01 Introduction
This Privacy Policy ("Policy") describes how BookHop ("BookHop," "we," "us," or "our") collects, uses, discloses, and safeguards information in connection with your access to and use of the BookHop website, applications, and related services (collectively, the "Service"). By creating an account or otherwise using the Service, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Policy. If you do not agree with the terms of this Policy, please do not access or use the Service.
02 Information We Collect
2.1 Information You Provide to Us
We collect information that you voluntarily provide when you use the Service, including:
- Account Information. When you register for an account, we collect your email address, a password (which is cryptographically hashed and never stored in plain text), and a display name.
- Profile Information. You may optionally provide a ZIP code, which we use to help match you with nearby books and other users in your community, and select an avatar image from a preset set of options.
- Listings and Transactions. When you list a book for rental or purchase, we collect the information you provide about that book, including its title, author, condition, description, and price.
- Communications. When you send messages to other users through the Service, submit reviews, file reports, or submit bug reports, we collect and store the content of those communications. You are solely responsible for the content you choose to share, and we caution you against including sensitive personal information (such as your home address or phone number) in messages to other users beyond what is necessary to facilitate a book exchange.
- Payment Information. If you make or receive a payment through the Service, payment processing is handled by our third-party payment processor, Stripe, Inc. ("Stripe"). We do not collect or store your full payment card number, card verification value, or other sensitive payment credentials on our servers. We retain only a reference identifier associated with the transaction for record-keeping and support purposes.
2.2 Information Collected Automatically
- Session Data. To keep you signed in and to maintain the security of your session, the Service uses a first-party, strictly necessary session cookie. This cookie does not track you across other websites and is not used for advertising or analytics purposes. We do not currently use third-party advertising or analytics cookies or tracking scripts.
- Usage and Log Data. Our servers may automatically log certain technical information when you interact with the Service, such as request timestamps, error logs, and general diagnostic information, for the purpose of maintaining and securing the Service.
2.3 Information We Do Not Collect
We do not request or knowingly collect your government-issued identification number, precise geolocation, full mailing address, or payment card details. We do not require or store a date of birth.
03 How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect for the following purposes:
- To create and maintain your account and authenticate you when you sign in;
- To operate the core functionality of the Service, including facilitating book listings, rentals, purchases, and communications between users;
- To match you with relevant books and users based on your self-reported ZIP code;
- To process payments and payouts in connection with rental and sale transactions;
- To screen listing content (titles, authors, and descriptions) for inappropriate material using automated content moderation tools, as described in Section 5;
- To identify and extract book cover metadata (such as title, author, and ISBN) from images you or other users upload, using automated image analysis tools, as described in Section 5;
- To communicate with you regarding your account, transactions, and updates to the Service;
- To investigate and respond to user reports, disputes, and violations of our Terms of Service;
- To maintain the security, integrity, and proper functioning of the Service, including detecting and preventing fraud, abuse, and unauthorized access;
- To comply with applicable legal obligations.
We do not sell your personal information to third parties, and we do not use your personal information for third-party advertising.
04 How We Share Your Information
We do not sell your personal information. We may share your information in the following limited circumstances:
- With Other Users. Certain information, such as your display name, avatar, aggregate rating, and the books you list, is visible to other users of the Service as necessary for the Service to function. When you engage in a rental or sale transaction, the counterparty to that transaction may see additional information necessary to complete the exchange.
- With Service Providers. We share information with third-party vendors who perform services on our behalf, as described in Section 5 below. These vendors are authorized to use your information only as necessary to provide their services to us and are contractually obligated to protect your information.
- For Legal Reasons. We may disclose your information if required to do so by law, subpoena, or other legal process, or if we believe in good faith that disclosure is necessary to protect the rights, property, or safety of BookHop, our users, or the public.
- Business Transfers. If BookHop is involved in a merger, acquisition, financing, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will provide notice before your information becomes subject to a different privacy policy.
05 Third-Party Service Providers
We rely on the following categories of third-party service providers to operate the Service. Information shared with these providers is limited to what is necessary for them to perform their function.
- Payment Processing. Stripe, Inc. processes payments and payouts made through the Service. Stripe's use of your information is governed by Stripe's own privacy policy.
- Cloud Infrastructure and Storage. We use cloud infrastructure providers, including Google Cloud Platform, to host our servers, database, and to store book cover images that you or other users upload.
- AI-Assisted Content Analysis. We use third-party artificial intelligence providers, which may include OpenAI, L.L.C. and/or Google LLC (Gemini), to (a) automatically extract metadata such as title, author, and ISBN from book cover images, and (b) screen book listing text (titles, authors, and descriptions) for content that violates our content policies. Only book listing content and cover images — not your private messages, reviews, or account credentials — are shared with these providers for these purposes.
- Book Metadata Providers. We use the Google Books API and Google Custom Search to help identify and suggest cover images for book listings based on publicly available book information.
We periodically review our third-party service providers and may add, remove, or change providers from time to time. Material changes will be reflected in updates to this Policy.
06 Cookies
The Service uses a single first-party session cookie that is strictly necessary for you to remain logged in and for the Service to function securely. This cookie expires automatically after a period of inactivity. We do not currently use cookies for advertising, cross-site tracking, or third-party analytics purposes. If this changes in the future, we will update this Policy accordingly.
07 Data Retention
We retain your account information for as long as your account remains active. If you delete your account, we will delete or de-identify your personal information within a reasonable period, except where we are required to retain certain records (such as transaction and payment records) to comply with legal, tax, accounting, or dispute-resolution obligations. Content you have shared with other users, such as messages and reviews, may persist in the recipient's account after you delete your own account.
08 Your Rights and Choices
- Access and Correction. You may access and update most of your account information at any time through your account settings.
- Account Deletion. You may request deletion of your account by contacting us using the information in Section 12. Upon a verified deletion request, we will delete your personal information from our active systems, subject to the retention exceptions described in Section 7.
- Communications. You may opt out of non-essential email communications from us by following the unsubscribe instructions included in those communications. You may not opt out of essential service-related communications, such as those related to security, transactions, or updates to our policies.
Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have additional rights under applicable data protection law, including the right to request a copy of the personal information we hold about you, the right to object to certain processing, and the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority. To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the information in Section 12.
09 Children's Privacy
The Service is designed to be used by adults, including parents and guardians who wish to rent, lend, or exchange children's books on behalf of the children in their care. The Service is not directed to children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 13. If we become aware that we have inadvertently collected personal information from a child under 13 without verified parental consent, we will take steps to delete such information promptly.
Note: If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us using the information in Section 12 so that we may take appropriate action.
10 Data Security
We implement technical and organizational safeguards designed to protect your information from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, and destruction. These safeguards include, among others, cryptographic hashing of account passwords (we never store your password in plain text), encrypted data transmission, and access controls limiting employee access to personal information to what is necessary to perform their duties. However, no method of electronic transmission or storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee the absolute security of your information.
11 International Users
BookHop's servers and service providers are located in the United States. If you access the Service from outside the United States, you understand that your information will be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States, where data protection laws may differ from those of your jurisdiction.
12 Contact Us
If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Policy or our data practices, please contact us at:
support@arbookhop.com
13 Changes to This Policy
We may update this Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, the Service, or applicable law. If we make material changes, we will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this Policy and, where appropriate, provide additional notice (such as through the Service or by email). Your continued use of the Service after any changes to this Policy constitutes your acceptance of the updated Policy.