Introduction
APA Citation Generator ("we", "our", or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and safeguard your information when you use our Chrome extension and website at apacitationgenerator.site.
Information We Collect
Text You Submit for Citation Generation
When you use our extension to generate citations, the selected text is sent to our servers for processing by our AI models. This text is:
- Processed in real-time to generate your citation
- Not stored permanently on our servers
- Not associated with your identity unless you have a Pro account
- Not used to train AI models
Usage Data
We collect anonymous usage data to enforce rate limits and improve our service:
- A hashed identifier based on your IP address and browser user-agent
- Number of citations generated per day
- This data is reset daily at midnight UTC
Account Information (Pro Users)
If you create a Pro account, we collect:
- Email address (from Google Sign-In)
- Google account display name
- Payment information processed securely by Stripe (we do not store credit card numbers)
Browser Extension Data
The Chrome extension stores locally on your device:
- Your citation style preferences
- Your most recent generated citation (cached)
- API key (if you're a Pro user)
- Citation generation statistics
This data is stored only in your browser using Chrome's storage API and is never transmitted to our servers except as needed to process citation requests.
How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect to:
- Process your citation generation requests
- Enforce daily usage limits for free users
- Process payments and manage Pro subscriptions
- Improve our AI citation parsing accuracy
- Respond to support requests
- Detect and prevent abuse of our service
Data Sharing
We do not sell your personal information. We may share data with:
- AI Service Providers: Text submitted for citation parsing is sent to our AI providers (Groq, OpenAI, Anthropic) for processing. These providers have their own privacy policies.
- Payment Processor: Stripe processes payments for Pro subscriptions.
- Authentication: Google Firebase handles account authentication.
Data Security
We implement appropriate security measures to protect your information:
- All data transmission uses HTTPS encryption
- API keys are generated using cryptographically secure methods
- User identifiers are hashed and cannot be reversed to identify you
- Payment information is handled entirely by Stripe's secure infrastructure
Data Retention
- Citation text: Not retained after processing
- Usage counts: Reset daily
- Account data: Retained while your account is active, deleted upon request
Your Rights
You have the right to:
- Access the personal data we hold about you
- Request deletion of your account and associated data
- Export your data in a portable format
- Opt out of marketing communications
To exercise these rights, contact us at support@apacitationgenerator.site.
Cookies
Our website uses minimal cookies:
- Session cookies: For authentication purposes
- Preference cookies: To remember your settings
We do not use tracking cookies or third-party advertising cookies.
Children's Privacy
Our service is not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe we have collected such information, please contact us immediately.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify users of any material changes by posting the new policy on this page with an updated "Last updated" date.
Contact Us
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us at:
Email: support@apacitationgenerator.site