Privacy Policy

Last updated: March 18, 2026

Prongs ("we," "us," or "our") is operated by Prongs Publishing, LLC. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your information when you use prongspublishing.com.

1. Information We Collect

Account Information

When you create an account, we collect your name, email address, and authentication credentials through Firebase Authentication (Google sign-in).

Content

We store the manuscripts, notes, outlines, and other content you create in Prongs. This content is stored in Google Firestore and is necessary to provide the service.

Payment Information

Payment processing is handled entirely by Stripe. We do not store your credit card number, bank account details, or other payment credentials on our servers. We receive from Stripe only your customer ID, subscription status, and billing period information.

Usage Data

We collect basic usage data such as login times, feature usage patterns, and error logs. This helps us maintain and improve the service.

2. How We Use Your Information

  • To provide the service: Storing and displaying your content, managing your account and subscription.
  • To power AI features: When you use the AI assistant, relevant content is sent to Google Vertex AI for processing. See Section 4 for details.
  • To communicate with you: Account notifications, billing updates, and service announcements.
  • To improve the service: Analyzing usage patterns to fix bugs and improve features.

3. How We Do NOT Use Your Information

  • We never sell your personal information or content to third parties.
  • We never use your content to train AI models.
  • We never share your manuscripts or creative work with other users without your explicit permission.
  • We do not display advertising or share data with advertisers.

4. AI Processing & Data Privacy

Our AI features are powered by Google Vertex AI. This is a deliberate choice for your privacy:

  • Google Vertex AI operates under enterprise terms that contractually prohibit using your data for model training.
  • Your content is processed in Google's infrastructure and is not retained by Google after processing.
  • AI features are optional. You can use Prongs without ever using the AI assistant.

5. Third-Party Services

We use the following third-party services:

  • Google Firebase: Authentication and database (Firestore). Governed by Google Cloud's privacy terms.
  • Google Vertex AI: AI assistant features. See Section 4.
  • Google Cloud Run: API hosting infrastructure.
  • Stripe: Payment processing. Governed by Stripe's Privacy Policy.

6. Data Storage & Security

Your data is stored on Google Cloud infrastructure in the United States. We implement security measures including:

  • Encryption in transit (HTTPS/TLS) and at rest.
  • Firebase security rules that restrict data access to authenticated users.
  • Server-side authentication for all API requests.
  • Stripe webhook signature verification for payment events.

7. Data Retention

We retain your data for as long as your account is active. If you cancel your subscription, your content remains accessible in read-only mode. If you delete your account, we will delete your personal data and content within 30 days, except where we are required by law to retain it.

8. Your Rights

You have the right to:

  • Access the personal data we hold about you.
  • Export your content from Prongs.
  • Delete your account and associated data.
  • Correct inaccurate personal information.
  • Object to processing of your data in certain circumstances.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at support@prongspublishing.com.

9. Cookies

Prongs uses essential cookies and local storage for authentication and user preferences (such as theme settings). We do not use tracking cookies, advertising cookies, or third-party analytics cookies.

10. Children's Privacy

Prongs is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we learn that we have collected data from a child under 13, we will delete it promptly.

11. International Users

If you are accessing Prongs from outside the United States, your data will be transferred to and processed in the United States. By using Prongs, you consent to this transfer.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of material changes via email or through the service. The "Last updated" date at the top indicates the most recent revision.

13. Contact

Questions about this Privacy Policy? Contact us at support@prongspublishing.com.