Tellura.com ("Tellura," "we," "us," or "our") operates a web novel platform that allows users to read, publish, and discover original stories. This Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use, disclose, and protect your personal information when you use our website and services (the "Service").

By using the Service, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with this Privacy Policy, please do not use the Service.

We collect information that you provide directly to us and information that is collected automatically when you use the Service.

2.1 Account Information

When you create an account, we collect:

• Email address (required);
• Password (stored in hashed form using industry-standard cryptographic hashing; we never store your plaintext password);
• Display name (optional).

2.2 Third-Party Authentication

If you register or log in using a third-party service (Google, Microsoft, Apple, or Facebook), we receive your email address and a unique identifier from that provider. We do not receive or store your password from these providers. The specific information shared depends on your privacy settings with that provider.

2.3 Profile Information

You may optionally provide:

• A biography;
• A profile avatar image;
• Privacy preferences (controlling the visibility of your reviews, comments, followed novels, reading lists, and forum activity);
• Content preferences (such as adult content filtering and preferred language).

2.4 User-Generated Content

We store content you create on the Service, including:

• Novels and chapters you publish;
• Comments on chapters;
• Reviews and ratings of novels;
• Forum threads and posts;
• Bookmark notes.

2.5 Reading Activity

We collect information about your reading activity, including:

• Which chapters you have read and your reading progress (scroll position or page number);
• Your reader preferences (font size, font family, theme, line height, and view mode);
• Novels and authors you follow;
• Chapters you have bookmarked.

2.6 Author Monetization Information

If you apply for the author monetization program, we collect additional information including your legal name, date of birth, country of residence, and tax identification number. This information is used to verify your identity, process payouts, and comply with tax reporting obligations.

Payment transactions are processed by our third-party payment processor, Stripe, Inc. When you make a purchase, Stripe collects your payment information (such as credit card number and billing address) directly. Tellura does not receive, process, or store your full payment card details.

We do store:

• An account identifier that links your Tellura account to your payment profile;
• Transaction records, including purchase amounts and transaction status;
• Subscription details, including plan type, billing period, and subscription status.

For authors receiving payouts, Stripe handles the collection of bank account or other payout-related financial information directly.

4.1 Analytics Data

When you use the Service, we automatically collect certain information for analytics and service improvement purposes:

• Chapter view data: which chapters are viewed, reading duration, and completion percentage;
• Device information: device type (desktop, mobile, tablet);
• Geographic data: country-level location derived from your IP address (we do not collect precise geolocation);
• Referrer information: how you arrived at a page (search, browse, direct, external link, or notification);
• Search queries: search terms you enter on the Service and which results you click on.

4.2 Device Identifiers

For users who are not logged in, we may generate a device identifier for analytics purposes. This identifier helps us understand usage patterns and is not used to identify you personally. When you are logged in, analytics data is associated with your user account instead.

4.3 Security Data

We collect information related to login attempts, including IP addresses, to protect against unauthorized access. This data is retained for a limited period and is used solely for security purposes.

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

• Providing the Service: operating, maintaining, and improving the reading and publishing platform;
• Personalization: customizing your reading experience, including reader settings, recommendations, and content preferences;
• Payment processing: facilitating Coin purchases, subscription billing, and author payouts;
• Communication: sending account-related notifications (email verification, password resets, novel approval/rejection, new chapter alerts, comment replies), subject to your email preferences;
• Analytics: understanding how the Service is used to improve features, content discovery, and user experience;
• Content moderation: reviewing submitted content and enforcing our Terms of Service;
• Security and fraud prevention: detecting and preventing unauthorized access, abuse, and fraudulent transactions;
• Legal compliance: fulfilling our legal obligations, including tax reporting for author earnings.

We do not sell your personal information. We share your information only in the following circumstances:

6.1 Service Providers

We share information with third-party service providers who perform services on our behalf, including:

• Payment processing and author payouts;
• Content delivery and website security;
• Infrastructure and hosting;
• Authentication services (when you sign in via Google, Microsoft, Apple, or Facebook).

These providers are authorized to use your personal information only as necessary to provide services to us and are contractually obligated to protect it.

6.2 Public Information

Certain information is publicly visible on the Service by design, including your display name, published novels and chapters, comments, reviews, and author profile. You can control additional visibility through your profile privacy settings.

6.3 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required to do so by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities (e.g., a court order or government agency).

