Privacy Policy

Introduction and Overview

At Studyforge, we understand that your privacy matters. This comprehensive policy explains how we collect, use, protect, and manage your personal information when you use our game mechanics design platform. We believe in transparency and want you to feel confident about how your data is handled.

Our commitment goes beyond legal compliance - we've built privacy into the core of our platform design. Whether you're accessing our courses, participating in our community, or using our learning tools, we ensure your personal information is treated with the utmost care and respect.

This policy applies to all users of studyforge.com, including students, instructors, and visitors. By using our services, you agree to the practices described in this policy. We encourage you to read through each section carefully to understand your rights and our responsibilities.

Information We Collect

We collect different types of information to provide you with the best possible learning experience. Here's a detailed breakdown of what we gather and why:

We also collect information automatically through cookies and similar technologies. This includes your browsing behavior, time spent on different pages, and interaction patterns with our content. This data is typically anonymized and used for analytics purposes.

How We Use Your Information

Your information serves multiple important purposes that directly benefit your learning experience. We don't use your data for purposes unrelated to providing and improving our educational services.

• Providing personalized course recommendations based on your interests and learning history
• Tracking your progress through courses and issuing certificates upon completion
• Sending important notifications about course updates, new content, and platform changes
• Facilitating communication between students and instructors through our messaging system
• Analyzing platform usage to identify areas for improvement and optimize user experience
• Preventing fraud, ensuring security, and maintaining the integrity of our learning environment
• Providing customer support and responding to your questions or technical issues
• Conducting research to develop new features and educational tools

We process your information based on legitimate interests, contractual necessity, and your consent where required. You can withdraw consent for marketing communications at any time, though this won't affect the processing of information necessary for providing our core services.

Information Sharing and Disclosure

We don't sell your personal information to third parties. However, there are specific circumstances where we may share your data to provide our services effectively or comply with legal requirements.

• With course instructors when you enroll in their programs, including your progress and participation data
• With service providers who help us operate the platform, such as hosting services, payment processors, and analytics tools
• With other students in discussion forums and collaborative projects, but only the information you choose to share
• With legal authorities when required by law, court order, or to protect the rights and safety of our users
• In the event of a business merger, acquisition, or sale, though we'll notify you before any transfer occurs
• With your explicit consent for specific partnerships or promotional opportunities

All third-party service providers are contractually bound to protect your information and use it only for the specific services they provide to us. We regularly review and audit these partnerships to ensure they meet our privacy standards.

Data Security Measures

Protecting your information is our top priority. We've implemented multiple layers of security to safeguard your data against unauthorized access, alteration, or disclosure.

While we implement industry-standard security measures, no system is completely immune to threats. We continuously update our security protocols and will notify you promptly if any data breach affects your information.

Data Retention Periods

We retain your information for different periods depending on the type of data and its purpose. Our retention policy balances your privacy rights with legitimate business and educational needs.

You can request earlier deletion of your data, except where we're legally required to maintain records. When retention periods expire, we securely delete or anonymize your information according to industry best practices.

International Data Transfers

As a platform serving students globally, we may transfer your information across international borders to provide our services effectively. Our primary servers are located in secure data centers, and we ensure adequate protection for all international transfers.

When transferring data internationally, we rely on appropriate safeguards such as standard contractual clauses, adequacy decisions, and certification programs. These mechanisms ensure your data receives equivalent protection regardless of where it's processed.

If you're located in the European Union or other regions with specific data protection laws, we comply with all applicable requirements for international transfers and provide additional protections where necessary.

Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to enhance your browsing experience, remember your preferences, and analyze platform usage. You have control over how these technologies are used on your device.

Essential cookies are necessary for basic platform functionality and cannot be disabled. Optional cookies for analytics, personalization, and marketing can be managed through your browser settings or our cookie preference center.

Third-party cookies from our analytics and advertising partners are governed by their respective privacy policies. We regularly review these partnerships to ensure they meet our privacy standards and provide value to our users.

Children's Privacy

Our platform is designed for users aged 16 and above. We don't knowingly collect personal information from children under 16 without parental consent. If you're a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately.

For users between 16 and 18, we recommend involving a parent or guardian in account setup and privacy decisions. We provide additional protections for younger users and limit certain data collection activities for this age group.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this privacy policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or platform features. When we make significant changes, we'll notify you through email, platform notifications, or a prominent notice on our website.

We encourage you to review this policy regularly to stay informed about how we protect your information. The "last updated" date at the top of this page indicates when the most recent changes were made.

Continued use of our platform after policy updates constitutes acceptance of the new terms. If you disagree with changes, you can delete your account or contact us to discuss your concerns.