Privacy

How we look after your data

In plain English. Last updated 28 October 2026.

Who we are

My Painted Story makes personalised storybooks. We decide how your data is used, and you can reach us any time at hello@mypaintedstory.com, or write to us at Office 22155, 182-184 High Street North, East Ham, London E6 2JA.

What we keep, and why

• Your email address, for your account, your orders, and emails about them. Offers and new stories only if you said yes, with an unsubscribe link in every one.
• First names, and he or she, to write the story. For family books, also what the children call the grown-ups (Nana, Daddy) and your pet's name.
• The photos you add, of your child and anyone else in the book, only to paint them as storybook characters. They are deleted automatically within 7 days.
• A photo above your message, if you choose to add one to the first page. We keep it only until your book is printed and your digital book is made, then delete it. If you do not order, it is deleted with your saved book.
• The painted character. For a single book, it is used to paint that book. For Story Club members, we keep it so we can paint your child into each new story, and delete it 3 months after the membership ends, or straight away if you ask.
• Your books and stories, so you can read and download them from your account.
• A book you have not finished yet, so you can carry on later on any device: the names, the painted characters and the preview pages, with the email you gave us to save it. We delete it 30 days after you last changed it, and email you about it at most three times: once to say it is saved, one reminder, and once three days before we delete it.
• Your delivery address and phone number, for hardcover books, shared with our printer so they can post it to you.
• Payments are handled by Stripe. We never see or store your card number.

Who helps us

We use a small number of trusted companies, and only share what each one needs:

• Stripe, to take payments and manage Story Club memberships.
• Vercel, which runs our website and stores photos, characters and books (in London).
• Neon, which runs our database (in London).
• Resend, which sends our emails.
• Meta, only if you accept advertising cookies, to measure our adverts.
• Intercom, for our support chat. If you are signed in, it receives your email address so we can help with your orders.
• Google, only if you choose to sign in with Google. Google tells us your email address. We never see your Google password.
• Sunra, which paints your child into the pictures. It receives the photo and the painted character.
• Gelato, which prints and posts hardcover books. It receives the book and your delivery address.

Some of these services may handle data outside the UK, under the protections UK data law requires.

How long we keep it

• Photos: up to 7 days.
• A photo above your message: until your book is printed and your digital book is made.
• Painted characters: as above.
• Books you have not finished: 30 days after you last changed them.
• Books, stories and your account: until you ask us to delete them.
• Order and payment records: 6 years, because the law asks us to keep accounts for that long.

Cookies

Cookies are small files a website keeps on your device. We use two kinds.

Essential, always on. These make the shop work, so they do not need your permission:

• keeping you signed in to your account;
• remembering the book you are making, and your cookie choice;
• taking payment safely (Stripe);
• our support chat, so we can answer your questions (Intercom).

Advertising, only if you say yes. If you choose Accept, we use the Meta Pixel (from the company behind Facebook and Instagram) to see which of our adverts lead to a visit or an order, and to show our adverts to people likely to enjoy our books. If you choose Reject, none of this is loaded.

You can change your mind at any time with Cookie settings at the bottom of every page.

Your choices

You can see your orders and stories in your account, and delete a child's details, character and stories there at any time (under Story Club). To see, correct or delete anything else, just email us. If you are unhappy with how we have handled your data, you can complain to the Information Commissioner's Office at ico.org.uk.