6.4 Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, reorganization, bankruptcy, or sale of all or a portion of our assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you of any such change and any choices you may have regarding your information.

6.5 Aggregated and Anonymized Data

We may share aggregated or anonymized information that cannot reasonably be used to identify you, such as platform-wide reading statistics or genre popularity data.

7.1 Cookies We Use

We use cookies and similar technologies to operate and secure the Service:

• Authentication cookies (necessary): We use secure cookies to manage your login session. These cookies are essential for the Service to function and cannot be disabled.
• Analytics cookies (optional): With your consent, we use cookies to collect usage data that helps us improve the Service.
• Marketing cookies (optional): With your consent, we may use cookies for promotional purposes.

7.2 Local Storage

We use browser local storage to store your preferences, such as cookie consent choices and reader display settings (font, theme, etc.), so they persist between visits.

7.3 Cookie Consent

When you first visit the Service, we present a cookie consent banner that allows you to accept or reject optional cookies (analytics and marketing). You can manage your cookie preferences at any time through the cookie settings accessible from the banner. Necessary cookies (authentication) cannot be disabled as they are required for the Service to function.

We retain your information for as long as necessary to provide the Service and fulfill the purposes described in this Privacy Policy:

• Account data: retained for the duration of your account. If you request account deletion, your personal data will be removed within a reasonable period, except where retention is required by law (e.g., financial records for tax purposes);
• User-generated content: retained for the duration of your account. Published content that has been viewed by other users may be retained in an anonymized form after account deletion;
• Reading progress and preferences: retained for the duration of your account;
• Analytics data: individual event data is retained for a limited period, after which it is aggregated into anonymized statistical summaries;
• Security logs: retained for a limited period and used solely for fraud prevention and security purposes;
• Payment and tax records: retained as required by applicable tax and financial regulations.

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your personal information:

• Password protection: passwords are cryptographically hashed before storage. We never store plaintext passwords;
• Encryption in transit: all data transmitted between your browser and our servers is encrypted using HTTPS;
• Infrastructure security: we use reputable cloud infrastructure providers with built-in protections against common attacks;
• Access controls: access to user data is restricted to authorized personnel on a need-to-know basis;
• Abuse prevention: we employ measures to prevent brute-force attacks and unauthorized access to accounts.

While we strive to protect your personal information, no method of electronic transmission or storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security.

The Service is not directed to children under 13 years of age, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you are under 13, please do not use the Service or provide any personal information.

If we learn that we have collected personal information from a child under 13, we will take steps to delete such information promptly. If you believe that a child under 13 may have provided us with personal information, please contact us at [email protected].

This is in compliance with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), 15 U.S.C. Sections 6501-6506.

11.1 California Residents (CCPA/CPRA)

If you are a California resident, you have the following rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA):

• Right to Know: you have the right to request that we disclose the categories and specific pieces of personal information we have collected about you, the sources of that information, the business purposes for collecting it, and the categories of third parties with whom we share it;
• Right to Delete: you have the right to request that we delete the personal information we have collected from you, subject to certain exceptions (such as legal obligations or completing a transaction);
• Right to Correct: you have the right to request that we correct inaccurate personal information;
• Right to Opt-Out of Sale: we do not sell personal information. If we change this practice in the future, we will provide you with the right to opt out;
• Right to Non-Discrimination: we will not discriminate against you for exercising any of your privacy rights.

11.2 Exercising Your Rights

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at [email protected]. We will respond to verifiable consumer requests within 45 days. We may need to verify your identity before processing your request.

11.3 All Users

Regardless of your location, you may:

• Access and update your account information through your profile settings;
• Control the visibility of your profile and activity through privacy settings;
• Manage your email notification preferences;
• Manage your cookie preferences through the cookie consent banner;
• Request deletion of your account by contacting us at [email protected].

Some web browsers transmit "Do Not Track" (DNT) signals to websites. Because there is no universally accepted standard for how to respond to DNT signals, we do not currently respond to DNT signals. We will continue to monitor developments around DNT browser technology and update our practices accordingly.

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any material changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on the Service and updating the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page. For significant changes, we may also send you a notification via email or through the Service.

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically. Your continued use of the Service after the posting of changes constitutes your acceptance of such changes.

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, our data practices, or your privacy rights, please contact us at:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: Tellura.com