Privacy Policy

We collect information that you provide directly to us, as well as certain information automatically when you use Herix Studios.

Information You Provide

Depending on how you use Herix Studios, we may collect:

• Email address
• Username
• Password and authentication information
• Display name
• Profile information
• Date of birth
• Writer applications
• Writing samples
• Stories and chapters
• Story descriptions and other published content
• Comments
• Ratings
• Favorites
• Reports submitted to Herix staff
• Information provided when contacting Herix Studios

You are not required to use your real name as your public display name. However, information you voluntarily include in your profile or other public content may be visible to other users.

Information Collected Automatically

When you use Herix Studios, certain information may be collected automatically, including:

• IP address
• Browser and device information
• Pages visited
• Login and session information
• Date and time of activity
• Cookie and session information
• Security-related information
• Technical information necessary to operate and protect the service

We use this information to operate Herix Studios, maintain security, understand how the service is used, and improve the platform.

Herix Studios may use collected information for purposes including:

• Creating and maintaining user accounts
• Authenticating users
• Publishing user-created profiles and stories
• Processing writer applications
• Reviewing writing samples
• Moderating the platform
• Investigating reports and violations
• Preventing abuse, fraud, and unauthorized access
• Providing account and platform notifications
• Sending password resets and verification emails
• Sending marketing or newsletter communications where applicable
• Improving Herix Studios and its features
• Maintaining the security and reliability of the platform
• Responding to support requests
• Complying with applicable legal obligations

We do not use personal information for purposes unrelated to those described in this Privacy Policy without providing additional notice when required.

Herix Studios is a community publishing platform. Some information is intentionally made public when you use certain features.

Depending on your account and privacy settings, publicly visible information may include:

• Username
• Display name
• Profile information
• Stories
• Story descriptions
• Comments
• Ratings
• Favorites

Private Profiles

Users may choose to make their profile private.

When a profile is private, the user's avatar, username, and display name remain visible to other users, while other profile information is restricted according to the platform's privacy settings.

Stories and other content that you intentionally publish publicly may remain publicly accessible regardless of whether your profile is private.

Please consider carefully what information you choose to include in publicly available content.

Users applying to become Herix writers may provide additional information, including:

• Personal information
• Contact information
• Writing samples
• Information about proposed stories
• Descriptions of their writing
• Other information submitted as part of the application

Writer applications are accessible only to authorized Herix Studios staff involved in reviewing applications.

Writer application information is retained while an application is under review and is deleted after the applicant has been accepted or rejected, subject to any information that must be retained for legitimate legal, security, or administrative purposes.

Herix Studios allows users to publish original fiction and other content on the platform.

Except where separate contractual terms apply, such as participation in the Herix Studios Partner Program (HSPP)¹, Herix Studios does not claim ownership of stories or other original content submitted by users.

Publishing content on Herix Studios does not by itself transfer ownership of that content to Herix Studios.

However, by submitting content to Herix Studios, you understand that content intended to be public may be displayed to other users as part of the platform.

Separate contractual terms may apply to works participating in the Herix Studios Partner Program.

Writers may upload images associated with their stories, including:

• Volume covers
• Character page covers
• Extras page covers
• Images included throughout stories

Writers are responsible for ensuring that they have the necessary rights or permissions to upload and use any images or other material they submit.

Herix Studios does not permit users to upload arbitrary document files such as PDFs or DOCX files through the writing platform.

Herix Studios uses cookies and similar technologies necessary to operate the platform. These may include:

Essential Cookies

Used to provide core website functionality and maintain the operation and security of the service.

Login and Session Cookies

Used to keep users authenticated and maintain active sessions.

Analytics

Herix Studios currently uses analytics services to understand how users interact with the website and to improve the platform.

Herix Studios currently uses:

• Google Analytics
• Cloudflare Analytics

Herix Studios does not currently use advertising cookies for targeted advertising.

If our use of cookies or tracking technologies changes, this Privacy Policy may be updated accordingly.

Herix Studios relies on third-party service providers to operate portions of the platform. These currently include:

Supabase

Supabase provides authentication, database, and related infrastructure used to operate Herix Studios.

Vercel

Vercel provides hosting and infrastructure services used to operate the Herix Studios website.

Cloudflare

Cloudflare provides content delivery, security, and related infrastructure services.

Resend

Resend provides email delivery services used for account verification, password resets, writer application notifications, marketing communications, and newsletters.

