Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

STEM Comics Africa ("we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting the privacy and security of your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our platform and services.

This policy complies with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR), ensuring the highest standards of data protection for all our users.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide

• Account Information: Name, email address, age/date of birth, password
• Profile Information: Username, avatar, educational interests, grade level
• Parental Information: For users under 13, we collect parent/guardian contact information
• Payment Information: Billing address and payment details (processed securely through third-party payment processors)
• Communications: Messages, feedback, and support requests you send to us

2.2 Information We Collect Automatically

• Usage Data: Pages viewed, comics read, quizzes completed, time spent on platform
• Device Information: IP address, browser type, operating system, device identifiers
• Cookies and Tracking: See our Cookie Policy for detailed information
• Learning Progress: Quiz scores, badges earned, reading streaks, achievement data

3. How We Use Your Information

We use collected information for the following purposes:

• Service Provision: To create and manage your account, provide access to comics and educational content
• Personalization: To recommend content, track learning progress, and customize your experience
• Communication: To send updates, newsletters, and respond to inquiries
• Payment Processing: To process purchases of printed comics
• Platform Improvement: To analyze usage patterns and improve our services
• Safety and Security: To protect against fraud, abuse, and unauthorized access
• Legal Compliance: To comply with legal obligations and enforce our terms

4. Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR)

Under GDPR, we process personal data based on:

• Consent: You have given clear consent for us to process your personal data for specific purposes
• Contract: Processing is necessary for a contract we have with you
• Legal Obligation: Processing is necessary to comply with the law
• Legitimate Interests: Processing is necessary for our legitimate interests (e.g., improving our services)

5. Children's Privacy

Our platform is designed for children and young learners. We take extra precautions to protect children's privacy:

• For users under 13, we require verifiable parental consent before collecting personal information
• We collect only the minimum information necessary to provide our educational services
• Parents can review, modify, or delete their child's information at any time
• We do not share children's personal information with third parties except as necessary for service provision
• We comply with COPPA (Children's Online Privacy Protection Act) requirements

6. Data Sharing and Disclosure

We may share your information with:

• Service Providers: Third-party vendors who assist with hosting, payment processing, analytics, and customer support
• Educational Partners: Schools or institutions (only with explicit consent)
• Legal Requirements: When required by law or to protect our rights and safety
• Business Transfers: In connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets (with notice to you)

We do NOT sell personal information to third parties for marketing purposes.

7. 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, including:

• Standard contractual clauses approved by the European Commission
• Adequacy decisions by relevant data protection authorities
• Privacy Shield certification (where applicable)

8. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal data:

• Encryption of data in transit and at rest
• Regular security assessments and updates
• Access controls and authentication measures
• Employee training on data protection
• Incident response procedures

9. Your Rights

Under GDPR and NDPR, you have the right to:

• Access: Request access to your personal data
• Rectification: Request correction of inaccurate data
• Erasure: Request deletion of your data ("right to be forgotten")
• Restriction: Request restriction of processing
• Portability: Request transfer of your data to another service
• Object: Object to processing of your data
• Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent at any time (where processing is based on consent)
• Complaint: Lodge a complaint with a data protection authority

To exercise these rights, contact us at privacy@stemcomicsafrica.org

10. Data Retention

We retain personal data only as long as necessary for the purposes outlined in this policy:

• Active Accounts: Data retained while account is active
• Inactive Accounts: Data may be deleted after 2 years of inactivity
• Legal Requirements: Some data retained longer to comply with legal obligations
• Deleted Accounts: Most data deleted within 30 days of account deletion request

11. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies. For detailed information, please see our Cookie Policy.

12. 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 policy on this page
• Updating the "Last Updated" date
• Sending you an email notification (for material changes)

13. Contact Information

For questions about this Privacy Policy or to exercise your rights, contact us:

14. NDPR Compliance (Nigeria)

For Nigerian users, we comply with the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR):

• We are registered with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA)
• We conduct Data Protection Impact Assessments for high-risk processing
• We maintain data protection policies and procedures
• Nigerian users can contact NITDA for complaints: info@nitda.gov.ng