1. INFORMATION WE COLLECT

We collect information that identifies, relates to, describes, or could reasonably be linked, directly or indirectly, with a particular individual ("Personal Information"). The types we collect depend on your interactions with the Service:

Information You Provide Directly:

• Account Registration: Name, email address, username, password, profile picture (optional), institutional affiliation (if applicable), role (e.g., student, instructor, administrator).
• Profile Information: Bio, areas of interest, educational background (optional).
• Course Interactions: Enrollment data, assignments submitted, quiz/exam responses, grades, forum posts, discussion comments, messages sent to instructors/other users.
• Instructor Content: Course materials, lectures, assignments, assessments uploaded by instructors.
• Payment Information (If Applicable): Billing name, address, payment card details (processed directly by our secure third-party payment processor - we typically do not store full card numbers). Purchase history.
• Communications: Content of emails, support tickets, chat messages, or feedback you send us.
• Surveys/Feedback: Responses to voluntary surveys or feedback requests.

Information Collected Automatically:

• Usage Data: Pages visited, time spent, links clicked, features used, progress within courses, search queries, date/time stamps, error logs.
• Device & Technical Information: IP address, browser type and version, operating system, device type (mobile, tablet, computer), unique device identifiers, language preferences.
• Location Data: Approximate geographic location derived from IP address (country, region, city) or more precise location if enabled on your mobile device (with your permission).
• Cookies and Similar Technologies: We use cookies, web beacons, pixels, and similar tracking technologies. See Section 5 below for details.

Information from Third Parties:

• Single Sign-On (SSO): If you log in via a third-party service (e.g., Google, Microsoft, institutional login), we may receive your name, email, and profile identifier from that service.
• Institutions: If your access is provisioned through an educational institution, we may receive basic enrollment information (name, email, course enrollment) from them.
• Analytics Providers: Data from services like Google Analytics about Service usage.
• Payment Processors: Confirmation of payment status and transaction identifiers (but not full payment card details).

2. HOW WE USE YOUR INFORMATION

We use the information we collect for the following business purposes:

• To Provide and Operate the Service: Create/manage accounts, enroll users in courses, deliver course content, track progress, facilitate communication (forums, messaging), grade assignments/exams, process payments (if applicable), provide customer support.
• To Personalize Your Experience: Recommend relevant courses or content, tailor the learning interface, remember preferences.
• To Improve the Service: Analyze usage patterns, diagnose technical problems, test new features, understand user needs, enhance performance and usability.
• To Communicate With You: Send service-related announcements (e.g., course updates, password resets, policy changes), respond to inquiries/requests, send administrative messages (if applicable, with consent: marketing/promotional communications about new courses or features). You can opt-out of marketing communications at any time.
• To Ensure Security & Integrity: Detect, prevent, and investigate security incidents, fraud, abuse, or other potentially prohibited or illegal activities. Protect our rights, property, or safety, and that of our users or others.
• To Comply with Legal Obligations: Fulfill legal and regulatory requirements (e.g., tax reporting, responding to subpoenas or court orders).
• For Research and Development: Conduct internal research to improve educational technology and methodologies (typically using aggregated or anonymized data).
• Other Purposes: As described to you at the point of collection or with your consent.

3. HOW WE SHARE YOUR INFORMATION

We do not sell your Personal Information. We may share it in the following limited circumstances:

• With Your Consent: We share information when you direct us to or give explicit consent (e.g., posting in a public forum).
• With Other Users of the Service:
  • Instructors: Share Learner progress, assignment submissions, quiz results, grades, and forum/discussion participation within their courses.
  • Classmates: Share your name, profile picture (if set), and forum/discussion posts within a course you are enrolled in.
  • Institutional Administrators: If accessing via an institution, administrators may see usage data, enrollment, and performance information for users within their institution.
• With Service Providers (Processors): We engage trusted third parties to perform functions on our behalf (e.g., hosting, payment processing, data analysis, email delivery, customer support, fraud prevention). They access information only as needed to perform their tasks under contractual obligations limiting their use.
• For Legal & Safety Reasons: To comply with laws, regulations, legal processes, or enforceable governmental requests; to protect against harm to rights, property, or safety; to enforce our agreements or policies; or in connection with investigating fraud or security issues.
• Business Transfers: In connection with, or during negotiations of, any merger, sale of company assets, financing, or acquisition of all or a portion of our business by another company. We will notify users via email and/or prominent notice on our Service of any change in ownership or transfer of information.
• Aggregated or Anonymized Data: We may share aggregated or anonymized information that cannot reasonably identify you for research, analytics, or other purposes.

4. DATA RETENTION

We retain your Personal Information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law (e.g., tax, accounting, legal obligations, legitimate educational interests, institutional contracts).

Criteria influencing retention periods include:

• The length of time we need to provide the Service to you (e.g., while your account is active or you are enrolled in courses).
• Whether we have a legal obligation (e.g., financial record keeping).
• Whether retention is advisable considering our legal position (e.g., regarding statutes of limitations, litigation, or regulatory investigations).
• Institutional requirements (if applicable).

Upon expiration of the retention period or upon your request (where applicable by law), we will securely delete or anonymize your information.

5. COOKIES AND TRACKING TECHNOLOGIES

We use cookies and similar technologies (e.g., web beacons, pixels, local storage) for various purposes:

• Essential: Necessary for core functionality (login, security, account preferences).
• Performance/Analytics: Help us understand how users interact with the Service (e.g., Google Analytics). This data is typically aggregated.
• Functionality: Remember preferences (language, font size) to enhance user experience.
• Advertising (If Applicable): To deliver relevant ads on our Service or third-party sites (we typically avoid extensive advertising in LMS platforms).

Your Choices:

Most web browsers allow control over cookies through their settings (usually found in "Options" or "Preferences"). You can usually set your browser to refuse all cookies or to indicate when a cookie is being sent. Blocking essential cookies may impact core Service functionality. For third-party advertising cookies, you may visit opt-out pages like the Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) or Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA). We do not respond to "Do Not Track" signals at this time.

6. INTERNATIONAL DATA TRANSFERS

The Service may be operated and accessed globally. Your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in countries other than your own, including India, where data protection laws may differ.

Safeguards: When transferring Personal Information from the European Economic Area (EEA), UK, Switzerland, or other regions with strict data protection laws, we rely on legally approved mechanisms, such as:

• Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs): Approved by the European Commission.
• Your Explicit Consent.
• Other adequacy mechanisms as permitted by law.

By using the Service, you consent to such transfers.

7. CHILDREN'S PRIVACY

The Service is not directed to children under the age of 16 ("Children"). We do not knowingly collect Personal Information from Children without verifiable parental consent.

COPPA Compliance (US): If we learn we have collected Personal Information from a child under 13 without parental consent, we will promptly delete it. If you believe a child under 13 has provided us with Personal Information, please contact us immediately.

Parental Rights: Parents/guardians can review, request deletion, or refuse further collection/use of their child's information. Contact us using the details below.

FERPA Compliance (US): If the Service is used by K-12 schools in the US, we act as a "School Official" with a legitimate educational interest under FERPA. Data handling is governed by agreements with the educational institution. Contact your institution for questions about FERPA rights.

8. YOUR PRIVACY RIGHTS (DEPENDING ON JURISDICTION)

Depending on your location (e.g., California, EU, UK, Canada, Brazil), you may have certain rights regarding your Personal Information:

• Right to Know/Access: Request details about the categories and specific pieces of Personal Information we collected about you.
• Right to Deletion: Request deletion of your Personal Information (subject to legal exceptions).
• Right to Correction: Request correction of inaccurate Personal Information.
• Right to Opt-Out of Sale/Sharing (CCPA/CPRA): We do not sell information. We may share for cross-context behavioral advertising; California residents can opt-out using the "Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information" link LINK or by contacting us.
• Right to Limit Use/Disclosure of Sensitive PI (CCPA/CPRA): [Specify if you collect/use sensitive PI and how to limit].
• Right to Data Portability: Request a copy of your data in a structured, machine-readable format.
• Right to Object/Restrict Processing (GDPR): Object to certain processing based on legitimate interests or for direct marketing. Request restriction of processing.
• Right to Withdraw Consent: Where processing is based on consent, you can withdraw it at any time.
• Right to Non-Discrimination: Exercise your rights without discrimination.

Exercising Your Rights: To exercise any applicable rights, please submit a verifiable request to us using the contact details in Section 12. We will respond consistent with applicable law. We may need to verify your identity before fulfilling your request.

9. DATA SECURITY

We implement reasonable administrative, technical, and physical security measures designed to protect your Personal Information from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These include encryption (in transit and at rest), access controls, security audits, and employee training.

However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security.

10. LINKS TO OTHER WEBSITES

The Service may contain links to third-party websites or services. This Privacy Policy does not apply to those third parties. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing any information.

11. CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other reasons. We will notify you of material changes by posting the updated policy on the Service with a new "Last Updated" date and/or by email (if feasible). Your continued use after the effective date constitutes acceptance of the changes.

12. CONTACT US

If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, or to exercise your privacy rights, please contact us at:

Email: APSN Support
Mailing Address: APSN Skilling LLP, Attn: Privacy Officer, Pune, India
Online Form: LINK to Privacy Form