Privacy Policy

Last Updated: July 17, 2026

1. Introduction

Welcome to SpoilThePlot!

SpoilThePlot, LLC ("SpoilThePlot," "we," "our," or "us") respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal information.

This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, how we protect it, when it may be shared, and the choices and rights available to you when using:

  • the SpoilThePlot website;
  • the SpoilThePlot mobile applications;
  • our email notification services; and
  • any related products and services we provide (collectively, the "Services").

By using our Services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy.

2. Scope

This Privacy Policy applies to users located worldwide, including users located in:

  • United States
  • Canada
  • United Kingdom
  • European Economic Area (EEA)
  • Switzerland
  • Australia
  • New Zealand
  • Any jurisdiction where the Services are lawfully offered

Additional rights may apply depending on your country or region.

3. Information We Collect

Depending on how you use SpoilThePlot, we may collect the following information.

Information You Provide

You may choose to provide:

  • Name
  • Email address
  • Messages sent through contact forms or email
  • User account information
  • Notification preferences
  • Saved books
  • Reading preferences
  • Profile preferences
  • Optional profile information
  • Information you voluntarily submit while using our Services

We only collect information necessary to provide requested functionality.

User Accounts

Creating an account allows access to personalized features.

Account information may include:

  • Email address
  • Display preferences
  • Saved books
  • Reading preferences
  • Email notification and newsletter preferences
  • Account status
  • Account activity necessary to operate the service

Passwordless Authentication

SpoilThePlot uses passwordless authentication ("Magic Links").

When you request a sign-in link, we collect and use your email address solely to:

  • verify your identity;
  • authenticate your account;
  • provide secure access to your account.

We do not require users to create or store passwords for standard account authentication.

App-to-Website Sign-In

If you are signed in to the SpoilThePlot application and open certain website features from the app, we may generate a cryptographically secure, short-lived, single-use authentication token that allows your authenticated session to continue securely in your web browser.

These tokens expire quickly, are single-use, and are revoked when you sign out or delete your account.

Website Usage Information

When visiting our website we may automatically collect:

  • IP address
  • Browser type
  • Browser version
  • Operating system
  • Device type
  • Referring website
  • Requested pages
  • Date and time of requests
  • Search terms and filters
  • Click interaction information used to improve website usability and layout
  • Session identifiers
  • Campaign or referral parameters (such as UTM tags)
  • General website usage statistics

This information helps maintain, secure, troubleshoot, and improve our Services.

Mobile Application Information

When using the SpoilThePlot mobile application, we may collect information necessary to provide requested features, including:

  • Account information
  • Saved books
  • Reading preferences
  • Notification preferences
  • Application settings
  • Device settings relevant to application functionality

Device Information and Diagnostics

To support application reliability, compatibility, troubleshooting, and product improvement, we may collect limited technical information about devices using the SpoilThePlot application.

This information may include:

  • Device class (such as iPhone or iPad)
  • Device model identifier
  • Operating system name and version
  • Application version
  • Preferred language and region
  • Timezone
  • Push notification registration status
  • Device identifiers necessary for push notification delivery
  • Crash reports and diagnostic information
  • Application performance information
  • Last successful connection information
  • Technical information necessary to identify compatibility issues or improve application reliability

We use this information solely for operational purposes, customer support, diagnostics, security, compatibility testing, feature planning, and improving our Services.

We do not use this information for advertising or cross-application tracking.

Diagnostic information is not used to identify users for advertising purposes or sold to third parties.

Install and Usage Identifiers

When you use the SpoilThePlot mobile application, we generate a unique install identifier on your device to support reliability, diagnostics, and product analytics.

This identifier may be collected whether or not you create an account.

Reinstalling the application or installing it on another device may result in a different install identifier.

We may associate with that identifier:

  • device class and model information;
  • operating system and application version;
  • preferred language, region, and timezone;
  • application open and session activity;
  • last successful connection information;
  • push notification registration status, if enabled.

If you later sign in, we may link that install record to your account so preferences and devices stay consistent across sessions.

IP Addresses and Approximate Location

We may collect IP addresses when users access our website or mobile application.

IP addresses may be used to:

  • protect our Services;
  • detect abuse or fraudulent activity;
  • maintain system security;
  • estimate approximate geographic location (such as country, state/province, or city);
  • understand overall service usage.

We do not collect precise GPS location.

Any location determined from an IP address represents only an approximate geographic area.

Email Notifications

If you subscribe to email notifications, we collect:

  • Email address
  • Notification preferences
  • Subscription status
  • IP address used during subscription

We use a double opt-in process requiring confirmation before activation.

You may unsubscribe or update email notification preferences at any time through links in our emails or our website notification preferences tools. Unsubscribing from email does not delete your account.

Push Notifications

With your permission, the SpoilThePlot mobile application may send push notifications through Apple Push Notification service (APNs) or other platform notification services, as applicable.

Push notifications are optional and are managed in the SpoilThePlot mobile application (and through your device settings). Push preferences cannot be managed through the website unsubscribe tools.

Payments and Voluntary Tips

SpoilThePlot may allow users to voluntarily tip through Apple In-App Purchase.

Apple processes the payment. SpoilThePlot does not receive or store complete payment card numbers.

After a tip is completed, we may receive and store limited transaction information such as:

  • product identifier;
  • tip amount and currency;
  • Apple transaction identifiers;
  • application version;
  • whether you were signed in at the time;
  • device or install identifier associated with the report.

Apple may also provide SpoilThePlot with limited purchase validation or transaction status information necessary to validate purchases and provide customer support.

We use this information for acknowledgment, support, fraud prevention, and accounting. Tip records may be retained after account deletion when needed for financial or legal recordkeeping.

4. How We Use Information

We use information to:

  • provide requested Services;
  • authenticate users;
  • personalize the user experience;
  • synchronize user information across devices;
  • maintain saved books and preferences;
  • provide customer support;
  • improve functionality;
  • develop new features;
  • analyze service usage;
  • troubleshoot technical issues;
  • monitor reliability and compatibility;
  • prevent fraud and abuse;
  • protect security;
  • comply with legal obligations.

5. Legal Basis for Processing (EEA, UK and Switzerland)

Where applicable, we process personal information under one or more of the following legal bases:

  • performance of a contract;
  • your consent;
  • legitimate interests;
  • compliance with legal obligations.

Legitimate interests include maintaining the security, reliability, functionality, and improvement of the Services.

6. Cookies and Similar Technologies

Our website may use:

  • Essential cookies
  • Functional cookies
  • Analytics cookies (where applicable)

These technologies help:

  • maintain user sessions;
  • remember preferences;
  • improve website functionality;
  • understand website performance.

Users may disable cookies through browser settings, although some features may not function correctly.

7. Analytics

We may collect aggregate usage information to better understand how our Services are used.

On the website and in the application, we operate first-party analytics. We do not sell this information, and we do not use it for cross-app advertising tracking.

Analytics information may include:

  • feature usage;
  • application performance;
  • operating system versions;
  • application versions;
  • device classes;
  • general geographic regions;
  • crash frequency;
  • user interaction trends.

Whenever reasonably possible, analytics are reviewed in aggregate rather than to identify individual users.

Analytics information, when necessary, may be associated with an account after sign-in in order to provide synchronized features, improve reliability across devices, and better understand application usage.

8. Advertising

Website

Our website may display advertisements served by Google AdSense or similar third-party advertising partners.

Those partners may collect or receive information such as IP address, cookie identifiers, and page activity to deliver, measure, and personalize ads according to their own privacy policies.

Depending on applicable law (including California privacy law), this may be considered a “sale” or “share” of personal information for advertising purposes, even though SpoilThePlot does not sell personal information in exchange for monetary compensation.

You can limit personalized advertising through browser settings, industry opt-out tools (such as the NAI or DAA), and Google’s ad settings where available. SpoilThePlot does not control how third-party advertising partners personalize ads on our website. If you prefer not to have advertising technologies collect information about your browsing, you may choose not to use the website or may utilize browser settings or privacy tools that limit such technologies, recognizing that some advertising functionality may still occur.

Mobile Application

The SpoilThePlot mobile application does not display third-party advertising.

The application does not use advertising identifiers for advertising purposes.

The application does not participate in cross-app advertising tracking.

9. Third-Party Service Providers

We work with trusted third-party providers that assist in operating our Services.

Examples include providers for:

  • advertising (including Google AdSense on the website);
  • analytics;
  • cloud infrastructure;
  • content delivery;
  • email delivery;
  • payment processing (including Apple In-App Purchase);
  • push notifications (including Apple Push Notification service);
  • security;
  • technical operations;
  • website hosting.

