Privacy Policy & Data Collection Notice

1. Overview and Commitment to Transparency

At EchoNovels Studio, we prioritize the privacy and autonomy of our readers. We adhere strictly to United States federal and state data protection principles, including the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA), the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), and Google Ads Transparency and Data Collection Policies.

This document describes how we collect, store, utilize, and protect personal and non-personal data when you visit our website, configure interactive reading preferences, or request complimentary VIP prologue demo keys.

2. Data We Collect and Methods of Collection

We believe in data minimization. We only collect the minimal information necessary to deliver our free interactive visual novel experiences:

A. Voluntarily Submitted Information

When you register to claim a free VIP prologue access pass, subscribe to reader notifications, or reach out to our support department via contact forms, you may provide:

• Full Name: To personalize your reading dashboard, demo pass key, and correspondence.
• Email Address: To deliver instant browser demo links, choice route guidebooks, and episode updates.
• Phone Number: To deliver optional SMS alerts containing your digital demo unlock PIN or customer service assistance upon your explicit request.
• Story Preferences: Genre choices (e.g. Office Romance, Vacation Drama, Estate Mystery) to tailor your starting library.

B. Automatically Collected Technical & Gameplay Data

When you play our interactive web episodes directly in your browser, we automatically collect certain technical telemetry:

• Story Progress & Choice Nodes: Saved locally in your browser's LocalStorage or temporary session cache so your narrative decisions persist across reading sessions.
• Device & Browser Diagnostics: Screen resolution, operating system, and browser engine version to ensure responsive WebGL graphics and smooth font rendering.
• IP Address & Approximate Location: Used solely to protect against automated spam submissions and ensure regional server availability.

3. How We Use Your Information

We process your personal information strictly for legitimate commercial and entertainment purposes:

• To fulfill and deliver your requested complimentary VIP prologue passes and digital art samplers without charge.
• To maintain and save your game progress and multi-branch decision trees.
• To respond to your inquiries, bug reports, and customer support messages.
• To monitor and maintain system security, detect bot abuse, and ensure website stability.
• To analyze aggregated, non-personally identifiable reader trends to improve future episode scripts and character routes.

4. Strict Zero-Sale & Non-Disclosure Policy

We DO NOT sell, rent, lease, or monetize your personal data. Under no circumstances do we trade reader phone numbers, email addresses, or identities with third-party data brokers, advertising aggregators, or unauthorized third parties.

Data is shared solely with vetted technical service providers acting as our processors under confidentiality contracts (e.g., transactional email delivery engines and secure cloud hosting infrastructure) necessary to operate the site.

5. Cookies and Local Storage

Our website utilizes cookies and HTML5 LocalStorage strictly for functional and performance purposes:

• Session Cookies: Remember your cookie banner choice and maintain active story sessions.
• Narrative Storage: Save your branch decisions, unlocked endings, and audio settings locally on your device.

You can manage or disable cookies via your browser settings at any time without losing access to browse our website.

6. Your Rights Under California Law (CCPA / CPRA)

If you are a California resident or resident of jurisdictions with comparable data privacy frameworks, you have specific rights:

• Right to Know: You may request disclosure of the specific categories and pieces of personal information we have collected about you.
• Right to Delete: You have the right to request the deletion of any personal data we hold about you.
• Right to Correct: You may request corrections to inaccurate personal records.
• Right to Non-Discrimination: We will never deny you free demo access, change delivery speeds, or degrade service quality because you exercise your privacy rights.

To exercise any of these rights, email us directly at [email protected] with the subject line "Privacy Rights Request". We verify and respond to all requests within 45 calendar days.

7. Children's Online Privacy Protection (COPPA Compliance)

EchoNovels Studio creates narrative visual novels designed for general mature audiences (rated PG-13 equivalent). Our content contains no adult 18+ explicit material, but our services are not directed toward children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from individuals under 13. If you believe a child has submitted personal details, please contact us immediately for prompt removal.

8. Data Retention and Security

We employ industry-standard SSL/TLS 256-bit encryption for all data transmitted between your browser and our servers. Contact records submitted for free demo passes are retained for up to 24 months to maintain active reader keys and support history, after which they are securely purged unless you request earlier deletion.

9. Contact Our Data Protection Officer

For any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data collection practices, please contact us at: