Privacy Policy

1. Introduction & Data Controller

Welcome to Star Novels. This Privacy Policy sets out how STAR STORY FILM TECH LIMITED ("Company", "we", "us", or "our"), a company registered in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (Certificate No. 80639677-000-06-26-9), collects, stores, processes, and protects your personal data when you access our website, read digital serialized fiction, or interact with our web services.

We are committed to processing personal data in full adherence to the Hong Kong Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance (Cap. 486) (PDPO), as well as applicable global standards including the European Union General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA).

2. Information We Collect

Depending on how you interact with Star Novels, we may collect the following categories of information:

• Usage & Reading Data: Reading history, chapter progress, bookmarks, reading theme preferences (e.g. sepia, night mode, font size), and interaction with book cards.
• Device & Technical Identifiers: IP address, browser type and version, language settings, operating system, screen resolution, referral URLs, and standard HTTP server logs.
• Communication Data: Inquiries, feedback, support messages, or DMCA notices submitted via email to our support team.
• Cookie & Local Storage Data: Minimal local storage values utilized strictly to persist your preferred reading font size and reader theme across page loads.

3. Legal Bases for Processing

We process personal data only when lawful under applicable data protection frameworks:

• Performance of a Contract: Providing reader access, synchronizing chapter progress, and responding to your inquiries.
• Legitimate Interests: Improving website performance, maintaining security against unauthorized scraping, analyzing aggregated reading trends, and safeguarding platform integrity.
• Legal Compliance: Complying with regulatory obligations, copyright verification, and tax/accounting requirements in Hong Kong.
• Consent: Where you have explicitly opted into voluntary email newsletters or cookie categories where required by local law.

4. How We Use Your Information

The collected information is used strictly for legitimate business and operational purposes:

• To render web fiction smoothly across mobile and desktop browsers;
• To preserve your reading preferences and last-read chapter locations;
• To monitor server uptime, prevent DDoS attacks, and prevent fraudulent scraping;
• To reply to customer support inquiries and corporate business inquiries;
• To enforce our Terms of Service and protect intellectual property rights.

5. Cookies & Tracking Technologies

Star Novels uses strictly necessary technical cookies and client-side browser storage (localStorage) solely to facilitate reading functions (such as maintaining your preferred font size and reading palette). We do not deploy intrusive third-party cross-site behavioral tracking cookies without your consent.

6. Data Sharing & Third-Party Disclosures

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal data. We may share limited data only with trusted infrastructure service providers under strict data processing agreements:

• Cloud Hosting & CDN Providers: High-speed global edge network infrastructure to deliver text and visual media reliably;
• Legal & Regulatory Authorities: When strictly required by law, subpoena, or valid order issued by a competent court of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

7. International Data Transfers

Because Star Novels serves readers worldwide, information may be routed or processed through secure cloud servers located outside your home jurisdiction. Where personal data is transferred internationally, we ensure appropriate safeguards (such as standard contractual clauses and encryption standards) are applied in accordance with applicable laws.

8. Your Rights & Choices

Depending on your geographic residency, you hold specific statutory rights regarding your personal information:

• Access & Correction: Under the Hong Kong PDPO, you have the right to ascertain whether we hold your personal data and request copies or corrections.
• Erasure & Restriction: Under GDPR and CCPA, eligible residents may request the deletion or restriction of personal data processing.
• Objection: You may object to data processing grounded on our legitimate interests at any time.

9. Data Retention & Protection

We implement industry-standard administrative, technical, and physical security measures to safeguard data against accidental loss, unauthorized access, or disclosure. We retain data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy or to satisfy statutory obligations.

10. Contacting Our Data Protection Officer

If you have questions, comments, or wish to exercise statutory data protection rights, please contact our Data Protection Office: