Privacy Policy

Last updated: September 25, 2026

This Privacy Policy describes how Burak Çiçek ("we", "us") handles information in connection with the SlowShelf mobile application ("App"). We are committed to protecting your privacy — SlowShelf is designed to keep your data on your device, not on our servers.

Information We Collect

We do not collect or store any personal information on our own servers.

• Your library and reading data — the books on your shelf, reading progress, focus session history, and streaks are stored locally on your device using Apple's SwiftData framework. This data is never transmitted to us.
• No account required — SlowShelf does not require you to create an account, and we do not collect your name, email address, or any other personal identifier.
• Anonymous usage statistics — to understand which features are used and improve the App, SlowShelf sends anonymous usage events (such as "a focus session was completed" or "the subscription screen was shown") to our analytics provider, TelemetryDeck. See Third-Party Services below for details.

Third-Party Services

SlowShelf uses the following third-party services, each governed by their own privacy policies:

• Open Library — when you search for a book, your search text is sent to Open Library's public API to find matching titles and cover images. No personal identifiers are sent along with your search.
• Google Books — if Open Library doesn't have a cover image or page count for a book you add, the book's title and author are sent to the Google Books API to fill in the missing details. No personal identifiers are sent with this request.
• TelemetryDeck — a privacy-focused analytics service we use to see how the App is used, for example how many focus sessions are completed, how long they are, or how often the subscription screen is shown and a plan is purchased. These events include only technical information such as app version, iOS version, device type, and region/language settings. They never include your book titles, authors, search text, or which apps you block. A random identifier created on your device is hashed before it is sent, so the data cannot be linked back to you. It is not used for advertising or tracking across other apps or websites.
• RevenueCat — we use RevenueCat to manage subscriptions and unlock premium features. RevenueCat receives an anonymous, randomly generated app user ID and your purchase details from the App Store (such as which plan you bought and when) so it can verify your subscription. It does not receive your name, email address, or payment information.
• Apple App Store — subscription purchases are processed entirely by Apple. We do not have access to, and never receive, your payment information.
• Apple Screen Time (Family Controls) — if you choose to enable app blocking during focus sessions, SlowShelf requests Screen Time authorization from iOS. Which apps you select and the blocking itself happen entirely on your device, using Apple's ManagedSettings framework. We never receive, see, or store which apps you block, or any other Screen Time data.

How We Use Information

Because your library, reading, and focus-session data stays on your device, we don't use it for anything beyond powering the App's own features. Anonymous usage statistics are used only to understand how the App is used, fix problems, and decide what to improve. We do not use your data for advertising, and SlowShelf contains no ads or ad tracking.

Data Retention & Deletion

All App data lives locally on your device. Deleting the App deletes all your data — we have no server-side copy to remove. Anonymous usage statistics held by TelemetryDeck and subscription records held by RevenueCat are not linked to your identity, so we cannot look them up or delete them for an individual person; they are kept only as long as needed for the purposes described above.

Children's Privacy

SlowShelf is not directed at children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone. If you believe a child has provided personal information through the App, please contact us and we will take steps to delete it.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time — for example, if we add a new feature that changes what data the App uses. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated date.

Contact

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us via the contact page.