Privacy Policy

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Personal Information

We may collect personally identifiable information that you voluntarily provide to us, including but not limited to:

• Name
• Email address
• School or institution name
• Grade level or education level
• Account credentials (username and password)
• Payment information (processed securely through third-party payment processors)

1.2 Usage Data

We automatically collect certain information when you visit our website, including:

• IP address
• Browser type and version
• Device information
• Operating system
• Pages visited and time spent on pages
• Referring website
• Date and time of visit
• Laboratory experiments performed
• Progress and completion data

1.3 Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies, web beacons, and similar tracking technologies to enhance your experience. These technologies help us:

• Remember your preferences and settings
• Understand how you use our platform
• Improve our services
• Provide personalized content

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the collected information for various purposes:

• Provide and maintain our services: To operate and deliver the virtual chemistry lab experience
• Account management: To create and manage your user account
• Personalization: To customize your learning experience
• Communication: To send you updates, newsletters, and educational content (with your consent)
• Customer support: To respond to your inquiries and provide technical assistance
• Analytics and improvement: To analyze usage patterns and improve our platform
• Security: To protect against fraud, abuse, and security threats
• Legal compliance: To comply with legal obligations and enforce our terms
• Research and development: To develop new features and enhance educational content

3. Information Sharing and Disclosure

We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties. We may share your information in the following circumstances:

3.1 Service Providers

We may share your information with third-party service providers who perform services on our behalf, such as:

• Payment processing
• Data hosting and storage
• Analytics services
• Email delivery services
• Customer support platforms

These service providers are contractually obligated to protect your information and use it only for the purposes we specify.

3.2 Educational Institutions

If you access our platform through a school or educational institution, we may share progress reports, completion data, and performance metrics with your teachers or administrators as authorized.

3.3 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required by law or in response to valid legal requests, such as:

• Court orders or subpoenas
• Legal proceedings
• Government investigations
• Protection of our rights and safety

3.4 Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred to the acquiring entity.

4. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures to protect your personal information, including:

• Encryption: Data transmission using SSL/TLS encryption
• Secure storage: Encrypted data storage systems
• Access controls: Restricted access to personal information
• Regular security audits: Periodic assessment of security practices
• Employee training: Staff education on data protection

5. 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 delete your account, we will delete or anonymize your personal information within 90 days, unless we are required to retain it for legal purposes.

6. Your Rights and Choices

You have the following rights regarding your personal information:

6.1 Access and Correction

You can access and update your personal information through your account settings.

6.2 Data Portability

You have the right to request a copy of your personal information in a structured, commonly used format.

6.3 Deletion

You can request deletion of your personal information by contacting us or deleting your account.

6.4 Opt-Out

You can opt out of marketing communications by:

• Clicking the "unsubscribe" link in our emails
• Adjusting your account notification settings
• Contacting us directly

6.5 Cookie Management

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Note that disabling cookies may affect website functionality.

7. Children's Privacy

Virtual Chem Labs may be used by students of various ages. We are committed to protecting children's privacy:

• Parental Consent: For users under 13 years old, we require verifiable parental consent before collecting personal information
• Limited Collection: We collect only the minimum necessary information from children
• No Marketing: We do not send marketing communications to users under 18
• Parental Rights: Parents can review, modify, or delete their child's information by contacting us

8. International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your country of residence. We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your information in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

9. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites or services. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third parties. We encourage you to read their privacy policies.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

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

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

Your continued use of our services after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.

11. California Privacy Rights

If you are a California resident, you have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA):

• Right to know what personal information we collect and how it's used
• Right to delete your personal information
• Right to opt-out of the sale of personal information (we do not sell personal information)
• Right to non-discrimination for exercising your privacy rights

12. EU/EEA Users - GDPR Rights

If you are in the European Union or European Economic Area, you have rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR):

• Right of access to your personal data
• Right to rectification of inaccurate data
• Right to erasure ("right to be forgotten")
• Right to restrict processing
• Right to data portability
• Right to object to processing
• Right to withdraw consent
• Right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority

13. Your Consent

By using Virtual Chem Labs, you consent to our Privacy Policy and agree to its terms.