Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Welcome to SukuLink ("we," "our," or "us"). SukuLink is an AI-powered educational platform designed to help students across West Africa prepare for examinations including BECE, WASSCE, NECO, and JAMB.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our website, mobile applications, and services (collectively, the "Platform"). Please read this privacy policy carefully. By using the Platform, you consent to the practices described in this policy.

We are committed to protecting your privacy in accordance with applicable data protection laws, including:

• Ghana Data Protection Act, 2012 (Act 843)
• Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) 2019
• Sierra Leone Data Protection Act 2021
• The Gambia Data Protection Act 2021
• General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) for users in the European Union

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide

We collect information you voluntarily provide when using our Platform:

• Account Information: Name, email address, phone number, password, country, educational level, and target examination type
• Profile Information: Profile picture, school name, class level, date of birth
• Payment Information: Billing address, mobile money number, payment transaction details (processed securely through our payment providers)
• Communication Data: Messages sent through our support channels, feedback, and survey responses
• User Content: Questions asked to our AI tutor, uploaded documents, quiz responses, study notes, and bookmarks

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

When you access our Platform, we automatically collect:

• Device Information: Device type, operating system, browser type, unique device identifiers
• Usage Data: Pages visited, features used, time spent on the Platform, study sessions completed, quiz scores
• Location Data: Country and general geographic location based on IP address
• Log Data: IP address, access times, referring URLs, error logs

2.3 Information from Third Parties

We may receive information from:

• Social Login Providers: When you sign in using Google, Facebook, or Apple, we receive your name, email, and profile picture
• Educational Institutions: If you're enrolled through a school, we may receive your student information from the institution
• Payment Providers: Transaction status and payment verification from Paystack, Flutterwave, and mobile money providers

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your information for the following purposes:

3.1 Providing Our Services

• Create and manage your account
• Deliver personalized learning content and AI tutoring
• Track your study progress and performance
• Generate quizzes and recommendations based on your learning patterns
• Process subscriptions and payments

3.2 Improving Our Platform

• Analyze usage patterns to improve features
• Train and improve our AI systems (using anonymized data)
• Conduct research on educational effectiveness
• Debug and fix technical issues

3.3 Communication

• Send important account notifications
• Provide customer support
• Send educational tips and study reminders (with your consent)
• Notify you about new features and updates

3.4 Safety and Security

• Detect and prevent fraud
• Enforce our Terms of Service
• Protect the safety of our users
• Comply with legal obligations

4. Information Sharing

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

4.1 With Your Consent

We share information when you explicitly consent, such as when linking your account to a school or sharing progress with parents.

4.2 Service Providers

We work with trusted third-party service providers who assist us in operating our Platform:

• Cloud Hosting: AWS, Google Cloud for data storage
• Payment Processing: Paystack, Flutterwave for transactions
• SMS Services: Arkesel, Termii for OTP verification
• AI Services: Anthropic Claude for AI tutoring
• Analytics: Tools to understand Platform usage

4.3 Educational Institutions

If you access SukuLink through a school subscription, we may share your progress data with authorized school administrators and teachers.

4.4 Legal Requirements

We may disclose information when required by law, court order, or government request, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of SukuLink, our users, or others.

4.5 Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction.

5. Data Storage & Security

5.1 Where We Store Your Data

Your data is primarily stored on servers located in West Africa (Ghana and Nigeria) with backup servers in Europe. We use reputable cloud service providers that maintain high security standards.

5.2 Security Measures

We implement industry-standard security measures including:

• Encryption of data in transit (TLS 1.3) and at rest (AES-256)
• Secure password hashing using bcrypt
• Two-factor authentication option
• Regular security audits and penetration testing
• Access controls and monitoring
• Secure coding practices

5.3 Data Breach Notification

In the event of a data breach that affects your personal information, we will notify you and relevant authorities within 72 hours as required by applicable law.

6. Cookies & Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience:

6.1 Types of Cookies We Use

• Essential Cookies: Required for the Platform to function (authentication, security)
• Functional Cookies: Remember your preferences (language, theme)
• Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how you use the Platform
• Performance Cookies: Monitor Platform performance and errors

6.2 Managing Cookies

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Note that disabling certain cookies may affect Platform functionality. We do not use advertising cookies or sell data to advertisers.

7. Your Rights

Depending on your location, you have the following rights regarding your personal information:

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at [email protected]. We will respond within 30 days.

8. Children's Privacy

SukuLink serves students of all ages, including children under 18. We take special care to protect children's privacy:

• We collect only information necessary for educational purposes
• For children under 13, we require parental consent for account creation
• Parents can review, modify, or delete their child's information
• We do not display targeted advertising to children
• We do not allow children to publicly share personal information
• AI tutor conversations are filtered for age-appropriate content

Parents and guardians can contact us at [email protected] for any concerns about their child's data.

9. International Users

SukuLink operates primarily in West Africa but may be accessed from other countries. By using our Platform, you consent to the transfer of your information to Ghana and other countries where we operate.

For users in the European Economic Area (EEA), we ensure that any transfer of personal data is protected by appropriate safeguards, including Standard Contractual Clauses approved by the European Commission.

10. Data Retention

We retain your information for as long as necessary to provide our services and fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy:

• Active Accounts: Data is retained while your account is active
• Deleted Accounts: Personal data is deleted within 30 days, with anonymized analytics retained
• Transaction Records: Retained for 7 years for legal and tax compliance
• Communication Records: Support tickets retained for 3 years
• AI Conversations: Retained for 1 year, then anonymized for model improvement

11. Changes to This Policy

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

• Posting the updated policy on our Platform
• Sending an email notification to registered users
• Displaying a prominent notice on our website

We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Continued use of our Platform after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

12. Contact Us

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

For complaints, you may also contact your local data protection authority:

• Ghana: Data Protection Commission
• Nigeria: National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA)