Privacy Policy
Last updated August 2, 2026
Foreword (“Foreword,” “we,” “us”) is a social reading app. This policy explains what we collect, why, and the choices you have. Questions? Email hello@joinforeword.com.
Information we collect
Information you give us
- Account details — your email address and password (passwords are handled by our authentication provider and stored only as a secure hash).
- Profile — display name, username, and anything you choose to add such as a bio, pronouns, or a profile photo.
- Reading activity — the books you add, ratings, reviews, shelves, reading progress, diary entries, lists, and recommendations you send or receive.
- Social content — book clubs and buddy reads you join, and messages you send in direct messages or club chats.
Information collected automatically
- Location — only if you grant permission, we use your approximate or precise location to help you find readers and book clubs near you. You can turn this off at any time in your device settings.
- Device & push tokens — if you enable notifications, we store a push token so we can deliver them.
- Usage analytics — first-party, aggregate events (for example, which screens are used) to understand and improve the app. We do not sell this data.
How we use your information
- To operate core features—matching, clubs, buddy reads, tracking, and messaging.
- To match you with other readers based on shared books.
- To send you notifications you’ve asked for.
- To keep the service safe, prevent abuse, and fix problems.
How your information is shared
Some information is shared with other users by design: your public profile, reviews, lists, and activity are visible to readers on Foreword. Messages are visible to their recipients. We do not sell your personal information.
We rely on a small number of service providers who process data on our behalf:
- Supabase — database, authentication, and file storage.
- Expo — delivery of push notifications.
- Google Books & Open Library — book metadata and cover images.
- Google Places — location lookups when you search for a place.
We may also disclose information if required by law or to protect the rights and safety of our users.
Your choices & rights
- Access & edit — you can view and edit your profile and reading data in the app at any time.
- Delete your account — from Settings → Delete account, which permanently removes your account and associated data. You may also email us to request deletion.
- Permissions — location, notifications, camera, and photo access are all optional and controlled from your device settings.
Data retention
We keep your information for as long as your account is active. When you delete your account, we remove your personal data, except where we must retain limited records to comply with legal obligations.
Children
Foreword is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from them. If you believe a child has provided us information, contact us and we will delete it.
Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time. When we do, we’ll revise the date above and, for significant changes, provide notice in the app.
Contact
Questions about your privacy? Email hello@joinforeword.com. See also our Terms of Service.