Last updated: 27 February 2024
This Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use, and disclose personal data collected from users of the www.RateStars.com website, the RateStars mobile application and various related services (together referred to as the ”Site”). We are committed to properly protecting your privacy online. Please read the information below to learn about our use of your personal data.
The Site is provided by the following legal entity (“we,” “us,” and “our”):
We act in the capacity of a data controller with regard to the personal data that you provide through the Site.
This section applies to you if you are based in a country other than the UK or a country belonging to the European Union (EU).
2.1 Types of Collected Information
We may receive, collect and store any information user enters on the Site or provides us in any other way. In addition, we may collect the internet protocol (IP) address used to connect a user's computer or other electronic device to the internet; login; e-mail address; password; computer and connection information and purchase history. You acknowledge our minimum age requirements and certify you are at least sixteen (16) years of age. We may use software tools to measure and collect session information, including page response times, length of visits to certain pages, page interaction information, and methods used to browse away from the page or the mobile app. We may also collect personally identifiable information (including name, email, password, communications); payment details (including credit card information), comments, feedback, recommendations, and personal profile.
2.2 Methods of Collection
When you conduct a transaction on our Site, your personal information including your name and email address is collected. Reasons for information collection are described in the following section.
2.3 Reason for Collection of Information
We collect such Non-personal and Personal Information (defined below) for the following purposes:
2.4 How Long Do We Keep Your Information
We keep your information as long as we need it to provide our Services, comply with legal obligations or protect our or other's interests. We decide how long we need information on a case-by-case basis.
2.5 What Information is Transferred to Other Countries
Your information may be transferred, transmitted, or stored in other countries where we have infrastructure or data centers. We are a global company and some of our partners, vendors, and service providers are located outside of the country where you live.
2.6 How Do We Safeguard Your Information
We rely on many mechanisms for international data transfers, including but not limited to, contractual clauses and data promulgated by the relevant authorities about whether a country has adequate levels of data protection.
2.7 Security and Storage of User and Visitor Information
We may make use of technical and organizational measures specifically designed to protect your information that is under our control. Employees are aware of and shall follow all of our data privacy policies and procedures. We shall make use of firewalls designed to protect against intruders and test for network vulnerabilities. However, no method of transmission over the internet or method of electronic storage is completely secure and we shall not be liable for any data breach that occurs.
2.8 Communication with Site Users
We may contact you for notifications regarding your account, to troubleshoot problems with your account, to resolve a dispute, to collect fees or monies owed, to poll your opinions through surveys or questionnaires, to send updates about us, or as otherwise necessary to contact you to enforce our Terms of Use or other policies, applicable laws, and any agreement we may have with you. For these purposes, we may contact your email, telephone, text messages, and postal mail address.
This section applies to you if you are based in the UK or a country that belongs to the European Union (EU).
3.1 We comply with data minimisation principles and use personal data for limited purposes. Below, you can find an overview of the types of personal data that we collect, the purposes for which we use it, and the legal bases on which we rely when processing it.
3.2 Sources of personal data. We obtain your personal data from the following categories of sources:
3.3 What personal data do we collect directly from you?
3.4 What personal data do we automatically collect while you are using the Site?
While you are using the Site, we collect analytics data that allows us to see what kind of users access and use the Site, which parts of the Site you find interesting, personalise your content, improve our content, improve our services and develop new ones, create and implement our marketing campaigns, and investigate and prevent security issues and abuse. When we process your analytics data that is personal data, we rely on the 'legitimate interest' (i.e., to analyse, improve, and protect the Site) and 'your consent' bases. The analytics data that we collect includes:
3.5 Sensitive data. We do not collect or have access to any special categories of personal data (“sensitive data”), unless you decide, at your own discretion, to provide such data to us. Sensitive data refers to your health, religious and political beliefs, racial origins, membership of a professional or trade association, or sexual orientation. If you decide to provide us with such data, we will process it on the basis of 'your consent' and hold it until you update or delete your profile information.
3.6 Refusal to provide personal data. If you refuse to provide us with your personal data when we ask for it, we may not be able to perform the requested operation and you may not be able to use the Site, receive the requested information, or get our response. Please contact us immediately if you think that any personal data that we collect is excessive or not necessary for the intended purpose.
