The Query Forge ("we," "us," or "our") respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains what data we collect, why we collect it, how we use and share it, and the rights you have over your data.
This policy applies to all users of the website at thequeryforge.com and the research report services provided through it. By using the Service, you agree to the collection and use of information as described in this policy.
The short version: We collect your email, payment details (via Stripe), and the queries you submit. We use that information only to provide and improve the Service. We do not sell your personal data. We use a small number of carefully selected third-party services to operate — Stripe, Beehiiv, Anthropic, Amazon Associates, and Vercel.
1. Information We Collect
We collect the following categories of personal information when you use the Service:
Account Information
Email address — required to create an account, deliver reports, and send transactional communications. We collect this when you register or submit a query.
Payment Information
When you make a purchase or subscribe, you provide payment details through Stripe, our payment processor. We do not directly receive or store your full credit card number, card verification value (CVV), or bank account details. Stripe processes and stores this information in accordance with their PCI-DSS compliance. We receive only a payment token and basic billing details (e.g., last four digits, card brand, billing country) from Stripe.
Research Queries
When you submit a query, we collect the content of your question to generate your report. Query content is processed by our AI pipeline (Anthropic Claude API) and may be retained to improve service quality unless you request deletion.
Usage Data
We collect information about how you use the Service, including:
- Which reports you have requested and received
- Your subscription plan and billing history
- Report types (standard or premium) and delivery timestamps
Technical Data
Like most websites, we automatically collect certain technical information when you access the Site:
- IP address
- Browser type and version
- Operating system
- Referring URL
- Pages visited and time spent
- Date and time of access
This data is collected in standard server access logs and through Vercel (our hosting provider) for security and operational purposes.
Cookies and Similar Technologies
We use a minimal set of cookies. See Section 7 (Cookies) for full details.
2. How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect for the following purposes:
Delivering the Service
- Processing and fulfilling research report requests
- Delivering reports to your email address via Beehiiv
- Managing your subscription and report allocation
- Sending transactional emails: order confirmations, report delivery notifications, billing receipts
Processing Payments
- Charging your payment method for subscriptions and one-time purchases via Stripe
- Managing billing disputes and refund requests
- Maintaining financial records as required by law
Service Improvement
- Analyzing anonymized, aggregated query patterns to understand what topics are most valuable to subscribers
- Identifying and resolving technical issues
- Improving report quality, delivery reliability, and the overall product
Legal Compliance and Safety
- Complying with applicable laws and regulations
- Responding to lawful requests from law enforcement or government authorities
- Enforcing our Terms of Service and protecting against fraud or abuse
- Protecting the rights, property, or safety of The Query Forge or our users
We do not use your personal data for advertising targeting, profiling for third-party commercial purposes, or any purpose not described in this policy.
3. Third-Party Services
We share data with the following third-party service providers, solely as necessary to operate the Service. We do not sell your data to any third party.
Purpose: Payment processing. Stripe handles all credit card transactions, subscription billing, and payment security on our behalf.
Data shared: Your payment card details (entered directly into Stripe's interface), email address, and billing information. We do not store your full card number.
Privacy policy: stripe.com/privacy
Purpose: Email delivery. We use Beehiiv to send transactional emails including report delivery, order confirmations, and subscription updates.
Data shared: Your email address and, where relevant, your first name. Beehiiv receives delivery and engagement data (e.g., email opens, link clicks) for the emails we send.
Privacy policy: beehiiv.com/privacy
Purpose: AI-assisted report generation. Research queries you submit are processed by Anthropic's Claude API to generate your reports.
Data shared: The content of your research queries is transmitted to Anthropic's API infrastructure to generate report content. Anthropic's API usage policies govern how query data is handled on their end. As of this writing, Anthropic does not use API inputs to train future models by default for API customers.
Privacy policy: anthropic.com/legal/privacy
Purpose: Affiliate program. Some book recommendations in reports include Amazon affiliate links. If you click an affiliate link, Amazon may place a cookie on your device to track the referral.
