Privacy Policy

Last updated: August 27, 2026

Everlight Stories ("we," "us," or "the site") respects your privacy. This policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and the choices you have. We have tried to write it in plain language.

Information we collect

• Story submissions. When you use the Share flow, we collect your story, the feeling and place you tag it with, the first name you choose to provide (which may be blank), your email address, and your publishing choice (named, anonymous, or private).
• Drafts on your device. While you write, your draft is saved automatically in your own browser's storage so you don't lose it. It stays on your device and is not sent to us until you press Submit. You can clear it by clearing your browser's site data.
• Basic technical information. Like most websites, our hosting infrastructure (Google Cloud) automatically logs standard technical data such as IP addresses, browser type, and pages requested. We use this only for security (such as preventing spam submissions) and to keep the site running.
• Analytics. We use Google Analytics to understand which stories people read and how they found us. Google Analytics sets cookies on your device and collects information such as the pages you visit, roughly where in the world you are, and what kind of device and browser you use. We also record which stories are played and listened through, whether a link was shared or copied, and whether a form was completed — as counts, never tied to a person. We see this only as aggregate patterns — we never connect it to your story, your name, or your email address.

We do not run advertising, we do not use advertising trackers, and we never sell your information to anyone.

Your choice about analytics. We ask before we measure anything. Google Analytics is not loaded, and no analytics cookies are set, until you say it's fine — so if you have not answered, or you said no thanks, nothing about your visit is measured. If your browser sends a "Do Not Track" or "Global Privacy Control" signal, we treat that as your answer and never ask. You can also use Google's official browser opt-out add-on, or block cookies for this site. Nothing on Everlight stops working either way — every story and the submission form work exactly the same.

Your choice is remembered in this browser only, so you may be asked again on another device.

How we use your information

• To read and consider your story for publication — a person reads every submission.
• To email you the version we'd publish before anything goes live, and to honor changes or withdrawal — one reply is enough.
• To publish your story only under the identity option you chose: first name and state, anonymous, or not at all.
• To protect the site from spam and abuse.

How submissions are delivered and stored

Submissions are delivered to us by email. This means your submission is transmitted to and stored in our email account (a Google/Gmail account), subject to Google's own privacy practices. We do not store your submission in any other database.

Your email address

Your email address is never published, never shared with third parties, and used only to correspond with you about your submission.

Your choices and rights

• Identity. You choose how you appear — first name and state, fully anonymous, or held privately and unpublished.
• Withdrawal. You may withdraw consent at any time, before or after publication, by replying to your confirmation email. We remove published stories promptly on request from their author.
• Deletion. You may ask us to delete your submission and correspondence entirely; we will confirm when it's done.
• Depending on where you live (for example, the EU/EEA under GDPR or California under the CCPA), you may have additional legal rights to access, correct, or delete personal information. We honor such requests regardless of where you live.

Children

The site is not directed at children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from them. If you believe a child has submitted personal information, contact us and we will delete it.

Third-party services

The site is hosted on Google Cloud, loads fonts from Google Fonts, and uses Google Analytics. These services may process technical data (such as IP addresses) as described in Google's privacy policy. Google Analytics data is retained according to our account settings and is not shared with advertisers.

If you are visiting from the EU/EEA or UK and would prefer we not collect analytics data about your visit, use one of the opt-out methods above before browsing.

Changes to this policy

If we change this policy, we will update the date at the top of this page. Material changes will be noted prominently on the site.

Contact

Questions about privacy? Reach us through the Share flow.