Shelf Scout Privacy Policy

DartFrog Books LLC (“DartFrog,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) operates the Shelf Scout reader-engagement platform (“Shelf Scout” or the “Service”). This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard information in connection with Shelf Scout.

1. Information We Collect

We may collect information that you provide directly to us or that is generated through your use of Shelf Scout, including:

• Account Information: Information you provide when creating or maintaining a Shelf Scout account, such as your name, email address, username, and account credentials.
• Reader Profile and Preferences: Information you provide about your reading interests and preferences, including genres or types of books you are interested in reading.
• Reading Activity: Information relating to your participation in Shelf Scout, including books you select or access and your participation in Shelf Scout reading opportunities.
• Reader Responses: Responses you submit through Shelf Scout's structured reader forms regarding books you have read and your overall reading experience.
• Optional Written Messages: Written messages or comments that you voluntarily submit regarding a participating book.
• Participation Information: Information relating to your participation in optional Shelf Scout activities, including launch-related or promotional opportunities.
• Usage Data: Information about how you access and interact with Shelf Scout, which may include IP address, browser type, device information, pages or features accessed, and timestamps.

2. How We Use Information

We may use information collected through Shelf Scout to:

• Provide Shelf Scout: Operate, maintain, and provide the Shelf Scout platform and its features.
• Match Readers With Books: Identify books and reading opportunities that may correspond with readers' stated genre preferences and interests.
• Manage Reader Participation: Administer access to participating books, reader activities, and Shelf Scout opportunities.
• Collect Reader Reactions: Collect and process structured responses regarding books and readers' overall reading experiences.
• Create Aggregated Reader Data: Combine structured reader responses to provide aggregated and anonymous information about how participating readers experienced a book.
• Communicate With Readers: Send account-related, administrative, reading-opportunity, book-related, and other Shelf Scout communications.
• Protect Books and the Service: Help protect participating books from unauthorized distribution and maintain the security and integrity of Shelf Scout.
• Maintain and Improve Shelf Scout: Analyze Service usage and performance to maintain, troubleshoot, develop, and improve Shelf Scout.
• Legal and Compliance Purposes: Comply with applicable legal obligations and protect the rights, safety, and security of DartFrog, Shelf Scout users, authors, publishers, and others.

3. Reader Responses and Anonymity

Structured responses submitted through Shelf Scout reader forms are used to create aggregated and anonymous reader-response data.

Individual readers are not identified to authors, publishers, or others through this aggregated response data.

Aggregated and anonymous Shelf Scout data may be used in connection with participating books, Shelf Scout reports, promotional materials, marketing, analysis, and operation or improvement of the Shelf Scout program.

4. Optional Written Messages

Shelf Scout may allow readers to voluntarily submit a written message or comment about a participating book.

Unlike structured reader-response data, a written message may be displayed or shared together with the reader's Shelf Scout username.

If you choose to submit a written message, the message and associated username may be shared with the participating author or publisher and may otherwise be used in connection with Shelf Scout and the participating book as described in the Shelf Scout Terms of Service.

5. Forensic Watermarking

Digital book files provided through Shelf Scout will be forensically watermarked to help protect participating books from unauthorized copying or distribution.

Information associated with a reader or the reader's access to a book may be used in connection with this watermarking and for purposes of investigating suspected unauthorized distribution or misuse of Shelf Scout book files.

6. How We Share Information

We do not sell your personal information.

We may disclose information in the following circumstances:

• Participating Authors and Publishers: We may provide authors and publishers with aggregated and anonymous Shelf Scout response data relating to their books. If you voluntarily submit a written message, that message may be shared together with your Shelf Scout username.
• Service Providers: We may provide information to vendors, contractors, and service providers that perform services on our behalf, such as hosting, data storage, authentication, email delivery, file delivery or protection, analytics, and other technology services.
• Legal and Safety Requirements: We may disclose information when required by applicable law, regulation, legal process, or valid governmental request, or when reasonably necessary to protect the rights, property, safety, or security of DartFrog, Shelf Scout users, authors, publishers, or others.
• Business Transfers: Information may be transferred as part of a merger, acquisition, financing, reorganization, sale of assets, or similar business transaction involving DartFrog or Shelf Scout.

7. Data Security

We use reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational safeguards designed to protect information processed through Shelf Scout.

However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure, and we cannot guarantee the absolute security of information processed through the Service.

8. Data Retention

We may retain information for as long as reasonably necessary to operate Shelf Scout, maintain our business and legal records, comply with applicable legal obligations, resolve disputes, protect the integrity of the Service, and enforce our agreements.

Retention periods may vary depending on the type of information and the purposes for which it is maintained.

9. Your Privacy Rights

Depending on your location and applicable law, you may have certain rights regarding your personal information, which may include the right to request access to, correction of, or deletion of certain personal information.

To submit a privacy request, contact us using the information provided below.

10. Third-Party Services

Shelf Scout may use or interact with third-party services to provide certain functionality. These third parties may process information in accordance with their own terms and privacy policies.

Shelf Scout may also contain links to third-party websites or services. DartFrog is not responsible for the privacy practices of websites or services that we do not operate.

11. Children's Privacy

Shelf Scout is not directed to children under 13.

We do not knowingly collect personal information directly from children under 13 through Shelf Scout. If we become aware that such information has been collected inappropriately, we may take reasonable steps to delete it.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will update the “Last Updated” date at the top of this Policy.

We may provide additional notice of material changes when appropriate.

13. Contact Us

If you have questions or requests regarding this Privacy Policy, please contact us at:

DartFrog Books LLC / Shelf Scout
support@dartfrogbooks.com