3.7 Your feedback and de-identified data. If you contact us, we may keep records of any questions, complaints, recommendations, or compliments made by you and the response. Where possible, we will remove all personal data that is not necessary for keeping such records. Also, we may use and share with third parties de-identified data for the purpose of facilitating research. Such data does not allow us to identify you as a natural person and, therefore, is not considered to be personal data.
3.8 Storage of personal data. We and our data processors store your personal data only for as long as such personal data is required for the purposes described in this privacy policy or until you request us to update or delete your personal data, whichever comes first. For more details about the period for which each type of personal data is stored, please refer to section 3.3. After your personal data is no longer necessary for its purposes and there is no other legal basis for storing it, we will securely delete it from our systems.
3.9 Storage of non-personal data. We retain non-personal data pertaining to you for as long as necessary for the purposes described in this privacy policy.
3.10 Storage as required by law. When we are obliged by law to store your personal data for a certain period of time (e.g., for keeping accounting records), we will store your personal data for the time period stipulated by the applicable law and delete the personal data as soon as the required retention period expires.
3.11 Disclosure of personal data. If necessary for the intended purpose of your personal data, we will disclose your personal data to entities that provide services on our behalf (our data processors). Your personal data may be shared with entities that provide technical support services to us, such as hosting, payment processing, and email distribution services, such as:
3.12 International transfers. Some of our data processors may be based outside the country where you reside. For example, if you reside in the UK or a country belonging to the European Economic Area (EEA), we may need to transfer your personal data outside the UK or the EEA. In case it is necessary to make such a transfer, we will make sure that the country in which our data processor is located guarantees an adequate level of protection for your personal data or we conclude an agreement with it that ensures such protection.
3.13 Disclosure of non-personal data. Your non-personal data may be disclosed to third parties for any purpose as it does not identify you as a natural person. For example, we may share it for improving the Site, responding to lawful requests from public authorities or developing new services.
3.14 Legal requests. If requested by a public authority, we will disclose information about the users of the Site to the extent necessary for pursuing a public interest objective, such as national security or law enforcement.
3.15 Sale of personal data. We do not sell your personal data without your consent.
3.16 Data protection measures. We implement up-to-date industry appropriate technical and organisational information security measures that protect your personal data from loss, misuse, unauthorised access and disclosure. Our measures include: (i) maintaining adequate access control mechanisms (e.g., password protection and limited access by our staff); (ii) SSL certificate; (iii) Engaging certified service providers; and (iv) Conducting regular information security audits.
3.17 Your rights with regard to your personal data. You have the right to control how we process your personal data. In order to exercise your rights listed below, please contact us by using our contact details available at the end of this privacy policy and explain in detail your request. In order to verify the legitimacy of your request, we may ask you to provide us with an identifying piece of information, so that we can identify you in our system. We will answer your request within a reasonable time frame but no later than 30 days. Subject to any exemptions provided by law, you have the following rights:
3.18 Complaints. If you would like to launch a complaint about the way in which we handle your personal data, we kindly ask you to contact us first (our contact details are available in section 10 Contact Information) and express your concerns. After you contact us, we will investigate your complaint and provide you with our response as soon as possible (no later than 30 days). If you are not satisfied with the outcome of your complaint, you have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority.
We do not provide the Site persons under the age of 16. If you become aware a younger child's personal data has been provided to us and you are a parent or a legal guardian of that child, please contact us immediately.
5.1 Usage of Cookies and Similar Tracking Tools
Cookies are small pieces of text used to store information on web browsers. Cookies are used to store and receive identifiers and other information on computers, phones and other devices. Other technologies, including data that we may store on your web browser or device, identifiers associated with your device and other software, are used for similar purposes. In this policy we refer to all of these technologies as “cookies.”
We use cookies if you have a user account. Cookies enable us to offer the Services to you and to understand the information that we receive about you, including information about your use of other websites and apps, whether or not you are registered or logged in.
We use the following cookies:
5.2 Why We Use Cookies
When you use our Site, we may store cookies on your device in order to facilitate and customize your use of our Site. A cookie is a small data text file, which a website stores on your computer's hard drive (if your web browser permits) that can later be retrieved to identify you to us. Our cookies store randomly assigned user identification numbers, the country where you are located, and your first name to welcome you back to our Site. The cookies make your use of the Site easier, make the Site run more smoothly and help us to maintain a secure Site. If you are based in the UK or EU, we will ask your consent for the use of non-essential cookies through a cookie consent banner. You are always free to decline our cookies if your browser permits, but some parts of our Site may not work properly in that case. We will collect and use Non-Personally Identifiable Information about you, such as your IP address, browser type, the server your computer is logged onto, the area code and zip code associated with your server. If the applicable law permits this, we shall not be liable for the placement of third party cookies or utilization of other tracking technologies. Through your use of the Site, you agree to release us from any liability regarding third party cookies. Data usage fees may apply, and you shall be the solely responsible for such fees.
