Privacy Policy

Introduction

Charles AI Tutor ("we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our platform and services.

We operate in compliance with the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), as well as international privacy standards including GDPR where applicable.

By using Charles AI Tutor, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy. If you do not agree with our policies and practices, please do not use our services.

1. Personal Information You Provide

We collect information that you voluntarily provide when you:

• Create an account (name, email address, password)
• Choose your professional track and learning preferences
• Complete your profile information
• Contact our support team
• Subscribe to our newsletter or marketing communications
• Participate in surveys or provide feedback

2. Learning Data

As you use our platform, we automatically collect:

• Your responses to questions and quizzes
• Learning progress, scores, and performance metrics
• Topics studied and time spent on each topic
• Interactions with our AI tutor
• Study patterns and preferences

3. Technical Information

We automatically collect certain technical information, including:

• IP address and approximate location
• Browser type and version
• Device type and operating system
• Pages visited and features used
• Date and time of access
• Referring website addresses

4. Payment Information

Payment information is processed securely through our third-party payment processors (Stripe). We do not store your complete credit card information on our servers. We only retain the last four digits of your card and transaction history for billing purposes.

We use your information for the following purposes:

Providing Services

• Create and manage your account
• Deliver personalized learning experiences
• Track your progress and generate performance reports
• Provide AI-powered tutoring and feedback
• Issue certificates upon completion

Improving Our Platform

• Analyze usage patterns to improve content and features
• Optimize the learning experience
• Develop new features and services
• Conduct research and analytics

Communication

• Send important service updates and notifications
• Respond to your inquiries and support requests
• Send marketing communications (with your consent)
• Notify you about new features or content

Legal and Safety

• Comply with legal obligations
• Protect against fraud and abuse
• Enforce our terms of service
• Resolve disputes

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your personal information:

• Encryption: All data is encrypted in transit using TLS/SSL and at rest using AES-256 encryption
• Access Controls: Strict access controls limit who can view your information
• Secure Infrastructure: Our servers are hosted on secure, SOC 2 compliant infrastructure
• Regular Audits: We conduct regular security audits and vulnerability assessments
• Employee Training: All staff members receive regular privacy and security training

While we strive to protect your information, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security but maintain reasonable safeguards to protect your data.

Information Sharing and Disclosure

We do not sell your personal information. We may share your information only in the following circumstances:

Service Providers

We share information with trusted third-party service providers who assist us in operating our platform, including:

• Cloud hosting providers (AWS, Google Cloud)
• Payment processors (Stripe)
• Email service providers
• Analytics providers
• Customer support tools

Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities (e.g., court orders, subpoenas).

Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred. We will notify you of any such change and provide you with choices regarding your information.

Under Australian privacy law and other applicable regulations, you have the following rights:

• Access: Request access to your personal information we hold
• Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
• Deletion: Request deletion of your personal information (subject to legal obligations)
• Data Portability: Request a copy of your data in a machine-readable format
• Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent for marketing communications at any time
• Object: Object to certain processing of your information
• Restrict Processing: Request restriction of processing in certain circumstances

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at privacy@charlesai.com. We will respond to your request within 30 days.

Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your experience. Cookies are small data files stored on your device.

Types of Cookies We Use

• Essential Cookies: Required for the platform to function properly
• Performance Cookies: Help us understand how you use our platform
• Functional Cookies: Remember your preferences and settings
• Analytics Cookies: Provide insights into platform usage and performance

You can control cookies through your browser settings. However, disabling certain cookies may limit your ability to use some features of our platform.

Children's Privacy

Charles AI Tutor is intended for users aged 18 and over. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately.

International Users

Charles AI Tutor is based in Australia. If you are accessing our services from outside Australia, please note that your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in Australia or other countries where our service providers operate.

By using our services, you consent to the transfer of your information to countries outside your country of residence, which may have different data protection rules.

Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to:

• Provide our services to you
• Comply with legal obligations
• Resolve disputes
• Enforce our agreements

When you close your account, we will delete or anonymize your personal information within 90 days, except where we are required by law to retain it longer.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any material changes by:

• Posting the new Privacy Policy on this page
• Updating the "Last Updated" date
• Sending you an email notification (for significant changes)

Your continued use of our services after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.