Privacy Policy for PostFuel

Last Updated: April 30, 2025

This Privacy Policy describes how **PostFuel** ("PostFuel", "we", "us", or "our") collects, uses, and shares information about you when you use our PostFuel API, website (`postfuel.dev`), and related services (collectively, the "Service"). **Please replace "PostFuel" here with your actual registered company name or your name if operating as a sole proprietor.**

1. Information We Collect

We collect information you provide directly to us, information generated through your use of the Service, and information we collect automatically from the website:

• Account Information: When you register, we collect information such as your name, email address, and password (stored securely hashed). If you subscribe, we also store details related to your subscription plan.
• Payment Information: When you subscribe to a paid plan, our third-party payment processor, **Stripe**, collects and processes your payment card information directly. PostFuel does not store your full payment card details but receives information from Stripe necessary to manage your subscription (like subscription status, billing history reference, and potentially partial card details like the last 4 digits for identification).
• API Usage Information ("Usage Logs"): We collect metadata about your API interactions, including the endpoints accessed, timestamps, the IP address making the request, user agent details, request parameters (excluding sensitive credentials like API keys within the logs themselves, though the system uses your key for authentication), response status codes, credits consumed, and potentially request duration for performance monitoring.
• Content Processing Data:
  • When you submit a request to `/generate-preview`, we process the input you provide (e.g., `manual_prompt`, `source_ref_id`, `attached_urls`, `focus_prompt`, `hyperlocal_context`, model choice).
  • If scraping is enabled (`use_scraping=true`), we process the text content extracted from the provided `attached_urls` or source post URLs using our **Diffbot** integration (via our central key). This scraped text is temporarily cached.
  • We submit relevant processed input data (prompts, potentially scraped text snippets) to our AI provider (**OpenAI**) via our central API key to generate content based on your chosen model.
  • We store the final **Generated Content** (`content_html`, suggestions, etc.) associated with your `request_id` in our database for a defined period to allow you to retrieve it via the `/results/{id}` endpoint.
• Feedback Information: If you submit feedback through our Service (e.g., via the `/feedback` page), we collect the information you provide, including your comments and potentially your contact information if provided, to respond and improve the Service.
• Website Usage and Analytics Data:
  • We use **Google Analytics** (GA4) to help analyze how users interact with our website. GA4 uses Cookies and similar technologies to collect information such as pages visited, time spent on pages, browser type, operating system, referring URLs, and IP address (which may be anonymized by Google). We use this information solely for internal purposes, such as improving website usability and understanding traffic patterns.
  • Google's ability to use and share information collected by Google Analytics is restricted by the Google Analytics Terms of Use and the Google Privacy Policy. You can learn more about how Google collects and processes data and how to opt-out by visiting Google's site or installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.
  • We may also use essential cookies necessary for website functionality (e.g., session management, CSRF protection). You may manage cookie preferences through your browser settings. (Consider adding a link to a separate Cookie Policy if you use many cookies or require more detail).

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for purposes including:

• Providing, operating, maintaining, securing, and improving the Service.
• Processing transactions, managing subscriptions, and tracking credit usage.
• Authenticating users and preventing fraud.
• Communicating with you (e.g., service updates, support responses, feedback follow-up).
• Monitoring and analyzing usage patterns, trends, and API performance.
• Troubleshooting issues and providing customer support.
• Enforcing our Terms of Service and complying with legal obligations.

3. How We Share and Disclose Information

We do not sell your personal information. We may share information under the following limited circumstances:

• With Service Providers ("Sub-processors"): We utilize third-party vendors to perform essential functions. These include:
  • **Payment Processing:** Stripe handles payment information.
  • **Hosting & Infrastructure:** Render.com hosts our application, database (PostgreSQL), and cache/queue (Redis).
  • **AI Generation:** OpenAI processes generation requests sent via our API key.
  • **Web Scraping:** Diffbot processes scraping requests sent via our API key.
  • **Source Fetching:** ScrapingDog processes fetch requests sent via our API key.
  • **Analytics:** Google Analytics processes website usage data.
  • **(Future) Email Delivery:** Potentially email service providers (e.g., Postmark, Mailgun).
  These providers only receive information necessary to perform their designated functions and are obligated to protect your information.
• Processing Your Requests:** When you use the API, your inputs (prompts, URLs for scraping if enabled, model choice) are processed by the relevant integrated services (OpenAI, Diffbot) through our central accounts to fulfill your request. Your personal PostFuel account information is not directly shared with these AI/Scraping providers during this process.
• Legal Requirements & Rights Protection:** We may disclose information if required by law or if we believe in good faith that disclosure is necessary to comply with a legal obligation, protect our rights or property, prevent fraud, protect user safety, or respond to a valid government request.
• Business Transfers:** In the event of a merger, acquisition, bankruptcy, or other sale of all or a portion of our assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction, subject to standard confidentiality agreements.
• With Your Consent:** We may share information for other purposes with your explicit consent.