Privacy Policy

Exactly what happens to your file

Here is the complete lifecycle of a file you upload to MyPDFBoy:

1. You select a PDF. It is loaded into your browser's memory only.
2. When you click Redact or Download, your browser sends the file to our backend server over an encrypted HTTPS connection.
3. The server processes the file in RAM — applying redactions or watermarks. The operation typically takes 1–5 seconds. No file is written to disk.
4. The processed PDF is sent back to your browser and immediately deleted from server memory. Nothing is retained.

If you close the tab without downloading, the file is gone. We have no copy of it.

What the backend server does

PDF redaction is a technically complex operation that requires server-side processing. Here is what the server does and does not do:

• Receives your file over HTTPS, processes it in memory, returns the result. No disk writes.
• Does not log file names, file contents, or any identifying information about the document.
• Does not share your file with any third party. Processing happens on our own infrastructure.

What we collect

Nothing about your files. MyPDFBoy does not store, analyse, or retain any file you process. We collect anonymized operational metrics (request count, processing time, error rate) with no link to individual users or documents.

Optional AI training data (future feature)

We are building an auto-redaction AI that will suggest redaction zones based on patterns learned from real documents. To make this work, we plan to collect training data — but only from users who explicitly opt in.

What we plan to collect (with your consent)

• Redaction zone coordinates (position and size on each page)
• Text content under redaction zones — the actual words you chose to hide
• Document category (automatically detected: invoice, contract, medical, ID, legal)
• Page layout signals (font sizes, columns, tables, headers)

Why

These patterns let us train a model that can suggest where to redact on new documents. The goal is a "Suggest Redactions" button — a capability no free tool currently offers.

How it works

• Opt-in only: you must explicitly enable the toggle in the footer before any data is collected.
• Anonymized: no names, email addresses, or account identifiers are attached.
• Right to delete: email [email protected] to request deletion of any data collected under your consent.
• No third-party sharing: training data is never sold or shared with third parties.

This feature is not active yet. The toggle in the footer stores your preference locally for when collection begins. No data is being transmitted today.

Cookies and local storage

MyPDFBoy does not set tracking cookies. The only data stored in your browser is your theme preference (dark/light mode) and language preference via localStorage. These never leave your device.

Analytics

We do not use Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, or any third-party tracking service. We do not serve ads. We do not build user profiles.

Error monitoring

We use Sentry to capture JavaScript errors and backend exceptions so we can fix bugs. Sentry is configured to strip IP addresses and not collect personally identifiable information. Error reports contain technical details only (error message, stack trace, browser type).

Server logs

Our server logs record request metadata (HTTP method, URL path, response status, timing) for operational monitoring. IP addresses and file names are automatically stripped from all log entries. Logs are retained for 7 days and then deleted.

Free plan watermark

Free downloads include a small footer watermark on page 1 reading "Redacted with MyPDFBoy — mypdfboy.com". This is disclosed before your first download. The watermark contains no tracking identifiers and no personal data.

Third-party services

• Cloudflare — CDN and DDoS protection. Cloudflare may process connection metadata per their privacy policy.
• Sentry — Error monitoring (PII stripped). See Sentry's privacy policy.

Your rights under GDPR

Since we do not collect or store personal data, there is nothing to access, correct, or delete. If you have questions about this policy, contact us at [email protected].

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated date.