do not currently use advertising cookies or third-party tracking pixels.

We may use session cookies for security purposes (CSRF protection). You can clear localStorage and cookies through your browser settings, which will log you out.

WriteScholar is intended for users aged 14 and older. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 14.

Some jurisdictions set a higher minimum age for digital consent — for example, parts of the EU/EEA require users to be 16 or older to consent to data processing without parental authorisation. If the law in your country sets a minimum age higher than 14, you must meet that age (or have verifiable parental consent) to use the service.

If we become aware that we have collected information from a user below the applicable minimum age, we will delete that information promptly. Parents or guardians who believe their child has provided us with personal data may contact privacy@writescholar.com.

We may update this privacy policy from time to time. We will notify you of material changes by email or in-app notice before they take effect, and by updating the "Last updated" date at the top of this page.

If you have any questions about this privacy policy or your personal data, please contact us: