Privacy Policy - Jawabwala for Institutes | Jawabwala Legal

Welcome to Jawabwala for institutes, an AI-powered education platform operated by Opinionated Panda Private Limited. We are committed to protecting your privacy and maintaining the trust you place in us when using our services.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal information. By accessing or using Jawabwala, you agree to the practices described in this policy.

Information We Collect

Personal Information You Provide

When you create an account or use our platform, we collect:

Full name - To personalize your experience
Email address - For account management and communication
Institution name - To provide institutional features
Role - Teacher, student, or administrator designation
Phone number (optional) - For account recovery and support

Authentication Information

We support multiple authentication methods:

Email and Password - Traditional account creation
Google Sign-In - When using Google OAuth, we collect your Google email, name, and profile picture
Other OAuth Providers - We may support additional providers, collecting only basic profile information

We only request the minimum permissions necessary for authentication. We do not access your emails, files, or other third-party data without explicit authorization for specific features.

Usage and Technical Information

We automatically collect:

Device Information - Browser type, operating system, device model
IP Address and Location - For security and service optimization
Usage Data - Features accessed, time spent, interaction patterns
Log Data - Error logs, access times, pages viewed
Cookies and Tracking - Session management and analytics

Educational Content

When you use our AI-powered features, we collect:

Assignment submissions - Your written work and responses
Voice recordings - For audio assignment features
Conversation history - Interactions with AI tutors
Performance data - Scores, completion rates, progress metrics

How We Use Your Information

Service Delivery

We use your information to:

Create and manage your account
Deliver AI-powered tutoring features (copy checking, audio assignments, doubt solving, practice)
Process and provide feedback on assignments
Personalize your learning experience
Provide customer support and respond to inquiries

Communication

Send important service updates and notifications
Respond to support requests and feedback
Share educational content and product updates (with your consent)
Notify you of changes to policies or terms

Analytics and Improvement

Analyze usage patterns to improve features and user experience
Monitor service performance and identify issues
Develop new educational tools and capabilities
Conduct research on learning outcomes (using anonymized data only)

Security and Legal Compliance

Prevent fraud, abuse, and security threats
Enforce our Terms of Service and policies
Comply with legal obligations and government requests
Protect our rights, property, and user safety

How We Share Your Information

Service Providers and Partners

We work with trusted third-party service providers to operate our platform:

AI Services - We use OpenAI and Google AI APIs to power our educational features. Your queries and responses are processed according to their privacy policies and data processing agreements.

Cloud Infrastructure - We use cloud hosting providers (AWS, Google Cloud, or similar) to store data securely and ensure service availability.

Analytics Providers - We use analytics tools to understand service usage and improve user experience.

Payment Processors - For institutional subscriptions, we use secure payment processors who handle billing information according to PCI-DSS standards.

All service providers are contractually obligated to:

Use data only for providing services to us
Maintain appropriate security measures
Comply with applicable privacy laws
Not sell or use your data for their own purposes

Educational Institutions

If you access Jawabwala through an institutional subscription:

Your institution may have access to your usage data and performance metrics
We share only the information necessary for institutional administration
Institutional data access is governed by separate agreements

Legal Requirements

We may disclose information when required by law or to:

Respond to legal processes (subpoenas, court orders)
Comply with legal obligations and regulations
Protect our rights, property, or safety
Prevent fraud or security threats
Protect the safety of users or the public

Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred to the acquiring entity. We will notify you of such changes and your available choices.

Data Protection Commitments

We are committed to protecting your privacy and want to be transparent about what we do NOT do with your data.

We do not sell your personal data to third parties. Your information is never sold for profit or shared with data brokers.

We do not share data with advertisers for targeted advertising purposes. We do not use your information to create advertising profiles or target ads to you based on your behavior.

We do not use your data for personalized or retargeted advertisements. Your educational activities and personal information are not used to follow you around the web with ads.

We do not provide data to data brokers or information resellers. We do not participate in any data marketplace or sell access to your information.

We do not use your educational content to train AI models for commercial sale. Your assignments, conversations, and creative work remain yours and are only used to provide you with educational feedback and services.

We do not use your data for credit-worthiness or lending decisions. Your educational performance and personal data are never shared with financial institutions for credit scoring or loan approval purposes.

We do not share data for purposes unrelated to educational services. Every use of your data is directly connected to improving your learning experience or operating our educational platform.

Data Security

We implement industry-leading security measures to protect your information:

Technical Safeguards

Encryption in Transit - TLS/SSL encryption for all data transmission
Encryption at Rest - Data stored in encrypted databases
Secure Authentication - Password hashing, multi-factor authentication support
Regular Security Audits - Penetration testing and vulnerability assessments

Access Controls

Role-Based Access - Strict access limitations based on job function
Multi-Factor Authentication - Required for all staff with data access
Access Monitoring - Regular reviews and audit logs
Security Training - Ongoing employee education on data protection

Incident Response

24/7 security monitoring and alerting
Documented incident response procedures
Regular backup and disaster recovery testing
Prompt notification in case of data breaches

Important: While we implement extensive security measures, no system is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security but continuously work to protect your data.

Data Retention and Deletion

Active Accounts

We retain your information as long as your account is active and as needed to provide services.

Account Deletion

When you request account deletion:

Immediate: Access to your account is disabled
Within 30 days: Most personal data is permanently deleted
Legal Retention: Some information may be retained for legal compliance (transaction records, legal disputes)
Backup Copies: May persist for up to 90 days before complete removal
Anonymized Data: Aggregated, anonymized analytics may be retained indefinitely

Data Minimization

We regularly review and delete data that is no longer necessary for our services.

How to Request Deletion

Email us at help@jawabwala.com with the subject "Account Deletion Request." Include:

Your account email
Confirmation of deletion request
Any specific data deletion requirements

We will process your request within 30 days and confirm completion.

Your Rights and Choices

You have the following rights regarding your personal information:

Access and Portability

Request a copy of all personal data we hold about you
Download your data in a portable, machine-readable format (JSON, CSV)
Receive a data report within 30 days of request

Correction and Updates

Update or correct inaccurate information through your account settings
Request manual updates by contacting support
Complete incomplete information

Deletion ("Right to be Forgotten")

Request deletion of your account and associated data
Subject to legal retention requirements
Anonymized data may be retained for analytics

Restriction and Objection

Request limitation on how we process your data
Object to specific data processing activities
Opt-out of optional data collection

Withdraw Consent

Unsubscribe from marketing communications (opt-out link in emails)
Disable non-essential cookies through browser settings
Withdraw consent for optional features

Exercise Your Rights

Children's Privacy

Jawabwala is designed for educational institutions and their authorized users.

For Users Under 13:

We comply with COPPA (Children's Online Privacy Protection Act)
Parental/guardian consent is required (obtained through educational institutions)
Parents/guardians can review, delete, or refuse further collection of their child's information
We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 without proper consent

For Users 13-18:

We require institutional authorization for student accounts
Parental rights vary by jurisdiction and institutional policy

If you believe we have collected information from a child without proper consent, contact us immediately at help@jawabwala.com.

International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your country of residence, including India, the United States, and the European Union.

We ensure appropriate safeguards through:

Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) approved by regulatory authorities
Adequacy decisions by relevant data protection authorities
Privacy Shield frameworks where applicable
Data processing agreements with all international service providers

Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Types of Cookies We Use

Essential Cookies (Required)

Session management and authentication
Security and fraud prevention
Load balancing and performance

Analytics Cookies (Optional)

Usage patterns and feature adoption
Performance monitoring
Error tracking and debugging

Functional Cookies (Optional)

User preferences and settings
Language and localization
Customization features

Managing Cookies

You can control cookies through:

Browser settings (disable all or specific cookies)
Opt-out tools for analytics providers
Cookie consent banner preferences

Note: Disabling essential cookies may affect service functionality.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect:

Changes in our practices or services
Legal or regulatory requirements
User feedback and best practices

When we make changes:

We will update the "Last Updated" date at the bottom
For material changes, we will notify you via email or prominent notice on our platform
You will have 30 days to review changes before they take effect
Continued use after changes constitutes acceptance

We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information.

Governing Law and Jurisdiction

This Privacy Policy is governed by the laws of India. Any disputes will be resolved in the courts of New Delhi, India.

For users in the European Union, you may also have rights under GDPR and can contact your local data protection authority.

This Privacy Policy was prepared with care to ensure transparency and compliance. If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact us.