Privacy Policy

1. Information We Collect

We collect information necessary to provide our services and manage your account. The categories of information we collect are limited to the following:

1.1 Account Information

When you create an account, we collect:

• Email address
• Name
• Account credentials (password, stored in hashed form)
• Subscription tier selection

1.2 Billing Information

Payment processing is handled entirely by Stripe, Inc. (“Stripe”). When you subscribe, Stripe collects your payment method details (credit card number, billing address, etc.) directly. Quark receives from Stripe:

• Confirmation of successful payment
• Last four digits of your card (for display purposes only)
• Stripe customer ID and subscription ID
• Billing cycle dates

Quark does not directly store your full credit card number, CVV, or bank account details.

1.3 Usage Data

We automatically collect certain information when you use the platform:

• API access logs (endpoints accessed, timestamps, response codes)
• Login timestamps and session duration
• Feature usage patterns (which reports and signals you access)
• IP addresses
• Browser type and version
• Device type and operating system

2. Information We Do Not Collect

• Your brokerage or trading account information
• Your portfolio holdings or positions
• Your trading history or transaction records
• Your financial statements
• Your personal financial data beyond what is needed for billing
• Your Social Security number or government identification
• Your brokerage API keys or credentials

3. How We Use Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

3.1 Service Delivery

• Provide and maintain the platform and your subscription
• Authenticate your account and manage access controls
• Deliver signals, reports, and API access according to your tier
• Process payments and manage billing through Stripe

3.2 Communication

• Send service updates and security notices
• Notify you of material changes to these policies or our Terms of Service
• Respond to support inquiries

We do not send marketing emails or promotional content without your explicit opt-in consent.

3.3 Security and Compliance

• Monitor for unauthorized access, fraud, or abuse
• Enforce our Terms of Service, including rate limits and prohibited uses
• Comply with applicable legal obligations

3.4 Platform Improvement

• Analyze aggregate usage patterns to improve the platform
• Identify and fix technical issues
• Develop new features and services

Usage data used for platform improvement is analyzed in aggregate form. We do not build individual behavioral profiles for advertising purposes.

4. Data Sharing

Quark does not sell your personal information to third parties. We share information only in the following limited circumstances:

4.1 Stripe (Payment Processing)

Your billing information is shared with Stripe to process subscription payments. Stripe’s handling of your data is governed by the Stripe Privacy Policy. Stripe is PCI DSS Level 1 certified, the highest level of payment security certification.

4.2 Service Providers

We may share limited information with service providers who assist in operating the platform (e.g., hosting infrastructure, email delivery). These providers are bound by confidentiality obligations and may only use your information as necessary to perform services on our behalf.

4.3 Law Enforcement and Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information when required by applicable law, subpoena, court order, or government request. We may also disclose information when we believe in good faith that disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, protect your safety or the safety of others, investigate fraud, or respond to a government request.

4.4 Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, reorganization, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred to the successor entity. We will notify you of any such change in ownership or control of your personal information.

5. Cookies and Tracking

Quark takes a minimal approach to cookies and tracking:

5.1 Essential Cookies

We use essential cookies strictly necessary for platform operation, including session authentication and security tokens. These cannot be disabled while using the platform.

5.2 Analytics

We may use minimal analytics to understand aggregate usage patterns (e.g., page views, feature adoption). Any analytics data is collected in aggregate form and is not used to build individual user profiles.

5.3 No Advertising Tracking

5.4 Do Not Track

We respect Do Not Track (DNT) browser signals. When a DNT signal is detected, we limit data collection to what is strictly necessary for platform operation.

6. Data Security

We implement commercially reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your information, including:

• Encryption of data in transit (TLS/HTTPS)
• Encrypted storage of sensitive data at rest
• Hashed and salted password storage
• Access controls limiting employee access to personal data
• Regular security audits and monitoring
• API authentication via secure token-based mechanisms

However, no method of electronic transmission or storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security. If we become aware of a security breach that affects your personal data, we will notify you in accordance with applicable law.

7. Data Retention

We retain your information as follows:

• Account information: Retained for the duration of your subscription and for 90 days after cancellation, to allow for reactivation.
• Billing records: Retained for 7 years after the transaction date, as required for tax and accounting compliance.
• Usage logs: Retained for 12 months for security and operational purposes, then deleted or anonymized.
• API access logs: Retained for 6 months, then deleted or anonymized.
• Support correspondence: Retained for 2 years after resolution.

After the applicable retention period, data is either securely deleted or irreversibly anonymized so that it can no longer be associated with you.

8. Your Rights

You have the following rights regarding your personal information:

8.1 Access

You may request a copy of the personal information we hold about you. We will provide this information in a commonly used electronic format within 30 days of your verified request.

8.2 Correction

You may request that we correct any inaccurate or incomplete personal information. You can update your account information directly through your account settings, or contact us for assistance.

8.3 Deletion

You may request deletion of your personal information. Upon receiving a verified deletion request, we will delete your personal data within 30 days, except where retention is required by law (e.g., billing records for tax compliance) or necessary for legitimate business purposes (e.g., fraud prevention).

8.4 Data Portability

You may request your personal data in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format.

8.5 Withdrawal of Consent

Where processing is based on your consent, you may withdraw consent at any time. Withdrawal of consent does not affect the lawfulness of processing conducted prior to withdrawal.

8.6 How to Exercise Your Rights

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at contact@quarkresearch.cc. We may need to verify your identity before processing your request. We will respond to all verified requests within 30 days.

9. Children’s Privacy

Quark is not intended for use by individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18 years of age. If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a person under 18, we will take steps to delete that information promptly.

If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us at contact@quarkresearch.cc.

10. International Data Transfers

Quark is based in the United States. If you access the platform from outside the United States, your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States, where data protection laws may differ from those of your jurisdiction. By using the platform, you consent to the transfer of your information to the United States.

Where required by applicable law, we will implement appropriate safeguards for international data transfers.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make material changes, we will:

• Update the “Last Updated” date at the top of this page
• Send email notification to the address associated with your account
• Post a notice on the platform

We will provide at least thirty (30) days’ advance notice of material changes. Your continued use of the platform after the effective date of any changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically.

12. Contact Information

For questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal data, contact:

Quark LLC
Email: contact@quarkresearch.cc
Website: https://quarkresearch.cc

We will respond to all inquiries within 30 days.