Data Policy

1. Information We Collect

When you use PicStar, we may collect:

• Account Information: Name, email address, phone number, username, profile details, profile photo, and account authentication information. Your phone number may be used to create or verify your account, assist with login or account recovery, protect account security, and provide important service-related communications where applicable.
• User Content: Posts, comments, images, videos, Shots, captions, reactions, ShineOut activity, and other content or interactions you choose to share on the platform.
• Private Messages: Messages you send and receive through PicStar's messaging features.
• Usage Data: Information about how you use PicStar, including content views, engagement, supports, ShineOut activity, follows, searches, and other platform activities.
• Device and Location Data: IP address, device information, app information, and location or selected city/country information. Location data may be used to personalize the TOP and BOARD Feed by displaying relevant local content, trends, and recommendations.
• Marketing and Communication Preferences: Your preferences for receiving updates, notifications, and promotional communications.

2. How We Use Your Information

We may use your information to:

• Provide, operate, and improve PicStar's features and services.
• Create and manage your account.
• Verify your identity or account where applicable.
• Display and organize content on PicStar.
• Rank, highlight, and recommend users and content based on engagement and community support.
• Provide the TOP and BOARD Feed and location-based content.
• Provide messaging and communication features.
• Process ShineOut and other community interactions.
• Communicate updates, promotions, and important notifications.
• Detect and prevent abuse, fraud, spam, and unauthorized activity.
• Protect the safety, security, and integrity of PicStar.
• Comply with applicable laws and lawful requests.

3. Private Messages

PicStar provides private messaging between users.

Private messages are not publicly displayed on PicStar. However, messages are stored and processed through PicStar's systems, and authorized PicStar administrators or technical personnel may be able to access message content when reasonably necessary for legitimate purposes. This may include:

• Responding to reports or complaints;
• Investigating abuse, harassment, fraud, scams, or violations of PicStar's rules;
• Maintaining and troubleshooting the messaging service;
• Protecting users and platform security; or
• Complying with applicable laws or lawful requests.

PicStar does not access private messages for personal curiosity or unrelated purposes. Access should be limited to authorized personnel with a legitimate reason to access the information.

Users should avoid sending passwords, financial credentials, or highly sensitive personal information through PicStar messages.

4. Sharing and Disclosure

PicStar does not sell your personal data. We may share information when reasonably necessary to operate, maintain, and protect PicStar, including with:

• Service Providers and Partners: Companies or service providers that assist with hosting, storage, authentication, analytics, security, notifications, customer support, and other platform operations.
• Legal Authorities: When required or permitted by applicable law, lawful orders, or when reasonably necessary to protect the safety, rights, or security of PicStar, our users, or others.
• Aggregated or Anonymized Information: We may provide aggregated or anonymized information to businesses, advertisers, or partners for analytics, research, or marketing purposes where the information does not reasonably identify individual users.

5. Cookies and Tracking

• PicStar may use cookies, analytics tools, device identifiers, and similar technologies to operate the platform, understand usage, improve performance, personalize features, and maintain security.
• Where applicable, you may manage certain cookie or tracking preferences through your device, browser, or available PicStar settings.

6. Your Rights

Subject to applicable law, you may have the right to:

• Access your personal information.
• Request a copy or download of your data.
• Request correction of inaccurate information.
• Request deletion of your personal information.
• Object to or restrict certain processing.
• Withdraw consent where applicable.
• Opt out of certain marketing communications.
• File a privacy complaint with the appropriate authority.

To exercise your rights, contact us using the information below.

7. Data Retention

• Personal information will be retained only for as long as reasonably necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this Data & Privacy Policy, comply with legal and regulatory obligations, resolve disputes, prevent fraud, enforce our agreements, and protect the integrity and security of PicStar.
• Upon account closure or deletion, we will delete or anonymize your personal information where reasonably possible. However, certain account, transaction, security, audit, messaging, and fraud-prevention records may be retained for up to one (1) year, or longer where required or permitted by applicable law or legitimate business purposes.

8. Security

• PicStar implements reasonable technical, organizational, and administrative measures designed to protect personal information from unauthorized access, loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure.
• However, no online service or storage system is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute protection.

9. Children's Privacy

• PicStar is intended for users who meet the minimum age requirements applicable to the service.
• We do not knowingly collect personal information from children where such collection is prohibited by applicable law.
• If you believe that a child has provided personal information to PicStar in violation of applicable requirements, please contact us.

10. Policy Updates

• PicStar may update this Data & Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our App, features, data practices, legal requirements, or other operational reasons.
• When significant changes are made, users may be notified through the App, website, email, or other appropriate means.
• The updated policy will include a revised effective or last-updated date.

11. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, privacy requests, or complaints about how PicStar handles your information, please contact:

PicStar Data Privacy Team
Email: picstaronline@gmail.com

We may request information necessary to verify your identity when processing certain privacy requests.

By continuing to use PicStar, you acknowledge and accept the updated Data & Privacy Policy.

Thank you for being part of our community.