Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Welcome to Teachify ("we," "our," or "us"). This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our educational platform designed for computer science teachers and students.

1.1 Our Commitment to Student Privacy

We are committed to creating a safe learning environment and protecting student privacy. We:

• Never sell or rent personal information - We do not sell, rent, or trade any personal information
• Collect minimal data - We only collect information necessary to provide educational services
• Use data solely for educational purposes - Student data is used only to support learning and teaching
• Provide transparency - We clearly explain what data we collect and how it's used

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Account Types and Creation

Our platform supports different account types:

• Teacher Accounts: Created via Google Authentication with full access to course management
• Student Accounts: Created by teachers or through institutional sign-up with parental consent
• Guest Access: Limited access to public resources without account creation

2.2 Personal Information

We collect the following personal information:

• Account Information: Name, email address, profile picture (via Google Authentication)
• Educational Data: Course enrollment, assignment submissions, grades, and progress tracking
• Usage Data: Login times, feature usage, and platform interactions
• Minimal Student Data: Display name, grade level, and class enrollment (no full email addresses stored for students under 13)

2.3 Code and Assignment Data

We collect and store:

• Code submissions and programming assignments
• Code execution history and outputs
• Starter code and solution code created by teachers
• AI-generated feedback and grading information

2.4 Automatically Collected Information

• Device information and browser type
• IP address and general location data
• Usage patterns and performance metrics

2.5 Local Storage and Cookies

To enhance your educational experience, we use local storage and cookies to:

• Code Editor Preferences: Remember your preferred theme, font size, and layout settings
• Auto-Save Protection: Temporarily store your work locally to prevent data loss during assignments
• Session Management: Maintain secure login sessions through essential authentication cookies
• Interface Customization: Save your preferred sidebar state, panel sizes, and workspace layout
• Performance Enhancement: Cache course materials and resources for faster loading

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your information to:

• Provide and maintain our educational platform
• Authenticate users and manage accounts
• Enable course and assignment management
• Execute and grade code submissions securely
• Generate AI-powered feedback using Google Vertex AI
• Track student progress and performance
• Store preferences and session data locally on your device to enhance user experience
• Improve our services and user experience
• Send important notifications about your account or courses

4. Information Sharing and Disclosure

4.1 Educational Context

Within the educational environment:

• Teachers can view their students' assignments, submissions, and progress
• Students can view their own assignments, feedback, and grades
• Course and class data is shared among enrolled participants

4.2 Third-Party Services

We share information with trusted third-party services:

• Google Firebase: Authentication, database storage, and cloud functions
• Google Cloud Run: Secure code execution environment
• Google Vertex AI: AI-powered grading and feedback generation
• Vercel: Web hosting and serverless functions

4.3 What We Don't Share

We never:

• Sell, rent, or trade personal information
• Share data for commercial marketing purposes
• Provide data to advertisers or marketing companies
• Use student data for behavioral advertising

4.4 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required by law or to:

• Comply with legal obligations
• Protect our rights and safety
• Investigate fraud or security issues
• Respond to lawful requests from public authorities

5. Data Security

We implement appropriate security measures to protect your information:

• Encryption of data in transit and at rest
• Secure authentication via Google OAuth
• Isolated code execution environments
• Regular security assessments and updates
• Access controls and user permission management
• Secure data transmission using HTTPS
• Regular monitoring for unauthorized access

5.1 Data Breach Notification

In the unlikely event of a data breach that affects personal information:

• We will notify affected users within 72 hours of discovery
• Educational institutions will be notified immediately
• We will provide details about what information was involved
• We will explain steps taken to address the breach
• We will comply with all applicable data breach notification laws

6. Data Retention

We retain your information:

• Account data: Until you delete your account
• Course and assignment data: For the duration of the course plus 3 years for educational records
• Code submissions: Until the associated course is deleted
• Usage logs: Up to 2 years for service improvement
• Inactive accounts: Accounts with no activity for 4 years may be automatically deleted after notice

6.1 Data Deletion Process

When you delete your account or request data deletion:

• Personal information is removed within 30 days
• Educational records may be retained as required by law
• De-identified data may be retained for research and service improvement
• Some data may be retained in backups for up to 90 days

7. Your Rights and Choices

You have the right to:

• Access and review your personal information
• Correct inaccurate or incomplete data
• Delete your account and associated data
• Opt out of non-essential communications
• Request data portability where applicable

8. Children's Privacy (COPPA/FERPA Compliance)

Our platform may be used in educational settings with students under 13. We comply with COPPA and FERPA requirements:

8.1 COPPA Compliance

• We collect minimal information necessary for educational purposes
• Parental consent is obtained through educational institutions
• If we learn we have collected personal information from a student under 13 without proper consent, we will delete that information immediately
• We do not sell or market to children
• No behavioral advertising is directed at children under 13

8.2 FERPA Compliance

• We treat student educational records in accordance with FERPA requirements
• Educational institutions maintain control over student data
• We do not disclose student records without proper authorization
• Students and parents have rights to access and correct educational records

8.3 Additional Student Protections

• No social media integration for student accounts
• Limited profile customization to prevent sharing of personal information
• Automatic monitoring to prevent students from sharing personal details in code comments or assignments
• Teacher and school administrator oversight of all student activities

9. International Data Transfers

Your data may be processed in countries outside your residence. We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, including using services that comply with applicable data protection frameworks.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically. We will notify you of material changes by:

• Posting the updated policy on our platform
• Sending email notifications for significant changes
• Updating the "Last updated" date at the top of this policy

11. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us at: