Privacy Policy - byliner.ai

Our Commitment to Journalists

At byliner.ai, we understand that journalists handle sensitive information and have unique privacy needs. This privacy policy explains how we collect, use, protect, and respect your data while providing our AI-powered text editing services.

Key Principle:

Your content is yours. We never claim ownership of your articles, sources, or editorial content. Your stories remain confidential and are not used to train our AI models without explicit consent.

Information We Collect

Account Information

Name, email address, and professional affiliation
Publication details and editorial preferences
Billing information (processed securely through third-party providers)
Communication preferences and contact details

Content Data

Articles, drafts, and documents you create or edit
Research notes and source materials you input
AI assistance requests and generated content
Style preferences and publication settings

Usage Information

Feature usage patterns and editor interactions
Performance metrics and error logs
Device information and browser details
IP address and general location data

How We Use Your Information

Service Provision

Provide AI-powered editing, fact-checking, and writing assistance
Maintain your documents and sync across devices
Customize features based on your publication style and preferences
Process billing and manage your subscription

Product Improvement

Analyze usage patterns to improve features (anonymized data only)
Develop new tools for journalists
Enhance AI accuracy and performance
Fix bugs and optimize performance

Important:

We do not use your editorial content to train our AI models unless you explicitly opt-in to our research program. Even then, all content is anonymized and stripped of identifying information.

Content Protection for Journalists

Source Protection

We never access or analyze source contact information
Confidential source names are automatically filtered from AI processing
You can mark sensitive content to exclude it from AI assistance
We maintain strict internal access controls to protect journalist-source privilege

Editorial Independence

AI suggestions are tools only - editorial decisions remain entirely yours
We do not monitor or influence editorial content or viewpoints
No content is shared with external parties without explicit permission
Your publication schedule and deadlines remain confidential

Data Encryption

All content is encrypted in transit and at rest
End-to-end encryption for sensitive documents
Secure deletion of content upon request
Regular security audits and compliance checks

Information Sharing

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information or content. Limited sharing occurs only in these circumstances:

Service Providers

Cloud hosting providers (with strict data processing agreements)
Payment processors for billing (minimal data only)
Email service providers for essential communications
Security and monitoring services (anonymized data only)

Legal Requirements

When required by law or valid court order
To protect rights, property, or safety of users
In connection with legal proceedings
With advance notice when legally permissible

Shield Laws and Journalist Protection:

We will vigorously defend journalist-source privilege and confidentiality rights. We maintain legal counsel experienced in media law and will challenge overly broad requests for journalist data.

Your Rights and Controls

Data Access and Portability

Download all your content in standard formats
Request copies of your account data
Export articles to other platforms
Access your usage and billing history

Data Control

Delete individual articles or entire account
Control which content receives AI assistance
Opt out of usage analytics
Manage communication preferences

Privacy Settings

Configure content sensitivity levels
Enable enhanced encryption for confidential work
Set automatic content deletion schedules
Control AI model interactions

International Users and Data Transfers

byliner.ai operates globally and may transfer data across borders to provide our services. We ensure adequate protection through:

Standard Contractual Clauses for EU data transfers
Compliance with GDPR, CCPA, and other privacy laws
Data localization options for sensitive content
Regular compliance audits and certifications

Data Retention

Active content: Retained while your account is active
Deleted content: Permanently removed within 30 days
Account data: Deleted within 90 days of account closure
Legal hold: Data preserved only as required by law
Backup systems: Purged according to retention schedules

Contact Us

For privacy questions, data requests, or concerns about your information:

Privacy Officer

Email: privacy@byliner.ai

Response time: Within 48 hours for urgent requests

For legal or source protection concerns, contact our media law counsel at legal@byliner.ai

Changes to This Policy

We may update this privacy policy to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. We will notify users of material changes via:

Email notification to registered users
Prominent notice in the application
30-day advance notice for significant changes
Updated version posted on our website