Hashnode
- Your data trains their AI only if you opt in.
- Your data is used for personalized ads, including by third-party ad companies.
- Data is shared only with the providers who run the service.
- The documents do not say who can read your content.
You own your posts; AI is opt-in.
Agent Trust Hub uses AI and may make mistakes. Review reports and confirm their contents before relying on them.
Collected
Account info, your posts, device and usage data, and analytics from Google Analytics and PostHog.
Read the exact line
Privacy policy
“When you create an account, we collect your name, email address, username, and profile photo.”
Training
They run the blog, analytics, and send drafts to AI companies only when you use AI editor tools.
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Privacy policy
“When you use AI features, your content is sent to third-party AI providers (currently OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google) for processing.”
Sharing
They say they do not sell your data; providers and anyone on the internet can see what you publish.
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Privacy policy
“We do not sell or rent your personal information to third parties.”
Kept
They keep data while your account is open; after delete, some copies may stay in archives for a while.
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Privacy policy
“If you delete your account, we will remove your content from public view and delete your account information, though some data may be retained in archived form for a reasonable period”
Controls
You can edit settings, export posts from the dashboard, and delete your account yourself.
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Privacy policy
“You may access, update, or delete your account information at any time through your account settings.”
Fine print
They can close you without notice; you them.
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Terms of service
“We reserve the right to suspend or terminate your account, at our sole discretion and without prior notice, for any reason”
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.
Export your posts
Publication dashboard
Delete your account
Account settings page
Turn off marketing email
Unsubscribe link or Settings > Email
If a switch is not where they say, the deletion request above still applies.
Line by line
The lines that matter most, worst first.
They can shut your account at any time without warning, even if you did nothing wrong.
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Terms of service
“We reserve the right to suspend or terminate your account, at our sole discretion and without prior notice, for any reason”
For example, they could lock you out of your blog overnight and you would not get a heads-up email first.
If someone sues them because of your posts or how you used the site, you may have to pay their legal bills.
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Terms of service
“You agree to , defend, and LinearBytes Inc. and its directors, officers, employees, agents, and licensors from and against any and all claims”
For example, if a reader sues Hashnode over an article you wrote, you could be on the hook for their lawyer fees.
Third-party analytics tools can collect your IP, device, and how you browse the site.
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Privacy policy
“We use Google Analytics and PostHog to collect usage and performance data about how you interact with the Service.”
For example, Google Analytics may log which pages you open and from which country.
If you click AI tools in the editor, your draft leaves Hashnode and goes to those companies.
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Privacy policy
“When you use AI features, your content is sent to third-party AI providers (currently OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google) for processing.”
For example, asking the editor to rewrite a paragraph sends that text to OpenAI or similar.
Your articles stay yours; they only get a license to host and show them.
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Terms of service
“You retain full ownership of all content you create, publish, or share through the Service (“User Content”). Hashnode does not claim ownership of your User Content.”
For example, you can still republish the same post on your own site because they do not own it.
They say they will not sell or rent your personal info.
Read the exact line
Privacy policy
“We do not sell or rent your personal information to third parties.”
For example, they say they will not rent your email list to a marketing company.
You can download your posts from the blog dashboard before you leave.
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Privacy policy
“You may export your content from the publication dashboard.”
For example, you can export articles before deleting your account so you keep a copy.
Kids under 13 are not allowed, but they rely on you saying you are old enough.
Read the exact line
Terms of service
“You must be at least 13 years of age to use the Service. By using the Service, you represent and warrant that you are at least 13 years old”
For example, a 12-year-old could still sign up if they type that they are 13.
Words to know
Legal words from the lines above, in plain English.
- third parties
- Any company or person other than you and the app, such as advertisers, partners or analytics firms. For example, an analytics company that receives a record of every screen you tap is a third party.
- sell or share
- Under California law, selling means passing your data to others for money or other value; sharing means passing it on for targeted ads. For example, letting an ad network use your browsing history in return for ad space counts as a sale.
- 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.
- indemnify
- You promise to pay the company's legal costs and losses if your use of the service gets it sued. For example, if you post a song you do not own and the label sues the app, you owe the app's lawyer bills.
How we got here · grade B · score 54/100 · 15 of 15 policy answers backed by a verified quote · 2 not stated
What does the app collect beyond what it needs to work?
They collect account details and your posts, plus logs, device info, and analytics identifiers.
Does it record your voice, face or body, and what happens to that?
They do not describe recording voice, face, or body as biometric data. A profile photo is optional account info.
Are your chats and uploads used to train AI models, and is that off by default?
AI is opt-in: content is sent to AI providers only when you use AI editor tools, and they say it is processed to provide that feature.
Can employees or contractors read your conversations, and when?
Not stated in the documents.
Are you profiled or tracked for advertising?
They use Google Analytics and PostHog, which collect IP, device, location, and browsing behavior. They say they do not share for cross-context ads.
Do they sell or share your data, and can you opt out?
They say they do not sell or rent personal information. They share with service providers such as email, AI, analytics, and Stripe.
What rights do they take over what you type and what the AI makes?
You keep ownership. They get a license only to host and display the content to run the service, which ends when you remove it or delete the account.
How long do they keep your data after you delete it, and can you delete it in the app?
You can delete the account in settings, but they may keep some data in archives for a reasonable period with no set number of days.
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 describe HTTPS, secure cookies, and rate limiting, but no independent audit or bug-bounty program.
Is there a real age gate, and are teens protected?
You must be 13 or older and you promise that when you sign up. Under 18, a parent must have agreed. There is no extra age check described.
Will they tell you when the rules change, and is the policy specific?
The policies are dated. For material changes they post an update and change the date; keeping using the site means you accept.
Can they close your account without warning, and can you get your data out first?
You can delete your account in settings. They may suspend or terminate you at their sole discretion without prior notice for any reason.
If something goes wrong, who pays?
The service is as-is, liability is capped at fees in 12 months or $100, and you must indemnify them for claims from your use or content.
Do subscriptions renew on their own, and can you get a refund?
They say they may offer paid plans later via Stripe, with refunds and prices set at purchase. No current subscription auto-renew rules are spelled out.
The privacy policy is 2,062 words at a professional or legal expert level (Flesch reading ease 9.3); the terms are 2,639 words at a professional or legal expert level.
