Privacy Policy

Introduction

TL;DR: Starscope protects your privacy by collecting only essential data, using industry-standard security, never selling personal information, and giving you complete control over your data.

At Starscope, we understand that your privacy matters. This comprehensive privacy policy explains exactly how we collect, use, protect, and share your personal information when you visit our website or purchase our products.

We've designed our data practices to be transparent and fair. Unlike many companies in the optics industry, we don't sell your personal information to third parties or bombard you with unwanted marketing from partners.

This policy was last updated on February 15, 2026, and applies to all Starscope products including our monoculars, telescopes, and related accessories. We regularly review and update our privacy practices to ensure we're providing the best protection possible.

Our commitment to privacy extends beyond legal requirements. We've implemented privacy-by-design principles throughout our organization, meaning data protection is built into every system and process from the ground up.

If you have questions about our privacy practices or want to exercise your data rights, you can contact us anytime. Our privacy team responds to all inquiries within 48 hours.

We've structured this policy to be clear and accessible. Each section covers a specific aspect of how we handle your data, with practical examples and plain-language explanations of your rights.

By using our website or purchasing our products, you're agreeing to the practices described in this policy and our terms and conditions. We encourage you to read through the entire document to understand your privacy rights fully.

Information We Collect

We collect several types of information to provide you with the best possible experience and fulfill your orders. Here's exactly what data we gather and why we need it.

Personal Information You Provide

When you create an account or make a purchase, we collect basic contact information including your name, email address, phone number, and shipping address. This information is essential for processing orders and providing customer support.

During checkout, we also collect billing information including your payment method details. However, we never store complete credit card numbers on our servers - all payment processing is handled through secure, PCI-compliant third-party processors.

Technical Information

Our website automatically collects certain technical information to improve performance and security. This includes your IP address, browser type and version, operating system, and device information.

We also track how you interact with our website through analytics tools. This helps us understand which products are most popular, where visitors spend time, and how we can improve the user experience.

Communication Preferences

We track your communication preferences to ensure we only send you relevant information. This includes which marketing emails you've subscribed to, whether you want product updates, and your preferred contact methods.

You can update these preferences anytime through your account dashboard or by clicking the unsubscribe link in any email we send you.

Product Usage Information

For certain smart-enabled products launched in 2025, we may collect usage data to improve functionality and provide better support. This includes frequency of use, settings preferences, and performance metrics.

All product usage data is anonymized and aggregated before analysis. We never track individual usage patterns or share this information with third parties.

Information from Third Parties

Occasionally, we receive information about you from legitimate third-party sources. This might include updated contact information from shipping partners or fraud prevention data from payment processors.

We only work with reputable partners who comply with privacy laws and have their own strict data protection policies. We never purchase personal information from data brokers or similar services.

Social media platforms may also provide basic profile information if you choose to log in using your social media accounts. This typically includes your name, email address, and profile picture - but only with your explicit permission.

How We Use Your Information

We use your personal information for specific, legitimate business purposes. Here's exactly how we use different types of data and why each use is necessary for our relationship with you.

Order Processing and Fulfillment

Your contact and payment information is primarily used to process and ship your orders. We share necessary details with shipping partners like FedEx and UPS to ensure timely delivery to the correct address.

We also use this information to send order confirmations, shipping notifications, and delivery updates. These transactional emails are essential for keeping you informed about your purchase and are sent regardless of your marketing preferences.

Customer Support and Service

When you contact our support team, we use your information to provide personalized assistance. This includes accessing your order history, product registrations, and previous support interactions to resolve issues quickly.

We may record customer service calls for training purposes and quality assurance. All recordings are stored securely and automatically deleted after 2 years unless needed for legal compliance.

Marketing and Communications

With your consent, we use your contact information to send marketing emails about new products, special offers, and helpful tips for using your Starscope equipment. Our marketing team segments audiences based on purchase history and interests to ensure relevance.

We track email engagement metrics like open rates and click-through rates to improve our communications. However, we never share individual engagement data with third parties or use it for purposes beyond our own marketing efforts.

• Product launch announcements and updates
• Educational content about astronomy and wildlife observation
• Exclusive offers for existing customers
• Seasonal promotions and holiday sales
• Product care and maintenance tips

Website Optimization and Analytics

We analyze website usage patterns to improve user experience and identify technical issues. This includes studying page load times, navigation paths, and common points where visitors leave our site.

Google Analytics helps us understand which marketing campaigns are most effective and which products generate the most interest. All analytics data is aggregated and anonymized before analysis.

Fraud Prevention and Security

Your information helps us detect and prevent fraudulent transactions. We use automated systems to flag suspicious orders based on factors like unusual shipping addresses, payment patterns, and order values.

Our fraud prevention measures protect both your financial information and our business from criminal activity. These systems operate in real-time during checkout and may occasionally require additional verification for legitimate orders.

Legal and Compliance Requirements

Sometimes we're legally required to use or retain your information. This includes maintaining transaction records for tax purposes, responding to law enforcement requests, and complying with consumer protection regulations.

We only use your information for legal compliance when required by applicable laws and regulations. Our legal team reviews all such uses to ensure they're legitimate and necessary.

Product Development and Improvement

Customer feedback and usage patterns help us develop better products and services. We analyze support tickets to identify common issues, review product ratings to understand satisfaction levels, and study return patterns to improve quality.

All product development research uses aggregated, anonymized data. We never identify individual customers in our research or share personal information with our product development partners.

When launching new products, we may invite past customers to participate in beta testing programs or provide early feedback. Participation in these programs is always voluntary and requires separate consent.

Data Sharing & Third Parties

We limit data sharing to essential business partners who help us serve you better. We never sell your personal information and only share data when necessary for order fulfillment, payment processing, or legal compliance.

Service Providers and Business Partners

We work with several trusted partners to provide our services. Each partner has signed comprehensive data processing agreements that require them to protect your information according to our standards.

Our shipping partners (FedEx, UPS, DHL) receive only the information needed to deliver your orders - typically your name, address, and phone number. They use this information solely for delivery purposes and are contractually prohibited from using it for their own marketing.

Payment Processors

All payment processing is handled by PCI-compliant providers including Stripe, PayPal, and major credit card networks. These processors receive only the payment information necessary to complete transactions.

We never store complete credit card numbers on our systems. Instead, we use secure tokens provided by payment processors that allow us to process refunds and manage subscriptions without exposing sensitive financial data.

Marketing and Analytics Partners

We use reputable marketing and analytics services including Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, and email marketing platforms. These services help us understand customer behavior and improve our marketing effectiveness.

All analytics data is anonymized and aggregated before analysis. We use Google Analytics with IP anonymization enabled and have configured all tracking to respect user privacy preferences.

Legal Disclosures

In rare circumstances, we may be required to share your information with law enforcement or government agencies. This only occurs when we receive valid legal requests such as subpoenas, court orders, or search warrants.

Before complying with any legal request, our legal team reviews the request for validity and scope. We only provide the minimum information required by law and notify affected customers when legally permitted.

We've never received national security letters or FISA court orders as of February 2026. If this changes, we'll update our transparency reporting accordingly.

Business Transfers

In the unlikely event that Starscope is acquired by another company or undergoes a significant business restructuring, customer information may be transferred as part of the business assets.

Any acquiring company would be required to honor the privacy commitments made in this policy. We would notify all customers via email at least 30 days before any such transfer occurs.

What We Never Share

We want to be clear about what we don't do with your information. We never sell customer lists to other companies, share personal information with marketing partners for their own use, or provide individual customer data to third parties for advertising purposes.

Unlike some competitors in the optics industry, we don't participate in data broker networks or allow third parties to track customers across our website for their own advertising purposes.

We also don't share detailed purchase history or product preferences with manufacturers or other business partners, even for product development purposes. All such research uses aggregated, anonymized data only.

Cookies & Tracking

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to provide essential website functionality and improve your browsing experience. Here's exactly what cookies we use, why we need them, and how you can control them.

Essential Cookies

Some cookies are necessary for our website to function properly. These essential cookies enable basic features like secure login, shopping cart functionality, and payment processing. They cannot be disabled without breaking core website features.

Essential cookies include session identifiers that keep you logged in, security tokens that protect against cross-site attacks, and shopping cart contents that persist as you browse different pages.

Analytics and Performance Cookies

We use Google Analytics and other tools to understand how visitors use our website. These cookies collect information about page views, time spent on pages, bounce rates, and traffic sources.

All analytics cookies are configured to respect privacy by anonymizing IP addresses and excluding personally identifiable information from reports. We use this data solely to improve website performance and user experience.

Marketing and Advertising Cookies

With your consent, we use marketing cookies to show you relevant ads on other websites and track the effectiveness of our advertising campaigns. These cookies help us understand which ads lead to purchases and optimize our marketing spend.

Marketing cookies may be placed by advertising partners like Google Ads and Facebook. We've configured these services to respect your privacy choices and comply with applicable privacy laws.

Third-Party Cookies

Some cookies on our website are set by third-party services we use, such as payment processors, shipping calculators, and customer support tools. Each third-party service has its own privacy policy governing their use of cookies.

We regularly review all third-party services to ensure they meet our privacy standards. We only work with providers who offer transparent cookie policies and respect user privacy preferences.

Managing Your Cookie Preferences

You can control cookies through your browser settings and our cookie preference center. Most modern browsers allow you to block or delete cookies, though this may affect website functionality.

Our cookie banner appears when you first visit our website and allows you to accept or customize your cookie preferences. You can change these preferences anytime by clicking the "Cookie Settings" link in our website footer.

• Chrome: Settings → Privacy and Security → Cookies and other site data
• Firefox: Options → Privacy & Security → Cookies and Site Data
• Safari: Preferences → Privacy → Manage Website Data
• Edge: Settings → Cookies and site permissions

Do Not Track Signals

We respect Do Not Track browser signals and have configured our website to honor these preferences where technically possible. When we detect a Do Not Track signal, we disable non-essential tracking cookies and limit data collection to what's required for basic website functionality.

However, some third-party services may not fully support Do Not Track signals. We're actively working with our partners to improve Do Not Track compliance across all website features.

Mobile App Tracking

Our mobile apps use similar tracking technologies including advertising identifiers (IDFA on iOS, GAID on Android) and app analytics tools. Like our website cookies, these are used to improve app performance and provide relevant content.

You can opt out of mobile advertising tracking through your device settings: iOS users can disable "Allow Apps to Request to Track" in Privacy settings, while Android users can reset their advertising ID or opt out of ads personalization.

Data Security

Protecting your personal information is our top priority. We've implemented comprehensive security measures that meet or exceed industry standards to safeguard your data from unauthorized access, theft, and misuse.

Technical Security Measures

All data transmission between your browser and our servers uses SSL/TLS encryption with at least 256-bit encryption strength. This ensures that your personal information, including payment details, cannot be intercepted during transmission.

Our servers are hosted in SOC 2 certified data centers with 24/7 physical security, biometric access controls, and redundant power systems. These facilities meet the highest standards for physical security and environmental protection.

We use enterprise-grade firewalls and intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious activity. Our security team receives real-time alerts about potential threats and responds immediately to any security incidents.

Data Encryption and Storage

Personal information stored in our databases is encrypted using AES-256 encryption, the same standard used by banks and government agencies. Encryption keys are managed separately from data and rotated regularly.

Payment information receives additional protection through tokenization, which replaces sensitive card details with randomly generated tokens. We never store complete credit card numbers in our systems.

• Database encryption using AES-256 standard
• Separate encryption key management system
• Regular security key rotation (every 90 days)
• Payment tokenization through certified processors
• Secure backup systems with encryption at rest

Access Controls and Authentication

We use role-based access controls to ensure employees only access information necessary for their job functions. All employee access is logged and regularly audited by our security team.

Multi-factor authentication is required for all employee accounts with access to customer data. This includes hardware security keys for employees with elevated privileges and administrative access.

Security Monitoring and Incident Response

Our security operations center monitors systems 24/7 for potential threats. We use advanced threat detection tools that analyze network traffic, user behavior, and system logs to identify suspicious activity.

In the unlikely event of a security incident, our incident response team follows a detailed protocol to contain the threat, assess the impact, and notify affected customers within 72 hours as required by privacy laws.

Employee Training and Policies

All employees receive comprehensive privacy and security training during onboarding and annual refresher training thereafter. This covers data handling procedures, phishing recognition, and incident reporting requirements.

We maintain strict data handling policies that limit how employees can access, use, and share customer information. Violations of these policies result in immediate disciplinary action, including termination for serious breaches.

Third-Party Security Standards

All business partners who handle customer data must meet our security requirements and undergo regular security assessments. We require SOC 2 Type II reports, penetration testing results, and proof of cyber insurance coverage.

Payment processors must maintain PCI DSS Level 1 compliance, the highest security standard for handling credit card information. We regularly verify compliance and audit partner security practices.

Security Certifications and Compliance

Our security program is regularly audited by independent third parties. We maintain ISO 27001 certification for information security management and undergo annual penetration testing by certified ethical hackers.

We also comply with industry-specific security requirements including PCI DSS for payment processing and SOC 2 Type II for service organizations. All certifications are publicly verifiable and updated annually.

Our security practices are designed to meet the requirements of major privacy regulations including GDPR, CCPA, and other applicable data protection laws. We regularly review and update our security measures to address emerging threats and regulatory changes.

Your Rights

You have significant rights regarding your personal information. We've designed our systems and processes to make exercising these rights simple and straightforward, regardless of where you live.

Right to Access Your Information

You can request a complete copy of all personal information we hold about you. This includes your account details, order history, support interactions, and any other data we've collected.

We provide this information in a portable format (typically CSV or JSON) within 30 days of your request. You can make access requests through your account dashboard or by contacting our privacy team directly.

Right to Correction and Updates

If any of your personal information is inaccurate or outdated, you have the right to have it corrected. You can update most information yourself through your account settings, including contact details, shipping addresses, and communication preferences.

For information you cannot change yourself, such as order history or support records, you can request corrections through our customer service team. We'll verify the accuracy of the information and make appropriate updates within 14 business days.

Right to Deletion

You can request deletion of your personal information in most circumstances. We'll permanently remove your data from our active systems within 30 days, though some information may need to be retained for legal compliance purposes.

Note that deleting your account will also remove access to your order history, product warranties, and support records. We recommend downloading this information before requesting deletion if you might need it in the future.

Right to Data Portability

You can export your personal information in a machine-readable format that can be easily transferred to other services. This includes your profile information, order history, and preferences.

Our data export feature creates a comprehensive file containing all your information in standard formats like CSV and JSON. This makes it easy to import your data into other platforms or keep personal records.

Right to Object and Opt-Out

You can object to certain uses of your personal information, particularly for marketing and advertising purposes. We provide granular controls that let you opt out of specific types of communications while maintaining your account.

Marketing opt-out requests are processed immediately, and you'll stop receiving promotional emails within 24 hours. However, we'll continue to send important transactional emails about your orders and account security.

Rights for California Residents (CCPA)

California residents have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). These include the right to know what personal information is sold or disclosed, the right to opt-out of sales, and protection against discrimination for exercising privacy rights.

We don't sell personal information as defined by the CCPA, but we do share some information with advertising partners. California residents can opt out of this sharing through our "Do Not Sell My Personal Information" link.

Rights for EU Residents (GDPR)

European Union residents have comprehensive rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). These include all the rights mentioned above, plus additional protections around automated decision-making and data processing.

EU residents also have the right to lodge complaints with their local data protection authority if they believe we've violated GDPR requirements. We work cooperatively with all data protection authorities to resolve any concerns.

How to Exercise Your Rights

Exercising your privacy rights is straightforward. Most requests can be handled through your account dashboard, which includes sections for data export, preference updates, and account deletion.

For requests that can't be completed through your account, you can email our privacy team at privacy@get-starscope.com or use our contact form. We respond to all privacy requests within 48 hours and complete most requests within 30 days.

To verify your identity and protect against fraudulent requests, we may ask for additional information before processing certain requests. This typically includes confirming your email address and answering basic questions about your account.

Contact Us About Privacy

We're committed to transparency and want to hear from you about any privacy concerns or questions. Our dedicated privacy team is available to help you understand our practices and exercise your data rights.

Privacy Team Contact Information

For all privacy-related inquiries, you can reach our privacy team directly at privacy@get-starscope.com. This email address is monitored 24/7, and we respond to all inquiries within 48 hours during business days.

If you prefer to speak with someone directly, you can call our privacy hotline at 1-855-PRIVACY (1-855-774-8229). This line is staffed by trained privacy specialists who can help with data requests, policy questions, and privacy concerns.

For written correspondence, you can mail us at:

Starscope Privacy Team
123 Innovation Drive
Austin, TX 78701
United States

Data Protection Officer

Our Data Protection Officer (DPO) oversees all privacy compliance activities and serves as the primary contact for regulatory authorities. You can reach our DPO directly at dpo@get-starscope.com for complex privacy matters or compliance concerns.

Our DPO is certified in privacy law and has extensive experience with international data protection regulations. They're available to discuss policy interpretation, compliance questions, and any concerns about our data handling practices.

Privacy Request Process

When you contact us about privacy matters, we follow a structured process to ensure your request is handled properly and promptly. Here's what you can expect:

• Initial Response: We'll acknowledge your request within 48 hours
• Identity Verification: We may ask for additional information to verify your identity
• Request Processing: We'll complete your request within 30 days (or explain any delays)
• Follow-up: We'll confirm completion and ask if you need any additional assistance

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are answers to the most common privacy questions we receive:

How long do you keep my personal information?

We retain different types of information for different periods based on legal requirements and business needs. Account information is kept for 7 years after your last purchase, while marketing data is deleted after 3 years of inactivity. You can request earlier deletion in most cases.

Do you sell my personal information?

No, we never sell customer personal information to third parties. We may share limited information with business partners for specific services (like shipping), but this is not considered a "sale" under privacy laws.

Can I delete just some of my information?

Yes, we support selective data deletion in many cases. You can delete specific addresses, remove payment methods, or clear your browsing history while keeping your account active.

What happens if there's a data breach?

We'll notify affected customers within 72 hours of discovering any security incident that compromises personal information. We'll also provide clear information about what data was involved and steps we're taking to prevent future incidents.

How do you handle children's privacy?

We don't knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we discover we've inadvertently collected such information, we'll delete it immediately and notify parents if possible.

Can I opt out of analytics tracking?

Yes, you can disable analytics cookies through our cookie preference center or browser settings. This won't affect your ability to use our website but may limit some personalization features.

Do you track me across other websites?

We use retargeting pixels that may track visits to our website and show you ads on other platforms. You can opt out of this tracking through your ad preferences on each platform or through our cookie settings.

How do I know if my information is secure?

We publish annual transparency reports that include security metrics, incident summaries (if any), and details about our security certifications. You can find these reports on our website or request them directly.

Regulatory Contacts

If you're not satisfied with our response to your privacy concerns, you have the right to contact relevant regulatory authorities. For EU residents, this includes your local data protection authority. US residents can contact the Federal Trade Commission or their state attorney general's office.

We maintain cooperative relationships with privacy regulators worldwide and work promptly to address any concerns they raise about our practices.

Policy Updates and Notifications

We'll notify you of any material changes to this privacy policy via email at least 30 days before they take effect. Minor updates (like contact information changes) may be posted on our website without individual notification.

You can always find the most current version of our privacy policy at this URL, and we maintain an archive of previous versions for reference. If you have questions about any changes, our privacy team is always available to explain updates and their impact on your data.