Privacy Policy
Your highlights are personal. Here's a clear explanation of what AfterWord collects, why we collect it, and how you stay in control of your data.
Last updated August 15, 2026
AfterWord ("we," "our," or "us") is a reading companion app that helps you capture, organize, and rediscover highlights and notes from books. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use and protect it, the services we rely on, and the choices available to you.
The short version
Your data belongs to you
We don't sell your personal information.
Your reading stays private
Your highlights and notes are associated with your account.
AI is used for search
We create embeddings to power semantic search and resurfacing.
You can delete your data
Deleting your account removes your books, highlights, and notes.
1. Information we collect
Account information
We collect your email address when you create or authenticate an AfterWord account. This information is used to manage your account and authenticate your access to the app.
Reading content
We collect the books, highlights, and personal notes that you choose to add to AfterWord. This may include book metadata such as title and author, including information imported from a Kindle clippings export.
Usage information
We may collect basic information about how you interact with AfterWord, such as which features are used, to understand product performance and improve the experience.
2. How we use your information
- To provide core functionality, including storing, organizing, searching, and resurfacing your highlights.
- To generate AI embeddings of your highlights and notes for semantic search and personalized resurfacing.
- To retrieve publicly available book metadata, such as cover art, descriptions, and publisher information, from Open Library.
- To authenticate your account and send necessary account-related communications, such as confirmation and password-reset emails.
- To monitor and improve the reliability, security, and functionality of AfterWord.
3. AI and your reading data
AfterWord uses embeddings to understand the semantic meaning of your highlights and notes. These embeddings power features such as semantic search and resurfacing related ideas from your reading history.
Your highlights and notes are processed within AfterWord's backend infrastructure for these features. We do not use your reading content to train a general-purpose AI model, and we do not sell your reading data.
4. Data storage and security
Your AfterWord data is stored using Supabase infrastructure. AfterWord uses authentication controls and row-level security policies designed to ensure that users can access only the data associated with their own accounts.
We take reasonable measures to protect your information from unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. However, no internet-based service can guarantee absolute security.
5. Third-party services
Supabase
Used for database storage, authentication, and backend infrastructure.
Open Library
Used to retrieve publicly available book metadata. We do not send your personal account information to Open Library for these lookups.
6. Data retention
We retain your account information and reading data for as long as your AfterWord account remains active, unless you request deletion earlier or we are otherwise required to retain information by law.
7. Your choices and rights
You have control over the information you provide to AfterWord. Depending on your location and applicable law, you may have rights to:
- Access the personal information associated with your account.
- Request correction of inaccurate information.
- Request deletion of your account and associated data.
- Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent.
- Ask questions about how your information is processed.
You can delete your account and associated reading data through the account controls available in AfterWord. If you need help, you can also contact us directly.
8. Children's privacy
AfterWord is not directed at children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us so that we can take appropriate action.
9. Changes to this policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time as AfterWord evolves or as our legal and privacy practices change. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page.
Questions about your privacy?
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, your data, or how AfterWord handles your information, we're happy to hear from you.
getafterword@gmail.com