Welcome to StarCafe ( "we", "our", or "us"). Your privacy is important to us. This Privacy Policy explains what data we collect, how we use it, and your rights regarding your information.

1. Information We Collect

We collect limited information to improve our services. This may include:

• Account & Sign-In Data: When you create an account, we use Firebase Authentication (a Google service). If you sign in with Google, we receive your basic profile information (Google ID, display name, and email address); if you sign up with email and password, we store your email address and a securely managed credential. We do not see or store your password.
• Profile & Activity Data: We store the data needed to run your account — such as your username, chosen title/frame, reading preferences, bookmarks, followed novels, comments, email preferences, membership and Shard balance, chapter tickets, streaks, badges, and novel-collection access — in our database (Google Cloud Firestore).
• Email Correspondence: If you contact us via email, we may receive your name, email address, and message content.
• Usage Data: Our analytics, advertising, and security providers may process information such as IP address, browser/device details, approximate location, pages visited, and interaction data to measure site use, deliver ads, and prevent abuse.
• Cookies, Local Storage & Session Storage: We use browser storage for reader preferences such as theme, font, and font size, temporary sign-in verification data, anonymous like/preference safeguards, and short-lived caches. Third-party advertising and analytics services may also set cookies or similar identifiers.
• Purchase and Support Records: If you use an available in-app purchase, we may receive and retain the store-provided product, transaction, and account-binding data needed to verify the purchase, grant Shards, prevent duplicate grants, and process refunds or chargebacks. Patreon and Ko-fi process payments on their own platforms; StarCafe does not receive your full payment-card details from them.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the collected data for:

• Creating, securing, and operating your StarCafe account.
• Syncing your reading preferences, bookmarks, follows, comments, rewards, memberships, and novel access across your sessions.
• Delivering Shards, memberships, collection access, codes, and purchase-related benefits, and preventing fraud or abuse.
• Improving website performance and user experience.
• Responding to messages and inquiries.
• Analyzing site traffic and engagement trends.
• Showing ads to viewers who are not ad-free and measuring advertising performance.

3. Third-Party Services

We may use third-party services to improve our website, display ads, and analyze usage. These services may collect data independently, such as IP addresses, cookies, and browsing behavior.

• Firebase (Google): We use Firebase Authentication and Cloud Firestore to manage sign-in and store your account data. See Firebase's Privacy & Security.
• Google AdSense: Displays ads on the website and may use cookies and tracking technologies for personalized advertising. You can opt out via Google Ad Settings.
• Google Analytics: Tracks website usage to help us understand visitor interactions. Google may collect data such as IP addresses and browsing activity. See Google's Privacy Policy for more information.
• hCaptcha: We use hCaptcha to protect sign-ups and comments, code redemptions, and other protected actions from bots. hCaptcha may process data such as your IP address and browser information to tell humans from bots. See hCaptcha's Privacy Policy.
• Google Play and other support platforms: When an in-app purchase is available, the applicable store processes the payment and provides purchase verification data. Patreon and Ko-fi process support payments under their own policies.

Inappropriate ads: We aim to show only family-friendly ads and have disabled adult categories with our advertising partners. Because ad inventory rotates and is served by third parties, an unsuitable ad may occasionally slip through. If you ever see an inappropriate or adult ad, please send a screenshot to contact@starcafe.me or message us on Facebook, and we'll settle it as quickly as possible.

4. Your Rights & Choices

You can:

• Disable cookies in your browser settings and clear local or session storage. Some site features may not work correctly afterward.
• Opt out of Google Ad personalization here.
• Request access, correction, or deletion of your personal data by contacting us at contact@starcafe.me. Account deletion currently signs you out and marks the account for deletion; some records may be retained temporarily for security, fraud prevention, refunds, and legal or accounting needs.

5. Data Retention

• We do not store email correspondence permanently. Messages are deleted periodically once they are no longer needed.
• Active account data is retained while your account is active. A deletion request currently creates a soft-delete record and signs the account out; associated account data is expected to be retained for approximately one year before manual or scheduled purge.
• Purchase, redemption, refund, and security records may be retained as needed to prevent duplicate grants, investigate abuse, resolve disputes, and meet legal or accounting obligations.
• Google Analytics, Google AdSense, Firebase, hCaptcha, Google Play, Patreon, and Ko-fi retain information according to their own policies and settings.

6. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Please check this page periodically for any changes.

7. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, you can contact us through:

• 📧Email:
  contact@starcafe.me