Terms.
Plain-language terms for using DARKSTAR. Reasonable things, reasonably worded.
What DARKSTAR is
DARKSTAR is an information service that transcribes and classifies publicly-licensed, unencrypted public-safety radio traffic in Phoenix metro and northern Arizona, and presents it on a map and in a searchable archive. It is operated by one individual ("the operator") from Phoenix, Arizona.
DARKSTAR is a tool for public awareness. It is not a substitute for 911, not an emergency notification service, and not a first-responder dispatch tool. If you are in an emergency, call 911.
What you agree to
- You will use DARKSTAR for lawful, non-commercial awareness or journalism purposes, unless you hold a separate written agreement with the operator.
- You will not scrape, rebroadcast, resell, or redistribute the transcripts, feed, or any component of the service. Transcripts are for your own awareness only.
- You will not attempt to identify individuals named or referenced in dispatch traffic for purposes of harassment, doxxing, vigilantism, or interference with an active incident. This is a hard line.
- You will not use the service to interfere with, obstruct, or pre-empt any emergency response.
- You will not attempt to decrypt encrypted channels, and you acknowledge that DARKSTAR does not and will not carry encrypted audio.
- You will keep your account credentials private. One account per person.
What the operator agrees to
- Best-effort operation of the sensor network and transcription pipeline. Uptime target is high, but this is a one-operator service and outages will happen. You will not be charged for periods of planned, multi-day downtime.
- Transparency about what is and isn't covered — the agency list on the homepage is the authoritative source, and it changes as agencies change their radio posture.
- No data broker relationships, no law-enforcement partnerships, no advertising. See the Privacy policy.
- Support via email at hello@darkstaraz.com, answered directly by the operator.
Payment, refunds, cancellation
- Paid tiers are annual by default. Early-bird pricing, once locked in, does not increase for you on renewal.
- You may cancel anytime. Cancellation ends auto-renewal but does not pro-rate the remaining period.
- If the service is materially unavailable for more than 7 consecutive days in a paid period, email us and we will credit or refund the outage at your choice.
- The free tier is free with no card required. It may include time delays, feature limits, or quiet-hour caps that are disclosed on the pricing page.
Account termination
We may suspend or terminate accounts that violate the "What you agree to" section, spam the service, scrape the feed, or use DARKSTAR to harass individuals. We will always tell you why before we terminate, and you can export your data before it's deleted.
No warranty
DARKSTAR is provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis. Transcripts are machine-generated from radio traffic that is sometimes noisy, clipped, or mis-decoded; treat them as signals, not sworn testimony. The operator does not warrant that the service is error-free, uninterrupted, or fit for any particular purpose. You use DARKSTAR at your own discretion.
Liability
To the fullest extent allowed by law, the operator's total liability to you for any claim arising from or relating to DARKSTAR is limited to the amount you actually paid for the service in the twelve (12) months preceding the claim. The operator is not liable for indirect, incidental, or consequential damages.
Governing law
These terms are governed by the laws of the State of Arizona, USA. Any dispute that cannot be resolved by email shall be brought in the state or federal courts located in Maricopa County, Arizona.
Changes
If these terms change in a material way, subscribers will be emailed before the change takes effect. The top of this page will show the effective date.