Privacy Policy | Crossed Hearts

Information We Collect

Account information: Your name, email address, hashed password, account role, email verification status and login activity.
Purchase and access records: Titles and chapters purchased, payment amounts and currency, Stripe payment references, invoice records and refund status.
Physical order and campaign information: Shipping address, pledge or order amounts order status and payment status associated with physical book purchases and campaigns.
Communications: Email records associated with OTP verification, welcome messages, upload announcements, invoices, refund confirmations and support correspondence.
Log and technical data: Information automatically collected when you visit our website, including your IP address, browser type, Internet Service Provider (ISP), referring and exit pages, date and time stamps and usage patterns. This information is used to analyze trends, administer the site, track user movement, detect fraud and protect site security. It is not linked to personally identifiable information.
Cookies and similar technologies: Data collected through cookies, JavaScript and similar technologies used to enable site functionality, keep you signed in and understand how users interact with our website. See the Cookies section below for more detail.

How We Use Your Information

To create and manage your account, verify your identity, keep you signed in and protect access to your library.
To unlock purchased digital chapters, maintain your library access history, generate invoices and process refunds where applicable.
To fulfill physical book orders, manage preorders, track campaign progress and send relevant updates about your orders or pledges.
To send transactional emails including OTP codes, purchase confirmations and support replies.
To analyze how users interact with the website in order to improve, personalize and expand our services.
To detect and prevent fraud, unauthorized access, payment abuse, scraping or other attempts to bypass site protections.
To comply with legal obligations, enforce our Terms of Service, and protect the rights and safety of Crossed Hearts and its users.

Sharing of Information

We do not sell, rent or trade your personal information to third parties. We share information only with service providers engaged to help us operate the website, including:

Payment processors (such as Stripe) to handle transactions securely.
Email delivery providers to send transactional and notification emails.
Hosting and infrastructure providers to store and serve site data.
Analytics services to understand how users interact with the website.
Shipping partners to fulfill physical book orders.

These providers are permitted to use your information only as necessary to perform services on our behalf and are required to maintain appropriate confidentiality. We may also disclose information where required by law, regulation or legal process or to protect the rights, safety or property of Crossed Hearts, its users or the public. If Crossed Hearts is involved in a merger, acquisition or transfer of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction and we will notify you of any such change.

Cookies

We use cookies and similar technologies to enable essential site functionality, keep you signed in and understand how users interact with our website. Cookies are small files placed on your device by your browser when you visit our site. By continuing to use the website, you consent to the use of cookies in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

Third-party service providers we work with (such as analytics and payment platforms) may also place cookies on your device when you use our website. These third parties have their own privacy policies and we do not control their cookie practices. You may adjust your browser settings to refuse cookies or delete existing cookies at any time, but please note that some features of the website may not function correctly without them. For information about managing cookies in your specific browser, please refer to your browser's help documentation.

Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure or destruction. Passwords are stored as hashes and are never stored in plain text. Sensitive configuration is stored in secure environment variables. Production systems use HTTPS, authenticated webhook handling and restricted admin access. However, no method of transmission or storage over the internet is completely secure and we cannot guarantee absolute security. In the event of a data breach that is likely to affect your rights or interests, we will notify you in accordance with applicable law.

Children's Information

This website is intended for users who are at least 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information without your consent, please contact us immediately and we will take steps to remove that information from our records. If you are between 13 and 18, we encourage you to review these policies with a parent or guardian before using the website.

Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active and for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this policy, including ongoing access to purchased content order fulfillment, accounting and legal compliance, fraud prevention and support. If you request account deletion, we will remove or anonymize your personal data except where retention is required by law, payment regulation or security necessity.

Your Choices and Rights

You may unsubscribe from marketing emails at any time using the unsubscribe option provided in those communications. Transactional emails related to your account, purchases or orders may not be opted out of while your account remains active.
You may contact our support team to request corrections to your personal information, ask questions about how your data is used, or request account deletion.
You may request a copy of the personal data we hold about you and we will endeavor to respond to such requests within a reasonable timeframe.
Certain records — including payment records, purchase history and security logs — must be retained for legal, accounting and compliance purposes even after an account is closed.

Third-Party Links

This website may contain links to external websites or services not operated by us. We have no control over the content or privacy practices of those sites and accept no responsibility for them. We encourage you to review the privacy policy of any third-party website you visit.

Governing Law

This Privacy Policy and any dispute arising out of or in connection with it shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of India. Any legal proceedings relating to this Privacy Policy shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts located in Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes will be posted to this page with an updated "Last updated" date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Your continued use of the website after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the revised Privacy Policy.

Contact

For questions, requests or concerns regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal data, please contact us through the support options available on the website.