These providers are permitted to process information only as necessary to provide services to SpoilThePlot.

They are not authorized to use your information for their own marketing purposes.

10. Sharing Information

We do not sell personal information in exchange for monetary compensation.

We may disclose information:

  • to trusted service providers;
  • to advertising partners on the website as described in the Advertising section;
  • when required by law;
  • to protect legal rights;
  • to investigate fraud or abuse;
  • to enforce our Terms of Service.
  • with your consent or at your direction.

11. Business Transfers

If SpoilThePlot is involved in a merger, acquisition, financing, asset sale, or bankruptcy, personal information may be transferred as part of that transaction, subject to applicable law.

12. International Data Transfers

SpoilThePlot is headquartered in the United States.

Information may be transferred to and processed in the United States or other countries where our service providers operate.

Where required by applicable law, we take reasonable measures designed to provide appropriate safeguards for international data transfers.

These safeguards may include contractual commitments approved under applicable data protection laws.

13. Data Retention

We retain personal information only as long as reasonably necessary to:

  • provide requested Services;
  • maintain user accounts;
  • comply with legal obligations;
  • resolve disputes;
  • prevent fraud;
  • enforce agreements;
  • maintain appropriate business records.

Retention periods may vary depending upon the type of information collected.

When information is no longer required, it will be deleted, anonymized, or securely disposed of where reasonably practicable.

Account deletion follows the process described in the Account Deletion section, including a period of generally 30 days before personal account data is deleted or anonymized.

14. Security

We use reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational safeguards designed to protect personal information against unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction.

Access to personal information is limited to personnel and service providers who require such access to perform their responsibilities.

Despite our efforts, no method of electronic transmission or storage is completely secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security.

15. Automated Decision Making

SpoilThePlot does not use automated decision-making or profiling that produces legal or similarly significant effects on users.

16. Your Privacy Rights

Depending on your location, you may have the right to:

  • access your personal information;
  • correct inaccurate information;
  • request deletion of your personal information;
  • request restriction of processing;
  • object to certain processing;
  • withdraw consent where applicable;
  • request a portable copy of your information;
  • lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority.

Before fulfilling certain requests, we may need to verify your identity.

We will respond to applicable requests in accordance with relevant law.

For questions about advertising on the website, see the Advertising section. The SpoilThePlot mobile application does not use third-party advertising.

17. Account Deletion

You may delete your SpoilThePlot account at any time:

  • through the SpoilThePlot mobile application (Settings → Delete account); or
  • by submitting an Account Deletion Request through our contact form.

If you only want to stop email communications, you may unsubscribe through our website or email links without deleting your account. Push notification preferences are managed in the mobile application (and device settings), not through website unsubscribe tools.

When you delete your account, we will immediately:

  • deactivate your account so you can no longer sign in;
  • stop email and push notifications associated with your account;
  • revoke active sign-in tokens and related authentication credentials.

Generally within 30 days after deletion, we will delete or anonymize associated personal information, including reading lists, author checklists, and your email address on our systems, unless retention is required for:

  • legal obligations;
  • fraud prevention;
  • security;
  • accounting;
  • legitimate business recordkeeping.

Tip or payment records may be retained in anonymized or de-identified form for accounting and fraud prevention. Technical install or analytics records that are no longer linked to your account may also be retained.

After you delete your account, that email address cannot be used to reactivate the same account. Once deletion or anonymization is complete, you may create a new account with the same email address if you choose.

18. Children's Privacy

SpoilThePlot is not directed toward children under thirteen (13) years of age.

We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13.

If we learn that personal information has been collected from a child under 13, we will take reasonable steps to delete that information.

19. Book Content and Spoilers

SpoilThePlot provides book summaries, spoiler information, and content warnings.

Content may describe fictional events involving violence, death, abuse, trauma, or other mature themes.

Spoiler information is hidden by default and requires intentional user interaction before it is displayed.

Content warnings are provided to help readers make informed decisions before reading.

20. Affiliate Disclosure

SpoilThePlot, LLC participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program.

As an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.

21. Contact Us

Questions regarding this Privacy Policy or privacy rights may be directed to:

SpoilThePlot, LLC
Contact Form: https://spoiltheplot.com/contact

22. Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time.

When changes are made, we will revise the "Last Updated" date at the top of this Policy.

Continued use of the Services after changes become effective constitutes acceptance of the revised Privacy Policy.