Data shared: No personal data is shared directly by us. Amazon's own tracking mechanisms activate when you click an affiliate link and navigate to Amazon.com.
Privacy policy: amazon.com privacy notice
Purpose: Website hosting and infrastructure. Vercel hosts thequeryforge.com and handles all web traffic routing.
Data shared: Vercel receives server access logs including IP addresses and request metadata as part of standard hosting operations.
Privacy policy: vercel.com/legal/privacy-policy
We may also disclose information to third parties in the following circumstances: (a) with your consent; (b) to comply with a legal obligation or respond to lawful process; (c) to protect the rights, property, or safety of The Query Forge, our users, or the public; or (d) in connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of all or substantially all of our assets (in which case you will be notified).
4. Data Retention
We retain personal data only for as long as necessary to provide the Service and fulfill the purposes described in this policy, or as required by law.
Account Data
Your account information (email address, subscription history, usage data) is retained for the duration of your active subscription plus two (2) years after cancellation or account closure. This retention period allows us to handle billing disputes, tax audits, and re-subscription requests.
Payment Records
Financial transaction records — including invoices, payment confirmations, and billing history — are retained for seven (7) years from the date of the transaction, as required by US tax regulations and standard accounting practices.
Research Query Content
The content of research queries you submit is retained for the purpose of service improvement (anonymized analysis of query patterns) and quality review. You may request deletion of your query history by contacting support@thequeryforge.com. We will honor deletion requests within 30 days, subject to any legal retention obligations.
Technical Logs
Server access logs (including IP addresses and request metadata) are typically retained for 90 days for security and debugging purposes, then automatically deleted.
5. Your Rights
Regardless of your location, you have the following rights with respect to your personal data:
Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you, including your account information and query history.
Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal data. You can update your email address by contacting us.
Request deletion of your account and associated personal data. We will delete data subject to legal retention requirements.
Opt out of non-transactional email communications at any time via the unsubscribe link in any email or by contacting us. Transactional emails (report delivery, receipts) cannot be opted out of while your subscription is active.
Request your data in a structured, commonly used, machine-readable format where technically feasible.
Request that we restrict processing of your data in certain circumstances, such as while a dispute is being resolved.
To exercise any of these rights, contact us at support@thequeryforge.com. We will respond within 30 days. We may need to verify your identity before processing your request.
6. California Residents — CCPA Rights
If you are a California resident, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), as amended by the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA), grants you additional rights regarding your personal information.
Categories of Personal Information Collected
In the past 12 months, we have collected the following categories of personal information as defined under CCPA:
- Identifiers: Email address, IP address
- Commercial information: Subscription plan, purchase history, billing records
- Internet or network activity: Browsing history on our Site, query submission history
- Inferences: Subject area interests based on query history (used only for internal service improvement)
We Do Not Sell Your Personal Information
The Query Forge does not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for monetary or other valuable consideration. We share data only with service providers who process it on our behalf to operate the Service.
Your CCPA Rights
As a California resident, you have the right to:
- Know: Request disclosure of the categories and specific pieces of personal information we have collected about you, the sources, our business purpose for collecting it, and the categories of third parties we share it with
- Delete: Request deletion of personal information we have collected from you, subject to certain exceptions
- Correct: Request correction of inaccurate personal information
- Opt out of sale or sharing: Although we do not sell data, you may submit an opt-out request at any time
- Limit use of sensitive personal information: We do not collect sensitive personal information (as defined under CPRA) beyond what is necessary to operate the Service
- Non-discrimination: We will not discriminate against you for exercising any of your CCPA rights — you will receive the same quality of service regardless
To submit a CCPA request, contact us at support@thequeryforge.com with the subject line "CCPA Request" and specify the right(s) you wish to exercise. We will respond within 45 days, with the option to extend by an additional 45 days if necessary.
7. Cookies
We use a minimal set of cookies and similar technologies. We do not use advertising cookies, third-party tracking cookies, or behavioral profiling cookies.
