Unshelf Privacy Policy

Last updated: 25 July 2026

Unshelf is a community app where readers pass finished books to each other. This policy explains what we collect, why, and what control you have. The short version: we collect only what the book-passing loop needs, we never sell data, and you can delete your account from inside the app.

What we collect

• Account: your email address (sign-in) and a display name.
• Location, coarse only: the locality name you type (for example “Osmanpura”). We never collect GPS coordinates or exact addresses.
• Phone number, optional: if you verify your phone for the trust badge. Your number is never shown to other users — only a “verified” checkmark is.
• Books and activity: the books you list, requests you make, in-app chat messages with your handoff counterpart, condition feedback, and the credit (“spine”) ledger.
• Push token: a device token so we can notify you about requests and messages. Notification contents never include your chat text.

What we never collect

No GPS location, no contacts, no advertising identifiers, no tracking across other apps or websites. There are no ads and no analytics SDKs in the app.

How your data is used

Only to run Unshelf: showing your listings to nearby readers, delivering requests and chat, moving spine credits on a confirmed handoff, and keeping the community fair (condition feedback, verified badges, moderation of reports).

Who can see what

Other readers see your display name, photo (if you add one), locality name, listed books, and their journey history. They never see your email or phone number. Chat messages are visible only to the two people in a handoff.

Service providers

We rely on infrastructure providers to run the service: Supabase (database and sign-in, hosted in Mumbai, India), Railway (API hosting), MSG91 (one-time passwords for phone verification), Expo (push notification delivery), and Brevo (sign-up confirmation emails). Each receives only what its job requires.

Reporting and blocking

You can report any book, message, or member from inside the app, and block any member. Blocking hides you from each other and stops all contact. Reports are reviewed by the Unshelf team.

Deleting your account

Profile → Delete account. This anonymizes your profile immediately: your name, photo, and phone number are erased, your listings are withdrawn, and your sign-in is removed. Records of completed book handoffs and the credit ledger are retained in anonymized form because other members’ balances and book histories depend on them.

Contact

Questions or requests: works.sarthaks@gmail.com