Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Welcome to Native Academy (“we,” “our,” or “us”). We are committed to protecting the privacy and personal data of our users, particularly children and their families in the African diaspora.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website, register for classes, or interact with our online learning platform. By using our platform, you consent to the data practices described in this policy.

2. Information We Collect

We collect information that you voluntarily provide to us and data that is automatically generated during your interactions with our platform.

A. Information Provided by Parents or Legal Guardians:

• Contact details: First name, last name, email address, physical address, and phone number.
• Account login details: Username, password, and security preferences.
• Payment details: Credit card information, billing address, and transaction history (processed securely via our third-party merchant partners).
• Student profiles: Student first name, age or grade level, and language proficiency level (used solely for class level placement).

B. Information Collected Automatically:

• Device type, browser configuration, IP address, and platform telemetry.
• Usage data including login timestamps, features accessed, and session lengths.

3. Children's Privacy (COPPA & GDPR-K Compliance)

• Parental Consent required: We do not allow children under the age of 13 to create accounts. Accounts must be registered and managed solely by a parent or legal guardian.
• Limited Data Collection: We do not collect more personal information from children than is reasonably necessary to participate in the learning program (e.g. first name and class responses).
• Live Classes & Video: Our virtual classes utilize secure live video conferencing tools (like Zoom). While classes are live, they are conducted in a supervised, secure group environment. Recording is only done with explicit parental consent for review or absent student catch-up.
• Parental Control: Parents have the right to review their child's information, request its deletion, and refuse to permit further collection or use of the child's details.

4. How We Use Information

We use the collected information for the following primary business purposes:

• To facilitate language class enrollment, delivery, and administration.
• To personalize the learning experience and tailor language curriculum to individual levels.
• To process invoices, payments, and prevent transaction fraud.
• To communicate official class scheduling updates, policy changes, and curriculum progress.
• To maintain security, perform service optimization, and troubleshoot technical errors.

5. Information Sharing & Disclosure

We do not sell, lease, or rent your personal information to third parties.

We only share information with trusted third-party service providers who assist us in operating our platform, such as:

• Hosting providers and cloud server infrastructures.
• Secure payment processing gateways.
• Live streaming and video meeting tool providers (e.g., Zoom).
• Educational tools and systems required for classes.

Additionally, we may disclose information if required by law, to protect the rights and safety of our platform and users, or to comply with official judicial proceedings.

6. Data Security & Retention

We implement industry-standard administrative, physical, and technological security protocols designed to prevent accidental loss, unauthorized access, or disclosure of data.

Data Retention: We will retain your personal information only for as long as your account is active, or as needed to provide you with the learning services, and as required by legal, tax, or accounting requirements.

7. Your Rights & Choices

Depending on your geographical location (such as the UK, EU, or California), you may have certain rights regarding your personal information under the GDPR, CCPA, or UK Data Protection Act:

• Right of Access: Request a copy of the data we hold on you.
• Right of Correction: Correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
• Right to Deletion: Request that we delete your data from our systems.
• Right to Restrict or Object: Restrict or object to our processing of your data.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us directly using the information provided in Section 9.

8. Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When changes are made, we will revise the “last updated” date at the top of this page. We encourage parents and users to periodically review this page to stay informed about how we protect your information.