Goodreads
- The documents do not say whether your data trains AI.
- Your data is used to target ads at you; you can opt out.
- Data is shared with partners and affiliates; you can opt out.
- The documents do not say who can read your content.
Reviews are public, data is tied to Amazon, ads are interest-based, and these pages skip most core terms.
Agent Trust Hub uses AI and may make mistakes. Review reports and confirm their contents before relying on them.
Collected
Account and posts, plus cookies and data that can be matched with Amazon.
Read the exact line
Privacy policy
“Please note that, if you have an account on www.amazon.com, information gathered by Goodreads may be correlated with any personal information that Amazon.com has”
Training
They use your info for interest-based ads and service emails you cannot fully turn off.
Read the exact line
Privacy policy
“We use your personal information to display interest-based ads for features, products, and services that might be of interest to you.”
Sharing
Reviews and other posts are public; Amazon can also use correlated data.
Read the exact line
Privacy policy
“Any User Content you post becomes available to the public via the Service.”
Kept
They do not say how long they keep data; deleted posts may still show in caches.
Read the exact line
Privacy policy
“If you remove User Content, copies may remain viewable in cached and archived pages or if other users have copied or stored your User Content.”
Controls
You can change some settings in the account page or ask to access or delete data.
Read the exact line
Privacy policy
“You may access or change your information and preferences at any time in the account settings section of Goodreads.com once you have signed in with your personal password.”
Fine print
Policy changes take effect when posted; giveaway rules make you hold them harmless.
Read the exact line
Privacy policy
“Changes to this Privacy Notice are effective when they are posted on this page.”
Expand “Read the exact line” to see the source alongside the explanation.
What you can turn off
The controls and opt-outs their own documents describe, and where they say to find them.
Change privacy and email settings
Account settings on Goodreads.com after you sign in
Request access or deletion of personal information
Settings tab via the link in the privacy notice, or contact them
Opt out of Other Messages emails
E-mail preference settings in account settings
If a switch is not where they say, the deletion request above still applies.
Line by line
The lines that matter most, worst first.
Reviews, comments, and pictures you post are public, not private.
Read the exact line
Privacy policy
“Any User Content you post becomes available to the public via the Service.”
For example, a review you write about a book can be seen by anyone on the site.
If you also have Amazon, they can combine your Goodreads activity with Amazon data.
Read the exact line
Privacy policy
“information gathered by Goodreads may be correlated with any personal information that Amazon.com has and used by Goodreads and Amazon to improve the services we offer.”
For example, books you rate could be linked to what you buy on Amazon.
They show ads based on what they think you like.
Read the exact line
Privacy policy
“We use your personal information to display interest-based ads for features, products, and services that might be of interest to you.”
For example, you might see ads for books similar to ones you marked as want-to-read.
Deleting a post does not always make it disappear everywhere.
Read the exact line
Privacy policy
“If you remove User Content, copies may remain viewable in cached and archived pages or if other users have copied or stored your User Content.”
For example, an old review you deleted might still show up in a search cache.
New rules can start as soon as they put them on the website.
Read the exact line
Privacy policy
“Changes to this Privacy Notice are effective when they are posted on this page.”
For example, they could post a new sharing rule today and it would already apply.
If you enter a giveaway, you agree they are not responsible if something goes wrong.
Read the exact line
Terms of service
“you agree (for yourself and your heirs) that Sponsor, Goodreads, and each of their respective affiliates and agents, and any entity involved in any aspect of the Sweepstakes (all aforementioned parties are collectively, the “Released Parties”) will have no , and will be held harmless from and against , loss, injury or damage”
For example, if a prize book never arrives, these rules say you cannot hold Goodreads .
You can turn off newsletters, but not emails they call service-related.
Read the exact line
Privacy policy
“You may not opt out of Service-related e-mails.”
For example, you would still get legal or account notices even after opting out of other mail.
They say kids under 13 should not use the site, based on not collecting from them on purpose.
Read the exact line
Privacy policy
“Goodreads does not knowingly collect or solicit personal information from anyone under the age of 13 or knowingly allow such persons to register.”
For example, a 12-year-old is told not to sign up, but there is no extra age check described here.
You can ask to see or delete personal information through settings or by contacting them.
Read the exact line
Privacy policy
“you may have the right to request access to or delete your personal information. To do so, you may visit here and navigate to the “Settings” tab or contact us.”
For example, you can go to Settings or email them to .
Words to know
Legal words from the lines above, in plain English.
- personal data
- Any information that is about you or can be linked to you, from your name to your phone's ID. For example, your email, your IP address and the list of apps on your phone are all personal data.
- targeted advertising
- Ads chosen for you based on what you have done across other apps and websites, not just this one. For example, you look at shoes in one app and see shoe ads in a totally different app the next day.
- affiliates
- Other companies owned by or connected to the same parent company. For example, if you use one app, its sister apps under the same owner may also get your data.
- limitation of liability
- A cap on what the company will ever pay you if something goes wrong, often only what you paid in the last year. For example, if a leak of your data costs you thousands, the most you may get back is a month's subscription fee.
- opt out
- Something is on by default and stays on until you find the setting and turn it off. For example, your chats may be used for training unless you go into settings and switch it off.
How we got here · grade D · score 40/100 · 15 of 15 policy answers backed by a verified quote · 5 not stated
What does the app collect beyond what it needs to work?
They collect posts, email, and cookies or other identifiers, and may match that with Amazon data.
Does it record your voice, face or body, and what happens to that?
Not stated in the documents.
Are your chats and uploads used to train AI models, and is that off by default?
Not stated in the documents.
Can employees or contractors read your conversations, and when?
Not stated in the documents.
Are you profiled or tracked for advertising?
They show interest-based ads and point you to a separate ads notice to learn more.
Do they sell or share your data, and can you opt out?
Goodreads data may be combined with Amazon data and used by both companies; no sale opt-out is described here.
What rights do they take over what you type and what the AI makes?
They do not spell out a license grant here, but they say posts are public by default.
How long do they keep your data after you delete it, and can you delete it in the app?
You can request access or deletion in settings or by contacting them; leftover copies may remain.
Does it build a lasting memory or profile of you, and can you see, edit or turn it off?
Not stated in the documents.
Do they commit to basic security, and have they leaked data?
They say they take reasonable measures to keep member messages private.
Is there a real age gate, and are teens protected?
They say no one under 13 may register, but they do not describe an age check beyond that statement.
Will they tell you when the rules change, and is the policy specific?
The privacy notice is dated, but changes take effect as soon as they are posted.
Can they close your account without warning, and can you get your data out first?
Not stated in the documents.
If something goes wrong, who pays?
Giveaway rules say you hold them harmless, including attorney fees, even for negligence.
Do subscriptions renew on their own, and can you get a refund?
These documents do not describe paid subscriptions for the main site.
The privacy policy is 976 words at a college level (Flesch reading ease 48.1); the terms are 2,167 words at a college level.
