ACCTstudy

1. Introduction

This Privacy Policy explains what information Holley Turner, operating as ACCTstudy ("ACCTstudy," "we," "us") collects when you use our website and application (the "Service"), how we use it, and the choices you have. By using the Service, you agree to the practices described here.

2. Information We Collect

Account information. When you sign up, we collect your email address, password (handled by our authentication provider and never stored by us in plain text), and date of birth. Your date of birth is collected solely to verify that you meet ACCTstudy's minimum age requirement (Section 9) - it's checked once, server-side, at signup, and is not shown to other users or used for any other purpose.

We also keep a record of which version of these Terms, this Privacy Policy, and the AI Disclaimer you accepted, and when - this protects you as much as us, since it means we always know exactly what you agreed to if these documents change later.

Profile information you choose to provide. First name, last name, a display name/username, and a profile photo, if you add them. None of this is required to use the Service.

Content you upload. Course materials, notes, homework photos, and other files you upload to generate study tools, plus the flashcards, tests, lessons, and other materials the Service generates from them.

Chat conversations. The messages you type to Kai, our AI tutor, and Kai's replies to you, whether in the floating tutor widget or a course's inline chat.

Usage and activity data. Study session activity, quiz/test answers, points earned, streaks, and similar in-app activity, used to power features like progress tracking, exam readiness, and team competitions.

Technical information. Standard information collected automatically, like IP address and browser type, primarily for security (like the per-account rate limits described in our Terms) and troubleshooting.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information above to: provide and operate the Service; personalize study tools and recommendations to your own uploaded material and activity; maintain account security (including the age gate and rate limiting described elsewhere in this policy and our Terms); communicate with you about your account; and improve the Service over time.

4. How We Share Your Information

We don't sell your personal information. We share it only: with the service providers described in Section 6, to the extent needed to operate the Service; with other users, but only where a feature is explicitly social (for example, your display name and avatar are visible to teammates and friends within a team or leaderboard you've joined - see Settings for controlling this); or where required by law.

5. Cookies and Tracking

We use cookies and similar technologies for authentication (keeping you signed in) and to remember your preferences. See our Cookie Policy for details and how to control them.

6. AI and Third-Party Processing

ACCTstudy uses a third-party AI service provider to power features like the Kai tutor, generated study materials, and homework help. Content you submit to these features (questions, uploaded material relevant to your request) is sent to that provider to generate a response. We don't use your content to train AI models ourselves, and our provider's use of it is governed by its own data-processing terms. See our AI Disclaimer for more on how AI features work.

We also use a hosted database and authentication provider to store your account and app data securely.

7. Data Retention

We retain your information for as long as your account is active, or as needed to provide the Service. If you delete your account, we delete your personal information within a reasonable period, except where we're required to retain it by law.

8. Communications

You control most of what we email you from Settings: assignment reminders, streak notifications, and similar in-app alerts.

As of this policy's last update, ACCTstudy has not yet enabled automated email delivery - notification preferences are saved and will take effect once that infrastructure is in place, at which point this section will be updated to name the provider used.

9. Age Requirement and Children's Privacy

ACCTstudy requires all users to be at least 16 years old. We collect your date of birth at signup and verify your age server-side before your account is created - see Section 2. Because of this, ACCTstudy is not directed at, and does not knowingly collect personal information from, children under 13 (the population COPPA is specifically concerned with), or from anyone under our own 16-year-old minimum. If we learn an account belongs to someone under 16, we'll close it and delete the associated personal information.

Restricting ACCTstudy to users 16 and older is a product rule, not a substitute for our other privacy obligations. We still have responsibilities around the personal information we collect, how securely we store it, how long we keep it, and what happens when you ask us to delete it, regardless of a user's age - those obligations are described throughout the rest of this policy, and can vary depending on the state or country you're in. If ACCTstudy is used within a school setting, the school is responsible for ensuring its use complies with applicable student-privacy laws (such as FERPA in the United States) and for obtaining any consent required from parents/guardians. If you intend to market this Service to schools, get specific legal advice on FERPA compliance before doing so - this section is a baseline, not a substitute for that.

10. Data Security

We use industry-standard safeguards - including per-account row-level access controls on our database and encrypted connections - to protect your information. No system is completely secure, and we can't guarantee absolute security.

11. Your Rights and Choices

You can access, export, and delete your personal data at any time from Settings. Depending on where you live, you may have additional rights under laws like GDPR or CCPA/CPRA, including the right to object to or restrict certain processing. Contact us using the details below to exercise these rights.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. If we make a material change, we'll update the "Last updated" date above and, where required, notify you or ask you to re-accept the updated policy.

13. Contact

Questions about this Privacy Policy? Contact us at [support@acctstudy.com].