At StarStage.ai ("we", "us", "our"), operated by EchoVerse LLC, we take your privacy seriously. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, share, and protect your personal information when you use our AI-powered creative platform.

By using StarStage.ai, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Account Information

When you create an account, we collect:

• Email address - For account creation and communication
• Username and display name - For identification on the platform
• Password - Encrypted and stored securely via Supabase Auth
• Profile picture - If uploaded or synced from OAuth providers

1.2 OAuth Authentication Data

When you sign in with Google or other OAuth providers, we receive:

• Profile picture and display name
• Email address
• OAuth provider identifier (not stored)

1.3 User-Generated Content

We store content you create on StarStage.ai:

• AI Stars - Character names, personalities, visual styles, and backstories
• AI-Generated Media - Images and videos created using our AI tools
• Chat Messages - Conversations with AI companions
• Contest Submissions - Images/videos entered in competitions

1.4 Usage Analytics

We collect analytics data to improve our service:

• Google Analytics (GA4) - Page views, session duration, user flows (anonymized IP)
• Feature usage - Which features you use (image generation, contests, chat)
• Performance metrics - Load times, error rates

1.5 Payment Information

Payment processing is handled by Stripe (PCI-DSS Level 1 certified). We do NOT store:

• Credit card numbers
• CVV codes
• Bank account details

We only store: Stripe Customer ID, subscription status, and payment dates.

1.6 Cookies & Tracking

We use cookies for:

• Authentication - Session cookies to keep you logged in
• Analytics - Google Analytics cookies (anonymized)
• Preferences - UI settings and language preferences

2. How We Use Your Information

We use collected information to:

• Provide Services - Enable AI chat, image/video generation, and contests
• Personalization - Recommend stars, customize feeds, improve AI responses
• Analytics - Understand usage patterns and improve features
• Communication - Send service updates, contest results, and support responses
• Marketing - Send product updates and promotional emails (opt-in only)
• Security - Detect fraud, prevent abuse, enforce Terms of Service
• Legal Compliance - Comply with laws and respond to legal requests

3. Data Sharing & Third Parties

3.1 Service Providers

We share data with trusted third-party services:

• Supabase (USA) - Database hosting and authentication
• Vercel (USA) - Application hosting and CDN
• Azure OpenAI (USA) - AI chat and sentiment analysis
• Google AI (USA) - Image and video generation
• Stripe (USA) - Payment processing
• Google Analytics (USA) - Usage analytics (anonymized)

3.2 Public Content

Content you share publicly is visible to:

• Other StarStage.ai users (contest submissions, leaderboards)
• Search engines (if you share links publicly)
• Social media (if you use share features)

3.3 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required by:

• Court orders or legal process
• Law enforcement requests
• Protection of our rights or safety
• Prevention of fraud or illegal activity

3.4 No Selling of Data

We do NOT sell your personal data to third parties. We only share data with service providers necessary to operate the platform.

4. Data Storage & Security

4.1 Data Location

Your data is stored in:

• Primary Storage - Supabase (AWS US-East-1, USA)
• Media Storage - Supabase Storage (S3-compatible, USA)
• Backups - Encrypted backups in multiple AWS regions

4.2 Security Measures

We protect your data with:

• Encryption - TLS/SSL for data in transit, AES-256 for data at rest
• Authentication - Secure password hashing (bcrypt) and OAuth 2.0
• Access Control - Row-level security (RLS) in database
• Monitoring - 24/7 security monitoring and intrusion detection
• Regular Audits - Security reviews and penetration testing

5. Data Retention

We retain your data:

• Active Accounts - As long as your account is active
• Deleted Accounts - Personal data deleted within 30 days of account deletion
• Public Content - May remain in public areas (leaderboards, community feeds) after deletion
• Legal Hold - Data may be retained longer if required by law or for dispute resolution
• Analytics - Anonymized analytics retained for up to 26 months

6. Your Privacy Rights

6.1 GDPR Rights (EU Users)

If you are in the European Union, you have the right to:

• Access - Request a copy of your personal data
• Rectification - Correct inaccurate or incomplete data
• Erasure - Delete your account and personal data
• Portability - Export your data in a machine-readable format
• Objection - Object to processing of your data
• Restriction - Limit how we use your data

6.2 CCPA Rights (California Users)

If you are a California resident, you have the right to:

• Know - What personal information we collect and how it's used
• Delete - Request deletion of your personal information
• Opt-Out - Opt-out of sale of personal information (we don't sell data)
• Non-Discrimination - Not be discriminated against for exercising your rights

6.3 Exercising Your Rights

To exercise any of these rights:

• Account Settings - Edit profile, delete account, export data
• Email - Contact contact@starstage.ai
• Response Time - We will respond within 30 days

7. Children's Privacy (COPPA Compliance)

StarStage.ai is intended for users aged 13 and older. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13.

If we discover that a child under 13 has provided personal information, we will delete it immediately. If you believe a child has created an account, please contact us at contact@starstage.ai.

8. Marketing & Communications

8.1 Opt-In Marketing

We only send marketing emails if you opt-in during signup or in your account settings.

8.2 Transactional Emails

We will send service-related emails regardless of marketing preferences:

• Account verification and password resets
• Payment receipts and subscription updates
• Security alerts and Terms of Service changes

8.3 Unsubscribe

You can unsubscribe from marketing emails by:

• Clicking "Unsubscribe" in any email
• Updating preferences in Profile → Settings
• Emailing contact@starstage.ai

9. International Data Transfers

StarStage.ai is based in the United States. If you access our service from outside the USA, your data will be transferred to and stored in the USA.

We ensure adequate protection for international transfers through:

• Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) with EU data subjects
• Compliance with Privacy Shield principles (where applicable)
• Encryption and security measures equivalent to EU standards

10. Changes to Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Material changes will be communicated through:

• Email notification to registered users
• In-app banner notifications
• Updated "Last Updated" date at the top of this page

Your continued use of StarStage.ai after changes indicates acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.

11. Contact Information

For privacy-related questions or requests, please contact us: