Privacy Policy

Information We Collect

We collect information necessary to operate TeltraDex Journalism Academy, deliver courses, support students, and comply with Canadian law. Categories include:

• Identity and contact details: name, email address, phone number, mailing city/province (if provided).
• Account credentials: username, hashed passwords, authentication tokens, role (student/instructor).
• Educational records: course enrollments, lesson progress, quiz results, certificates.
• Transaction confirmations: payment status, method, timestamps, last 4 digits and card brand token from payment providers. We do not store full credit card numbers.
• Technical data: IP address, device identifiers, browser type/version, OS, referral URLs, pages viewed, session timestamps, crash logs.
• Communication history: support requests, feedback, email preferences, consent records and timestamps.
• Approximate location: derived from IP for fraud prevention and localization; not precise GPS.

Sensitive Personal Information

We do not intentionally collect sensitive categories (e.g., health, biometrics). If such data is inadvertently received (e.g., within a support message), we delete or minimize it.

How We Use Information

• Provide, personalize, and support courses, including progress tracking and certification issuance.
• Authenticate users, maintain security, detect fraud, and prevent abuse.
• Measure and improve content quality, usability, and platform performance.
• Send essential service notifications (enrollment, security alerts, policy updates).
• Send optional newsletters and promotions if you consent; you may opt out at any time.
• Comply with legal obligations, enforce our terms, and resolve disputes.

Automated Decision-Making

We may use basic automation to recommend courses or flag suspected fraud. These systems do not make decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects without human review.

Consent and Legal Basis (Canada)

We process personal information under Canada’s federal PIPEDA and applicable provincial laws (e.g., Alberta PIPA, BC PIPA, Quebec Law 25). We rely on your consent or other permitted purposes such as providing requested services, fraud prevention, and legal compliance.

Types of Consent

• Express consent: for newsletters, marketing, or optional analytics cookies (where required).
• Implied consent: when you register, enroll, or request support and provide information for those purposes.

Withdrawing Consent

You may withdraw consent at any time, subject to legal/contractual restrictions and reasonable notice. This may affect our ability to provide certain services.

Cookies and Analytics

We use essential cookies for core functionality (authentication, security, preferences) and analytics cookies to understand usage and improve the site. Manage preferences via the cookie banner available in the footer.

Types of Cookies

• Essential: required for login sessions, load balancing, and fraud prevention.
• Analytics: page performance, engagement, and error diagnostics (aggregated, pseudonymized where feasible).

Retention of Cookies

Session cookies expire when you close your browser. Persistent cookies may last from 1 day to 13 months, depending on purpose.

Data Retention

We retain personal information only as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Policy, or as required by law.

• Account data: retained while your account is active and for a reasonable period after closure (typically 24 months) for recordkeeping and dispute resolution.
• Course records: retained to maintain certification validity and academic integrity, unless removal is requested and permitted by law.
• Transaction records: retained for tax, audit, and compliance obligations (typically 7 years in Canada).
• Backups: data may persist in encrypted backups for limited cycles before being overwritten.

Security

We implement administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect personal information.

• Encryption in transit (TLS) and at rest for sensitive fields handled by processors.
• Access controls, role-based permissions, and least-privilege principles.
• Continuous monitoring, logging, and periodic security reviews.
• Vendor due diligence and data processing agreements with service providers.

No method of transmission or storage is 100% secure. If we detect a breach posing a real risk of significant harm, we will notify affected individuals and regulators where required.

International Transfers

Your information may be processed outside your province or outside Canada by our service providers. While abroad, it may be subject to the laws of those jurisdictions and accessible to authorities. We use contractual and organizational measures to protect data when transferred internationally.

Service Providers

We engage third-party processors to provide hosting, analytics, fraud prevention, communications, and payment processing. These providers access personal information only as needed to perform services under our instructions and are bound by confidentiality and security obligations.

Children’s Privacy

Our services are intended for individuals aged 13 and older. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we learn a child under 13 has provided personal information, we will delete it and may disable the account unless verified consent from a parent/guardian is obtained.

Do Not Track and Preference Signals

Your browser may send Do Not Track (DNT) or similar signals. Our site currently honors your choices set in the cookie banner and account preferences. We are monitoring emerging Canadian guidance regarding automated preference signals and will update our approach as standards evolve.

Your Data Rights (Canada)

Subject to applicable law, you may request:

• Access: confirmation we hold your information and a copy of it.
• Correction: rectification of inaccurate or incomplete information.
• Deletion: deletion where no longer required for stated purposes or legal obligations.
• Portability: a copy in a structured, commonly used format where feasible.
• Consent management: withdraw marketing consent and update cookie choices at any time.

We may ask for information to verify your identity. Certain requests may be restricted by legal, contractual, or academic integrity requirements.

Changes to this Policy

We may update this Policy to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or platform features. We will post the updated date at the top and provide additional notice for material changes as appropriate.

Complaints and Escalation

If you have a concern about our handling of personal information, please contact us first so we can work to resolve it. If unresolved, you may have the right to contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC) or your provincial privacy regulator.

Contact

Email: [email protected] • Phone: +1 (604) 555-0138

If you submit a request, please describe the nature of your inquiry and provide sufficient details to help us verify and respond.