Privacy, Data & Terms

My Review Shelf ("we", "us") operates this service. You can reach us at [email protected]. This policy explains what information we collect, why we collect it, how it is used, and the choices you have. It also sets out the terms you agree to when you use the service, including limits on our liability. We aim to collect only what is needed to run the service and to be plain about how it is handled. By using My Review Shelf, you agree to this policy.

Information we collect

Account & sign-in

• Email address. Used as your identifier and to send you passwordless sign-in links. You may link more than one email address to the same account.
• Sign-in activity. We record your IP address and the time of your most recent sign-in to help secure your account and detect abuse.
• Consent record. When you tick "I agree to the terms in the Privacy & Data Policy" at sign-in or when linking an email, you agree to this policy, including the collection and use of information described on this page. We store the date and time you agreed.
• Sign-in cookie. A single essential cookie keeps you signed in for up to 30 days. It is removed when you sign out or delete your account.
• Session and sign-in tokens. Stored only in hashed form so an active session can be maintained. Sign-in links expire after 15 minutes and can be used once.

Profile

• An optional display name, if you choose to add one. It is optional and can be changed or removed at any time.

Content you create

• Reviews — including title, body, rating, experience date, and any images you upload. We re-save each photo when you upload it, which removes hidden photo data such as the camera model and the GPS location where it was taken, and adds a small My Review Shelf mark to the full-size version.
• Private notes. Notes attached to a review that are only ever visible to you.
• Visibility. Each review is Private or Public based on your choice. Private reviews and private notes are never shown to other users.

Messages you send us

• Feedback and support messages. If you are signed in, your message is linked to your account so we can reply in the app. If you send one without signing in, we store only the message itself, with no email address or account.

Location (optional)

• Places near you. If you tap "Show places near me" while writing a review and allow location access, your device's location is sent to our server to find businesses and places within about 2 miles. Once you have allowed it, this also happens when you open the review form. We round your location to roughly 100 meters first. We do not store it, add it to your account, or use it for anything else.
• Locations of places you review. When a review is tied to a place, we store that place's address. This is the reviewed place's location, not yours.

How we use your information

• To create and maintain your account and keep you signed in.
• To store, display, and let you manage the reviews you write.
• To show reviews you mark as Public to others; the display name shown alongside a public review is the one on your profile.
• To send you the sign-in links you request by email.
• To read and reply to messages you send us.
• To suggest places near you when you ask for them while writing a review.
• To protect the service — verifying that sign-in requests come from a person, and detecting and preventing abuse.

We do not sell your personal information, we do not use it for advertising, and we do not use advertising or tracking cookies.

Service providers

A few third parties process limited data on our behalf so the service can function:

• Email delivery. Our email provider sends your sign-in links. Your email address is shared for this purpose.
• Bot protection (Cloudflare Turnstile). Used on the sign-in form to confirm requests come from a real person.
• Mapping (OpenStreetMap data). To look up addresses and nearby places, our server sends your search text and, if you use "Show places near me", your location (rounded to roughly 100 meters) to a mapping provider: Photon by Komoot, or Nominatim (OpenStreetMap Foundation) or Geoapify if we have configured them. The requests come from our server, not your device, and never include your name, email, IP address, or account.

Data retention

We keep your account information and reviews for as long as your account exists. Deleted reviews are held briefly in a recoverable trash before permanent removal. Messages are kept until you delete them or your account. Your location from "Show places near me" is used only to answer that request and is not kept. Expired sign-in tokens and ended sessions are cleared automatically.

Your choices

• Edit or remove your display name from your profile at any time.
• Change a review's visibility, edit it, or delete it whenever you like.
• Keep reviews Private, or use private notes, so they are visible only to you.
• Use "Show places near me" only if you want to. You can turn location access off at any time in your browser or device settings, and still type names and addresses yourself.
• Delete messages you have sent us from your Messages page.
• Request access to or deletion of your account and data (see "Account & data deletion" below).

Account & data deletion

You can delete your account yourself at any time from your profile page using the "Delete account" option. Deletion is immediate and permanent: it removes your account, linked email addresses, your reviews, notes, uploaded images, messages, profile information, and sign-in sessions. This cannot be undone.

If you prefer, you can instead request deletion by emailing [email protected] from the email address on your account. We will action verified email requests within 30 days. Some information may be retained for a limited period where required to comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, or enforce our terms; it is then removed.

Security

Sign-in and session tokens are stored only as hashes, sign-in links are single-use and short-lived, and connections are served over HTTPS. No system is perfectly secure, but we take reasonable steps to protect your information.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy as the service evolves. When we do, we will revise the "Last updated" date above.

User-generated content

You are solely responsible for the reviews, ratings, notes, images, and any other content you create, upload, or share on My Review Shelf("User Content"). You represent that you have the right to post your User Content and that it does not violate any law or the rights of others.

My Review Shelf does not endorse, verify, or take responsibility for any User Content, including opinions, ratings, or factual claims made by users. User Content reflects the views of the individual who posted it and not those of My Review Shelf. We are not liable for any User Content or for any loss or damage arising from your reliance on it. We may, but are not obligated to, remove content that we believe violates these terms or applicable law.

Service provided "as is"

My Review Shelf is provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis, without warranties of any kind, whether express or implied, including but not limited to implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement. We do not warrant that the service will be uninterrupted, secure, error-free, or free of harmful components, or that any data will not be lost.

Security incidents

We take reasonable measures to protect the service and your information, but no method of transmission or storage is completely secure. To the fullest extent permitted by law, My Review Shelf is not responsible or liable for any unauthorized access to or alteration, disclosure, loss, or destruction of your content or data resulting from a security incident, breach, or event beyond our reasonable control. You are responsible for keeping access to your email account and devices secure.

Limitation of liability

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, My Review Shelf and its operators, owners, and contributors will not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, punitive, or exemplary damages, or for any loss of data, profits, revenue, reputation, or goodwill, arising out of or related to your use of (or inability to use) the service, any User Content, or any security incident, regardless of the legal theory and even if we have been advised of the possibility of such damages. Where liability cannot be excluded by law, our total liability is limited to the amount you paid us to use the service, if any.

Your agreement & indemnification

By using My Review Shelf, you agree to these terms. You agree to indemnify and hold harmless My Review Shelf and its operators from any claims, damages, liabilities, and expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising out of your User Content, your use of the service, or your violation of these terms or the rights of others.

Nothing in this policy limits any rights you have that cannot be limited or excluded under applicable law. Some jurisdictions do not allow certain limitations, so some of the above may not apply to you.

Contact

If you have questions about this policy or want to exercise any of the choices described here, contact us at [email protected].