Cookies We Use
- Stripe payment cookies: When you initiate a payment, Stripe places cookies necessary to process the transaction securely and prevent fraud. These are functional, payment-essential cookies set by Stripe's domain. See Stripe's Cookies Policy for details.
- Session cookies: We may set a short-lived session cookie to maintain your login state while you use the Service. This cookie is deleted when you close your browser or log out.
What We Do Not Use
We do not use Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, or any third-party advertising or retargeting trackers. We do not build behavioral profiles for advertising purposes.
Managing Cookies
You can control cookies through your browser settings. Note that disabling certain cookies (specifically Stripe payment cookies) may prevent you from completing purchases. Most modern browsers allow you to view, block, or delete cookies. Refer to your browser's help documentation for instructions.
8. Children's Privacy
The Query Forge is not directed to children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. Our Service is intended for adults with an interest in academic and research topics.
In compliance with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), if we discover that we have inadvertently collected personal information from a child under 13, we will delete that information promptly. If you believe we have collected information from a child under 13, please contact us immediately at support@thequeryforge.com.
Users between the ages of 13 and 17 should have a parent or legal guardian review and agree to these Terms and this Privacy Policy on their behalf before using the Service.
9. Security
We take reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your personal data against unauthorized access, loss, or alteration.
Our Security Practices
- Encryption in transit: All communication between your browser and our servers is encrypted using HTTPS (TLS)
- Payment security: All payment data is handled directly by Stripe, which is PCI-DSS Level 1 compliant — the highest level of payment security certification
- Access controls: Access to user data is restricted to authorized personnel with a need to know
- Hosting security: Our infrastructure is hosted on Vercel, which provides enterprise-grade security and infrastructure protection
No method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your personal data, we cannot guarantee its absolute security. If you have reason to believe your account has been compromised, contact us immediately at support@thequeryforge.com.
10. Email Communications
We use email as the primary channel to deliver reports, receipts, and important account information. Our email practices comply with the CAN-SPAM Act and applicable anti-spam laws.
Transactional Emails
We send transactional emails for the following purposes, which are essential to the Service:
- Report delivery (your completed research reports)
- Payment receipts and subscription confirmation
- Subscription renewal reminders
- Account security notifications
- Material changes to Terms of Service or Privacy Policy
You cannot opt out of transactional emails while your account is active, as they are integral to service delivery.
Marketing and Informational Emails
From time to time, we may send non-transactional emails such as product updates, new feature announcements, or topic-related content. You may opt out of these at any time by:
- Clicking the "Unsubscribe" link in any marketing email
- Contacting us at support@thequeryforge.com with a request to unsubscribe
We will honor opt-out requests within 10 business days. Our physical mailing address, which appears in all commercial emails as required by CAN-SPAM, is included in the footer of such emails.
11. International Users
The Query Forge is operated in the United States. If you access the Service from outside the United States, your personal data will be transferred to, processed, and stored in the United States.
US data protection laws may differ from those in your country. By using the Service, you consent to the transfer and processing of your data in the United States as described in this policy.
European Union / EEA Users
While The Query Forge is a US-based service not established in the EU, we recognize the spirit of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and aim for transparency consistent with its principles. EU and EEA users have the same access, correction, deletion, portability, and restriction rights described in Section 5 above. To exercise these rights, contact support@thequeryforge.com.
12. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. When we make material changes, we will:
- Notify active subscribers by email at least 30 days before the changes take effect
- Update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page
- For significant changes, provide a summary of what has changed
Your continued use of the Service after the effective date of any changes constitutes your acceptance of the revised Privacy Policy. If you object to any changes, you should cancel your subscription and discontinue use of the Service before the effective date.
13. Contact
If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:
The Query Forge
Chicago, Illinois
Email: support@thequeryforge.com
We will make reasonable efforts to respond to all privacy-related inquiries within 5 business days and to fulfill data rights requests within 30 days (or 45 days for CCPA requests).
Also see: Terms of Service