Your data, and what we do with it.
MindSpring is a free study search engine for students, covering every academic subject except language learning. This policy explains what information we collect when you use it, why we collect it, and the choices you have. We've written it in plain language on purpose.
Last updated 5 July 2026
1. Who this covers
This policy applies to the MindSpring website and the search, saved-library, and practice-quiz features on it. MindSpring is operated by the MindSpring team ("we", "us", "our"). By creating an account or using the site, you acknowledge the practices described here.
You can browse and search without an account. Some features — saving resources, practice quizzes, and syncing across devices — require you to sign in, and so involve the data described below.
2. What we collect
We only collect what the product needs to work. That falls into a few buckets:
Account information
- If you sign in with Google: your name, email address, and profile photo, as provided by Google.
- If you sign up with email and password: the name and email address you enter. Your password is handled and stored by Google Firebase Authentication — we never see or store it.
- Whether your email address has been verified.
Study profile
- The grade, curriculum/board, and "hardest subject" you choose during onboarding or on your profile. This is optional and used to tailor results.
Activity you generate on the site
- Search queries you type, along with the time of the search and counters used to enforce free-tier limits.
- Practice-quiz activity: the topics you generate quizzes for and counters used to enforce quiz limits.
- Saved resources ("My Library"): the title, source, link, and short summary of the results you choose to bookmark.
- A "last active" timestamp so the account stays usable across sessions and devices.
Technical and analytics data
- Standard technical data such as device/browser type and general usage events, collected through Google Analytics for Firebase to understand how the site is used and to improve it.
3. How we use it
- To provide the core service — running your searches and returning relevant study resources.
- To tailor results to your grade and curriculum when you've told us those.
- To generate AI-written practice quizzes on the topics you request.
- To save and show your bookmarked resources across devices.
- To enforce fair-use limits (weekly and monthly search and quiz quotas) and to apply promo codes.
- To keep your account secure and to operate, maintain, and improve the site.
We do not sell your personal information, and we do not use your search queries to build advertising profiles.
5. How long we keep it
We keep your account and associated data (profile, saved resources, usage counters) for as long as your account exists. Search-usage counters roll over automatically each week and month. If you ask us to delete your account, we remove your stored profile data as described below. Some data may persist in provider backups or aggregate analytics for a limited period.
6. Your choices and rights
- View and edit your name, grade, curriculum, and hardest area at any time on your profile page.
- Remove saved resources individually from your library on the profile page.
- Search without an account — you're not required to sign in to use the core search.
- Delete your account — contact us (see below) and we'll delete your stored profile data and remove your authentication record.
Depending on where you live, you may have additional rights under local law (such as access, correction, deletion, or portability of your data). Contact us to exercise any of these and we'll respond in line with applicable law.
7. Students and younger users
MindSpring is designed for school students, including minors. We collect only the limited information described above and never require sensitive personal details. If you are under the age of digital consent in your country (for example, under 13 in the US or under 16 in parts of the EU), please use MindSpring with the involvement and permission of a parent, guardian, or teacher.
If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us information without your consent, contact us and we will delete it.
8. Security
Your data is stored on Google Cloud infrastructure and protected by Firebase security rules that restrict each account to its own data. Authentication and passwords are managed by Google Firebase. No online service can promise perfect security, but we design the product to collect little and to keep each student's data isolated from every other account.
9. Changes to this policy
We may update this policy as the product evolves. When we make material changes, we'll update the "last updated" date above and, where appropriate, note it on the site. Continuing to use MindSpring after a change means you accept the revised policy.
10. Contact us
Questions about this policy or your data? Reach us at contact@mindspring.app.