Terms and conditions

Terms of Use — Subscription & Donations Policy — Privacy Policy — Community Guidelines — Publishing Policy

Last updated: October 13, 2025

These Terms (the “Terms”) form a legally binding agreement between The North Star and any person (the “User,” whether subscribed or not) who accesses or uses its websites, apps, and related services (the “Services”). By accessing the Services, you confirm that you have read, understood, and accepted the Terms.

Capitalized terms such as “Services,” “Content,” and “User Content” have the meanings given in these Terms.

1) Acceptance, changes, and eligibility

1. By accessing or using the Services, the User accepts these Terms, including the terms of use, privacy policy, community guidelines, subscription terms, publishing policy, and the conditions applicable to donations and crowdfunding.
2. The North Star may modify these Terms at any time. The online version prevails over any prior version and takes effect upon publication. If the User rejects a change, they must stop using the Services.
3. The User must have the legal capacity required in their province or territory and use the Services in accordance with applicable laws.
4. If a minor uses the Services with your permission, you acknowledge that you are responsible for:
   • their online conduct;
   • supervising their access to and use of the Services;
   • the consequences of any misuse on their part.
5. Some content may not be suitable for minors; reasonable supervision is recommended.

2) Accounts and security

1. The User is responsible for the accuracy of information provided, for keeping credentials (username, password) confidential, and for all activity carried out under their account.
2. The User agrees to notify The North Star without delay of any unauthorized access or security breach.
3. The North Star may suspend or terminate an account in cases of breach, security risk, or violation of the Terms.

3) Use of the Services

1. The User may view, share URLs to, or reasonably quote Content, provided they clearly credit the source: title, “The North Star,” and a link to the source.
2. It is prohibited to publish/transmit unlawful, defamatory, hateful, harassing, discriminatory, violent, or misleading content.
3. It is prohibited to violate third-party rights (copyright, trademarks, privacy, image), to access systems without authorization, to circumvent security measures, or to conduct unauthorized large-scale scraping.
4. The North Star may moderate, hide, or remove any non-compliant message or content, and may block or terminate accounts in case of repeat violations.

4) Intellectual property and Content license

1. Unless otherwise stated, The North Star’s content is published under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International license (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0).
   • Permitted: You may share, copy, and redistribute the content unmodified for non-commercial purposes, provided you clearly credit the source as: Title, The North Star, link.
     • Not permitted without written permission: any commercial use; any adaptation, remix, editing, substantial summarizing, visual or editorial alteration, or other modification of the content.
2. Logos, visual identities, and third-party content are excluded from this license and may be subject to other rights.
3. For commercial licensing or remix rights, request written permission at tresorerie@etoiledunord.media.
4. The North Star reserves all commercial exploitation rights not expressly granted to the User.

5) User Content

1. When a User submits content (text, images, audio, video, comments, metadata, etc.), they grant The North Star a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, transferable, and sublicensable license to host, reproduce, publish, adapt, translate, create derivative works from, display, and distribute that content in connection with the Services, including for commercial purposes (monetization, syndication, compilations, promotions).
2. The User warrants they have the necessary rights, that their content violates no law or third-party right, and agrees that The North Star may moderate or remove it under these policies.
3. To the extent permitted by law, the User waives (or agrees not to enforce against The North Star) their moral rights for the permitted uses.
4. This license survives even if the content is removed, to the extent needed for technical copies, backups, or reuse already underway.

