Privacy Policy

Last Updated: September 3, 2026

1. Introduction

Welcome to Writalism ("we," "our," or "us"), available at write.aboutrussell.com. We believe your writing should remain strictly your own. This Privacy Policy outlines our commitment to user privacy and describes how we handle information when you use our web application.

2. Information We Access

Writalism is a client-side writing tool designed with zero server-side storage. When you sign in with your Google Account:

  • OAuth Access Token: We request an authorization token from Google to save and load your notes directly to and from your personal Google Drive.
  • No User Profiles Stored: We do not collect, store, or log your name, email, or passwords on any external database or third-party servers.

3. How Your Data is Stored

All notes, pages, and preferences created in Writalism reside exclusively within your own personal Google Drive:

  • Hidden App Data Folder: Your writing is stored in a private configuration file (minimal_writing_data.json) inside Google Drive's isolated Application Data Folder (appDataFolder). This space is dedicated to Writalism and is completely separated from your regular Google Drive files.
  • Zero Developer or Third-Party Access: We do not have servers, databases, or analytics tracking that can inspect or view your documents. Communication happens directly between your browser and Google APIs.
  • No Central Database: Writalism has no backend database. Your writing is never transmitted to, stored on, or processed by any servers managed by Writalism.

4. Permissions and Google API Usage

Writalism requests only the minimum scope necessary to operate:

  • https://www.googleapis.com/auth/drive.appdata — Allows Writalism to create, read, update, and delete its own application data file inside your Google Drive hidden application storage.

Writalism does not request access to your general Google Drive files, emails, contacts, or documents.

Writalism's use and transfer to any other app of information received from Google APIs adheres to the Google API Services User Data Policy, including the Limited Use requirements.

5. Data Protection and Security Mechanisms

We implement industry-standard technical measures to safeguard your information:

  • Encryption in Transit: All communications between your browser and Google API endpoints are strictly transmitted over HTTPS using Transport Layer Security (TLS 1.2 or higher).
  • Encryption at Rest: All notes and files saved in your Google Drive are encrypted at rest using Google's cloud storage infrastructure standards (AES-256 encryption).
  • Client-Side Token Handling: OAuth access tokens are stored strictly in your browser's local storage (localStorage) to maintain your session. Tokens are never sent to any intermediary server.
  • No Human Access: No developers, staff, or contractors have access to view, read, or manage your personal writing.
  • No Sale or AI/ML Model Training: We do not sell, rent, or monetize your data. Furthermore, user data obtained through Google Workspace APIs is never used to develop, improve, or train generalized artificial intelligence (AI) or machine learning (ML) models.

6. Data Retention and Deletion

Because you own the Google Drive storage where your data is kept, you maintain full control over its retention:

  • You can delete individual pages or notes directly within the Writalism user interface.
  • You can permanently revoke Writalism's access at any time through your Google Account Security Settings. Revoking access disconnects the application and gives you the option to remove all hidden application data.
  • Because we do not store copies of your data on central servers, revoking access leaves zero residual data on our systems.

7. Contact Information

If you have any questions or feedback regarding this Privacy Policy or our security practices, please contact Russell Turner at arussellturner@gmail.com.