Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Blackstar ("we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our adaptive learning platform for USMLE Step 2 CK preparation.

2. Information We Collect

We collect information in the following ways:

Account Information

• Name and email address
• Authentication credentials (managed by our authentication provider)
• Profile information you choose to provide

Study Performance Data

• Answers to practice questions
• Time spent on questions and study sessions
• Performance metrics and progress tracking
• Flagged questions and notes

Usage Information

• Device and browser information
• IP address and general location
• Pages visited and features used
• Session duration and frequency

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Provide and maintain the Service
• Personalize your learning experience with adaptive algorithms
• Track your progress and generate performance analytics
• Process payments and manage subscriptions
• Send important updates about the Service
• Improve and optimize the platform
• Respond to your inquiries and support requests

4. Data Storage and Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures to protect your personal information, including:

• Encryption of data in transit and at rest
• Secure authentication through industry-leading providers
• Regular security assessments and updates
• Access controls limiting who can view your data

While we strive to protect your information, no method of transmission over the Internet is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security.

5. Third-Party Services

We use trusted third-party services to operate Blackstar:

• Authentication: We use Clerk for secure user authentication and account management
• Payment Processing: Payments are processed through secure, PCI-compliant payment processors
• Hosting: Our application is hosted on secure cloud infrastructure
• AI Services: We use OpenAI's GPT-4 to generate practice questions, explanations, and to analyze your learning patterns. When you interact with our educational content, the following data may be sent to OpenAI for processing:
  • Your answer selections and response patterns
  • Time spent on questions (for difficulty analysis)
  • Question content and your interactions with explanations
  • Anonymized learning pattern data

  OpenAI processes this data in accordance with their privacy policy. When accessed via API, OpenAI does not use your data to train their models. You can manage your AI processing preferences in your account settings.

These providers have their own privacy policies governing their use of your information.

6. Cookies and Tracking

We use cookies and similar technologies to:

• Keep you signed in to your account
• Remember your preferences
• Understand how you use the Service
• Improve your experience

You can control cookies through your browser settings, but disabling them may affect Service functionality.

7. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide you with the Service. Study performance data is retained to maintain your progress history. You may request deletion of your data at any time by contacting us.

8. Your Rights

You have the right to:

• Access the personal information we hold about you
• Request correction of inaccurate information
• Request deletion of your personal information
• Export your study data
• Opt out of marketing communications

To exercise these rights, please contact us at the email address below.

9. Children's Privacy

Blackstar is intended for medical students and professionals. We do not knowingly collect information from children under 13 years of age. If you believe we have collected such information, please contact us immediately.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the "Last updated" date. Your continued use of the Service after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

11. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us at [email protected]