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Privacy Policy

Northbound · Operated by SoftOhm Systems LLC
Effective date: September 12, 2026

This Privacy Policy explains how SoftOhm Systems LLC (“SoftOhm,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) handles personal information when you use Northbound, our paid subscription to original digital briefings for US freelancers and solopreneurs. It supplements our Terms of Service.

1. Who is responsible

The business responsible for personal information related to Northbound is:

SoftOhm Systems LLC
A limited liability company organized in the United States, operator of the Northbound service.

To exercise rights or ask privacy questions, use the channel in the Contact section.

2. Information we collect

Depending on how you interact with the service, we may process:

  • Contact information: email address and, if you provide it, name or other identifying details at checkout or in support messages.
  • Billing and payment information: information needed to charge the subscription. Card processing is handled by Stripe; we do not store full card numbers or security codes.
  • Subscription status: plan (monthly/annual), start/renewal/cancellation dates, payment status, and Stripe customer/subscription identifiers.
  • Technical data: if available in our systems or those of our providers (for example, IP address, browser type, pages visited, timestamps, and basic access or error logs).
  • Support communications: the content of messages you send us and associated metadata (date, email).

We do not ask for sensitive personal information (health, biometrics, and similar categories) to use Northbound. Please do not send information through support that is not needed for your request.

3. How we use information

We use personal information to:

  • Provide the service: manage your subscription, give you access to briefings, and send operational messages (welcome, access links, renewal or cancellation notices).
  • Billing and collections: process payments, issue receipts, and handle renewals or failed payments through Stripe.
  • Subscription communications: transactional and informational emails related to your account. Any promotional marketing, if offered later, will be treated separately and you will be able to opt out.
  • Improve the service: understand aggregated usage, detect errors, and improve the product experience.
  • Legal compliance and security: meet legal obligations, prevent fraud and abuse, and defend claims.

Depending on your jurisdiction and the context, we rely on one or more of the following (or equivalent concepts):

  • Contract: processing needed to manage your subscription and deliver the service you purchased.
  • Legitimate interests: improving the service, securing the product, preventing fraud, and sending relevant information about your subscription, balanced against your rights.
  • Consent: where the law requires it (for example, certain non-essential cookies or optional marketing). You may withdraw consent where applicable, without affecting prior processing.
  • Legal obligation: when we must retain or disclose information by law (for example, tax records or valid requests from authorities).

5. Payments with Stripe

Payments are processed by Stripe, a payment services provider. Stripe acts as a payment processor / provider and handles payment data under its own privacy policy.

You can review Stripe’s privacy policy here: https://stripe.com/privacy.

SoftOhm receives from Stripe only the limited information needed to operate the subscription (for example, email, payment status, amounts, and customer IDs), not your full card number.

6. Who we share information with

We do not sell your personal information.

We may share information only with:

  • Stripe, for charges and subscription management.
  • Email delivery providers, when configured, to send transactional or support emails.
  • Other processors strictly needed to host or operate the service (for example, hosting), under confidentiality and limited-use obligations.
  • Authorities or third parties when required by law, or to protect the rights, safety, and integrity of SoftOhm, users, or the public.

If we later add additional tools, we will update this policy or provide reasonable notice when appropriate.

7. Retention

We keep information only as long as needed for the purposes described:

  • subscription and billing data: while the relationship is active and, afterward, a reasonable period for accounting, tax, or legal-defense obligations;
  • support messages: as long as needed to resolve your request and a reasonable archive period afterward;
  • technical logs: short periods, unless needed for a security investigation or legal requirement.

When information is no longer needed, we delete or anonymize it, unless we must retain it by law.

8. International transfers

SoftOhm Systems LLC is organized in the United States and operates Northbound for users in the US and, potentially, other regions. Your information may be processed or stored in the United States or in other countries where our providers (including Stripe) operate.

Those countries may have privacy laws that differ from the laws of your state or country. We take reasonable steps (vendor contracts, access controls, and similar measures) to protect information in a way that is appropriate to the context of the service.

9. Your rights

Depending on the law that applies to you (including, where applicable, US state privacy laws), you may have the right to:

  • Access: know what personal information we hold about you.
  • Correction: request that we correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
  • Deletion: request deletion when applicable (subject to legitimate legal or contractual retention).
  • Opt out of marketing / sale or sharing: we do not sell personal information. You may opt out of promotional communications. Transactional emails (receipts, access, subscription notices) may continue while they are needed for your relationship with the service.
  • Other rights recognized by applicable law (for example, limitation, portability, or appeal of a denial), when they apply.

To exercise these rights, write to us through the Contact channel and include enough information for us to verify your identity and the request. We will respond within a reasonable time consistent with applicable law.

If we deny a request where applicable law gives you a right to appeal, we will explain how to do so. You may also contact your state attorney general or other applicable authority.

10. Cookies and similar technologies

The landing page and service pages may use cookies or similar technologies in a minimal way, for example:

  • technical cookies needed for basic site function;
  • preferences or aggregated metrics if analytics tools are configured in the future.

You can control cookies in your browser settings. Blocking certain cookies may affect site functions. Stripe checkout may use its own cookies under Stripe’s policies.

11. Children

Northbound is intended for people 18 years of age or older. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a minor provided information to us, contact us so we can delete it when appropriate.

12. Security

We apply reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect personal information against unauthorized access, loss, or alteration (for example, using reputable providers such as Stripe for payments, access controls, and operational best practices).

No system is 100% secure: we cannot guarantee absolute security. If we detect an incident that materially affects your information, we will take reasonable containment steps and, when the law requires it, notify you.

13. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in the service, the law, or our practices. We will post the current version with its effective date. If changes are material, we may notify you by email or by a notice on the site when that is reasonable.

14. Privacy contact

For privacy requests, access, correction, deletion, or other questions about personal information:

SoftOhm Systems LLC — contact: the support email listed on your Stripe receipt and in the Northbound welcome email.

Please put “Privacy request” in the subject line so we can prioritize it.

This is a baseline document for the service. SoftOhm Systems LLC may update it. Professional legal review is recommended for jurisdiction-specific needs.