Privacy Policy
Last updated September 16, 2026
This policy explains what information HaveNotes ("HaveNotes," "we," "us") collects when you use havenotes.com, why we collect it, and the choices you have. We built HaveNotes to be a straightforward, free product-guide site, and we've tried to write this policy the same way.
Information you give us directly
If you create a free account, we collect the email address, password, and display name you provide. Your password is stored in hashed form — we cannot see or recover your actual password. Creating an account also generates a unique referral code tied to your profile.
If you use the community features, we store the content you post: questions, answers, comments, video links, and likes, along with the product guide they're attached to and a timestamp. If you bookmark a guide or ask us to track a product you own, we store that association with your account.
If you contact us directly (see our Contact page), we keep whatever information you include in that message so we can respond.
Information collected automatically
When you use HaveNotes, we automatically log some technical information, including your IP address, browser type, device information, and the pages you visit, through standard web server logs and (once enabled) Google Analytics. If you're signed in, we keep a record of the product guides you search for and view, so we can show you your own search history inside your account — this is visible only to you and can be cleared at any time from your Activity tab.
If you use our search bar to look up a product we don't yet have a guide for, we assign your browser a device identifier so we can prevent abuse of our automatic guide-drafting feature. This identifier is not linked to your name or email unless you're signed in.
Cookies and similar technologies
HaveNotes uses cookies and local storage to keep you signed in, remember your preferences, and understand how the site is used. We use or plan to use:
- Essential cookies — to keep your account session active.
- Google Analytics — to understand traffic and usage patterns across the site. Google may set cookies for this purpose; see Google's Privacy Policy.
- Google AdSense — once advertising is enabled on HaveNotes, Google and its partners may use cookies to serve ads based on your visits to this and other sites. You can opt out of personalized advertising through Google Ads Settings or aboutads.info.
- Affiliate tracking — "where to buy" links on product guides may, when present, include affiliate tracking codes from programs such as Amazon Associates. Clicking one of these links may set a cookie on the retailer's site.
How we use this information
We use the information above to operate and improve HaveNotes: to run your account, show your bookmarks and search history back to you, moderate community content, respond to questions you send us, understand which guides are useful, and — once enabled — to support the site through analytics and advertising.
How guides are created
Some product guides on HaveNotes are drafted automatically using Anthropic's Claude API and public web research, then made available to owners. Only the product name and category are sent to generate a draft — we do not send your personal information as part of this process. Product photos are sourced only from Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons under their open licenses.
Who we share information with
We don't sell your personal information. We share it only with:
- Service providers who host the site and its data (our web host and database provider).
- Google, for analytics and — once enabled — advertising, as described above.
- Affiliate networks, only for tracking purchases made through affiliate links you choose to click.
- Law enforcement or other parties, only if required by law or to protect the safety of our users.
Your choices and rights
You can review or delete the guides you've bookmarked and clear your search history at any time from your account's Activity tab. You can ask us to access, correct, or delete your personal information, or close your account entirely, by emailing us at info@havenotes.com. We'll respond as quickly as we can as a small, independent team.
Data retention
We keep your account information for as long as your account is active. If you ask us to delete your account, we'll remove your personal information within a reasonable time, except where we need to keep limited records for legal or security reasons.
Children's privacy
HaveNotes is not directed at children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we'll remove it.
Changes to this policy
We may update this policy as HaveNotes changes — for example, when we turn on advertising or add new features. We'll update the "Last updated" date above when we do. Significant changes will be noted on this page.
Contact us
Questions about this policy or your data? Email us at info@havenotes.com.