Privacy Policy

Last Updated: November 29, 2025

1. Introduction

Your privacy is critically important to us. At ReadAndGone, we are committed to protecting your anonymity and ensuring that your personal information remains secure. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and your rights regarding your data.

By using ReadAndGone, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy.

2. Information We Collect

For Free Users (Anonymous Message Posting)

When you post a free anonymous message, we collect:

• Message content only: The text of your message is stored temporarily until it is read by another user, at which point it is permanently deleted.
• No personal identifiers: We do not collect your name, email, IP address, or any other identifying information with free messages.

For Premium Subscribers

When you create a Premium account, we collect:

• Email address: Required for account creation, login, and communication about your subscription.
• Display name: Optional, used to personalize your account experience.
• Password: Stored in encrypted (hashed) form. We cannot see your actual password.
• Payment information: Processed securely through Stripe. We do not store your credit card details directly.
• Message content: Premium messages are stored until you choose to delete them.

For Contact Form Submissions

When you contact us, we collect:

• Your name (as provided)
• Your email address
• Your message content

Automatically Collected Information

Like most websites, we may automatically collect certain technical information:

• Analytics data: We use Google Analytics to understand how visitors interact with our site. This includes pages visited, time spent, and general geographic region.
• Cookies: We use essential cookies to maintain user sessions for logged-in Premium users.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use collected information for the following purposes:

• To provide and maintain the Service
• To process Premium subscriptions and payments
• To communicate with you about your account or inquiries
• To improve the Service based on usage patterns
• To detect and prevent fraud or abuse
• To comply with legal obligations

4. Data Retention

• Free messages: Permanently deleted immediately after being read. No copies are retained.
• Premium messages: Retained until the user deletes them or closes their account.
• Account information: Retained while your account is active. Upon account deletion, personal data is removed within 30 days.
• Contact form submissions: Retained for as long as necessary to respond to your inquiry and for our records.

5. Data Sharing

We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties. We may share information only in the following circumstances:

• Service providers: We use Stripe for payment processing. Stripe has access to payment information necessary to process transactions. See Stripe's Privacy Policy.
• Legal requirements: We may disclose information if required by law, court order, or government request.
• Protection of rights: We may disclose information to protect the rights, safety, or property of ReadAndGone, our users, or the public.

6. Data Security

We implement appropriate security measures to protect your information:

• Passwords are encrypted using industry-standard hashing (bcrypt)
• All data transmission uses HTTPS encryption
• Payment processing is handled by PCI-compliant Stripe
• Database access is restricted and monitored

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

7. Your Rights

You have the following rights regarding your personal data:

• Access: You can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
• Correction: You can update your account information at any time.
• Deletion: You can delete your account and associated data through your account settings or by contacting us.
• Portability: Premium users can export their message data.
• Opt-out: You can opt out of non-essential communications.

To exercise these rights, please contact us.

8. Cookies

We use the following types of cookies:

• Essential cookies: Required for the Service to function (e.g., session management for logged-in users).
• Analytics cookies: Used by Google Analytics to understand site usage. You can opt out using browser settings or the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.

9. Children's Privacy

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

10. International Users

If you are accessing ReadAndGone from outside the United States, please be aware that your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States where our servers are located. By using the Service, you consent to this transfer.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify users of significant changes by posting the new policy on this page and updating the "Last Updated" date. We encourage you to review this page periodically.

12. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us. We will respond within 48 hours.