FicSpire Privacy Policy
Last Updated: September 8th, 2025
This Privacy Policy governs your use of FicSpire’s services (the "Service") and explains how we collect, store, use, share, and protect your personal data. We prioritize transparency and give you control over your data—this Policy details the choices you have regarding your information. By accessing or using the Service, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agreed to the practices described below.
1. Scope & Defined Terms
This Policy applies to all data collected through FicSpire’s mobile applications (iOS/Android), website (http://www.ficspire.com/), and any other platforms or features that link to this Policy.
Capitalized terms not defined herein have the same meaning as in FicSpire’s Terms of Service (the "Terms"). If there is a conflict between this Policy and the Terms, this Policy shall control with respect to matters related to personal data.
2. What Data We Collect
We collect data in two ways: (1) data you voluntarily provide (e.g., account registration details) and (2) data we automatically collect (e.g., usage patterns) when you use the Service. We do not collect more data than is necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Policy.
2.1 Data You Voluntarily Provide
You choose to share this data with us when interacting with the Service. Examples include:
A. Account & Profile Data
Required Information: To create an account, you must provide a valid email address, username, and date of birth (to verify eligibility under Section 2.3).
Optional Information: You may add additional details to your Profile at your discretion.
Important Note: Your Profile may be visible to other users. Do not include sensitive information in your Profile—this could lead to unauthorized use. We also recommend avoiding disclosures of religious beliefs, sexual orientation, or ethnic background unless you explicitly intend to share this with others.
B. Communication Data
Data from messages you send to us (e.g., customer support inquiries, feedback, or reports of Service issues).
Data from your participation in surveys, contests, or promotional activities (e.g., name, contact details, or preferences you provide to enter).
C. Payment-Related Data
If you purchase premium subscriptions or in-app items (e.g., "Coins"), you will provide payment details to our third-party payment processors (e.g., Stripe, Apple Pay, Google Pay). We do not store full payment credentials (e.g., credit card numbers)—this data is handled exclusively by our compliant payment partners. We only receive non-sensitive transaction data (e.g., transaction date, amount, and payment method type, such as "Visa").
2.2 Data We Automatically Collect
We collect this data to improve the Service, personalize your experience, and ensure security. This data is collected through cookies, device identifiers, and similar technologies (see Section 5.2 for details). Examples include:
A. Usage & Browsing Data
Details about how you interact with the Service: content you view, stories you save/bookmark, reading duration, frequency of logins, and features you use (e.g., commenting, offline downloads).
Referral data: the URL of the website/app you used before accessing FicSpire, and the URL you visit after leaving.
B. Device & Technical Data
Device information: model, operating system (e.g., iOS 17, Android 14), hardware version, and unique device identifiers (e.g., GAID for Android, IDFA for iOS—used for advertising, as outlined in Section 5).
Network data: IP address, internet service provider (ISP), language settings, time zone, and geolocation data (only if you enable location permissions, and solely to provide region-specific content or ads).
App performance data: crashes, error logs, and load times (to troubleshoot issues).
C. Advertising Data
Data about ads you view or interact with (e.g., which ads you click on, how long you view them) to measure ad effectiveness and personalize future ads (see Section 5).
2.3 Data Related to Minors
We strictly comply with global children’s privacy laws (e.g., the U.S. COPPA, EU GDPR). We do not intentionally collect, use, or disclose personal data from individuals under the age of 13 (or the minimum age required by local law, e.g., 16 in the EEA).
If you are under the minimum age, you may not create an account or provide personal data to us.
If we discover that a minor has provided us with personal data without parental/guardian consent, we will immediately terminate their account and delete all associated data (to the extent required by law).
3. How We Use Your Data
We use your data only for legitimate purposes, as outlined below. We will not use your data for unstated purposes without first notifying you and obtaining your consent (if required by law).
Provide & Maintain the Service:
Authenticate your account, process payments, and deliver features you request (e.g., saving reading progress, offline downloads).
Respond to your customer support inquiries and resolve Service issues.
Personalize Your Experience:
Recommend stories, genres, or authors based on your reading history and preferences.
Customize the Service’s interface (e.g., displaying your saved lists first).
