Taciturn Studios LLC ("we," "us," or "our") operates CoverCrushing at covercrushing.com (the "Service"). This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website and use our services, including cookies and third-party advertising. Please read this policy carefully. If you disagree with its terms, please discontinue use of the Service.
By using the Service, you consent to the data practices described in this Privacy Policy. We are committed to transparency, user respect, and data minimization — we collect only what we need to deliver the Service.
1. Information We Collect
Personal Data You Provide
- Name and email address (when you create an account or contact us)
- Payment information (processed securely by Stripe — we do not store card numbers)
- Book cover files and test submissions you upload
- Communications you send us
Automatically Collected Data
- Log data (IP address, browser type, pages visited, time spent)
- Device information (operating system, screen resolution)
- Cookies and similar tracking technologies (see the Cookie Disclosure below)
- Usage data (features used, votes cast, tests created)
2. How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect to:
- Provide, operate, and improve the Service
- Process payments and fulfill orders
- Send transactional emails (test results, account confirmations)
- Send marketing communications (with your consent; you may opt out at any time)
- Analyze usage patterns to improve user experience
- Display advertising, including Google AdSense, subject to your cookie choices
- Comply with legal obligations
- Detect and prevent fraud or abuse
3. How We Share Your Information
We do not sell your personal data. We may share information with:
- Service providers — Stripe (payments), Resend (email), AWS (hosting and storage), Google Analytics (analytics), Google AdSense (advertising), Meta Platforms Inc. (server-side conversion tracking via Meta Conversions API / CAPI — used to measure ad performance; no cover files or test content are shared)
- Legal compliance — when required by law, court order, or governmental authority
- Business transfers — in connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets
All third-party service providers are contractually required to protect your data and use it only for the purposes we specify.
| Processor | Purpose | Data Shared |
|---|---|---|
| Stripe | Payment processing | Name, email, billing info |
| Resend | Transactional email | Name, email address |
| AWS / S3 | File storage | Cover files (encrypted at rest) |
| AI Infrastructure | AI Panel simulation | Cover images (transient — not stored beyond session) |
| Meta CAPI | Ad performance measurement | Hashed email, event data only |
| Google Analytics | Usage analytics | Anonymized usage data |
| Google AdSense | Advertising | Cookie identifiers and ad-request data |
4. Data Retention
We retain your personal data for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide services. Specific retention periods by data category:
- Account and profile data — retained until you delete your account, then purged within 30 days of your deletion request
- Payment records and transaction history — retained for 7 years to comply with US tax and financial reporting obligations (IRS requirements)
- Cover files and test submissions — retained for 90 days after test completion, then permanently deleted unless you request earlier removal
- Usage and analytics data — retained in aggregated, anonymized form for up to 2 years
- Support and contact communications — retained for 3 years
You may request deletion of your account and associated data at any time by emailing privacy@covercrushing.com. We will respond within 30 days. Note that payment records may be retained beyond your deletion request for legal and financial compliance purposes as described above.
5. Your Rights
Depending on your location, you may have the following rights:
- Access — request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
- Correction — request correction of inaccurate data
- Deletion — request deletion of your personal data ("right to be forgotten")
- Portability — receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format
- Objection — object to processing of your data for direct marketing
- Restriction — request restriction of processing in certain circumstances
To exercise any of these rights, contact us via our contact form or email privacy@covercrushing.com. EU/EEA residents may also lodge a complaint with their local supervisory authority.
5a. AI Data Handling
The CoverCrush Report includes an AI Panel Preview generated by synthetic reader personas. Cover images submitted for AI analysis are processed transiently — they are not stored beyond the session required to generate your report, are not used to train AI models, and are not shared with any third party beyond what is necessary to process the request.
- What we process: Your cover image(s) are sent to our AI infrastructure to generate the panel simulation. This is a transient operation — images are not retained after the report is generated.
- What we do not do: We do not use your cover images to train AI models, sell them to third parties, or include them in any dataset.
- AI output labeling: All AI-generated content in your report is clearly labeled as AI-generated. It is never presented as real human votes.
- Accuracy tracking: We track AI Panel predictions against real reader outcomes over time to measure and publish accuracy rates. This tracking uses anonymized aggregate data only.
