Privacy Policy

Last Updated: December 10, 2024

Welcome to Studico, a platform owned and operated by STUDIFY LTD (also referred to as "we", "us", or "our"). We are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring transparency about how we collect, use, and safeguard your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains our practices regarding data collection and use when you access or use our platform.

1. Introduction

This Privacy Policy describes:

• What information we collect
• How we use your information
• How we share your information
• Your privacy rights and choices
• How we protect your information
• How to contact us

By using Studico, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide Directly

Account Information

• Email address (primary and student email)
• Name and username
• Profile bio and image
• University affiliation
• Course of study
• Interests and preferences
• Location and region information

Content You Post

• Posts, comments, and discussions
• Images and media files you upload
• Event descriptions and RSVPs
• Direct messages and chat communications
• Community memberships and participation

Communication Information

• Messages sent through our direct messaging system
• Community chat messages
• Reports and support requests you submit

2.2 Information We Collect Automatically

Usage Data

• Log files and access times
• Pages and features you interact with
• Actions you take on the platform (likes, comments, shares)
• Time and frequency of your visits
• Search queries and browsing patterns

Device Information

• Device type (mobile, tablet, desktop)
• Operating system and version
• Device identifiers
• Push notification tokens
• IP address
• Browser type and version

Location Data

• General location information based on your IP address
• Location preferences you set in your profile
• Location-based community and event recommendations

Cookies and Tracking Technologies

• Session cookies for authentication
• Preference cookies for customization
• Analytics cookies for service improvement
• Advertising cookies (if applicable)

2.3 Information from Third Parties

• Authentication data from our own authentication system (if using third-party authentication)
• University verification data (when applicable)
• Social media information (if you connect social accounts)
• Publicly available information for account verification

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

3.1 Service Provision

• Create and manage your account
• Provide access to platform features and services
• Enable communication between users
• Facilitate community and event creation and participation
• Deliver personalized content and recommendations
• Send notifications about activity and updates

3.2 Communication

• Send service-related notifications (friend requests, event reminders, etc.)
• Respond to your inquiries and support requests
• Send administrative messages (security alerts, policy updates)
• Deliver marketing communications (with your consent)

3.3 Safety and Security

• Verify user identities and prevent fraud
• Detect and prevent abuse, harassment, and illegal activity
• Enforce our Terms of Service and community guidelines
• Investigate reports and violations
• Protect the safety and security of our platform and users

3.4 Improvement and Analytics

• Analyze usage patterns and trends
• Improve platform functionality and user experience
• Develop new features and services
• Conduct research and analytics
• Debug and fix technical issues

3.5 Legal Compliance

• Comply with applicable laws and regulations
• Respond to legal requests and court orders
• Protect our legal rights and interests
• Cooperate with law enforcement when required

4. How We Share Your Information

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

4.1 With Other Users

• Your public profile information (name, username, bio, profile picture)
• Posts and content you choose to make public
• Community memberships and event participation (visible to community members)
• Public comments and interactions

4.2 With Service Providers

We share information with third-party service providers who help us operate the platform:

• Cloud storage providers
• Authentication services
• Analytics and monitoring services
• Push notification services
• Email delivery services
• Hosting and infrastructure providers

All service providers are contractually obligated to protect your information and use it only for specified purposes.

4.3 For Legal Reasons

We may share information when:

• Required by law or court order
• Responding to government or law enforcement requests
• Protecting our rights, property, or safety
• Preventing illegal activity or harm
• Complying with legal obligations

4.4 In Case of Business Transfer

If we are involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you of any such change in ownership.

4.5 With Your Consent

We may share information in other ways with your explicit consent or at your direction.

5. Your Privacy Rights and Choices

5.1 Access and Portability

• Access your personal information through your account settings
• Request a copy of your data in a portable format
• View and update your profile information

5.2 Correction and Deletion

• Edit or update your profile information at any time
• Delete individual posts, comments, or content
• Request deletion of your account and associated data (subject to legal retention requirements)

5.3 Communication Preferences

• Manage notification settings in your account
• Opt out of marketing emails (transactional emails cannot be opted out)
• Control push notification preferences on your device

5.4 Visibility Controls

• Adjust privacy settings for your profile
• Control who can see your posts and information
• Block or mute other users
• Control community and event visibility

5.5 Cookies and Tracking

• Manage cookie preferences through your browser settings
• Opt out of certain analytics and advertising cookies (where available)

5.6 Regional Rights

Depending on your location, you may have additional rights under applicable data protection laws:

European Economic Area (EEA) / United Kingdom

• Right to access, rectify, or erase your personal data
• Right to restrict or object to processing
• Right to data portability
• Right to withdraw consent
• Right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority

To exercise these rights, please contact us using the information provided in the "Contact Us" section.

6. Data Security

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

6.1 Technical Safeguards

• Encryption of data in transit
• Encryption of sensitive data at rest
• Secure authentication systems
• Regular security assessments and updates
• Access controls and authentication requirements

6.2 Organizational Safeguards

• Limited access to personal information on a need-to-know basis
• Employee training on data protection
• Regular security audits and monitoring
• Incident response procedures

6.3 Limitations

While we take reasonable steps to protect your information, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security, but we continuously work to improve our security practices.

7. Data Retention

We retain your information for as long as necessary to:

• Provide our services to you
• Comply with legal obligations
• Resolve disputes and enforce agreements
• Maintain security and prevent abuse

When you delete your account, we will:

• Delete or anonymize most of your personal information
• Retain certain information as required by law (e.g., transaction records)
• Retain information necessary for ongoing legal proceedings or investigations
• Remove your content from public view (backups may persist for a limited time)

7.1 Bans and limited retention after account closure

If your account is permanently banned for abuse or security reasons, we will retain only the minimum information needed to prevent re-registration and to protect our platform and users (for example, hashed contact identifiers, device or token identifiers, ban reason/category, and relevant timestamps). We rely on legitimate interests and, where applicable, legal obligations as the lawful bases for this retention. This data is access-restricted, not used for marketing, and kept only for as long as necessary for fraud/abuse prevention or legal compliance, after which it is deleted or anonymized.

8. Children's Privacy

Studico, owned by STUDIFY LTD, is not intended for children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we discover that we have collected information from a child under 13, we will delete that information immediately.

If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child under 13 has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately.

9. International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your country of residence. These countries may have different data protection laws. When we transfer data internationally, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, such as:

• Standard contractual clauses
• Adequacy decisions by relevant authorities
• Other legally recognized transfer mechanisms

10. Third-Party Links and Services

Our platform may contain links to third-party websites or services. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of third parties. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party services you access.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect:

• Changes in our practices
• Legal or regulatory requirements
• Technology improvements
• User feedback

We will notify you of significant changes through either:

• In-app notifications
• Email notifications
• Updates to this document with a revised "Last Updated" date

Continued use of the platform after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.

12. Your Responsibilities

You are responsible for:

• Protecting your account credentials
• Maintaining the accuracy of your information
• Respecting the privacy of other users
• Not sharing others' personal information without consent
• Following applicable laws and regulations when using the platform

13. Direct Messages and Private Communications

• Direct messages between users are private and not visible to us unless reported for abuse
• We do not routinely monitor private communications
• Messages may be reviewed in response to reports of harassment, spam, or illegal activity
• Community chat messages are visible to community members

14. Data Processing Legal Basis (EEA/UK)

For users in the EEA/UK, we process your personal data based on:

• Consent: When you provide explicit consent (e.g., marketing emails)
• Contract Performance: To provide services you've requested
• Legitimate Interests: For platform security, fraud prevention, and service improvement
• Legal Obligations: To comply with applicable laws

We will not discriminate against you for exercising your privacy rights.

15. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

Company: STUDIFY LTD
Email: help@teamstudico.com
Website: teamstudico.com

For users in the EEA/UK, you may also contact your local data protection authority if you have concerns about our data practices.

16. Data Protection Officer

If you are located in the EEA/UK and need to contact our Data Protection Officer, please contact STUDIFY LTD using the contact information above with "ATTN: Data Protection Officer" in the subject line.

17. Consent

By using Studico, you consent to:

• The collection, use, and sharing of your information as described in this Privacy Policy
• The transfer of your information to countries that may have different data protection laws
• The processing of your information for the purposes described herein

If you do not agree with this Privacy Policy, please do not use our platform.

This Privacy Policy is effective as of the date stated above and supersedes all previous versions.

We are committed to protecting your privacy and being transparent about our practices. If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact us.