Privacy Policy

1. Information We Collect

When you interact with a business through our platform, we may collect the following information:

• Contact information — your name, phone number, and email address.
• Conversation content — messages you send and receive through our chat or SMS services.
• Scheduling preferences — dates, times, and types of appointments you express interest in.
• Technical data — browser type, IP address, and device information collected automatically when you use our web chat widget.

2. How We Use Your Information

Your information is used to:

• Facilitate conversations between you and your business.
• Send follow-up text messages on behalf of the business (e.g., after a missed call).
• Help business staff schedule appointments and respond to inquiries.
• Improve the quality and accuracy of our automated assistant.

3. SMS Text Messaging

How consent is obtained: When you call a business that uses the Northstar app and your call goes unanswered, you may receive a one-time automated SMS text message sent on behalf of that business. Calling the business number constitutes consent to receive this single follow-up text. For businesses using our web chat widget, consent is given when you submit your phone number through the chat form.

Message frequency: The missed-call text-back program sends one (1) message per missed call event. Reply-based conversations may generate additional messages only in response to your own replies.

Message and data rates: Standard message and data rates charged by your mobile carrier may apply to any SMS messages you send or receive through our platform.

What we collect via SMS: We collect your mobile phone number, the content of messages you send, and metadata such as message timestamps. This information is shared with the business you contacted and is not sold or shared with third parties for marketing purposes.

Opt-out: You may opt out of SMS communications at any time by replying STOP to any message. You will receive a one-time confirmation of your opt-out and will not receive further messages. To re-enable messages, reply START.

Help: Reply HELP to any message for assistance, or contact us at admin@northstarengineering.dev.

Supported carriers: Major US carriers are supported. Carrier support is not guaranteed for all networks.

4. Third-Party Services

We use the following third-party services to operate our platform:

• AI language processing — conversation content is sent to an AI service to generate responses. No content is used to train third-party models.
• SMS and voice services — phone-based communications are handled through a telecommunications provider to deliver text messages and process call events.

These services process data in accordance with their own privacy policies and are contractually obligated to protect your information.

5. Data Sharing

We do not sell your personal information. Your data is shared only with:

• The business you are communicating with.
• Third-party service providers as described above, solely to operate the platform.
• Law enforcement or regulatory bodies when required by law.

6. Data Retention

Conversation data and contact information are retained for as long as the business maintains an active account with us, or as required by applicable regulations. You may request deletion of your data by contacting the business directly or by reaching out to us at the address below.

7. Security

We implement industry-standard security measures including encryption in transit (TLS), access controls, and secure infrastructure to protect your information. While no system is completely secure, we take reasonable steps to safeguard your data.

8. Healthcare Information

Our platform is designed to assist with scheduling and general inquiries only. It does not collect, store, or transmit protected health information (PHI) as defined under HIPAA. The automated assistant does not provide medical diagnoses, treatment recommendations, or prescription advice.

9. Your Rights

Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have the right to:

• Access the personal data we hold about you.
• Request correction or deletion of your data.
• Opt out of text message communications at any time by replying STOP.
• File a complaint with a data protection authority.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated effective date.

11. Contact Us

If you have questions about this privacy policy or your personal data, please contact us at:

Northstar
Email: admin@northstarengineering.dev