Effective Oct 22, 2026
The Students of Horror app is a desktop app made by the hosts of the Students of Horror podcast ("we", "us"). It is used by the hosts ("Students") and by supporters and guests we invite ("Study Buddies"). We don't sell your information, show ads, or use analytics or tracking.
What we collect
Students: your name and a PIN (stored only as a scrambled hash), the scores and notes you enter, and, if you connect Google Drive for recording uploads, your Google account's email address.
Study Buddies: the display name you choose, whether you appear on the leaderboard, the movies you mark as seen, listened or want to watch, your ratings, subgenre suggestions and +1s, message board posts, yearbook comments, badges you earn, and an optional profile (photo, location, birthday as month and day, favorite movies and subjects).
Recordings (Students only): the audio files you choose to upload, and their names and sizes.
Where it's stored
Everything above is kept in Google Sheets and Google Drive files owned by the show's Google account. We don't run our own servers.
Your login file and password stay on your computer. Your password is never sent to us or stored anywhere else.
Settings for your computer (display size, which notifications you've read) stay on that computer, encrypted where they include sign-in details.
Hosts' computers keep backup copies of the show's sheets for safekeeping. Secret keys are removed from these backups.
Who can see it
The hosts can see all app data, so they can run the show and help with your account.
Other Study Buddies see what you choose to share: your display name, badges and progress if you're on the leaderboard, your posts and comments, and your profile if you're on the leaderboard. If you turn the leaderboard off, your name and profile are hidden from other Study Buddies.
Private details (your profile, and your name when you're off the leaderboard) are stored encrypted, so only you and the hosts can read them.
Google account data (Students who connect Google Drive)
The app asks Google only for your email address and for access to Drive files the app itself creates (the drive.file permission). It cannot see or change any other files in your Drive.
We use this only to upload your recordings into the show's Recordings folder, move them to the show's storage, and let the hosts download them for editing.
Your Google sign-in is saved encrypted on your computer. Click Disconnect in Settings at any time, or remove access at myaccount.google.com/permissions.
The app's use and transfer of information received from Google APIs will adhere to the Google API Services User Data Policy, including the Limited Use requirements.
Other services the app talks to
The Movie Database (TMDB): movie titles and years are sent to look up posters and details. No personal information is sent.
Podcast directories (the show's public feed, Apple Podcasts): read to match episode links. Nothing about you is sent.
Google: stores the data described above, under Google's Privacy Policy.
Keeping and deleting your data
Your data is kept while you use the app. When a host removes your Study Buddy account, your row in the Study Buddies sheet is deleted.
Recordings are moved to the Google Drive trash after the hosts download them. Google deletes them for good after 30 days.
To see, correct or delete your information, contact us at [Contact email]. You can also change most of it yourself in the app (My account).
Children
The app is about horror movies and isn't meant for children. We don't knowingly collect information from anyone under 13. If you believe a child has signed up, contact us and we'll delete their account.
Changes
If we change this policy, we'll update the date above and mention it in the app's What's new notes.
Contact
studentsofhorror@gmail.com ยท studentsofhorror.com