6) Publishing policy and editorial role

1. The North Star may refuse any submission that departs from its editorial line, violates these Terms, or presents legal risk (e.g., uncorroborated allegations, hate speech, reputational harm).
2. Except for the “Reader’s letters” section, The North Star retains full editorial discretion over all journalism content, including articles, columns, reports, photos, podcasts, videos, illustrations, and other productions within its editorial mission. Without limitation, it may revise, correct, adapt, condense, restructure, translate, retitle, illustrate, edit, reformat, republish in whole or in part, and integrate editorial content into other productions or formats (web, audio, video, social media, compilations, series). These interventions may be guided by clarity, style, coherence, readability, format, accessibility, editorial line, or legal compliance. The spirit and intent of the initial text are preserved when compatible with editorial requirements and journalistic treatment.
3. This discretion does not apply to public participation spaces such as comments, forums, or messages, which are governed by the community guidelines (Section 7).
4. For “Reader’s letters”, changes are limited (formatting, spelling, typography) except where legal or safety reasons apply. If substantive changes are needed, the editor will try to consult the author beforehand if time allows.
5. Unsolicited submissions are not remunerated unless agreed in writing. Publication does not create any employment, mandate, or partnership relationship.

7) Community guidelines and moderation

1. You agree to respectful exchanges, avoiding personal attacks, hate speech, defamation, or any doxxing.
2. Stay on topic and avoid publishing personal or sensitive data without consent.
3. The North Star may moderate, hide, or remove any message or account in case of repeated violations.

8) Subscription and payments

1. Subscriptions are offered monthly or annually. Renewal is automatic unless cancelled beforehand.
2. Prices are in Canadian dollars, before applicable taxes. Payments are processed by a third-party provider; The North Star does not store full card details.
3. You may cancel at any time; access remains active until the end of the paid period. No refunds for periods already begun.
4. In case of payment failure, access may be suspended until the payment method is updated. The North Star may adjust prices or offers for the next cycle with reasonable notice.
5. Subscription tiers may include:
   • Free access: access to limited public content.
   • Basic subscription: full access to all content and exclusive features (comments, exclusive newsletters).
   • Supporter subscription: same as the basic subscription, plus a few exclusive benefits (e.g., print magazine).
   • Optional benefits (events, bonus content, discounts) may be removed or included depending on the plan and may be modified with prior notice.
6. Promotions (promo codes, introductory discounts) apply only to the initial period; renewals are at the regular rate unless otherwise stated.

9) Privacy

The North Star collects and processes personal information under applicable laws (PIPEDA, Québec’s Law 25, etc.).

1. We may collect personal data such as name, email address, hashed password, language or subscription preferences, and technical usage data (IP address, device type, pages viewed, cookies or similar technologies). Inferences may be drawn from this data, and limited payment information may be obtained through third-party providers.
2. This information is used to provide, secure, and improve the Services; authenticate users; prevent fraud; manage subscriptions; personalize content and experience; communicate with users (e.g., newsletters); and produce statistics. Data may also be processed to comply with legal or regulatory obligations.
3. Information may be shared with contracted third-party service providers (hosting, payment processing, communications, analytics). Some providers may be outside Canada; where so, appropriate safeguards (such as standard contractual clauses or equivalent mechanisms) are used to protect confidentiality.
4. We do not sell, rent, or trade personal data for commercial purposes. Information is disclosed to third parties only for internal Service needs or to partners bound by equivalent confidentiality commitments. In line with its mission and in the public interest, The North Star may collaborate with organizations or groups sharing its values, notably through aggregated, anonymized data or data expressly consented to by the individuals concerned.
5. We apply reasonable technical and organizational security measures, including access controls, encryption in transit where appropriate, and access logging to prevent unauthorized use or loss.
6. Personal information is retained only as long as necessary for the purposes collected, unless a longer period is required by law or needed to protect The North Star’s rights.
7. Individuals may request access, correction, withdrawal of consent, objection to processing, or (where provided by law) portability. To exercise these rights, contact contact@etoiledunord.media. We will respond within thirty (30) days.

10) Contributions, donations, and crowdfunding

1. Financial contributions to The North Star through crowdfunding, donation drives, or voluntary contributions are non-refundable and confer no ownership, governance, financial participation, or any interest in the organization. All transactions are final and non-refundable.
2. Funds generally support editorial, technical, and administrative activities (journalistic production, contributor compensation, website upkeep, hosting, communications, and related initiatives).
3. Where campaigns target a specific project, any surplus may be reallocated to expenses tied to the same purpose (e.g., distribution, graphic design, equipment, events) or, if needed, to similar projects with comparable aims.
4. Donations to The North Star are not tax-deductible. The North Star is registered as a non-profit organization but is not recognized by the Canada Revenue Agency as a registered charity or a qualified journalism organization and cannot issue tax receipts. Donors who want confirmation of the transaction may write to tresorerie@etoiledunord.media with their name, email address, date, and donation amount.
5. Some campaigns may offer symbolic or material perks (e.g., public thanks, early access to content, merchandise). Perks are not contractual obligations and may be modified, replaced, or cancelled without notice. Delivery depends on production timelines and constraints. No guarantee of timing or availability is offered, and The North Star may substitute a perk of equal or greater value if necessary. Donations with perks remain non-refundable. Perks are granted only where explicitly stated. Contributors are responsible for providing accurate contact details for delivery.
6. By donating, contributors accept these Terms and any later updates applicable to financial contributions.

11) Electronic and SMS communications

If you provide your email address or phone number via the Services, you may receive communications (newsletters, promotions, SMS, etc.). You can always opt out by writing to: contact@etoiledunord.media. Each message you might receive includes a functional unsubscribe link.

12) Links, third-party content, and advertising

1. The Services may include links to or content from third parties. The North Star does not control those parties and disclaims responsibility for their content.
2. Advertising spaces, sponsored or commissioned content are promotional in nature and do not necessarily reflect The North Star’s editorial position. Their publication is not an endorsement, recommendation, or guarantee of the products or services presented. The North Star is not responsible for the truthfulness, quality, or safety of such ads, nor for transactions with the relevant third parties.

13) Accuracy, availability, warranties

1. While efforts are made to ensure accuracy, errors may occur. The Services are provided “as is,” without express or implied warranties of error-free operation, continuous availability, or fitness for a particular purpose.
2. Use of the Services is at your own risk. The North Star expressly disclaims all warranties, express or implied, including merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, accuracy, and non-infringement.
3. Content published by The North Star or any other material available through the Services is for informational and journalistic purposes only. Nothing constitutes or replaces professional advice. The North Star and its contributors are not liable for any decision, action, or omission based on this information. You remain solely responsible for seeking advice from qualified professionals before any decision or action.
4. To the extent permitted by law, The North Star, its contributors, and partners are not liable for direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or exemplary damages, including lost profits, goodwill, use, or data, arising from use of or inability to use the Services, even if advised of the possibility of such damages.

14) Indemnification

The User agrees to indemnify The North Star, its directors, employees, and partners against claims, losses, liabilities, costs, or expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising from use of the Services, breach of the Terms, or violation of third-party rights, to the extent permitted by law.

15) Force majeure

The North Star is not liable for any failure or delay caused by events beyond its reasonable control (network outages, cyberattacks, disasters, conflicts, government acts, etc.).

16) Governing law, jurisdiction, and dispute resolution

1. The North Star is based in Montréal (Québec), Canada. If you access the Services from outside Canada, you are responsible for using them in accordance with your local laws.
2. These Terms are governed by the laws of Canada and the Province of Québec, without regard to conflict-of-laws rules. Any dispute relating to interpretation, application, or performance of these Terms is subject to the competent courts of the judicial district of Montréal (Québec), where The North Star is headquartered, unless the parties agree to mediation or arbitration.
3. Any action or claim arising from these Terms must be brought within one (1) year of the cause arising, unless a different statutory period applies.

17) Miscellaneous

Entire agreement: These Terms constitute the entire agreement between the User and The North Star regarding the Services and replace all prior agreements on the same subject.

Severability: If any provision is found invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions remain in force.

No waiver: A failure or delay by The North Star to exercise a right does not constitute a waiver.

Assignment: The User may not assign or transfer their rights or obligations without The North Star’s written consent.

Survival: Provisions on intellectual property, licensing, limitation of liability, indemnification, governing law, etc., survive the end of use of the Services.

Language: A French version of these Terms exists; in case of interpretive discrepancy, the French version prevails.