Google Docs Add-on Privacy Policy

Overview

PlotLens for Google Docs is a narrative intelligence add-on that checks your writing against your Story Bible — the facts your story has established (what readers call canon). It does not write, generate, or rewrite prose. Continuity findings reflect rules a check actually examined; a green result with nothing checked is not a clean manuscript.

This policy explains what data we collect, how we process it, and your rights.

Data We Collect

Document content

• What: Text from the Google Doc that you authorize PlotLens to access for Manuscript Check and related continuity features.
• When: When you run a check from the add-on on the Doc where the add-on is installed / currently open, and when optional background-colour highlights are written to that Doc. Any ongoing update/sync is limited to Docs this add-on is authorized to access under documents.currentonly — not other Drive files.
• Retention: Document text sent for a check is processed to produce findings. PlotLens does not use your manuscripts to train AI models. Account-level project data you keep in PlotLens (Story Bible, saved documents, findings history) follows the main Privacy Policy retention rules.

Google authorization data

• What: Google OAuth tokens (access and, where required for sync, refresh tokens) and the Google account identifiers needed to call Google APIs on your behalf.
• Scopes: Seven scopes, matching the add-on manifest. We do not request userinfo.profile.
  1. Access to the Google Doc this add-on is open in (documents.currentonly) — used to read that Doc for Manuscript Check and, when that feature is on, to apply background-colour highlights. The add-on does not create Docs comments.
  2. Apps Script property storage (script.storage) — Apps Script PropertiesService for add-on state only: sign-in session, linked PlotLens project id, per-document sync state, and settings. Does not store manuscript text.
  3. Apps Script sidebar UI (script.container.ui) — shows the add-on sidebar (Google tags this scope sensitive; Verification Center: sidebar).
  4. External HTTP from the add-on (script.external_request) — calls PlotLens servers so Manuscript Check can run in the cloud (Google tags this scope sensitive; Verification Center: PlotLens API / Manuscript Check).
  5. Apps Script runtime (script.scriptapp) — runs the add-on, triggers, and identity token / re-auth flow (Google tags this scope sensitive; Verification Center: triggers + identity token / re-auth).
  6. Basic Google Sign-In (openid).
  7. Account email (userinfo.email).

  We do not request any Google Drive access. We do not use Google access for advertising.

  • https://www.googleapis.com/auth/documents.currentonly
  • https://www.googleapis.com/auth/script.storage
  • https://www.googleapis.com/auth/script.container.ui
  • https://www.googleapis.com/auth/script.external_request
  • https://www.googleapis.com/auth/script.scriptapp
  • openid
  • https://www.googleapis.com/auth/userinfo.email
• When: During Google authorization and while the add-on remains connected.
• Retention: Tokens are stored securely for as long as the connection is active; revoke access in Google Account settings and/or disconnect in PlotLens to end access.

PlotLens authentication data

• What: Your PlotLens account identity (via Clerk) so checks run against your project and Story Bible.
• When: When you sign in to PlotLens inside the add-on sidebar.
• Retention: Per your PlotLens account and the main Privacy Policy.

Usage analytics

• What: Anonymous or pseudonymous usage metrics (feature usage counts, error rates, API latency), subject to your cookie/analytics choices on plotlens.ai where applicable.
• When: During normal add-on operation.
• Retention: Aggregated metrics retained for up to 90 days unless a longer period is required for security.

How We Process Data

1. Validation / Manuscript Check — Authorized document text is sent to the PlotLens API over HTTPS, processed by our validation engine (which may use cloud LLM services such as Azure OpenAI for analysis), and findings are returned to the add-on and/or applied as background-colour highlights when that setting is on.
2. Story Bible / project context — Checks run against canon in the PlotLens project you select. Building or updating that canon may involve processing you initiate in the PlotLens web app or other surfaces; see the main Privacy Policy.
3. Search — Story Bible search queries are processed server-side against your project's indexed content.

Third-Party Services

• PlotLens API — Validation, Story Bible, search. Receives authorized document text and your PlotLens auth.
• Google — Identity and Docs APIs under the scopes you approve. Receives OAuth tokens and API calls needed to read authorized docs and apply highlights.
• Clerk — PlotLens account authentication (sub-processor).
• Azure OpenAI (and other processors named in our Security / Trust Center) — May process manuscript text to produce continuity analysis. Not used to train foundation models on your content under our provider terms as described on Security.
• Stripe — Billing for paid PlotLens plans (web/app billing). Not required to add the add-on itself.

Data Storage & Security

• Data in transit is encrypted via TLS.
• Server-side PlotLens data is encrypted at rest.
• Google tokens are stored with access controls appropriate to production secrets.
• Infrastructure is hosted on secured cloud providers (see Security / Trust Center).

Your Rights

• Access: View PlotLens account and project data in the PlotLens web app.
• Deletion: Delete your PlotLens account from Settings → Account; revoke Google access in your Google Account.
• Export: Export project data from the PlotLens web dashboard where that feature is offered.
• Opt-out / disconnect: Uninstall the add-on and/or revoke Google OAuth; stop using background sync if offered.

Children's Privacy

PlotLens is not directed at children under 16. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 16.

Changes to This Policy

We will notify users of material changes via email and/or in-product notice.

Contact

• Email: privacy@plotlens.ai
• Support: plotlens.ai/support/docs-addin