Privacy notice
Last updated 14 October 2026
The short version, for younger readers: Chapterling keeps the books you add, how long you read and your Chapterling's things, so the app works. We don't show adverts, we don't sell anything about you, and you can delete everything at any time. If you're under 18, we turn on extra protections automatically. If anything here worries you, talk to a grown-up you trust or email us.
Who we are
Chapterling is run by [Company name] Ltd, [registered address] ("we"). We are the controller of your personal data and are registered with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), registration number [ICO registration number]. Contact us at privacy@chapterling.co.uk.
What we collect and why
| Data | Why | Lawful basis |
|---|---|---|
| Email and a scrambled (hashed) password, if you save your progress | To sign you in and let you reset your password | Contract |
| Your age group (under 13, 13 to 17, 18 or over) | To apply the right protections for your age | Legal obligation (Children's Code) and legitimate interests |
| Books you add, reading sessions (minutes, pages, dates), goals, notes and journal entries | This is what Chapterling does: tracking your reading and growing your Chapterling | Contract |
| Your Chapterling, items, Story Stones, coins, games and Story Trail progress | To run the games and rewards | Contract |
| Time zone and reminder settings | So your reading day and reminders happen at the right local time | Contract |
| A push subscription for each device, if you switch reminders on | To send the reminders you asked for | Consent (switch off any time) |
| Purchase records (what you bought and when; never your card details) | To give you what you paid for and keep tax records | Contract and legal obligation |
| Waitlist: your email, the name and colour you reserved, and where you heard about us (only if you join the waitlist on our website) | To email you when Chapterling opens, plus the odd update before then | Consent (one tap to leave, from any of our emails) |
| Basic security logs (such as IP address, kept briefly) | To stop abuse, such as repeated sign-in attempts | Legitimate interests |
We also work out totals from this data (for example, how many people read this week) to see whether Chapterling is helping people read. These totals never identify anyone, and groups smaller than five people are hidden. We do not use analytics or advertising trackers.
Cookies and storage
We use one strictly necessary cookie to keep you signed in. Your device also stores a few preferences (such as which tab you last opened, and reading sessions waiting to sync when you're offline). There are no advertising or analytics cookies, so there's nothing to accept or reject.
Who we share data with
We never sell your data. We use a small number of service providers ("processors") who only act on our instructions:
- [Hosting provider]: runs our servers and stores the database ([location]).
- Stripe: takes payments. Stripe receives your payment details directly; we never see your card.
- [Resend or Postmark]: sends password reset and account emails.
- Your browser's push service (for example Apple, Google or Mozilla): delivers reminders, encrypted so they can't read them.
- Open Library (Internet Archive): when you search for a book, the search words are sent to Open Library to find it. Nothing else about you is sent.
- Anthropic: for readers aged 18 or over only, the notes you've written about a book may be sent to make a Story Trail quiz, and the title and author of a book you finish may be sent to choose its landmark in your world. They aren't used to train AI models. Readers under 18 never have anything sent.
Some providers are based outside the UK, mainly in the USA. Where that happens we rely on UK adequacy regulations (including the UK Extension to the EU–US Data Privacy Framework) or the ICO's International Data Transfer Agreement.
Children and young people
Chapterling follows the ICO's Age Appropriate Design Code. When a reader tells us they are under 18, or hasn't told us their age yet: there are no pop-ups suggesting things to buy; a grown-up check is needed before any payment and before moving to an older age group; reminders stay off unless switched on; notes are never sent to an AI service; and they are never placed in product experiments. Readers under 13 should have a parent or carer set up their account using the grown-up's email.
How long we keep it
We keep your data while you have an account. When you delete your account, we delete your reading data, notes, Chapterling and sign-in details straight away from our live systems, and from backups within [35] days. Stripe keeps payment records for as long as the law requires. Password reset links expire after an hour. Waitlist details are deleted when you leave the list, or 6 months after launch if you haven't made an account.
Your rights
You can: get a copy of your data (You → Settings → Download my data); correct it; delete it (Delete account); object to our use of it, or ask us to restrict it; and take it to another service. Email privacy@chapterling.co.uk for anything else. We'll reply within one month.
If you're unhappy with how we've handled your data, please tell us first. You can also complain to the ICO: ico.org.uk, or 0303 123 1113.
Changes
If we change this notice in a way that matters, we'll tell you in the app before it takes effect.