Privacy & Data Handling

Overview

ReadCheck is committed to protecting your privacy. This document describes how we handle data when you use our reading speed test and readability analysis tools.

Core Privacy Principles

🔒

Local-First

All your personal data stays in your browser

📊

Minimal Collection

We only collect anonymous analytics

👁️

Transparency

You're always informed about what data is used

✅

User Control

You can delete your data at any time

Data Storage

Browser-Only Storage (IndexedDB & localStorage)

What we store locally:

Reading test history (WPM scores, dates, difficulty levels, comprehension results)
User preferences (default WPM, preferred difficulty, font size, reading goals)
Readability analysis history (analyzed text and scores)

Important:

This data never leaves your browser
It's stored using IndexedDB (primary) and localStorage (preferences)
You can clear this data at any time using your browser's data management tools
If you clear browser data, all your history and preferences will be deleted
This data is not synced across devices

What We Do NOT Store

❌ User accounts, emails, or passwords
❌ Personal information or identifying data
❌ Text you analyze for readability (except locally for history)
❌ Reading passages you complete tests on
❌ Any data on our servers related to your specific usage

Analytics

Ahrefs Web Analytics

We use Ahrefs Web Analytics to understand how people use ReadCheck.

What Ahrefs collects:

Page views and navigation patterns
Referral sources (how you found us)
Device type and browser information
Geographic location (country/region only, never precise location)

What Ahrefs does NOT collect:

Personal identification information
Cookies or cross-site tracking
Your reading test results or analyzed text
Any data stored in your browser

Why we use it:

To understand which features are most useful
To improve the user experience
To identify technical issues

Opt-out: Ahrefs respects "Do Not Track" browser settings. Learn more: Ahrefs Web Analytics Privacy Policy

AI Features (Future)

Currently, ReadCheck does not use AI features. If we add AI capabilities in the future:

AI processing would be handled through Vercel AI Gateway
You would need to explicitly trigger AI features (opt-in only)
We would clearly indicate which features use AI
Text sent to AI would be processed by OpenAI or similar providers
We would not store AI-processed content on our servers
AI providers may temporarily cache data according to their policies

Third-Party Services

CDN & Hosting

Vercel: Hosts our website
No personal data is stored on Vercel servers
Standard server logs (IP addresses, timestamps) are retained for security purposes only
Vercel Privacy Policy

External Links

ReadCheck includes links to partner services. When you click these links, you leave ReadCheck and visit a third-party website. That website's privacy policy applies, and we do not track or receive information about your activity on those sites.

Your Rights & Controls

Access Your Data

All your data is stored locally in your browser. Use browser DevTools (F12 → Application tab) to view IndexedDB/localStorage data.

Delete Your Data

Individual items: Use the "Delete" button in History page
All history: Click "Clear All" on History page
Everything: Clear browser data (Settings → Privacy → Clear browsing data)

Export Your Data

Use the "Export CSV" button on the History page to download your reading test history.

Manage Preferences

Click the settings icon to adjust preferences. Changes are saved locally only.

Compliance

ReadCheck complies with:

GDPR (European Union General Data Protection Regulation)
CCPA (California Consumer Privacy Act)
Other applicable privacy regulations

Compliance basis: Minimal data collection (analytics only), no personal information required or stored, full transparency about data usage, and easy data deletion and export.

Summary

Your reading history stays in your browser. We use privacy-friendly analytics to improve the site. That's it.