Privacy Policy

GradSlides Pro ("we," "us," or "our") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard information when you use our graduation slideshow platform (the "Service"). This policy applies to information collected from our educational institution clients ("Clients") and the data provided by their students and graduates ("End-Users").

Please note: This is a template and not legal advice. You should consult with a legal professional to ensure your policies are compliant with all applicable laws and regulations.

1. Information We Collect

We collect information in the following ways:

• Information from Clients: When an educational institution signs up for our Service, we collect administrative contact information, such as names, email addresses, job titles, and phone numbers. We also collect institutional information and payment details for billing purposes.
• Information from End-Users (on behalf of our Clients): To create the graduation slideshows, our platform collects personal information from students or graduates, which may include their full name, school, major or department, a personal photograph, and a written message. This information is collected solely for the purpose of providing the Service to our Client.
• Automatically Collected Information: When you access our Service website, we may automatically collect standard information such as your IP address, browser type, operating system, and usage data through cookies and similar technologies for analytics and service functionality.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

• To provide, operate, and maintain our Service.
• To create and deliver the professional graduation slideshow as requested by our Client.
• To communicate with our Clients regarding their account, support requests, and service updates.
• To process transactions and manage billing.
• To improve our Service, diagnose technical problems, and enhance security.
• To comply with legal obligations and enforce our terms.

3. Data Sharing and Disclosure

We do not sell personal information to third parties. We may share information under the following limited circumstances:

• With Our Clients: All End-User information collected is accessible to the respective Client (the educational institution) for whom it was collected.
• Service Providers: We may share information with third-party vendors who perform services on our behalf, such as cloud hosting (e.g., AWS), payment processing, and email delivery. These providers are contractually obligated to safeguard the data and use it only for the services they provide to us.
• Legal Requirements: We may disclose information if required to do so by law or in the good faith belief that such action is necessary to comply with a legal obligation, protect our rights, or prevent fraud.

4. Student Data and FERPA Compliance

We understand the importance of protecting student privacy. Our collection and use of student data are governed by our agreement with our educational institution Clients. We act as a "School Official" under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), with a "legitimate educational interest" to receive and process student data solely for the purpose of providing the contracted Service. We will not use student data for any other purpose.

5. Data Security and Retention

We implement reasonable administrative, technical, and physical security measures to protect the information we collect from loss, theft, and unauthorized access. However, no security system is impenetrable. We retain End-User data for the duration necessary to provide the Service and will securely delete it within 90 days following the conclusion of the service term with our Client, unless otherwise required by law.

6. Your Data Rights

If you are an End-User (student or graduate) and wish to access, correct, or delete your personal information, please direct your request to your educational institution. As we process your data on their behalf, they are the data controller responsible for managing such requests.

7. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new policy on this page and updating the "Effective Date" at the top. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

8. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us at [email protected].