Leanpub
- The documents do not say whether your data trains AI.
- Your data is used for personalized ads, including by third-party ad companies.
- Data is shared with partners and affiliates; you can opt out.
- The documents do not say who can read your content.
Leanpub collects account, purchase, device, and browsing data, keeps purchase records long-term, and can refuse service without notice.
Agent Trust Hub uses AI and may make mistakes. Review reports and confirm their contents before relying on them.
Collected
Name, account, payments, device and IP data, cookies, and browsing history around the site.
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Privacy policy
“Browsing history including the websites or other services you visited before and after interacting with the Services.”
Training
They use it to run the store, email you, research, and improve the service; they say they currently skip interest ads.
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Privacy policy
“That information is used to fulfill your requests for products and services, to conduct research, to contact you, to contact those who purchase your Content and to improve Leanpub services generally.”
Sharing
Vendors like payments, analytics, email tools, and OpenAI can get data; they also list many other partners.
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Privacy policy
“To third parties whose practices are not covered by this Privacy Policy (for example, third party providers of goods and services, marketing and advertising companies and agencies, analytics providers and retailers).”
Kept
Book purchases stay in your library indefinitely; they may keep purchase and seller info even after you delete.
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Privacy policy
“we do not delete user information related to such purchases, whether those purchases are paid or free, unless users ask us to delete the information.”
Controls
You can close your account, unsubscribe from emails, and EU users can ask for access or deletion.
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Privacy policy
“If you would like to close your Leanpub account, please go here for instructions.”
Fine print
They can refuse service anytime without notice; continued use means you accept policy changes.
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Privacy policy
“Ruboss reserves the right to refuse service to anyone at any time without 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.
Close your Leanpub account
Follow the account-closure instructions linked from the privacy policy (privacy@leanpub.com for questions).
Unsubscribe from emails
Link at the end of emails, or account settings (including per-book or all release-note emails).
Ask for access or deletion (EU)
Email privacy@leanpub.com or dpo@leanpub.com
California marketing disclosure request
Write to the address in Contact Details / privacy@leanpub.com
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 you out of the site whenever they want, without telling you first.
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Privacy policy
“Ruboss reserves the right to refuse service to anyone at any time without notice for any reason.”
For example, they could lock your author or reader account overnight and you would not get a warning email.
Deleting your account does not wipe books you sold or related account details they think they might need later.
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Privacy policy
“even if you request to delete your account, if you have sold a Product through Leanpub, whether that purchase is paid or free, we will keep a copy or copies of the Product”
For example, after you close your account they can still keep your email and the book files you published.
They may collect which sites you came from and went to, not just what you do on Leanpub.
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Privacy policy
“Browsing history including the websites or other services you visited before and after interacting with the Services.”
For example, they could log that you arrived from a news site and then left for another store.
Some companies they share with follow their own rules, not Leanpub’s privacy policy.
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Privacy policy
“To third parties whose practices are not covered by this Privacy Policy (for example, third party providers of goods and services, marketing and advertising companies and agencies, analytics providers and retailers).”
For example, an analytics or ad company on their list could use data under its own policy.
If they change the rules and you keep using the site, they treat that as you agreeing.
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Privacy policy
“Your continued access to or use of any of the Services shall be deemed your acceptance of the Privacy Policy.”
For example, they could post a new policy and keep selling your books without a signed consent.
They describe interest-based ads but say they are not using those ad services right now.
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Privacy policy
“Currently, we do NOT use any such services. If we do, we will list them here or somewhere relevant on our Site.”
For example, they still use cookies and analytics, but they claim they are not running a named behavioral-ad network today.
They say they use security measures, including sometimes encryption, but they do not promise no breaches.
Read the exact line
Privacy policy
“We have implemented appropriate technical and organizational security measures designed to protect your User Information against accidental or unlawful destruction, loss, alteration, unauthorized disclosure, unauthorized access”
For example, they may encrypt some data in transit, but they still say internet sending is at your own risk.
You can stop marketing emails from the message itself or in account settings.
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Privacy policy
“You can opt out or unsubscribe to a newsletter or other email list at any time by following the instructions at the end of the newsletters or emails you receive, or in your account settings.”
For example, you can turn off book-update emails for one book or for all books in settings.
For many purchases they advertise a full refund if you ask within 60 days.
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Terms of service
“The Leanpub 60 Day 100% Happiness GuaranteeWithin 60 days of purchase you can get a 100% refund on any Leanpub purchase, in two clicks.”
For example, if a book is not useful you can request a full refund within two months.
They say the site is not for kids, but this privacy text does not describe a real age check.
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Privacy policy
“The Services are not intended for use by children.”
For example, a teen could still create an account if they type an older age.
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.
- 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 34/100 · 15 of 15 policy answers backed by a verified quote · 6 not stated
What does the app collect beyond what it needs to work?
They collect account and purchase data plus usage, device IDs, IP, cookies, GeoIP, and browsing history before and after the site.
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 use cookies, pixels, and partners for tracking and describe online behavioral ads, while saying they currently do not use those OBA services.
Do they sell or share your data, and can you opt out?
They share with processors and many third parties (ads, analytics, retailers, OpenAI). California residents can ask about marketing disclosures.
What rights do they take over what you type and what the AI makes?
Not stated in the documents.
How long do they keep your data after you delete it, and can you delete it in the app?
Purchase and library data is kept indefinitely like a bookshelf; even after account deletion they may keep products and contact info for legal reasons.
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 technical and organizational measures and sometimes SSL, but they do not guarantee no breach.
Is there a real age gate, and are teens protected?
They say the services are not for children and point to a minimum-age section; no age-assurance process is described in the provided text.
Will they tell you when the rules change, and is the policy specific?
The policy is dated. They say they will flag significant changes on the site, and continued use counts as acceptance.
Can they close your account without warning, and can you get your data out first?
They reserve the right to refuse service to anyone at any time without notice for any reason.
If something goes wrong, who pays?
Not stated in the documents.
Do subscriptions renew on their own, and can you get a refund?
They advertise a 60-day 100% refund on Leanpub purchases in two clicks; membership cancel details are only headings.
The privacy policy is 7,634 words at a college graduate level (Flesch reading ease 33.3); the terms are 886 words at a college graduate level.
