Privacy Policy
Last updated: October 12, 2026
Reader collects what it needs to run a reading tracker and a reading community. We don't sell your personal information, we don't use it for advertising, and we don't track you across other apps or websites.
Who we are
Reader is an independent app operated by Matthew Friedman ("Reader", "we"). Questions or requests: mattreaderteam@gmail.com.
What we collect
| Category | What | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Account | Email address, display name, username, password hash or Sign in with Apple identifier | You, when you sign up |
| Profile | Photo, bio, social links, Top 5 and lists | You |
| Your content | Posts, replies, reviews, ratings, threads, club and Lounge messages, GIFs, video links, reports you file | You |
| Reading activity | Shelves, reading progress, reading sessions and timers, streaks, goals | You, through the app |
| Social | Who you follow, clubs you join, likes, mentions, blocks and mutes | You |
| Purchases | Subscription status, product, renewal and refund events (never card details) | Apple, through RevenueCat |
| Device | Push notification token, app version, device model and OS | Your device |
| Usage and diagnostics | Screens viewed and actions taken (no message or post text), crash reports | The app, through PostHog and Sentry |
| Support | Anything you send us by email | You |
How we use it
- To run Reader: your account, shelves, feed, clubs, notifications and reading stats.
- To show your public content to other readers, with spoilers gated by each reader's progress.
- To keep Reader safe: content filtering, reports, blocking and enforcing our Terms.
- To process subscriptions and restore purchases.
- To fix bugs and improve the app, using diagnostics and aggregated usage.
- To contact you about your account, security or changes to these policies.
What's public
Your display name, username, photo, bio, posts, replies, reviews, ratings, public lists and public club activity can be seen by other Reader users. Private club content is visible only to members. Your shelves and reading progress may appear to people you share them with, or in features like "Friends reading now". Settings control what you share.
Who we share it with
We share data only with providers that run parts of Reader for us, under their own privacy terms:
| Provider | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Supabase | Database, sign-in, file storage, server functions |
| Apple | Sign in with Apple, in-app purchases, push delivery |
| Expo | Delivering push notifications |
| RevenueCat | Managing subscriptions |
| PostHog | Product analytics (no message content) |
| Sentry | Crash reports |
| GIPHY | GIF search; your search text goes to GIPHY |
| Google (Gmail) | Sending sign-in and verification emails |
| TikTok | Loading video previews when you view a video |
We may also disclose information if the law requires it, to protect people's safety, or as part of a sale or reorganisation of Reader (in which case this policy continues to apply).
Book information comes from public catalogues (such as Open Library, Hardcover and Google Books) and isn't personal data. "Buy" links take you to stores such as Amazon or Bookshop.org; some may be affiliate links, but we don't send stores your identity.
How long we keep it
We keep your data while your account is open. When you delete your account in Settings, we delete your profile, shelves, reading activity and uploaded files, and revoke Sign in with Apple. Posts and replies other people interacted with show as "[deleted]" so conversations still make sense. Backups are overwritten within 30 days. We keep limited records when the law requires it, or to handle abuse reports.
Your choices and rights
- Edit your profile and content, or delete any post, at any time.
- Delete your account in Settings → Account → Delete account.
- Turn notifications off in Settings or iOS Settings.
- Ask for a copy of your data, or a correction, by emailing us.
Depending on where you live (for example the EU, UK or California), you may have rights to access, correct, delete or port your data, and to object to some uses. We'll answer within 30 days. We don't sell or "share" personal information for cross-context advertising as California law defines it.
Children
Reader is for people 13 and older. We don't knowingly collect data from children under 13. If we learn that we have, we delete the account. Parents can contact us.
Security and where data is stored
Data is stored with our providers, mainly in the United States, and protected by access controls and encryption in transit. No system is perfectly secure; tell us if you find a problem.
Changes
We'll post changes here and update the date. For significant changes, we'll tell you in the app.