Privacy Policy

1. Information We Collect

Account and identity. When you sign in with Sign in with Apple, we receive your name and email address (which may be an Apple private-relay address that forwards to you) and create an account identified by a unique Firebase user ID. We never receive your Apple password.

Your reading data. The App stores your library, reading progress and statistics, bookmarks, highlights, the notes you write, your reader profile, and your settings. This is kept on your device. If you subscribe to IO+ and enable cross-device sync, this data is also stored in our cloud database (Google Cloud Firestore), linked to your user ID, so it is available on your other devices.

AI reading assistant. When you use the in-app AI assistant, the questions you ask and relevant context (such as the title, author, and passage you are reading) are sent to Google's Gemini models, via Firebase, to generate a response.

Listen (text-to-speech). When you use Listen mode, the text of the passages to be read aloud is sent to Google's text-to-speech service to synthesize audio.

Book discovery and search. When you search for books, your search queries are sent to our catalog sources, Project Gutenberg (via the Gutendex API) and Standard Ebooks, to return results.

Diagnostics. We may collect crash logs and basic diagnostic and performance data to identify bugs and improve stability.

Subscriptions. IO+ subscriptions are processed by Apple through your App Store account. We receive your subscription status to unlock features; we do not receive or store your payment card details.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use your information to provide core reading features and save your progress, library, and notes; to sync your data across devices when you have IO+; to power the AI assistant, Listen mode, and book search; to process and validate your subscription; and to diagnose problems, prevent abuse, and improve the App. We do not use your reading content or questions to serve third-party advertising, and we do not sell, rent, or share your personal information with third parties for marketing purposes.

3. How Information Is Shared

We share information only with service providers that help us operate the App, and only as needed: Apple (Sign in with Apple and subscription processing); Google and Firebase (authentication, the Firestore database and file storage, the Gemini AI and text-to-speech services, and app integrity and diagnostics); and Project Gutenberg (Gutendex) and Standard Ebooks (to fulfill book search and downloads). These providers process data under their own privacy terms. We may also disclose information if required by law or to protect our rights, our users, or the public.

4. Data Storage and Security

Your data is stored securely using Firebase (Google Cloud). Reading and account data are stored in Firestore and associated with your account, and transmitted over encrypted connections (HTTPS). No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security.

5. Data Retention and Deletion

We retain your account and synced data while your account exists. You can delete everything at any time. In the App, go to Account, then Delete Account: this permanently deletes your account, your synced cloud data (reading data, notes, library, and uploaded files), and your local data, and revokes the App's Sign in with Apple token. This cannot be undone.

You can also remove all local data from Settings, then Reset All User Data, or contact us at support@khhm-llc.com. After deletion, residual copies may persist for a limited time in routine backups before being overwritten.

6. Cookies

This website uses minimal cookies for analytics only. No advertising cookies are used. You can disable cookies in your browser settings without affecting your use of this site.

7. Children's Privacy

IO is not directed at children under 13. 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 immediately.

8. International Users

We and our service providers may process and store your information in countries other than your own, including the United States. Where required, we rely on appropriate safeguards for such transfers.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will revise the date above and, where appropriate, notify registered users of material changes. Continued use of IO after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

10. Contact

For privacy-related questions, contact KHHM LLC at support@khhm-llc.com.