How PaperFig handles uploaded research materials, account data, AI processing, and third-party services
2026/08/06
PaperFig helps researchers create biomedical mechanism figures, pathway diagrams, graphical abstracts, and related scientific visuals from user-provided prompts and materials. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how uploaded content is processed, and which responsibilities remain with you when you use PaperFig.
We may collect account information such as your name, email address, login provider, billing status, credit balance, and support messages.
When you use the product, you may upload or submit images, PDFs, prompts, figure descriptions, sketches, reference materials, labels, editing requests, and generated outputs. These materials are used to provide the requested generation, editing, export, storage, and support workflows.
We also collect usage, device, and technical information such as page visits, browser type, IP-derived security data, error logs, generation status, download events, and credit transactions so that PaperFig can operate reliably.
Make This Better is enabled only on selected signed-in product pages. Only when a signed-in user actively submits feedback may Make This Better receive and process the feedback text, a page screenshot, the page URL, DOM structure, error and console context, browser, device, operating-system, and other technical details. If the user chooses the Replay option, it may also process an optional Interaction Replay containing DOM changes and page interactions. Submitted feedback and context may be used for automated or AI-assisted triage to help us understand, prioritize, and resolve product issues.
Screenshots, DOM context, and Interaction Replay can include information visible on the page. Do not include unpublished or sensitive research materials, confidential data, or personal information in feedback. Opening the feedback control without submitting does not send a feedback report, but third-party code may load on an eligible product page so the control can operate.
PaperFig currently processes uploaded images, PDFs, prompts, and generated figures with third-party AI model providers. Depending on the feature, your materials may be sent to AI services for analysis, OCR, figure planning, image generation, image editing, or export preparation.
PaperFig currently routes AI and moderation requests through an Evolink-compatible API gateway, Google Gemini image model families, OpenAI-compatible models, and the Creem Moderation API. These services are part of PaperFig's current production setup and may change if the product changes.
Do not upload patient privacy data, PHI, health identifiers, sensitive personal information, human-subject data, unpublished confidential research, trade secrets, proprietary datasets, grant-review materials, or any material you are not authorized to use with an AI service.
AI outputs can contain scientific, labeling, visual, or factual errors. You are responsible for reviewing, verifying, and correcting every generated figure before using it in a paper, poster, presentation, preprint, grant, thesis, or other research communication.
PaperFig may use third-party services to provide the product, including AI model providers, storage services such as S3-compatible storage or Cloudflare R2, payment providers such as Stripe or Creem, email providers such as Resend, authentication providers, hosting providers, and analytics or security tools. AI and safety services may include an Evolink-compatible API gateway, Google Gemini image model families, OpenAI-compatible models, and the Creem Moderation API. Product feedback may be processed by Make This Better as described above.
These providers process data only as needed to deliver account, generation, storage, payment, email, security, or support functionality. We do not sell your uploaded research materials.
Payment, subscription, refund, cancellation, and credit records may be processed by third-party payment providers. We store payment status, plan, invoice, subscription, and credit transaction metadata needed to operate PaperFig. We do not store full payment card numbers on our servers.
Credit balances, usage events, subscription renewals, cancellations, and refund handling follow the rules shown on PaperFig pricing, checkout, account, and support pages at the time of use.
We use reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect account data, uploaded materials, generated outputs, and transaction records. No internet service can guarantee absolute security.
We retain information for as long as needed to provide PaperFig, maintain records, resolve disputes, prevent abuse, comply with legal obligations, and support product reliability. You may contact us to request help with account or data questions.
Free generations are public by default and paid generations are private by default. You can change the setting for an eligible generation in History. A public setting means that PaperFig may consider the generated result image and a short de-identified description for a curated showcase. It does not make the generation an indexed user page or automatically publish it.
PaperFig does not place original uploads, photos, sketches, PDFs, source URLs, full prompts, complete research descriptions, chart data, or full figure specifications into the public showcase. Withdrawing consent changes the generation back to private for future curation and removes it from the publication candidate pool, subject to reasonable cache and backup retention. Do not upload confidential or sensitive research materials on the assumption that a public setting will make them safe.
Subject to applicable law, you may request access to the personal data we hold about you, correction of inaccurate account information, deletion of eligible personal data, or closure of your PaperFig account. To make a request, email [email protected] from the email address associated with your account and describe the request.
We may need to verify your identity before acting on a request. Some information may be retained where necessary for security, fraud prevention, dispute resolution, legal obligations, or other lawful record-keeping purposes.
For privacy questions, contact [email protected].