How We Collect and Use Information

Information About Schools

When a school administrator registers with AcademIQ or communicates with us online, we collect relevant information such as their name, school name, district, email address, phone number, account credentials, message content, and technical details related to the school’s systems. We may also retain communications sent via email, chat, phone, video conference, or in person, as well as any content posted to our website or service. Once a school begins using AcademIQ, we collect information and content generated through their use of the platform. This data helps us operate, maintain, and enhance the service and allows us to communicate effectively with our users.

Student Data

In providing our services to schools, AcademIQ may access personally identifiable information about students (“Student Data”) provided by the school, parent or guardian, or directly by the student. Access to Student Data is limited to what is necessary for delivering services as directed by the school. Often, Student Data is received only from the school, with no direct interaction with the student. In some cases, students may log into the platform if enabled by the school.

Student Data is used strictly for educational purposes under the school’s direction. AcademIQ does not own or control this data and treats it as confidential. It is only used to operate, support, evaluate, and improve our services in alignment with contractual agreements with the school.

Information About Parents

Depending on the service features chosen by the school, we may collect personal information about a student’s parent or legal guardian, either provided by the school or directly by the parent when creating an account.

Information Collected Through Use of the Service

We collect information that users upload or share within the platform — such as files, classroom posts, messages, or reviews — and monitor in-app activity to help improve our services.

Technical and Usage Information

Like most online services, we automatically gather data about how users access and interact with our platform. This includes information about devices, browsers, IP addresses, operating systems, service usage patterns, and navigation behaviors. We use technologies like cookies, web beacons, and similar tools, sometimes with third-party partners, to collect this information.

Examples of what we may collect include:

• Device identifiers, software and hardware details, and approximate location (e.g., via IP address).
• Activity data, such as login frequency, pages visited, buttons clicked, and interactions with emails or chats.
• Analytics data used to understand traffic patterns, user engagement, and service performance.

This information helps us personalize the experience, monitor and troubleshoot issues, measure engagement, and continuously enhance the platform.

Cookies and Preferences

Cookies help us remember preferences, deliver personalized content, identify users across devices, and analyze aggregate trends. If you prefer, you can manage cookies in your browser settings, but disabling them may affect how the service functions. Email settings can also be adjusted to restrict image downloads that track engagement.

How We Share Your Information

AcademIQ shares personal information only in limited and specific circumstances. We do not rent or sell personal information for marketing purposes, and we never share or sell Student Data with third parties for advertising or marketing.

Parties with whom we may share information include:

• Within the AcademIQ Service
  Information, including Student Data, may be shared internally as needed to operate the platform and in accordance with the School’s instructions. For instance, authorized School personnel — such as teachers and administrators — may access shared data based on permissions set by the School.
• Trusted Third-Party Service Providers
  We may share information with carefully selected third-party providers who assist us in delivering our services (e.g., cloud hosting, analytics, and communication tools). These providers are contractually obligated to maintain strict data security and confidentiality standards and are only permitted to use the data for the services they perform on our behalf. If they handle Student Data, additional protections apply.
• Legal Requirements and Safety
  We may disclose information if required to do so by law, court order, or legal process, or to comply with regulations. We may also share information when we believe it is necessary to protect the rights, property, or safety of our users, enforce our Terms of Use, or investigate potential violations.
• Aggregated or Anonymized Data
  We may share information that has been de-identified and aggregated so that it does not reasonably identify any individual or School. This type of data may be used for research, service improvements, and performance analysis.

In the Event of a Business Transfer

If AcademIQ undergoes a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, we may transfer user information as part of the transaction — but only if the successor entity continues to operate the service and agrees to uphold privacy protections that meet or exceed our current standards. In such cases, users will be notified and given the opportunity to opt out of any transfer of Student Data.

How We Protect Your Information

Storage and Processing

AcademIQ employs rigorous administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect information stored on our servers, which are located in South Africa. Access to data is restricted to authorized employees who require it for their work and is protected by user credentials and two-factor authentication. We use industry-standard encryption technologies, including Secure Socket Layer (SSL), to secure account registration and sign-up data. Additional security measures include data encryption, firewalls, and physical access controls to facilities and systems. Please refer to our comprehensive AcademIQ Security Practices for more details.

Unauthorized Disclosure

If unauthorized access to or disclosure of personally identifiable Student Data compromises its security, confidentiality, or integrity, AcademIQ will promptly notify the affected School(s) and make reasonable efforts to assist in their investigation and response.

Your Choices About Your Information

Account Information and Settings

School administrators can update account details and manage service settings by logging into their administrator account. Schools and website visitors may opt out of receiving promotional emails by clicking the “unsubscribe” link at the bottom of our messages. However, users cannot opt out of emails related to the core functionality of the Service.

Access to Student Data

Student Data is owned and managed by the School. If you wish to review, update, or delete a student’s personal information, please contact the appropriate School directly.

Children’s Privacy and Student Data

Collection of Information from Children

AcademIQ does not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 13 without proper authorization. Any personal information we collect about a child under 13 is treated as Student Data, since it is collected on behalf of a School and considered part of the student’s educational record — under the School’s direct control.

Personal Information Collected from Children

We limit the collection of children’s personal information to only what is necessary to provide our services. Most of this information is supplied by authorized School personnel — either manually or via integration with the School’s information systems — not directly by the children. The specific types of information collected depend on how the School uses AcademIQ and what learning tools it connects to our platform.

Use and Disclosure of Children’s Personal Information

AcademIQ uses the personal information of students under 13 solely to deliver services to the School and for no other commercial purpose. We do not rent, sell, or share children’s information for marketing or advertising.

We only disclose Student Data in limited cases, including:

• Within the Service: Student Data may be shared with authorized School users, such as teachers and administrators, as needed to deliver the service and in line with the School’s selected settings.
• With Trusted Third Parties: We work with vetted service providers (e.g., hosting, analytics, communications tools) who may process Student Data strictly to perform services on our behalf. These providers are bound by confidentiality and security obligations.
• For Legal or Safety Reasons: We may disclose personal information if required by law, legal process, or court order, or if we believe it’s necessary to protect the rights, safety, or property of our users or to enforce our Terms of Use.
• In Aggregated or Anonymized Form: We may use and share de-identified data that cannot reasonably be linked to any individual or School—for example, to improve our services and conduct analytics.
• In the Event of a Business Transfer: If AcademIQ is acquired or undergoes a business transition, we will only transfer personal information if the new entity continues operating the service and agrees to maintain data privacy standards equivalent to ours. In such cases, we will notify affected parties and give Schools the option to opt out of transferring Student Data.