1. Scope and our roles
This Privacy Policy applies to PubPod websites, publisher workspaces, reader portals, public reader-program pages, forms, and communications operated by Polymath Publishing House (“PubPod,” “we,” “us,” or “our”).
PubPod handles information in two main roles:
- For PubPod’s own operations, we decide how to use publisher account, billing, security, support, and service-usage information.
- For a Publisher’s programs, the Publisher generally decides why reader, subscriber, campaign, proof, and private-feedback information is collected and used. PubPod processes that information to provide the service, subject to the Publisher’s instructions and applicable law.
A Publisher may provide its own privacy notice with additional details. Questions about a specific book, offer, ERC decision, reimbursement, or Publisher communication should usually be directed to that Publisher; PubPod can help route a request when needed.
2. Information we collect
Publisher account and workspace information
We collect names, business or publisher names, email addresses, authentication identifiers, workspace roles, settings, support communications, and activity needed to create and administer an account.
Book, audience, and campaign information
Publishers may submit book records, covers, author or brand details, landing-page content, QR destinations, contacts, consent and source records, tags, forms, campaigns, and email content.
Reader-program information
Depending on the program, we may handle a reader’s name, email, region, eligibility answers, request status, accepted program terms, purchase format, private feedback, uploaded proof, reimbursement status, support history, and payment-destination information.
Uploaded receipts or screenshots may accidentally contain additional information. Readers and Publishers should redact unrelated addresses, card details, order contents, or other sensitive information before upload.
Billing and payment information
We receive subscription, invoice, payment status, plan, and provider identifiers from billing providers. Payment providers generally collect and store full card, bank, or wallet credentials themselves. PubPod may store a protected reader payout destination or provider identifier when needed for a reimbursement workflow.
Device, usage, and communications data
We collect technical and security data such as IP address, browser or device type, request time, page or feature activity, authentication events, error details, audit events, and email delivery, bounce, complaint, unsubscribe, open, or click events when those features are enabled.
3. How we use information
We use information to:
- provide and maintain publisher workspaces, reader pages, forms, campaigns, secure portals, reimbursements, managed links, and support;
- authenticate users, authorize workspace access, prevent duplicate or unauthorized actions, and maintain audit history;
- process subscriptions, reconcile provider events, apply plan limits, and communicate about billing;
- send requested transactional or marketing communications and honor suppression or unsubscribe choices;
- detect fraud, spam, abuse, security incidents, policy violations, and unsafe reader programs;
- debug, measure, and improve reliability, usability, and performance; and
- comply with law, enforce agreements, and protect users, Publishers, PubPod, and third parties.
We may create aggregate or de-identified information that does not reasonably identify an individual and use it for service analysis and improvement.
4. Publisher-directed processing
Publishers decide which reader programs, public pages, forms, contact imports, and campaigns they operate. Publishers are responsible for providing required notices, collecting any required consent, limiting access by their team, responding to reader requests, and using information only for lawful purposes.
ERC participation and marketing consent are separate. PubPod does not treat a reader’s ERC request, private rating, proof upload, or reimbursement as permission to receive a Publisher’s marketing messages.
We do not use a reader’s private feedback or rating to decide whether that reader receives reimbursement. Publishers may access program information within their own workspace to operate the program, resolve support issues, and meet their obligations.
6. Billing and reimbursement providers
Subscription billing and reader reimbursements may involve third-party payment providers. Those providers process information under their own privacy policies and may independently require identity, business, tax, fraud, or account-verification information.
A Publisher should connect a payment account only through the provider’s authorized flow. PubPod will not ask a Publisher to disclose a payment-provider password. A reader’s payout destination is restricted to the reimbursement workflow and should not be added to campaign exports or ordinary contact profiles.
8. Data retention
Retention depends on the type of information, the Publisher’s active service, the purpose for which it was collected, security and audit needs, provider limitations, and legal obligations. We keep information only as long as reasonably needed for those purposes, then delete, de-identify, or restrict it when practical.
Account, billing, consent, suppression, security, audit, dispute, and reimbursement records may need to remain longer than ordinary content. Deletion from backups or provider systems may not be immediate. A legal hold, fraud investigation, unresolved payment, or active dispute may delay deletion.
PubPod does not promise a fixed retention period for every category in this policy. Publishers with a contractual or regulatory retention requirement should contact [email protected] before collecting that information through PubPod.
9. Security
We use administrative, technical, and organizational measures intended to protect information, including access controls, tenant-scoped authorization, protected sessions, encryption or one-way hashing for appropriate credentials and sensitive fields, private file access, audit records, and provider security controls.
No service can guarantee absolute security. Publishers and readers should use secure sign-in methods, limit uploaded information, keep devices and email accounts protected, and report suspected unauthorized access to [email protected].
10. Your choices and privacy rights
Depending on where you live, you may have rights to access, correct, delete, restrict, object to, or receive a copy of certain personal information, and to appeal or complain about a privacy decision. These rights can be subject to exceptions.
- Publisher account holders can update many account and workspace settings in PubPod.
- Email recipients can use the unsubscribe or preference link in a marketing message. Transactional security, billing, access, or program-status messages may still be sent when necessary.
- Readers may contact the relevant Publisher about a program record or contact PubPod for help identifying and routing the request.
- Anyone may send a privacy request to [email protected]. We may need to verify identity and authority before acting.
We will not discriminate against a person for exercising an applicable privacy right.
11. Children’s privacy
PubPod publisher accounts and ERC reimbursement programs are not directed to children under 13. Publishers must not knowingly use PubPod to collect personal information from a child under 13 without first establishing every notice, consent, and other safeguard required by law and receiving PubPod’s written approval for that use.
If you believe a child has submitted personal information improperly, contact us so we can investigate and coordinate with the relevant Publisher.
12. International processing
PubPod and its service providers may process information in the United States and other countries where they operate. Privacy protections and government-access rules may differ from those in your location. Where required, we use appropriate contractual or legal measures for international transfers.
Publishers are responsible for confirming that their own collection and international use of reader or subscriber information is lawful.
13. Updates and contact
We may update this policy as PubPod, our providers, or legal requirements change. We will post the current version and effective date here and provide additional notice when a material change requires it.
For privacy questions or requests, email [email protected]. If your question concerns a particular Publisher’s book, message, application decision, or reimbursement, include enough information for us to identify the relevant workspace without sending sensitive payment credentials or unnecessary proof.