Privacy Policy

Last updated: February 27, 2026

1. Information We Collect

We collect information in the following ways:

• Account information: Email address, timezone, and plan selection when you create an account
• YouTube data: Publicly available video metadata (titles, descriptions, view counts, thumbnails) that you authorize us to analyze
• Usage data: How you interact with the Service, including pages visited and features used
• Analytics: We use Plausible Analytics, a privacy-friendly analytics tool that does not use cookies or track personal data

2. How We Use Your Information

• To provide citation analysis and optimization recommendations
• To train and improve our machine learning models using aggregated, anonymized data
• To send transactional emails related to your account and subscription
• To monitor and improve Service performance and reliability

3. Data Storage and Security

Your data is stored on Google Cloud Platform infrastructure in the United States. We use encryption in transit (TLS) and at rest. Database access is restricted via Cloud SQL Auth Proxy with IAM authentication.

4. Third-Party Services

We use the following third-party services to operate VisCite:

• Google Cloud Platform: Infrastructure and database hosting
• Google Cloud Run: Frontend hosting and deployment
• Stripe: Payment processing (we never store your card details)
• Plausible Analytics: Privacy-friendly website analytics
• AI APIs (OpenAI, Anthropic, Google): Citation analysis and AI assistant features

5. Data Sharing

We do not sell your personal data. We only share data with the third-party services listed above as necessary to operate the Service. We may disclose information if required by law.

6. Data Retention

We retain your account data for as long as your account is active. Video analysis data is retained for the purpose of trend tracking and historical comparisons. You may request deletion of your data at any time by contacting us.

7. Your Rights

You have the right to:

• Access the personal data we hold about you
• Request correction of inaccurate data
• Request deletion of your data
• Export your data in a machine-readable format
• Withdraw consent for data processing at any time

8. Cookies

We use essential cookies for authentication (session tokens) and optional first-party referral attribution when you arrive via affiliate/referral links. We do not use third-party advertising cookies. Plausible Analytics operates without cookies.

9. Children's Privacy

The Service is not intended for use by anyone under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of material changes by posting the updated policy and changing the “Last updated” date.

11. Contact

Questions about this Privacy Policy? Contact us at privacy@viscite.com.