Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Shawn Burns, a Massachusetts sole proprietor doing business as BookmarkBug ("BookmarkBug," "we," "us," or "our"), operates the platform at bookmarkbug.com. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and protect personal information when you use our website and services.

2. Information We Collect

Information You Provide

• Account and eligibility information: Name, email address, username, password or social-login identifier, phone number when provided, residence state, age and U.S.-residency attestations, and the version and time of your Terms acceptance.
• Payout and tax information: Payout email, selected payout provider, payout status and transaction records, and tax-document status. Tremendous or Stripe may collect additional identity, banking, or tax information directly under its own privacy policy. BookmarkBug does not receive your full bank-account credentials.
• Content: Book reports, reviews, private feedback, support messages, and other information you submit.
• Assignment information: Books claimed, progress, deadlines, submission status, quality checks, earnings, payout requests, and account-review or payout-hold records.

Information Collected Automatically

• Server logs: IP address, browser type, operating system, referring URLs, and timestamps when you access our services.
• Reading and integrity signals: When an in-app reader or verification feature is used, page progress, dwell time, focus or activity signals, submission timing, content-similarity signals, device or network associations, and other fraud-prevention indicators.
• Cookies: We use cookies and similar technologies to maintain your session, remember preferences, and support analytics and advertising features.
• Vercel Analytics: We use Vercel Analytics to collect anonymous, aggregated usage data such as page views and performance metrics. Vercel Analytics does not use cookies and does not collect personally identifiable information.
• Meta Pixel (Facebook): We use the Meta Pixel (pixel ID: 386435265364236) to track conversions, optimize advertising campaigns, and build targeted audiences on Meta platforms (Facebook, Instagram). The Meta Pixel may collect data including your IP address, browser information, page views, and actions taken on our site. This data is shared with Meta Platforms, Inc. and may be used for ad targeting. See Meta's Privacy Policy for details.

3. How We Use Your Information

• To create and manage your account.
• To match you with book assignments and facilitate the feedback process.
• To process payouts through Tremendous, Stripe Connect for supported existing accounts, or another disclosed payout provider.
• To verify that feedback is genuine and meets our quality standards.
• To detect and prevent fraud, abuse, and violations of our Terms of Service.
• To communicate with you about your account, assignments, and platform updates.
• To improve our services, analyze usage patterns, and optimize performance.
• To run and measure advertising campaigns on Meta platforms.

4. How We Share Your Information

We do not sell your personal information. We may share your data with:

• Tremendous and Stripe: For payout delivery, recipient verification, fraud screening, tax or compliance functions, and payout support.
• Authors and publishers: Private reader feedback and associated assignment information needed to provide the service. We use private feedback in public marketing only with separate permission.
• Email, authentication, storage, analytics, and security providers: To operate, secure, monitor, and communicate about the service.
• Meta Platforms: Through the Meta Pixel for advertising and conversion tracking.
• Vercel: For hosting, analytics, and performance monitoring.
• Service providers: Third-party vendors who assist in operating our platform, subject to confidentiality obligations.
• Legal compliance: When required by law, legal process, or to protect our rights, safety, or property.

5. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use the following tracking technologies:

• Session cookies: Essential for authentication and maintaining your logged-in state.
• Meta Pixel: Places cookies and uses web beacons to track activity on our site for advertising purposes.
• Vercel Analytics: Cookieless, privacy-friendly analytics that do not track individual users.

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect your ability to use certain features of our platform. To opt out of Meta's tracking across websites, visit your Meta Ad Preferences.

6. Data Retention

We retain information for as long as reasonably necessary to operate the service, pay approved earnings, maintain financial and tax records, prevent fraud and repeat abuse, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements. Account closure blocks access and optional email, but does not automatically erase reviews, payment records, audit logs, bans, or other records that must be kept for these purposes. We delete or de-identify information when it is no longer reasonably needed, subject to backup cycles and legal obligations.

7. Your Rights

You have the right to:

• Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
• Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data.
• Deletion: Request deletion of eligible personal data, subject to financial, security, legal, and other permitted retention requirements.
• State-law rights: Exercise any additional rights available under applicable state privacy law. We may need to verify your identity before completing a request, and authorized agents may be required to provide proof of authority.
• Opt-out of tracking: Disable cookies in your browser or adjust your Meta ad preferences to limit tracking.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at support@bookmarkbug.com.

8. Data Security

We implement reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security.

9. Children's Privacy

BookmarkBug is not intended for children under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we become aware that we have collected data from a child under 18, we will take steps to delete it promptly.

10. Governing Law

This Privacy Policy is governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States, without regard to its conflict of law principles.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of material changes by posting the updated policy on this page and updating the "Last updated" date. Your continued use of BookmarkBug after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the revised policy.

12. Contact Us

If you have questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy, contact us at:

Email: support@bookmarkbug.com