Policy & Terms

1. Acceptance of Terms

These Terms of Use ("Terms") govern your access to and use of the NorthStar City website, Discord server, portals, and all associated services (collectively, "Services"). These Terms apply to all visitors, members, and contributors. We reserve the right to update these Terms at any time. Continued use of our Services following any change constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.

2. Eligibility

NorthStar City is intended for users who can form a legally binding agreement. You must be at least 13 years of age to participate. By using our Services you represent that you meet this requirement. Users under 18 should have parental or guardian awareness of their participation.

3. Account & Session Security

Access to staff portals and member features is provided via Discord OAuth2. You are responsible for maintaining the security of your Discord account. NorthStar City cannot be held liable for unauthorized access resulting from compromised credentials on a third-party platform. Do not share session tokens, portal links, or staff login access with unauthorized individuals.

4. Acceptable Use

You agree not to:

• Attempt to gain unauthorized access to any part of the website, server infrastructure, or other members' accounts
• Use automated tools (bots, scrapers, crawlers) to harvest data from our Services without prior written permission
• Submit false, misleading, or malicious content through any forms or portals
• Interfere with or disrupt the integrity or performance of the website or server
• Reverse-engineer, decompile, or attempt to extract source code from any part of our Services
• Impersonate NorthStar City staff, leadership, or other members

5. Intellectual Property

All content on this website including text, graphics, logos, icons, and design is the property of NorthStar City or its content creators and is protected by applicable copyright and intellectual property laws. You may not reproduce, distribute, or create derivative works without express written consent from NorthStar City leadership.

6. Third-Party Platforms

NorthStar City operates in conjunction with third-party platforms including Discord and Roblox (ER:LC). Your use of those platforms is subject to their respective Terms of Service. NorthStar City is not responsible for the policies, actions, or content of those platforms.

7. Limitation of Liability

NorthStar City provides all Services on an "as is" basis. We make no warranties, expressed or implied, regarding availability, accuracy, or fitness for a particular purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, NorthStar City leadership shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, or consequential damages arising from your use of the Services.

8. Termination

NorthStar City reserves the right to suspend or permanently ban any member from the Services at any time, with or without notice, for conduct that violates these Terms, community guidelines, or that is deemed harmful to the community. Decisions made by Founder and Director are final.

Information We Collect

When you log in via Discord OAuth2, we receive and store:

• Your Discord User ID and username
• Your Discord avatar hash (used to display your profile picture)
• Your guild membership status and assigned roles within the NorthStar City server
• A session token stored in a secure, HTTP-only, same-site cookie

When you submit an application, we store:

• Roblox username, Discord username, age, timezone, and the text of your application responses
• Application status and reviewer notes (staff only)

How We Use Your Data

• To authenticate you and display appropriate portal access based on your roles
• To process and review department or staff applications
• To maintain an activity log for administrative and security purposes
• To display your name and avatar in staff directories and rosters

Data Storage & Security

All data is stored in a PostgreSQL database hosted on Railway.app's secure infrastructure. Sessions are managed server-side with HTTP-only, secure, same-site cookies. We implement security headers, rate limiting, and request sanitization to protect against common web vulnerabilities. We do not store passwords — authentication is handled entirely by Discord.

Data Retention

Session data expires automatically after 30 days of inactivity. Application records are retained for administrative record-keeping. If you would like your application data removed, contact leadership via Discord.

Third-Party Services

We use Discord for authentication and community management. We use Railway.app for hosting and database services. These services have their own privacy policies which govern their data handling. We do not have control over data processed directly by those platforms.

Your Rights

You may request deletion of your data at any time by contacting the Director via Discord or by emailing northstarnetworks1@gmail.com. You can also revoke NorthStar City's OAuth2 access to your Discord account at any time through Discord's Authorized Apps settings, which will terminate your ability to log in but does not automatically delete stored data.

Contact

For any privacy-related inquiries, contact NorthStar City leadership through our Discord server at discord.gg/ZQJrncxX3E or by email at northstarnetworks1@gmail.com.

Respect & Conduct

• Treat every member with respect regardless of rank, experience, or background
• Zero tolerance for harassment, hate speech, discrimination, threats, or targeted behaviour
• No trolling, baiting, drama-starting, or intentionally disruptive behaviour
• Disagreements must be handled maturely and privately; public conflict is not acceptable
• Staff decisions are to be respected; appeals must go through official channels only

Roleplay Standards

• Serious, realistic roleplay is required at all times during active sessions
• Fail RP, Powergaming, Metagaming, RDM, and VDM are strictly prohibited — see Server Rules for full definitions
• Respect IC/OOC separation — do not bring real-world drama into roleplay or vice versa
• Session start/end communications and callouts are required from departmental members

Platform Behaviour

• Keep content appropriate for all channels; adult, graphic, or offensive content is prohibited everywhere
• No advertising other servers, communities, or platforms without prior written consent from leadership
• No spam, excessive pinging, unsolicited DMs to members, or flooding channels
• Use channels for their intended purpose only

Staff & Department Standards

• All staff members represent NorthStar City and are held to a higher standard of conduct
• Abuse of staff privileges, portal access, or authority will result in immediate removal
• Internal matters discussed in staff channels and portals are confidential; do not share with non-staff
• Department members must maintain reasonable activity; prolonged absence without notice may result in removal
• Follow your department's chain of command and standard operating procedures at all times

NCIA (Internal Affairs) Cooperation

• All members are required to cooperate with NCIA investigations when contacted
• Interference with, obstruction of, or retaliation against NCIA agents is a serious offence
• NCIA conducts investigations impartially; their findings are reported to Director & Founder only

Website & Portal Use

• Portal access is restricted to your assigned department or rank; attempting to access other portals is prohibited
• Do not submit false or malicious applications, reports, or case information
• Announcements, handbooks, and case records created through portals must be accurate and professional

Violation Consequences

Depending on the severity and frequency of violations, consequences may include:

• Verbal or written warning — for minor first offences
• Temporary suspension — removal from in-game sessions and/or muting in Discord
• Department demotion or removal — for staff or departmental violations
• Temporary ban — server and website access revoked for a set period
• Permanent ban — for severe violations, repeat offences, or actions that fundamentally harm the community

Appeals Process

If you believe a disciplinary action was applied unjustly, you may submit an appeal by opening a ticket in our Discord server. Appeals must be submitted within 7 days of the disciplinary action. Include a clear explanation of why you believe the decision was incorrect. Appeals are reviewed by Director & Founder. All final decisions by Founder and Director are binding.

Reporting Violations

Report rule violations, misconduct, or suspected abuse through the appropriate channels:

• General violations — open a support ticket in Discord
• Staff misconduct — contact NCIA directly via the NCIA portal or Discord
• Website/security issues — contact the Director immediately via Discord