Privacy Policy

Introduction

Welcome to StarUp. This Privacy Policy explains how StarUp (“we,” “us,” or “our”) collects, uses, shares, and protects your information when you use our website and services at starup-app.com (“StarUp” or the “Service”).

We believe you should know exactly what data is collected about you and how it's used. This policy is written in plain language to help you understand your privacy rights and make informed choices.

Quick Summary:

• We use analytics and advertising tools from Meta (Facebook), TikTok, and Google
• These tools collect information about your device and browsing activity
• We do NOT collect your name, email, phone number, or the content of ideas generated for you
• Meta and TikTok store your full IP address; Google anonymizes it
• You can control cookies and tracking through your browser or our consent settings

Information We Collect

Information Collected Automatically

When you visit StarUp, certain information is collected automatically by our analytics and advertising partners:

Device and Browser Information

All of our analytics platforms collect basic information about your device:

• Browser type and version
• Operating system
• Screen resolution
• Device type (computer, phone, or tablet)
• Language settings
• Time zone

Additionally, Meta and TikTok collect more detailed device information for identification purposes, including graphics capabilities, installed fonts, and other technical details that help create a “fingerprint” of your device.

Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies (small text files stored on your device) to track visits and measure advertising effectiveness. Here's what gets stored:

Third-party cookies may also be set on Facebook and TikTok domains when you visit our site, enabling cross-site tracking for advertising purposes.

IP Address

Important: Your IP address (the unique number identifying your internet connection) is handled differently by each platform:

• Meta and TikTok: Store your full IP address and use it for geographic targeting, cross-device matching, and fraud prevention
• Google Analytics: Processes your IP address only to determine your approximate location, then discards it

Browsing Activity

We automatically track:

• Pages you visit on StarUp
• Time spent on each page
• How you arrived at our site (referral source)
• Links you click
• Scroll depth
• Interactions with page elements

Information You Provide

StarUp asks you to:

• Select your zodiac sign
• Choose an entrepreneurial “vibe”
• Optionally enter a name

What We Track vs. What We Don't:

How We Use Your Information

We use the collected information to:

1. Improve our Service: Understand how people use StarUp so we can make it better
2. Measure Advertising: Track whether our ads on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok lead to visits and engagement
3. Analyze Trends: See which zodiac sign and vibe combinations are most popular
4. Fix Problems: Identify technical issues and errors
5. Optimize Performance: Measure page load times and user flow completion

We do NOT use your information to:

• Contact you directly (we don't have your contact information)
• Make decisions about you as an individual
• Sell your personal information to data brokers

Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Types of Cookies We Use

Essential Cookies: Currently, StarUp does not use strictly necessary cookies. All our cookies are for analytics and advertising.

Analytics Cookies: Google Analytics cookies help us understand site usage, including which pages are popular, how long people stay, and where they drop off.

Advertising Cookies: Meta and TikTok cookies enable us to:

• Measure whether our ads led you to visit
• Show you relevant ads on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok
• Create audiences of people similar to our visitors
• Track conversions (completed actions) for advertising optimization

Cookie Duration

Our cookies last anywhere from a single browsing session up to 2 years:

• Session cookies: Deleted when you close your browser
• 24-hour cookies: Used for short-term user identification
• 90-day cookies: Common for advertising attribution
• 13-month to 2-year cookies: Used for longer-term analytics

Managing Cookies

You can control cookies through:

• Your browser settings (most browsers let you block or delete cookies)
• Our cookie consent banner (if displayed)
• Platform-specific opt-outs (see “Your Rights and Choices” below)

Note that blocking cookies may affect your experience on StarUp and limit our ability to measure service performance.

Third-Party Services

We share data with the following third-party platforms:

Meta (Facebook/Instagram)

What they receive: Device information, IP address, browsing activity, advertising click data, and conversion events.

What they do with it:

• Match your visit to your Facebook/Instagram profile (if logged in)
• Build advertising audiences from our visitors
• Optimize ad delivery across Meta's platforms
• Track your activity across websites using Meta Pixel

Data location: United States, with global distribution.

For more information: Meta Privacy Policy

TikTok

What they receive: Device information, extensive device fingerprinting data, IP address, browsing activity, and conversion events.

What they do with it:

• Match your visit to your TikTok profile (if logged in)
• Create retargeting and lookalike audiences
• Optimize ad delivery on TikTok
• Train advertising recommendation algorithms

Important Notice About Data Location: TikTok is owned by ByteDance, and your data may be processed in China. For users in the United States, TikTok has made commitments under “Project Texas” regarding data residency.

For more information: TikTok Privacy Policy

Google Analytics

What they receive: Anonymized browsing data, device information (without full IP address), and engagement metrics.

What they do with it:

• Provide us with aggregated reports about site usage
• If Google Signals is enabled, may link data across devices for users signed into Google accounts

Data location: United States, with EU regional processing available for EU users.

Google Analytics differs from Meta and TikTok in important ways:

• IP addresses are automatically anonymized
• Data is not shared with advertising networks by default
• No cross-site tracking by default

For more information: Google Privacy Policy

Data Sharing and Disclosure

Who We Share Data With

Cross-Site Tracking

Meta and TikTok pixels enable these companies to track your browsing activity across different websites that use their tools. This means:

• If you visit another site with a Meta Pixel, Meta can connect those visits
• Your activity contributes to the advertising profiles these companies build about you
• This tracking works even if you don't have accounts on these platforms

We Do NOT Sell Your Data

We do not sell your personal information to data brokers or other third parties for their own marketing purposes. However, under some privacy laws (like California's CCPA), sharing data with advertising platforms for targeted advertising may be considered a “sale.” See “Your Rights and Choices” for how to opt out.

Your Rights and Choices

For All Users

Opt Out of Interest-Based Advertising:

• Meta: Visit Facebook Ad Preferences to control ad targeting
• TikTok: Visit your TikTok app settings under “Privacy” > “Personalized Ads”
• Google: Visit Google Ad Settings to manage preferences

Browser Controls:

• Enable “Do Not Track” in your browser settings
• Block third-party cookies
• Use browser extensions that block trackers

Device Controls:

• Reset your advertising identifier on mobile devices
• Limit ad tracking in your device settings

For European Economic Area (EEA) Users - GDPR Rights

If you are located in the European Economic Area, you have the following rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR):

• Right to Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
• Right to Rectification: Request correction of inaccurate data
• Right to Erasure: Request deletion of your personal data
• Right to Restrict Processing: Request that we limit how we use your data
• Right to Data Portability: Receive your data in a portable format
• Right to Object: Object to processing based on legitimate interests
• Right to Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent for cookie-based tracking at any time

Legal Basis for Processing:

We will not set advertising cookies until you provide consent. You may withdraw consent at any time through our cookie settings.

To exercise your GDPR rights, contact us at legal@starup-app.com.

For California Users - CCPA Rights

If you are a California resident, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) gives you these rights:

• Right to Know: Request disclosure of what personal information we collect, use, and share
• Right to Delete: Request deletion of your personal information
• Right to Opt Out of Sale: Direct us not to “sell” your personal information
• Right to Non-Discrimination: We will not treat you differently for exercising your rights

Do Not Sell My Personal Information:

Sharing data with Meta and TikTok for advertising purposes may be considered a “sale” under CCPA. To opt out:

1. Contact us at legal@starup-app.com with the subject line “CCPA Opt-Out”
2. Use the platform-specific opt-outs listed above
3. Decline advertising cookies in our consent banner

We do not knowingly sell personal information of consumers under 16 years of age.

Data Retention

How Long Data Is Stored

By Us: We do not store personal data on our own servers beyond what's necessary for the current session.

By Our Partners:

Cookie data persists for the durations listed in the cookies section above.

Children's Privacy

StarUp is not directed at children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us at legal@starup-app.com and we will take steps to delete such information.

For users between 13 and 16 in California: We do not sell personal information of consumers we know to be under 16 years of age without affirmative authorization.

International Data Transfers

If you access StarUp from outside the United States, please be aware that your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States and other countries.

Specific Transfer Notices:

• Meta: Processes data primarily in the United States
• TikTok: May process data in Singapore, the United States, and China (by ByteDance)
• Google: Processes data in the United States, with EU regional processing available for EU users

For EEA users, these transfers are made under appropriate safeguards as required by GDPR, including Standard Contractual Clauses.

Security Measures

We implement reasonable security measures to protect the information collected through our Service:

• We do not collect sensitive personal information
• We use HTTPS encryption for all data transmission
• We do not store personal data on our own servers
• We rely on the security practices of our analytics partners (Meta, TikTok, Google)

However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security of your information.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make changes:

• We will update the “Last Updated” date at the top of this policy
• For significant changes, we may provide additional notice (such as a banner on our website)
• Your continued use of StarUp after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy

We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

Contact Information

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your privacy rights, please contact us:

StarUp

Email: legal@starup-app.com

For GDPR inquiries, you also have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority.

For CCPA inquiries, California residents may contact us using the methods above with “CCPA Request” in the subject line.

Summary of Key Points

This Privacy Policy is provided for informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice.