Effective Date: April 28, 2025
Starbuds – The Joint LLC ("Starbuds," "The Joint LLC," "we," "us," or "our") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and safeguard your personal information when you use the Starbuds mobile app (the "App"). By using the App, you agree to this Privacy Policy. Our practices follow U.S. privacy best practices and applicable Washington state regulations for cannabis businesses. We encourage you to read this policy carefully and contact us if you have any questions.
21 and Over Only: The App is strictly for adults 21 years of age or older. By using the App, you confirm that you are at least 21. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 21. If we become aware that a user is under 21, we will immediately delete that user's information and terminate their access.
We collect the following personal information from you only when you provide it through the App:
We do not collect any of the following information: location or GPS data; financial or payment information; medical or health information (such as prescriptions); Social Security numbers or government ID numbers; or any other sensitive personal data. Your name, email, phone number, and birth date are collected only as listed above. We do not obtain data from other sources or social media logins.
Analytics Data: We use trusted third-party analytics services (such as Google Analytics for Firebase, Apple Analytics, or similar) to collect non-identifying usage data. This includes information like how you navigate and use the App, device type and operating system, crash/error reports, and timestamps of your activities. This data is anonymous or pseudonymous and is used only to improve the App's performance, fix bugs, and understand feature usage. It is not linked to your personal identity (name, email, etc.).
We do not collect cookies or track you across other websites or apps. Since this is a mobile app, traditional browser cookies are not used. We do not access or use your device's precise location at any time.
We use the personal information we collect for the following purposes:
Account Verification and Service Operation: We use your name and date of birth to verify your age and identity. Your email address (and phone, if provided) is used to send you login or verification codes and important information about your App account. Without this information, we cannot create or maintain your account.
Communication: We may use your email or phone number to send you transaction confirmations, account-related announcements, security alerts (for example, if someone tries to log into your account), and to respond to your inquiries or support requests. We do not use it for marketing unless you explicitly opt-in to receive promotional communications.
Analytics and App Improvement: We use the anonymous analytics data to monitor and improve the App's functionality and user experience. For example, we analyze which features are most used, detect and fix crashes, and optimize loading times. This helps us make the App better and more user-friendly.
Legal Compliance and Safety: We may use or disclose your information as required by law or regulation. For example, we comply with Washington State cannabis laws by ensuring only eligible adults use our services. We may share information with law enforcement or government agencies if required by a subpoena, court order, or to cooperate with an investigation (for instance, to prevent or detect fraud or other illegal activities).
Protecting Rights: We use your information internally to protect our legal rights, to enforce our Terms of Use, and to safeguard other users. For example, if there is a dispute or a violation of our policies, we may use your data to help resolve the issue.
No Sale of Personal Data: We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for marketing or any other purposes. Your trust is important to us, and we keep your data private except as described in this policy.
The App uses trusted third-party services to help us operate and analyze the App. These service providers may receive your personal information or usage data as necessary to perform their functions:
Analytics Services: We use third-party analytics tools (for example, Google Analytics for Firebase, Apple Analytics, or similar) to understand how our App is used. These services collect device and usage information (like device model, OS version, and actions you take in the App) in an anonymized form. They do not receive your name, email, or exact location. The analytics providers use this information under strict confidentiality to provide us with aggregated reports and insights.
Email and Communication Services: We may use third-party email or messaging services to send verification codes, account notifications, and other communications. These providers only see the contact information (email/phone number) and message content needed to deliver your verification code or message. They are not allowed to use your data for any other purpose.
Cloud and Hosting Providers: Your data may be stored on secure servers hosted by third-party cloud providers. These providers store and process your data on our behalf, under our instructions and data protection requirements. They do not use your data for any other purpose.
Each third-party provider we use is chosen carefully and is contractually obligated to protect your data and use it only to support our App. We do not share your personal data with advertising partners. The only information that may be shared is the anonymized usage statistics mentioned above.
Data Retention: We retain your personal information only as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this policy. If you close your account or request deletion, we will delete your personal data (name, email, phone, birth date) within a reasonable timeframe, unless we need to keep certain information to comply with legal obligations or for legitimate business purposes (such as fraud prevention or legal compliance). For example, if required by law, we may keep audit logs or compliance records for a defined retention period.
Security Measures: We implement industry-standard physical, technical, and administrative safeguards to protect your information. This includes encryption of data in transit (e.g. via secure SSL/TLS connections) and secure password storage, as well as firewalls and regular security reviews. Access to your personal information is restricted to authorized personnel who need it to operate the App or provide services.
No Guaranteed 100% Security: While we strive to protect your data, no system can be completely secure. In the unlikely event of a data breach that could impact your personal information, we will comply with Washington's data breach notification laws and notify you as soon as possible.
You have control over your personal information and certain rights under U.S. privacy principles and Washington state guidelines:
Access and Correction: You can request a copy of the personal information we hold about you. If your information changes or is incorrect, you can ask us to correct or update it.
Account Deletion: You may request that we delete your account and personal data at any time by contacting us (see below). We will delete your personal profile data (name, email, phone, birth date) unless retention of certain data is required by law (for example, to keep transaction or audit logs for regulatory compliance).
Opt-Out of Communications: If you have subscribed to any promotional emails or notifications, you can opt out at any time by following the unsubscribe instructions in those messages or contacting us. Service-related communications (like verification codes) cannot be turned off if you wish to use the App.
Object to Processing: To the extent applicable under U.S. law, you have the right to object to processing of your data for certain purposes. For instance, if you believe we are using your data in violation of this policy or the law, you can raise the issue with us.
Privacy Inquiries: If you believe we are handling your personal data unlawfully or have questions about our data practices, you may contact us. We will respond to your requests in a reasonable time and in accordance with any applicable laws (such as Washington's consumer data protection guidelines).
Please note that to protect your privacy and security, we may need to verify your identity before honoring certain requests. Also, if we delete your account, you will no longer be able to access any features of the App.
The App is not intended for children or anyone under 21 years of age. We do not knowingly collect information from underage users. If you are under 21, you must not use the App. If a child under 21 has provided us with personal information, a parent or guardian may contact us to have that information deleted.
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make changes, we will update the Effective Date at the top. We may also provide notice of significant changes via email or an in-app notification. Please review the Privacy Policy periodically. Your continued use of the App after we post changes means you accept the revised policy.