Improve & Develop the Service:
Analyze usage patterns to identify areas for improvement (e.g., optimizing load times for frequently read content).
Test new features (e.g., a "reading challenge" tool) and gather feedback to refine them.
Prevent Fraud & Ensure Security:
Detect and block unauthorized account access, fake accounts, or fraudulent payment activity.
Protect the Service from cyber threats (e.g., malware, DDoS attacks) and comply with legal obligations (e.g., anti-money laundering rules).
Send Communications:
Service Messages: Mandatory updates about your account (e.g., payment confirmations, password resets, or account suspension notices). You cannot opt out of these, as they are necessary for using the Service.
Marketing Messages: Promotions, new content alerts, or special offers (e.g., "20% off premium subscriptions"). You can opt out of these at any time (see Section 6).
Deliver & Measure Advertising:
Show personalized ads (e.g., ads for books in your favorite genre) and measure how effective these ads are (see Section 5).
4. Legal Basis for Processing (EEA Users Only)
If you reside in the European Economic Area (EEA), we process your personal data only when we have a valid legal basis under the GDPR. These bases include:
Consent: When you explicitly agree (e.g., allowing personalized ads or sharing your Profile with other users).
Contract Performance: To fulfill our obligations under the Terms (e.g., processing payments for your subscription).
Legitimate Interests: When our interests do not override your privacy rights (e.g., improving the Service, preventing fraud, or sending marketing messages with your consent).
Legal Obligation: When required by law (e.g., responding to a court order or law enforcement request).
5. Advertising Practices
We may display ads in the free version of the Service (or as part of incentivized features, e.g., "watch an ad to earn Coins"). We work with third-party advertising partners to deliver these ads, and we ensure these partners comply with applicable privacy laws.
5.1 Types of Ads We Serve
Personalized Ads: Tailored to your interests (e.g., ads for fantasy novels if you frequently read fantasy content). These use your usage data (Section 2.2.A) and device identifiers (Section 2.2.B).
Non-Personalized Ads: Generic ads that do not rely on your personal data.
5.2 How We Track Ad Effectiveness
We use the following technologies to measure ad performance and avoid repeating irrelevant ads:
Cookies: Small text files stored on your device to track your interactions with ads (e.g., whether you clicked an ad).
Device Identifiers: GAID (Android) or IDFA (iOS) to link ad interactions across sessions.
Pixel Tags: Invisible code in the Service that records when you view an ad.
Our advertising partners (e.g., Google AdMob, Meta Audience Network) may also use these technologies. Their practices are governed by their own privacy policies (see Section 9).
5.3 Industry Opt-Out Tools
You can opt out of personalized ads from participating third-party advertisers through industry self-regulation tools:
Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA): Visit aboutads.info/choices (global) to manage ad preferences.
Network Advertising Initiative (NAI): Visit networkadvertising.org/choices (U.S.-focused) to opt out of NAI member ads.
Note: Opting out will not stop ads entirely—you will still see non-personalized ads. We do not currently respond to "Do Not Track" (DNT) browser signals, as there is no global standard for DNT implementation.
6. Your Advertising Choices
You have control over the ads you receive and the data used to serve them:
Opt Out of Personalized Ads in the Service:
Go to your FicSpire Account Settings > "Privacy" > "Ad Preferences" and toggle off "Personalized Ads."
Opt Out of Marketing Emails:
Click the "Unsubscribe" link at the bottom of any marketing email we send. You will still receive Service Messages (Section 3.5).
Manage Third-Party Ad Preferences:
Use the industry tools listed in Section 5.3, or adjust your device settings (e.g., reset your IDFA in iOS Settings > Privacy & Security > Tracking).
7. How Long We Retain Your Data
We retain your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law (e.g., tax or fraud prevention laws).
Account Data: If you delete your account, we will delete most of your data (e.g., Profile, reading history) within 30 days. We may retain limited data (e.g., transaction records) to comply with legal obligations (e.g., tax reporting) for up to 7 years.
Automatically Collected Data: Usage and device data are retained for 12 months after your last use of the Service, unless needed for troubleshooting or security purposes.
Minors’ Data: Immediately deleted upon discovery of unauthorized collection (Section 2.3).
8. Who We Share Your Data With
We do not sell your personal data to third parties. We only share your data in the following circumstances, and we ensure all recipients comply with strict privacy and security standards:
8.1 Service Providers
We share data with third-party vendors who perform services on our behalf. These include:
Payment Processors: Stripe, Apple Pay, Google Pay (to process payments—they only receive data needed to complete transactions).
Hosting & Security Providers: AWS, Cloudflare (to store data and protect the Service from cyber threats).
Analytics Providers: Google Analytics (to analyze usage patterns—we anonymize data shared here).
Customer Support Tools: Zendesk (to manage your support inquiries).
8.2 Other Users
Your Profile data (e.g., username, profile photo) may be visible to other users if you enable public Profile settings. Any comments or reviews you post will also be visible to other users of the Service.
8.3 Legal & Safety Reasons
We may disclose your data if:
Required by law (e.g., responding to a court order, subpoena, or law enforcement request).
Necessary to protect our rights, property, or safety, or the rights of other users (e.g., investigating fraud, harassment, or violations of the Terms).
8.4 Corporate Transactions
If FicSpire is involved in a merger, acquisition, sale of assets, or bankruptcy, your data may be transferred to the new owner—but only if they agree to uphold the terms of this Policy.
9. International Data Transfers
FicSpire operates globally, so your data may be transferred to, stored in, or processed in countries outside your residence (e.g., the U.S., where our servers are located). These countries may have different data protection laws than your home country.
For EEA Users: We ensure transfers to countries without "adequate" data protection (e.g., the U.S.) comply with the GDPR by using EU Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs)—legally binding agreements that require recipients to protect your data to EEA standards. You can request a copy of the SCCs by contacting us (Section 14).
For All Users: We use encryption and secure data transmission protocols (e.g., SSL/TLS) to protect data during international transfers.
10. Third-Party Links & Services
The Service may contain links to third-party websites or apps (e.g., author blogs, book retailers, or social media platforms). This Policy does not apply to these third parties—we have no control over their data practices.
We recommend that you review the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit. We are not liable for any data collection or use by these third parties.
11. How We Protect Your Data
We use technical, administrative, and physical security measures to protect your data from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure. Examples include:
Encryption of data in transit (SSL/TLS) and at rest (AES-256).
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) for account access (optional but recommended).
Regular security audits and vulnerability testing.
Access controls that limit employee access to your data (only authorized staff can view sensitive information).
No security system is 100% foolproof. You can help protect your data by:
Using a strong, unique password for your FicSpire account.
Not sharing your account credentials with others.
Enabling MFA in Account Settings.
Reporting suspicious activity (e.g., unauthorized logins) to customer support immediately.
12. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Policy from time to time to reflect legal changes, new features, or improved practices. We will notify you of material changes (e.g., changes to how we share your data) by:
Sending an in-app notification or email to your registered address.
Posting a prominent notice on the Service.
The "Last Updated" date at the top of this Policy will reflect the most recent changes. Changes take effect 14 days after notification (or immediately if required by law). If you continue to use the Service after the effective date, you agree to the updated Policy. If you disagree with the changes, you may delete your account (Section 7).
13. Your Privacy Rights
You have the following rights regarding your personal data, subject to applicable law:
Access: Request a copy of the data we hold about you.
Correction: Update or correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
Deletion: Request that we delete your data (subject to legal retention obligations).
Restriction: Ask us to stop processing your data (e.g., if you dispute its accuracy).
Portability: Request a copy of your data in a machine-readable format (e.g., CSV) to transfer to another service.
Withdrawal of Consent: If you provided consent for a specific purpose (e.g., personalized ads), you can withdraw it at any time (this will not affect past processing).
How to Exercise Your Rights
To exercise any of these rights, send an email to [ficspire@outlook.com] with the subject line "Privacy Rights Request." Include:
Your full name and registered email address (to verify your identity).
A clear description of the right you want to exercise (e.g., "Request to delete my account data").
We will respond to your request within 30 days (or 45 days for complex requests, as permitted by law). We may ask for additional information to verify your identity before processing your request.
14. Contact Us
Email: ficspire@outlook.com