1. Basic policy
the NovelShaft operator (the “Operator”) handles information collected while providing NovelShaft in accordance with applicable law.
Manuscripts, ideas, reference material, and conversations with AI are central to a user’s creative work. The Operator does not process that content beyond what is needed to provide and safely operate the service.
2. Information collected
The Operator collects the following categories of information depending on the features used:
- Account and contact information: email, display name, language setting, login and authentication information, external-login identifiers, contact messages, and support history
- Creative data: projects, manuscripts, structure, notes, uploaded material, audio and transcripts, AI conversations and output, related data generated for search or AI processing, publication settings, ratings, and reports
- Subscription and payment information: plan, subscription, purchase, invoice, refund, AI-credit state, and identifiers needed to reconcile transactions
- Usage and technical information: IP address, device, browser, operating system, access time, operation history, online identifiers such as cookies, errors, and security records
Payment providers process payment-instrument details such as card numbers and security codes. NovelShaft does not store those details in its application database.
If information marked as required is not provided, the related account or feature may be unavailable. The user may choose whether to provide information marked as optional.
3. Purposes and legal bases
Information is used to:
- register and authenticate accounts, verify identity, and protect security;
- provide manuscript management, AI assistance, search, transcription, publication, export, and related features;
- manage subscriptions, purchases, invoices, refunds, and AI credits;
- respond to contacts, send important notices, review reports, and protect rights;
- understand service use, improve quality, investigate incidents, prevent abuse, and conduct audits; and
- comply with law, the Terms of Service, and other obligations.
Where a legal basis is required, processing relies on performance of a contract, compliance with legal obligations, legitimate interests in security, fraud prevention, quality improvement, or protection of rights, or consent, depending on the purpose. Consent-based processing may be withdrawn as provided by applicable law.
User creative content is not used for unrelated advertising, training a general-purpose model owned by the Operator, or creating datasets for other users.
4. Service providers, disclosures, and international processing
The Operator uses providers to process information only as needed to deliver the service. Principal services include:
- Amazon Web Services for authentication, storage, delivery, and email;
- Google and Apple for external login with a Google Account or Apple Account;
- Stripe, Apple App Store, and Google Play for payments and subscriptions;
- OpenAI for AI processing of text, material, audio, or other information selected by the user; and
- Google Analytics for usage analysis on the public site after the visitor allows it.
The Operator selects and supervises providers using contracts and other appropriate measures. When a user chooses to publish a work, the work and author display are available to others according to that setting. Personal data is not otherwise disclosed to another controller without consent except where required by law, for service providers acting on the Operator’s instructions, in a business transfer, or as otherwise permitted by applicable law.
A provider may process information outside the user’s country or region. Where that occurs, the Operator uses contracts, access controls, and other safeguards required by applicable law. Details of applicable safeguards may be requested through the contact form.
5. Retention and deletion
Information is kept only as long as needed, considering the purpose, account and subscription state, legal retention duties, disputes, fraud prevention, security needs, and backup cycles.
After account deletion, creative data and identifiers used for ordinary service operation are generally deleted or anonymized. Minimum records may be retained for billing, accounting, refunds, disputes, fraud prevention, security, legal compliance, and evidence that deletion was completed. Removal from backups and provider systems may take additional time.
6. Security
The Operator uses reasonable safeguards including rules and access limits for personal data, authentication and access control, encryption in transit, logging and monitoring, backups, vulnerability response, provider review, and periodic review of data handling.
7. Your rights
Depending on applicable law, users may request notice of purposes, access, correction, completion, deletion, cessation of use or third-party disclosure, restriction, objection, and data portability.
Identity verification may be required. Submit a request through the contact form. Users in the European Economic Area may also complain to the supervisory authority with jurisdiction.
8. AI and creative data
AI features process text, material, audio, and other information that the user enters or selects as context for the requested operation. The interface identifies when AI is being used and the scope of information involved.
AI output may be inaccurate or unsuitable. The user decides whether to adopt, edit, publish, or sell it. The Operator does not let AI alone make decisions with legal or similarly significant effects on a user. Reports involving safety or rights may be reviewed by a person where necessary.
10. Children
You must be at least 13 years old to use the service.
11. Changes to this Policy
This Policy may change with the service, providers, or law. A material change will be communicated by a reasonable method before it takes effect.
12. Contact
Submit requests, questions, or complaints about personal information through the contact form.
The identity and address of the Operator, request procedures, and other information that applicable law requires to be available may be requested through that form and will be answered without undue delay.