Google Analytics

Google Analytics provides website analytics that help us understand how the Herix Studios platform is used.

These providers may process information on behalf of Herix Studios as necessary to provide their services.

Herix Studios does not sell user personal information to these service providers.

Herix Studios may send users emails relating to:

• Account verification
• Password resets
• Writer applications
• Important account or platform notices
• Marketing
• Newsletters

Users may opt out of non-essential marketing and newsletter communications.

Transactional communications necessary to operate an account, such as password resets and account security notices, may still be sent when necessary.

We retain information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law.

Active Accounts

Account information is retained while your account remains active.

Deleted Accounts

When an account is deleted, the account and associated user data are deleted from the active Herix Studios system, subject to information that may need to be retained temporarily in backups, security records, or where required by law.

Deleted Stories and Content

When a user deletes a story or other applicable content, it is removed from public access and deleted from the active system.

Writer Applications

Writer application information is deleted after an applicant has been accepted or rejected, subject to limited information that may need to be retained for legal, security, or administrative purposes.

Moderation Records

Moderation records may be retained until Herix staff determines that the record can be dismissed or otherwise removed.

Suspended Accounts

Information relating to suspended accounts may be retained for safety, security, moderation, and enforcement purposes.

Backups

Certain information may temporarily remain in system backups until those backups are securely overwritten or expire according to our backup procedures.

Users may delete their account through: Settings → Account → Delete Account

Account deletion is intended to permanently remove the account and associated user data from the active Herix Studios platform. This may include:

• Account information
• Stories
• Chapters
• Comments
• Ratings
• Reviews
• Posts
• Profile information

Some information may remain temporarily in backups or moderation/security records where necessary for legitimate purposes or where required by law.

Account deletion cannot necessarily remove information that has already been independently copied, quoted, archived, or otherwise reproduced by other users or third parties.

Herix Studios uses reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational measures designed to protect personal information from unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction.

These measures include protections provided through the infrastructure and services used to operate Herix Studios.

However, no internet-based service can guarantee that information will always remain completely secure.

If we become aware of a security incident that requires notification under applicable law, we will provide notice as required by law.

Herix Studios is intended for users who are 16 years of age or older.

Users are required to provide their date of birth when creating an account so that Herix Studios can enforce its minimum age requirement.

Herix Studios does not knowingly permit individuals under 16 to maintain accounts on the platform.

If we discover that an account belongs to someone under the minimum required age, the account may be permanently suspended and the associated information may be deleted, subject to information that must be retained for legal, security, or enforcement purposes.

Parents or guardians who believe that a person under the minimum age has created an account may contact Herix Studios.

Depending on where you live and which privacy laws apply to you, you may have rights concerning your personal information. These rights may include:

• Accessing personal information we hold about you
• Requesting correction of inaccurate information
• Requesting deletion of personal information
• Obtaining information in a portable format where applicable
• Opting out of certain types of processing where applicable
• Requesting information about how your personal information is processed
• Appealing certain privacy decisions

Some rights may be subject to legal exceptions or limitations.

Florida residents may have additional rights under applicable Florida privacy law. Florida's privacy framework includes rights concerning access, correction, deletion, portability, certain opt-outs, and appeals, subject to the law's applicability and exceptions.

Herix Studios does not discriminate against users for exercising privacy rights where prohibited by applicable law.

To submit a privacy-related request, contact: [email protected]

Please include enough information for us to understand and process your request.

For certain requests, we may need to verify that the request is actually associated with your account or personal information before completing it.

We may request additional information where reasonably necessary to verify your identity and protect against unauthorized requests.

We will respond to valid privacy requests within the time required by applicable law.

If you disagree with a decision concerning a privacy request and applicable law provides an appeal right, you may request an appeal by contacting us at the same address.

Herix Studios does not currently sell users' personal information.

Herix Studios also does not currently use personal information for targeted advertising.

If these practices change in the future, we will update this Privacy Policy and provide any notices or choices required by applicable law.

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time.

When we make changes, we will update the “Last Updated” date at the beginning of this Privacy Policy.

If we make significant changes, we may provide additional notice through the Herix Studios platform or other appropriate means.

We encourage users to periodically review this Privacy Policy to remain informed about how their information is handled.

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal information, contact Herix Studios at:

[email protected]

Herix Studios
Florida, United States