Privacy Policy

We collect several types of information to provide and improve our services: Account Information: When you create an account on College Forum, we collect your name, email address, username, password, educational institution, field of study, and profile picture (optional). User Content: We collect the content you post on our platform, including forum posts, comments, messages, questions, and answers. This content is visible to other users based on your privacy settings. Usage Information: We automatically collect information about how you interact with our platform, including pages visited, time spent on pages, links clicked, search queries, and features used. Device Information: We collect information about the device you use to access College Forum, including device type, operating system, browser type, IP address, and mobile network information. Cookies and Tracking: We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your experience, remember your preferences, and analyze platform usage.

We use the information we collect for the following purposes: Service Provision: To create and manage your account, facilitate your participation in the forum, enable communication between users, and provide customer support. Platform Improvement: To analyze usage patterns, improve our features and functionality, develop new services, and personalize your experience based on your interests and activity. Communication: To send you important updates about your account, notify you of responses to your posts, send newsletters and educational content (with your consent), and inform you about changes to our policies. Safety and Security: To protect against spam, harassment, and inappropriate content, detect and prevent fraudulent activity, enforce our Terms of Service, and maintain the security of our platform. Legal Compliance: To comply with legal obligations, respond to legal requests, and protect our rights and the rights of our users.

We take your privacy seriously and only share your information in the following circumstances: Public Content: Any content you post publicly on College Forum (forum posts, comments, profile information set to public) is visible to other users and may be indexed by search engines. With Your Consent: We may share your information with third parties when you explicitly consent to such sharing. Service Providers: We work with trusted third-party service providers who help us operate our platform, including hosting services, email delivery, analytics providers, and customer support tools. These providers have access to your information only to perform specific tasks on our behalf. Educational Institutions: If you're verified as a student or faculty member, we may share limited information with your educational institution for verification purposes or institutional analytics (with appropriate consent). Legal Requirements: We may disclose your information if required by law, in response to legal processes, to protect our rights or property, or to ensure the safety of our users. Business Transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred to the acquiring entity. We do not sell your personal information to third parties for marketing purposes.

We implement robust security measures to protect your information: Encryption: We use industry-standard SSL/TLS encryption to protect data transmitted between your device and our servers. Passwords are encrypted using secure hashing algorithms. Access Controls: We restrict access to personal information to employees and contractors who need it to perform their jobs. All personnel with access to user data are bound by confidentiality agreements. Security Monitoring: We continuously monitor our systems for potential security threats and vulnerabilities, conduct regular security audits, and maintain incident response procedures. Data Storage: Your information is stored on secure servers with regular backups. We implement physical, electronic, and procedural safeguards. While we strive to protect your information, no security system is impenetrable. We cannot guarantee absolute security, but we are committed to promptly addressing any security incidents that may occur.

You have the following rights regarding your personal information: Access: You can request access to the personal information we hold about you at any time through your account settings or by contacting us. Correction: You can update or correct your personal information directly in your account settings. If you need assistance, please contact us. Deletion: You have the right to request deletion of your account and associated personal information. Some information may be retained for legal or legitimate business purposes. Data Portability: You can request a copy of your personal information in a structured, machine-readable format. Opt-Out: You can opt out of marketing communications at any time by using the unsubscribe link in emails or updating your notification preferences. Cookie Management: You can control cookie preferences through your browser settings, though some features may not function properly if cookies are disabled. Privacy Settings: You can control the visibility of your profile and posts through your privacy settings. To exercise these rights, please contact us at privacy@collegeforum.edu or use the privacy controls in your account settings.

College Forum is designed for college students and adults. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 years of age. If you are under 18: You may use College Forum only with the consent and supervision of a parent or guardian. We encourage parents and guardians to monitor their children's online activities. Verification: If we learn that we have collected personal information from a child under 13, we will promptly delete that information. If you believe a child under 13 has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately at privacy@collegeforum.edu.

We retain your information for as long as necessary to provide our services and fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy: Active Accounts: We retain your information while your account is active and for a reasonable period afterward to comply with legal obligations. Deleted Accounts: When you delete your account, we remove or anonymize your personal information within 90 days, except where retention is required by law. Public Posts: Content you've posted publicly may remain visible in aggregated or anonymized form for statistical purposes. Legal Requirements: We may retain certain information longer when required for legal, security, or fraud prevention purposes. You can request early deletion of your data by contacting us at privacy@collegeforum.edu.