Privacy Policy

Introduction

SlyAcademy (“we” or “us”) is committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring compliance with applicable data protection laws, including the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), among others. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your personal information when you use the SlyAcademy website and services. By using our site, you agree to the practices described in this policy.

Information We Collect

We only collect information necessary to provide our educational services and to support our donation-based model. This includes:

Personal Information: Data you provide to us, such as your name and email address (for account setup or newsletter signup), and payment details if you choose to donate (e.g. billing information). If you are a minor, we may also collect a parent or guardian’s contact information for consent purposes.
Usage Data: Information about how you use our site, including IP address, browser type, device information, and browsing behavior. We gather this via cookies and analytics tools to understand site traffic and improve our content. (See our Cookie Policy for more details on cookies.)
Communications: Any information you send to us directly, such as emails or messages (for example, questions, feedback, or support requests).
Children’s Data: We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 without parental consent. If a minor under 18 uses SlyAcademy, we implement parental consent mechanisms as described in our Children’s Privacy Policy.

We do not collect any sensitive categories of data (such as social security numbers or health records) beyond optional information you may voluntarily provide (for instance, if you include such details in a message to us). We limit data collection to what is relevant for educational content delivery, user account management, processing donations, and compliance with the law.

How We Use Your Information

We use the collected information for the following purposes:

To Provide and Improve Services: We use personal information to create and manage user accounts (if any), personalize your experience, and deliver educational content such as text guides and quizzes. Usage data helps us understand which content is most useful and improve site functionality.
To Process Donations: If you make a donation, we use your payment information to process the transaction and provide you with a receipt or confirmation. (Note: SlyAcademy does not sell products or subscriptions; donations are voluntary contributions.)
Communications: We may use your email to respond to inquiries, send updates about new content or features, or provide newsletters if you subscribed. You can opt out of marketing emails at any time. Transactional emails (e.g. donation receipts or important account notices) will still be sent as needed.
Analytics and Research: We analyze usage data (typically in aggregated, non-identifiable form) to understand our audience (e.g. which topics are popular) and to improve our educational materials and user interface.
Legal and Security: Information may be used to enforce our Terms of Use, to secure our platform (e.g. detecting and preventing fraud or abuse), and to comply with legal obligations. For example, we may keep donation records as required by financial regulations or tax laws. We also use data as needed to exercise or defend legal claims.

Our legal bases for processing personal data under GDPR include your consent (for optional uses like newsletters or non-essential cookies), fulfillment of a contract (providing you the content or processing a donation you initiated), compliance with legal obligations, and our legitimate interests (such as improving our services and ensuring security), balanced against your data protection rights.

Cookies and Tracking Technologies

SlyAcademy uses cookies and similar technologies to provide and optimize our services. Cookies are small text files stored on your device. We use them to remember your preferences (for example, your language or display settings) and to collect analytics data about site usage. Specifically, we use:

Essential Cookies: These are necessary for the website to function (e.g. to keep you logged in or to remember consent preferences). The site cannot function properly without these.
Analytics Cookies: We utilize analytics tools (like Google Analytics) to collect information about traffic and user interactions. This helps us understand which pages are visited most and how users navigate the site, so we can improve the content and layout. These cookies collect information in an anonymous form (for example, by anonymizing IP addresses).
No Advertising Cookies: We do not serve advertisements on SlyAcademy, so we do not use advertising or targeting cookies. Similarly, we do not use cookies for profiling users.

By default, we will request your consent for non-essential cookies (for instance, through a cookie banner for users in jurisdictions that require it). You have control over cookies: you may refuse or delete cookies through your browser settings. However, note that if you disable certain cookies, some features of the site (like remembering your progress in a quiz) may not work correctly. For more details, please see our separate Cookie Policy.

Data Sharing and Disclosure

SlyAcademy does not sell your personal information to third parties. We value your privacy and have no marketplace for user data. We only share information in the following circumstances:

Service Providers: We use trusted third-party service providers to support our operations. Examples include payment processors (to handle donations securely), email service providers (to send newsletters or support responses), analytics providers, or web hosting companies. These partners only receive the information necessary to perform their specific services on our behalf. We require them to protect your information and not use it for any other purpose.
Legal Compliance: We may disclose personal information if required to do so by law or in response to a valid legal request (e.g., a subpoena, court order, or government inquiry). We may also share information if we believe in good faith that it is necessary to investigate or prevent fraud, security issues, or violations of our policies, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of SlyAcademy, our users, or others.
Consent: If you explicitly consent to a specific sharing of your information, we will honor that consent. For example, if you opt in to a feature that involves sharing information with a partner (none currently, but if in future), we will make it clear and proceed only with your consent.
Business Transfers: In the unlikely event that SlyAcademy undergoes a major business transaction, such as a merger, acquisition, or asset sale, user information (including personal data) may be transferred to the successor organization. If this happens, we will ensure your data remains subject to the protections in this Privacy Policy (unless you’re notified otherwise and consent to new terms). We will notify users of any such transfer as required by law.

Aside from the above, your personal information is kept confidential. For example, we do not publish or share the identities of donors without permission. Aggregate data that does not identify individuals (e.g. total site visitors or overall quiz success rates) may be made public for transparency or marketing, but it will contain no personal details.

Data Retention

We retain personal information only as long as necessary for the purposes described in this policy or as required by law. Specifically:

Account Information: If you create an account, we retain your profile information until you deactivate your account or request deletion. Inactive accounts may be pruned after a prolonged period (with notice) to protect privacy.
Donor Information: Donation records (name, contact, donation amount) may be kept for a period required for financial record-keeping or tax compliance. For example, we may retain donation transaction data for several years as mandated by applicable law. Payment card details are not stored on our servers when using third-party payment processors (they handle the data securely on our behalf).
Analytics Data: Analytics and log data is typically retained for a shorter period (e.g. 14 months in Google Analytics by default) and is used in aggregate form. We periodically delete or anonymize old usage data that is no longer needed.
Communications: If you contact us, we may keep correspondence (emails, support tickets) for a reasonable time to follow up and improve our services, or as required by law.
Children’s Data: Personal information collected from children (with parental consent) is not retained longer than necessary. See the Children’s Privacy Policy for details on how we handle data for users under 18.

When we no longer need personal information, we will delete it or anonymize it so it can no longer be associated with you. If deletion is not immediately possible (for example, because the data is stored in backups), we will securely store it and isolate it from further use until deletion is possible.

International Data Transfers

SlyAcademy is a global platform. By using our site, you acknowledge that your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your own. Our servers and service providers may be located in multiple jurisdictions (for example, the United States). This means that if you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA) or another region with data protection laws, your personal information may be transferred to a country with data protection standards that differ from those in your region.

We take steps to ensure that such international transfers comply with applicable law. For example, when we transfer personal data from the EEA to the United States or other countries, we rely on appropriate safeguards such as Standard Contractual Clauses or the equivalent legal mechanisms approved by the EU. We also ensure our third-party processors commit to GDPR-compliant data protection terms. Our goal is to guarantee a level of data protection for our international users that is equivalent to that provided in your home jurisdiction.

Regardless of where your data is processed, we will protect it as described in this Privacy Policy. We will also comply with local data protection requirements by, for instance, obtaining your consent for the transfer when required by law.

Your Privacy Rights

Because SlyAcademy serves a global audience, we strive to respect the privacy rights of all our users, no matter where they live. Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have some or all of the following rights regarding your personal information:

Access and Portability: You have the right to request a copy of the personal data we hold about you, and to receive it in a commonly used electronic format. This helps you understand what information we have and allows you to transfer it to another service if needed.
Correction: If any of your information is incorrect or outdated, you have the right to request that we correct or update it. You can also correct certain information yourself by logging into your account (if applicable) and editing your profile details.
Deletion: You can ask us to delete your personal data. This is sometimes called the “right to be forgotten.” We will honor such requests to the extent possible under applicable law. (For example, we may need to keep certain donation records for legal compliance, but we will inform you if that is the case.)
Withdrawal of Consent: If we are processing your personal data based on your consent (e.g. you signed up for a newsletter or agreed to cookies), you have the right to withdraw that consent at any time. This will not affect the lawfulness of processing done before your withdrawal. For example, you can unsubscribe from our emails via the link provided in each message or adjust your cookie settings.
Objection and Restriction (GDPR): In certain situations, you have the right to object to or request we limit (restrict) the processing of your data. For instance, you can object to processing done under legitimate interests, and we will consider your objection. You can also opt out of certain data uses like analytics via cookie controls.
Opt-Out of “Sale” of Data (CCPA): As noted, we do not sell personal data. If you are a California resident, the CCPA gives you the right to direct a business that does sell personal info to stop doing so. While not applicable because we do not sell data, we still honor California residents’ rights to know and delete as described above. We also will not discriminate against you for exercising any CCPA rights (for example, we won’t deny you our services or change your experience if you opt out of data sharing that’s your right).
Children’s Data: If we have collected personal information from a minor with parental consent, the parent or guardian has the right to review that information, have it deleted, and refuse further collection or use of the child’s information. (See Children’s Privacy Policy for details.)

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us (see the “Contact Us” section below). We may need to verify your identity before fulfilling certain requests (for example, to ensure that we don’t give your data to someone else). Verification might involve confirming your email address or asking for additional information necessary to confirm your identity. We will respond to your request within the timeframe required by law (for instance, within 30 days for GDPR requests, or 45 days for CCPA requests, with the possibility of a reasonable extension). If we cannot fulfill your request (due to a legal requirement or an exemption), we will explain the reasons in our response.

Additionally, if you are in the EU/EEA, you have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection supervisory authority if you believe our processing of your information violates the GDPR. We encourage you to contact us first so we can address your concerns.

Children’s Privacy

Protecting the privacy of minors is especially important to us. SlyAcademy is intended for learners of all ages, including students under 18, but we require parental consent and involvement for users under the age of 18 as described in our Children’s Privacy Policy. In summary:

No Collection from Young Children: We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 13 years of age without verifiable parental consent, in compliance with the U.S. Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). Our site is not directed to children under 13 for independent use. If you are under 13, please do not attempt to register or send any personal information about yourself to us without your parent or guardian’s permission.
Minors 13-17: If you are between 13 and 17 (or under the age of majority in your jurisdiction), you should only use SlyAcademy with the involvement and consent of a parent or legal guardian. We may request a parent’s email address to provide notice and seek consent for your registration. Parents can refuse or revoke consent at any time.
Parental Consent Mechanisms: We have established mechanisms to obtain parental consent for minors who wish to create an account or provide personal information. For example, we might require a parent to complete the sign-up process or to provide consent via a confirmation email. Until parental consent is verified, we limit the data we collect from the child to what is necessary (such as a username and parent email) and do not activate full account features.
Parental Rights: If you are a parent or guardian, you have the right to review your child’s personal information, have it deleted, and refuse further collection or use of it. To exercise these rights, please contact us via the method below. We will take steps to verify you are the child’s parent or guardian before granting access or making corrections/deletions.
Educational Context: Some content on SlyAcademy is suitable for minors (e.g., AP exam prep materials, academic guides). We advise parents to supervise their children’s online learning and to discuss internet safety. We do not display inappropriate content on our educational platform, but external links (for example, to reference materials) might lead to third-party sites. We encourage parents to be aware when a child navigates to external resources.
If Collected in Error: In the event we learn that we have collected personal information from a child under 13 without parental consent (or under the applicable minimum age in your region, such as 16 under the GDPR, where parental consent is required), we will promptly delete that information from our records or seek parental consent for retention.

Please see our standalone Children’s Privacy Policy for more detailed information about our practices regarding children’s data.

Data Security

We employ a variety of security measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include:

Encryption: Our website is secured via SSL/TLS encryption. This means that when you provide personal information or payment details on our site, that data is encrypted during transmission. You can verify that your connection is secure by looking for the padlock icon in your browser address bar and the “https://” prefix in the URL.
Secure Payment Processing: Donations made on SlyAcademy are handled through reputable third-party payment processors that are PCI-DSS compliant. Your credit card or payment information is transmitted directly to the payment processor over encrypted connections and is not stored on our servers. We receive only limited information in return (like confirmation of payment and your name/email for receipt purposes).
Access Controls: Personal data stored in our databases is restricted to authorized personnel who need access to perform their duties (e.g., responding to support requests or managing the infrastructure). We employ authentication safeguards (such as strong passwords and, where possible, multi-factor authentication) to prevent unauthorized access to administrative accounts.
Data Storage Security: We use secure hosting services that implement firewalls and intrusion detection/prevention systems. Where possible, personal data is pseudonymized or encrypted at rest. Regular backups are performed to prevent data loss, and those backups are protected as well.
Employee and Contractor Training: We ensure that any staff or volunteers who handle personal data are trained in privacy and security best practices. We limit the number of people who have access to personal information and ensure they are bound by confidentiality obligations.

Despite our efforts, no website or internet transmission is completely secure. Therefore, we cannot guarantee absolute security of your information. However, we strive to protect your data to the best of our ability and update our security practices as new threats emerge.

User Responsibilities: You also play a role in keeping your data safe. We advise you to use a strong, unique password for any account on SlyAcademy (if account creation is enabled) and to keep your login credentials confidential. If you suspect any unauthorized access to your account or any security vulnerabilities on our site, please notify us immediately so we can take action.

Data Breach Notification: In the unlikely event of a data breach that affects your personal information, we will notify you and the appropriate authorities as required by law. We will do this as soon as possible and will provide information on the nature of the breach and the data affected, as well as steps we are taking in response.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for other operational, legal, or regulatory reasons. If we make significant changes, we will notify users by posting a prominent notice on our website or by emailing registered users (if applicable). The “Last updated” date at the bottom of this policy will always indicate when the latest changes were made.

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we are protecting your information. Your continued use of SlyAcademy after any modifications to this policy will signify your acceptance of the changes, to the extent permitted by law.

Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal data, please contact us at:

Email: [email protected] (for privacy inquiries or data requests)
Mailing Address: SlyAcademy – 204, API Business Suites, Al Barsha 1, Dubai, UAE.

We will do our best to address your inquiry promptly and thoroughly. Your privacy is important to us, and we welcome feedback on any aspect of our privacy practices.

Last updated: April 23, 2025