5.3 Interest-based advertising
You may encounter targeted interest-based advertising based on your use of the Site and other websites on the Internet. Where necessary, we will seek your consent for processing your personal data for advertising purposes. You can control how such advertising is shown to you or opt-out from targeted advertising by consulting the guide powered by the Digital Advertising Alliance available at https://youradchoices.com. For more information on opting-out from advertising features on your device, please visit https://www.networkadvertising.org.
5.4 Use of Google Analytics
We use Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google LLC registered at 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA (“Google”). Google generates statistical information by means of cookies and creates reports about your use of the Site. The cookies served by Google are anonymous first-party cookies that do not allow us to identify you in any manner. The information generated by cookies will be transmitted to and stored by Google on servers in the United States. To ensure your privacy, your IP address will be anonymised and Google will not combine your IP address with other information Google holds about you. Thus, Google will not be able to identify you. In certain cases (e.g., when required by law or when third parties conduct services on behalf of Google), Google may transfer the information to third parties. For more information about Google Analytics’ privacy practices, please visit https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/6004245. If you would like to opt out from Google Analytics, you can do so by installing a Google Analytics opt-out browser add-on available at https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=en.
If you no longer wish for us to process your data, please contact us at privacy@RateStars.com or send us a letter to: 382 NE 191st ST PMB 155472 Miami, Florida, 33179 USA
We reserve the right to modify this privacy policy at any time for any reason. It is your sole responsibility to check our policies so please review them frequently. Changes and clarifications will take effect immediately upon their posting on the Site. Should we make material changes to this policy, we will notify you here that it has been updated so that you are aware of what information we collect and how it is used. Where necessary, we will seek your consent to the amendments.
This Privacy Policy shall not apply to information that you have provided to third parties. Our Site may direct you to a third-party service; however, disclosure of information to these third parties shall be subject to the relevant third party’s privacy policy. We accept no responsibility for the third-party’s content, procedure or privacy policy.
This PRIVACY NOTICE FOR CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS applies solely to visitors, users, and others who reside in the States of California, Utah, Virginia, Texas, Connecticut, and Colorado (“consumers” or “you”). We adopt this notice to comply with the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (“CCPA”) and other California privacy laws. Any terms defined in the CCPA have the same meaning when used in this notice.
9.1 Information We Collect
We collect information that identifies, relates to, describes, references, is capable of being associated with, or could reasonably be linked, directly or indirectly, with a particular consumer or device (“personal information”). In particular, we have collected the following categories of personal information from consumers within the last twelve (12) months:
| Category | Examples | Collected |
| A. Identifiers. | A real name, alias, postal address, unique personal identifier, online identifier, internet protocol address, email address, account name or other similar identifiers. | YES |
| B. Personal information categories. | A name, signature, physical characteristics or description, address, telephone number, driver's license or state identification card number, employment, employment history, bank account number, credit card number, debit card number, or any other financial information. Some personal information included in this category may overlap with other categories. | YES |
| C. Protected classification characteristics under State or federal law. | Age (40 years or older), race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion or creed, marital status, sex (including gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy or childbirth and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, veteran or military status, genetic information (including familial genetic information). | YES |
| D. Commercial information. | Records of personal property, products or services purchased, obtained, or considered, or other purchasing or consuming histories or tendencies. | YES |
| E. Biometric information. | Genetic, physiological, behavioral, and biological characteristics, or activity patterns used to extract a template or other identifier or identifying information, such as, fingerprints, faceprints, and voiceprints, iris or retina scans, keystroke, gait, or other physical patterns, and sleep, health, or exercise data. | NO |
| F. Internet or other similar network activity. | Browsing history, search history, information on a consumer’s interaction with a website, application, or advertisement. | YES |
| G. Geolocation data. | Physical location or movements. | YES |
| H. Sensory data. | Audio, electronic, visual, thermal, olfactory, or similar information. | NO |
| I. Professional or employment-related information. | Current or past job history or performance evaluations. | YES |
| J. Non-public education information. | Education records directly related to a student maintained by an educational institution or party acting on its behalf, such as grades, transcripts, class lists, student schedules, student identification codes, student financial information, or student disciplinary records. | YES |
| K. Inferences drawn from other personal information. | Profile reflecting a person's preferences, characteristics, psychological trends, predispositions, behavior, attitudes, intelligence, abilities, and aptitudes. | YES |
Personal information does not include the following:
We obtain the categories of personal information listed above from the following categories of sources:
9.2 Use of Personal Information
We may use or disclose the personal information we collect for one or more of the following business purposes:
We will not collect additional categories of personal information or use the personal information we collected for materially different, unrelated, or incompatible purposes without providing you notice.
9.3 Sharing Personal Information
We may disclose your personal information to a third party for a business purpose. When we disclose personal information for a business purpose, we enter a contract that describes the purpose and requires the recipient to both keep that personal information confidential and not use it for any purpose except performing the contract. In the preceding twelve (12) months, we have disclosed the following categories of personal information for a business purpose:
We disclose your personal information for a business purpose to the following categories of third parties:
9.4 Your Rights and Choices
Applicable law provides consumers (residents of the aforementioned states) with specific rights regarding their personal information. This section describes your rights and explains how to exercise those rights.
9.5 Access to Specific Information and Data Portability Rights
You have the right to request that we disclose certain information to you about our collection and use of your personal information over the past 12 months. Once we receive and confirm your verifiable consumer request, we will disclose to you:
9.6 Deletion Request Rights
You have the right to request that we delete any of your personal information that we collected from you and retained, subject to certain exceptions. Once we receive and confirm your verifiable consumer request, we will delete (and direct our service providers to delete) your personal information from our records, unless an exception applies.
We may deny your deletion request if retaining the information is necessary for us or our service providers to:
9.7 Right to Request a Correction
The right to request that we correct inaccurate personal information can be made directly to us at privacy@RateStars.com .
9.8 Right to Opt Out of Targeted Advertising
The right to opt out of the processing of your Personal Information obtained from your activities on nonaffiliated websites or online applications for the purposes of targeted advertising may be made directly to us at privacy@RateStars.com .
9.9 Exercising Access, Data Portability, and Deletion Rights
To exercise the access, data portability, and deletion rights described above, please submit a verifiable consumer request to us through our Site.
Only you or a person registered with the state where you reside that you authorize to act on your behalf, may make a verifiable consumer request related to your personal information. You may also make a verifiable consumer request on behalf of your minor child.
You may only make a verifiable consumer request for access or data portability twice within a 12- month period. The verifiable consumer request must:
We cannot respond to your request or provide you with personal information if we cannot verify your identity or authority to make the request and confirm the personal information relates to you.
Making a verifiable consumer request does not require you to create an account with us. We will only use personal information provided in a verifiable consumer request to verify the requestor's identity or authority to make the request.
9.10 Response Timing and Format
We endeavor to respond to a verifiable consumer request within forty-five (45) days of its receipt. If we require more time (up to 90 days), we will inform you of the reason and extension period in writing. If you have an account with us, we will deliver our written response to that account. If you do not have an account with us, we will deliver our written response by mail or electronically, at your option. Any disclosures we provide will only cover the 12-month period preceding the verifiable consumer request's receipt. The response we provide will also explain the reasons we cannot comply with a request, if applicable. For data portability requests, we will select a format to provide your personal information that is readily useable and should allow you to transmit the information from one entity to another entity without hindrance.
We do not charge a fee to process or respond to your verifiable consumer request unless it is excessive, repetitive, or manifestly unfounded. If we determine that the request warrants a fee, we will tell you why we made that decision and provide you with a cost estimate before completing your request.
9.11 Non-Discrimination
We will not discriminate against you for exercising any of your rights. Unless permitted by the applicable law, we will not:
9.12 Changes to Our Privacy Notice
We reserve the right to amend this privacy notice at our discretion and at any time. When we make changes to this privacy notice, we will notify you by email or through a notice on our Site.
If you have any questions or comments about this notice, our Privacy Policy, the ways in which we collect and use your personal information, your choices and rights regarding such use, or wish to exercise your rights under applicable law, please do not hesitate to contact us through the Site using “ATTENTION: PRIVACY COMPLIANCE OFFICER” in the message. You may reach us at privacy@RateStars.com If you wish to contact us by post, please use the following addresses: