Privacy Policy

Effective Date of Current Policy: March 16, 2026

1. PURPOSE

This U.S. Privacy Policy ("Privacy Policy") describes our data practices with regard to your Personal Information, including the kinds of information we collect, how we collect, use, disclose, and retain that information, and how you can exercise choice regarding that information. "Personal Information" means any information relating, or reasonably capable of being linked, to you.

This Privacy Policy covers the data practices of Portar, Inc. ("Portar, Inc.," "we," "our," or "us"). It applies to Personal Information we collect through our United States websites, emails, SMS/text message, and other online services we control (collectively, the "Services"), It does not apply to information collected by third parties or information collected in the context of your employment with us.

Your use of the Services is also governed by our Terms of Service. For our contact details, see the Contact Us section below.

2. TYPES OF INFORMATION WE COLLECT AND HOW WE USE IT

2.1 Personal Information You Provide Through the Services

We collect information that you provide directly to us, including:

•  Contact identifiers: Name, email address, mailing address, phone number

•  Characteristics or demographics: Country, preferences

•  Commercial or transactions information: Records of products/services purchased, obtained, or considered

•  Account credentials: Username, password, password hints, authentication information (if applicable)

•  Payment information: Payment instrument number, expiration date, security code (processed securely through third-party payment processors)

•  User-generated content: Messages, reviews, feedback, and other content you submit

2.2 Information We Collect Automatically

When you use our Services, we automatically collect certain information, including:

•  Device identifiers: IP address, device ID, advertising ID, and other unique identifiers

•  Device information: Browser type, operating system, device type, and hardware information

•  Internet activity: Browsing history, search history, interactions with our Services, and other online activity

•  Non-precise geolocation data: General location information derived from your IP address

•  Inferences: Preferences, characteristics, and behaviors drawn from the above information

2.3 Information We Collect from Third Parties

We may collect information about you from third parties, including:

•  Social media platforms when you interact with us through social media

•  Service providers who assist us in operating our Services

•  Publicly available sources

2.4 Information From Travel Journal Contributors

When you submit travel stories, journals, or content to Portar/Layover Stories through our Platform submission form, we collect:

• Contact Information: Your name and email address provided during submission
• Submitted Content: Your written travel journals, stories, and narratives
• Images: Photographs and images you upload through the submission form (minimum 2 required, maximum 3 accepted)
• Technical Data: Submission timestamp, IP address, and device information
• Communication Records: Correspondence between you and our team regarding your submission

2.4.1 How We Use Contributor Information:

We use this information to:

• Review and publish your submitted travel content on layoverstories.com and portar.co
• Communicate with you about your submission status and any editorial questions
• Provide attribution when publishing your content
• Maintain records of submissions and publication history
• Promote published content through our marketing channels and social media

2.4.2 Legal Basis for Processing:

We process contributor information based on:

• Your consent when you submit content and agree to our Content Submission Terms
• Our legitimate business interests in operating the Layover Stories platform and promoting travel content
• Performance of the implied contract created when you submit content for publication consideration

2.4.3 Retention of Contributor Information:

We retain contributor information as follows:

• Submission records and contact information are retained for the duration of publication plus 7 years for legal compliance purposes
• Published content and associated attribution remain on our Platform unless you request removal and we approve such request
• Uploaded images are stored securely and retained as part of your submission record
• Email correspondence is retained in accordance with our standard business records retention policies

For complete details about how your submitted content is used and licensed, please review our Content Submission Terms.

3. HOW WE USE YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION

We use the Personal Information we collect for the following business and commercial purposes:

• To provide our Services: Process transactions, fulfill orders, manage accounts, and provide customer support
• To communicate with you: Send you updates about our products and services, respond to inquiries, and send booking reminders and notifications
• To improve our Services: Analyze usage patterns, conduct research, and develop new features
• For marketing and advertising: Send promotional communications, personalize content, and deliver targeted advertising
• For security and fraud prevention: Detect and prevent fraud, abuse, and security threats
• To comply with legal obligations: Meet legal requirements, respond to legal process, and enforce our agreements
• For business operations: Manage our business, conduct analytics, and make business decisions

4. COOKIES AND TRACKING TECHNOLOGIES

We use cookies, pixels, and similar tracking technologies to collect information about your interactions with our Services. These technologies fall into the following categories:

•  Essential Cookies: Required for the operation of our Services, including session management, shopping cart functionality, and security features. These cannot be disabled.

•  Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how visitors interact with our Services by collecting information about pages visited, time spent, and navigation patterns. We use Google Analytics and similar tools for this purpose.

•  Marketing Cookies: Used to deliver relevant advertisements and track the effectiveness of our marketing campaigns. These may be set by third-party advertising partners such as Meta (Facebook/Instagram) and Google Ads.

You may manage cookies through your browser settings. You can opt out of targeted advertising through industry tools such as the Digital Advertising Alliance (https://www.aboutads.info/choices), Network Advertising Initiative (https://www.networkadvertising.org/choices/), and Google Analytics (https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout). We are not responsible for the effectiveness of any third party opt-out tools.

4.1 Global Privacy Control and Do Not Track Signals

We recognize and honor Global Privacy Control ("GPC") signals sent by your browser. When we detect a GPC signal, we treat it as a valid opt-out request for the sale or sharing of your personal information, as required by applicable state privacy laws including the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA/CPRA), Colorado Privacy Act, and Connecticut Data Privacy Act.

We do not currently respond to "Do Not Track" (DNT) browser signals, as there is no industry-standard protocol for interpreting such signals. However, you may use the opt-out mechanisms described above to limit tracking.

5. SMS/TEXT MESSAGE COMMUNICATIONS

By providing your phone number and opting in to receive text messages, you agree to the following terms:

SMS Consent and Terms

Your online consent method will only be approved if you include all of the following:

• SMS Opt-in: I would like to receive updates by text
• SMS Purpose: We'll be sending you booking reminders
• Business Name: From Portar, Inc.
• Data Rates: Message and data rates may apply
• Text Frequency: Message frequency varies
• How to Get Help: Text HELP for help
• Opt-out Method: You can opt out at any time by replying "STOP"

Important: SMS data won't be shared with anyone except our texting service provider.

You can opt out of receiving SMS messages at any time by replying "STOP" to any message. You may also opt out by contacting us at the information provided in the Contact Us section below. After you opt out, you may receive a confirmation message confirming your opt-out request.

6. HOW WE DISCLOSE YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION

6.1 Service Providers

We may share your information with service providers who assist us in operating our Services, including:

•  Payment processors (Shopify Payments)

•  Shipping and fulfillment providers

•  Our texting service provider (as required for SMS communications)

•  Analytics providers (Google Analytics)

•  Marketing and advertising partners (Meta, Google Ads)

•  Email marketing platforms (Klaviyo)

•  Customer support tools (Intercom, including AI-powered support features)

•  Referral & Affiliate program platform (Sorae)

•  Cloud storage and hosting providers (Shopify)

SMS Data: SMS data won't be shared with anyone except our texting service provider.

6.2 Automated Decision-Making and AI

We use AI-powered tools in our customer support operations (Intercom Fin) to provide faster responses to common inquiries. These tools process your messages and account information to generate responses. You may request to speak with a human representative at any time by contacting help@portar.co.

We do not use your personal data to train large language models or third-party AI systems. If this practice changes, we will update this Privacy Policy and provide notice.

6.3 Business Transfers

If we are involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your Personal Information may be transferred as part of that transaction.

6.4 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information when required by law, to protect our rights, or to comply with legal process.

6.5 With Your Consent

We may share your information with your consent or at your direction.

7. YOUR PRIVACY CHOICES

7.1 Access, Correction, and Deletion

You may request to access, correct, or delete your Personal Information by contacting us at privacy@portar.co. We will respond to verifiable requests within the timeframes required by applicable law (typically 45 days, with a possible 45-day extension if necessary).

7.2 Opt-Out of Sale or Sharing

If you wish to opt out of the "sale" or "sharing" of your personal information as defined under applicable state privacy laws, you may do so by:

•  Clicking the "Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information" link in our website footer

•  Enabling Global Privacy Control (GPC) in your browser

•  Contacting us at privacy@portar.co

7.3 Marketing Communications

You can opt out of marketing emails by clicking the unsubscribe link in any marketing email or by contacting us. You can opt out of SMS messages by replying "STOP" to any message.

7.4 Cookies and Tracking Technologies

You may manage cookies through your browser settings or through the opt-out mechanisms described in Section 4 above.

7.5 Content Contributor Rights

If you have submitted travel content to Layover Stories, you may request access to your submission records or deletion of your personal information by contacting us at journal@portar.co. Please note that:

• Removal of published content is subject to our approval and editorial discretion
• We may retain published content that has been integrated into promotional materials or archived collections
• Even if content is unpublished, we may retain submission records for legal compliance purposes
• Deletion requests do not affect the license you granted for content that remains published

8. SECURITY

We take reasonable steps to help ensure that your Personal Information is treated securely and in accordance with this Privacy Policy. We implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures to protect your personal information, including encryption, access controls, and regular security assessments. However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure, and we cannot ensure or warrant the security of any Personal Information you provide to us.

9. RETENTION

We retain the Personal Information we receive as described in this Privacy Policy for as long as reasonably necessary to fulfill the purpose(s) for which it was collected, provide our products and services, resolve disputes, establish legal defenses, conduct audits, pursue legitimate business purposes, enforce our agreements, and comply with applicable laws. Specific retention periods vary based on the type of data and applicable legal requirements. For example, transaction records are typically retained for 7 years for tax and accounting purposes, while marketing preferences are retained until you opt-out or request deletion.

10. DATA BREACH NOTIFICATION

In the event of a data breach affecting your Personal Information, we will notify you and relevant regulatory authorities as required by applicable law. Our notification will include information about the breach, affected data categories, likely consequences, and steps we are taking to address the incident.

11. CHILDREN'S PRIVACY

We do not knowingly collect Personal Information from children under the age of 16, and no part of the Services is directed to children under the age of 16. If we discover that we have inadvertently collected Personal Information from a child under 16, we will promptly delete such information and terminate the child's account.

12. CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY

We may revise this Privacy Policy in our sole discretion, so review it periodically. We will post any changes to this Privacy Policy on this web page, and the revised version will be effective immediately when it is posted. If the changes to this Privacy Policy are material, we may provide additional notice to you, such as by email or prominent notice on the Service. We will maintain an archive of previous privacy policies for your reference upon request.

13. CONTACT US

If you have any questions about or trouble accessing this Privacy Policy, please contact us:

• By email:
  Privacy: privacy@portar.co
  Legal: legal@portar.co
• By mail:
  Portar, Inc.
  Attention: General Counsel
  2093 PHILADELPHIA PIKE #7707
  CLAYMONT, DE 19703

To exercise choice, use the methods described in the Your Privacy Choices section above.

14. STATE PRIVACY RIGHTS

Depending on your state of residence, you may have additional privacy rights under state law. This section provides supplemental disclosures for residents of states with comprehensive privacy legislation.

14.1 California (CCPA/CPRA)

If you are a California resident, you have additional privacy rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA).

Notice at Collection: At or before the time of collection of your personal information, you have a right to receive notice of our data practices. The categories of personal information we collect, the purposes for which we use it, and the categories of third parties with whom we share it are described in the sections above.

California residents have the right to: know what personal information is collected, used, shared, or sold; delete personal information; opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information; non-discrimination for exercising privacy rights; correct inaccurate personal information; and limit use and disclosure of sensitive personal information.

We do not knowingly sell or share SMS opt-in data or consent status. We do not knowingly sell or share personal information about consumers under the age of 16.

To exercise your California privacy rights, please contact us at privacy@portar.co or use the "Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information" link on our website.

14.2 Virginia (VCDPA)

Virginia residents have the right to access, correct, delete, and obtain a copy of their personal data, as well as the right to opt out of the processing of personal data for targeted advertising, the sale of personal data, and profiling in furtherance of decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects.

14.3 Colorado (CPA)

Colorado residents have the right to access, correct, delete, and obtain a portable copy of their personal data, as well as the right to opt out of targeted advertising, the sale of personal data, and certain profiling. We honor Global Privacy Control signals as a valid opt-out mechanism under Colorado law.

14.4 Connecticut (CTDPA)

Connecticut residents have the right to access, correct, delete, and obtain a copy of their personal data, as well as the right to opt out of targeted advertising, the sale of personal data, and profiling. Effective July 1, 2026, we are required to disclose if personal data is used to train large language models. As stated in Section 6.2, we do not currently use your personal data for this purpose.

14.5 Other States

Residents of Texas, Oregon, Montana, Delaware, Iowa, Indiana, Kentucky, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Utah, and other states with comprehensive privacy laws in effect may have similar rights to access, correct, delete, and opt out of the sale or sharing of personal data. To exercise your rights under any applicable state law, contact us at privacy@portar.co.

14.6 Appeals

If we decline your privacy request, you may appeal our decision by contacting us at privacy@portar.co with the subject line "Privacy Request Appeal." We will respond to your appeal within the timeframe required by your state's applicable law. If you are not satisfied with our response to your appeal, you may contact your state's attorney general.