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Privacy Policy

Last updated: September 12, 2026

Bookside ("we", "our", "the app") is built privacy-first. This policy explains what data the app handles, where it lives, and your rights. Short version: your reading data stays on your device unless you sign in. If you sign in, Bookside privately backs up supported reading metadata so it can be restored on your devices; only content you make social is visible to accepted friends. We never sell data and we show no ads.

1. Data that stays only on your device

• Imported ebook files, including your PDF and EPUB files, and their local file paths
• Custom spine images and original custom cover photos; reduced copies of cover photos are uploaded only if you enable cover sharing (see section 3)
• The opaque Screen Time tokens representing the apps and categories you select

You can use Bookside without signing in. In that case, your library, reading sessions, notes, quotes, saved words, statistics, goals, schedule and preferences remain on your device. If you sign in, supported metadata from those features is privately backed up as described in section 3. Ebook files, local file paths, manual-cover image bytes, custom spine images and Screen Time tokens are never included in account backup.

2. App blocking & Screen Time

Blocking uses Apple's Screen Time (FamilyControls) framework. The apps you select are represented by opaque tokens that never leave your device — we cannot see which apps you choose or how you use them. You can revoke Screen Time access at any time in iOS Settings.

3. Optional Bookside account, private backup & social features

Signing in with Apple is optional and is required for account backup and friends features. If you sign in, the following is stored on our servers (hosted on Supabase, in the United States):

• Your email address — or Apple's private relay address, if you chose to hide it. It identifies your account and nothing else: we never send marketing email
• Your handle and display name
• Private account-backup metadata: your book and library metadata, catalog cover URLs, progress, ratings and reviews; reading sessions, notes, quotes and saved words; goals, contracts, quick breaks, shelf positions, decorations, reading schedule and supported preferences. This backup is used to restore your data and is not visible to other users
• Social content: the books, finished sessions, session notes, reviews and quotes you make social. Books you mark private and their related activity are not visible to friends
• Optional custom cover photos: if you enable Share custom cover photos, reduced copies for your non-private books are uploaded to private Supabase storage. Friends can load a photo only after it is approved in moderation, while the book is shared, your sharing choice is enabled, and neither account has blocked the other. Moderators can review submitted cover photos to enforce community rules. These photos are separate from private account backup.
• Your friends list, likes, comments, reports, and cover-moderation decisions
• A push notification token, if you allow notifications (used only for friend activity — never marketing; you can turn social notifications off in Settings)

Friends can only see social content once you have accepted each other, and they cannot access your private account backup. You can delete your account at any time in Settings → Account → Delete account — this removes your profile, private backup and social data from our servers. Your local library stays on your current device, but local-only ebook files and custom image bytes cannot be restored after the app or device data is removed.

Cover-photo sharing is off until you choose it, and can be changed in Settings → Account. Turning it off stops future access by friends; it does not erase copies somebody already saved. Uploaded photos remain accessible to you and moderators until removed through account deletion or storage cleanup. Your original device images are not deleted. Older versions uploaded custom covers to public URLs; current storage access requires authentication and the permissions described above. Previously downloaded or cached copies cannot be recalled.

4. Optional analytics

Optional analytics are off by default in the updated app and start only when you enable Share usage data in Settings → Usage data. PostHog then receives app interactions, onboarding choices, purchase-flow events, and basic device/app information associated with a random app identifier. Your book text, notes, and quotes are not included. We do not use IDFA, advertising identifiers, session replay, or cross-app tracking. You can withdraw this choice in the same setting at any time. The choice is local to the installation and is not restored from account backup. PostHog Privacy Policy

5. Purchases

Subscriptions and purchases are processed by Apple and managed through RevenueCat, which receives transaction data and an app-specific customer identifier to unlock your membership across devices. We never see your payment details. RevenueCat Privacy Policy

6. Third-party lookups

• Book search — your search query or scanned ISBN is sent to Google Books and Open Library to find book details. No personal data is attached.
• Word definitions — the word you look up is sent to dictionaryapi.dev or FreeDictionaryAPI.com. Definitions include source and license attribution. These services receive the network information needed to respond, such as your IP address; we do not attach your Bookside account information.

7. What we never do

• No location, contacts or message access
• No tracking across other apps or websites
• No ads, no selling or renting of data — to anyone, ever

8. Your rights

You can export or delete your local data by managing your library in the app, delete your Bookside account and its private backup/social data in-app (section 3), and contact us for any privacy request at support@getbookfirst.com. If you are in the EU/EEA, you have the rights provided by the GDPR, including access, rectification and erasure.

9. Children

Bookside is not directed at children under 13, and the social features require an account under Apple's minimum age for Sign in with Apple in your region.

10. Changes

We'll update this page when our practices change and revise the date above. Significant changes will be highlighted in the app.

Terms of Use

Last updated: July 25, 2026

By using Bookside, you agree to these terms.

1. The service

Bookside is a reading companion: it blocks the apps you choose during reading sessions, tracks your reading, offers a catalog of public-domain classics, and provides optional private social features. The free tier includes unlimited manual blocking sessions, a library of up to 10 books, social features and basic statistics.

2. Bookside Pro

• Yearly — auto-renewing subscription, charged yearly until cancelled. Any eligible free trial, its duration, and the price afterward are displayed before purchase.
• Monthly — auto-renewing subscription, charged monthly until cancelled.
• Lifetime — a one-time purchase, yours forever.

Prices are shown in the app before any purchase. Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period, and can be cancelled anytime in your Apple ID Settings → Subscriptions. Deleting the app or your Bookside account does not cancel an Apple subscription. Purchases can be restored from the paywall or Settings.

3. Your content & community rules

You keep all rights to the notes, reviews and quotes you create. If you use the social features, don't post content that is unlawful, hateful, harassing, sexually explicit, spam, or that infringes someone else's rights. You can report content and block users in the app; we review reports and may remove content or suspend accounts that break these rules.

4. The classics catalog

The included ebooks are public-domain works produced by Standard Ebooks. Your own imported EPUB/PDF files must be files you have the right to use.

5. Screen Time

Blocking relies on Apple's Screen Time framework and requires your explicit authorization. Bookside is a tool to support your own habits — you remain in control and can revoke access at any time. We make no guarantee that blocking is impossible to bypass.

6. Disclaimers

Bookside is provided "as is", without warranties of any kind. To the maximum extent permitted by law, we are not liable for indirect or consequential damages arising from your use of the app. Nothing in these terms limits liability that cannot be limited by law.

7. Changes & contact

We may update these terms; continued use after an update constitutes acceptance. These terms are governed by French law. Questions: support@getbookfirst.com

Support

Something broken, something confusing, or an idea to make Bookside better? We read everything.

Email support@getbookfirst.com and we'll get back to you as soon as possible.

Common questions

Blocking isn't working? Check that Bookside has Screen Time access in iOS Settings → Screen Time, and that you've selected apps to block in the session setup.

Purchase not showing? Open the paywall or Settings and tap Restore Purchases.

Want your account data gone? Settings → Account → Delete account removes your profile, private backup and social data from our servers.