6. Cookie Disclosure
CoverCrushing uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to operate the Service, remember preferences, measure traffic, and — if you consent — show advertising through Google AdSense. Cookies are small text files placed on your device. They cannot run programs or deliver viruses.
A cookie consent banner appears after you scroll on your first visit. You can accept all cookies, reject non-essential cookies, or choose analytics and advertising separately. Essential cookies are required for login and security.
Essential cookies (required)
| Cookie | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| session_token | Maintains your authenticated session | Session / 30 days |
| csrf_token | Protects against cross-site request forgery | Session |
| cookie_consent / covercrush_cookie_consent | Remembers your cookie consent choice | 1 year |
Analytics cookies (optional)
Google Analytics helps us understand page views, session duration, and feature usage. Data is anonymized or pseudonymized before analysis. Duration: up to 2 years. You may decline these cookies or install the Google Analytics Opt-Out Browser Add-on.
Advertising cookies (optional) — Google AdSense
Third-party vendors, including Google, use cookies to serve ads based on a user's prior visits to this website or other websites. Google's use of advertising cookies enables it and its partners to serve ads based on your visit to this site and/or other sites on the Internet.
Users may opt out of personalized advertising by visiting Google Ad Settings or www.aboutads.info. You can also decline advertising cookies in our consent banner.
Google AdSense (publisher ID ca-pub-1051825252184436) may set cookies to display relevant ads and measure ad performance. Duration: up to 2 years. Review Google's practices at policies.google.com/privacy and policies.google.com/technologies/ads.
More cookie detail is also published at covercrushing.com/cookie-policy.
7. Browser Extension & WordPress Plugin
Chrome Extension
The CoverCrushing Chrome Extension (also compatible with Brave and Edge) connects to your CoverCrushing account to display crush rates and enable in-browser voting. The extension:
- Reads your authentication session to identify your account
- Sends cover submission data to CoverCrushing servers when you submit a cover
- Does not read, store, or transmit your browsing history or any data from pages you visit
- Does not collect data from non-CoverCrushing pages
WordPress Plugin
The CoverCrushing WordPress Plugin connects to the CoverCrushing API using your API key to display your crush rate badge. The plugin:
- Sends your API key and cover ID to CoverCrushing servers to fetch crush rate data
- Caches API responses locally as WordPress transients (default: 12 hours) to minimise API calls
- Does not collect data about your WordPress site visitors
- Does not store any personally identifiable information about your site visitors
Your API key is stored in your WordPress database and is only used to authenticate requests to the CoverCrushing API. Keep your API key private and do not share it publicly.
8. Amazon Affiliate Disclosure
CoverCrushing is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. When you click an Amazon affiliate link on our site (identified with "#ad" or "As an Amazon Associate" labels), we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
9. AI Chat Assistant
Our website uses an AI-powered chat assistant to provide faster support and information. When you use this chat feature:
- Your messages are processed by our AI vendor's servers to generate responses
- We retain chat transcripts for quality assurance, product improvement, and AI model training
- Chat data is handled in accordance with our data retention policies
- Chat transcripts are not sold to third parties
- You may request deletion of your chat data by contacting privacy@covercrushing.com
A consent notice is displayed before your first interaction with the chat assistant. The chat widget appears only after you scroll. By proceeding past the consent notice, you acknowledge and agree to the data practices described above.
10. Children's Privacy
Our Service is not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 13. If you believe we have inadvertently collected such data, please contact us immediately and we will take prompt steps to delete it.
11. California Privacy Rights (CCPA)
California residents have the right to know what personal information we collect, disclose, or sell; the right to request deletion; and the right to opt out of the sale of personal information. We do not sell personal information. To exercise your rights, contact us with "CCPA Request" in your message or email privacy@covercrushing.com.
12. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of material changes by posting the new policy on this page with an updated "Last updated" date. Your continued use of the Service after changes constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.
13. Contact Us
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:
Taciturn Studios LLC
Email: privacy@covercrushing.com
Contact form: covercrushing.com/contact
Website: covercrushing.com
Taciturn Studios LLC · Florida, United States
This Privacy Policy does not constitute legal advice. We recommend consulting a qualified attorney for your specific jurisdiction and situation.