Introduction
Welcome to English Bondhu! This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your information when you use our mobile application and related services (collectively, the "Service"). We are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring you have a positive experience on our platform. By using our Service, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy.
Information We Collect
We collect information to provide and improve our Service. The types of personal information we may collect are listed below.
Information You Provide to Us
- Account Information: When you register, we collect personal details such as your name, email address, and password. If you sign up using Google, we also receive your profile picture and Google account ID.
- Onboarding Information: To personalize your experience, we ask for additional details during onboarding, including your gender, phone number, learning goals, and plans for studying abroad.
- Ambassador Program Information: If you apply to our Campus Ambassador Program, we collect your full name, phone number, institution name, and Facebook profile URL.
- User Content: We collect information you provide when you use interactive features. This includes text messages sent during chat sessions and reports you submit against other users, which may include a reason and an optional screenshot of the interaction.
Information We Collect Automatically
- Usage and Log Information: We log activity data, such as your last login time, to maintain and improve our service. We also use analytics tools like Google Tag Manager to understand how you interact with our app, such as feature usage and session duration.
- Device and Technical Information: We collect information from your device, including your IP address, browser type, and operating system, to ensure compatibility and for security purposes.
- Camera and Microphone Access: The core feature of our Service is video and audio chat. To provide this, we require access to your device's camera and microphone. Your audio and video streams are transmitted peer-to-peer during calls and are not stored on our servers.
How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect for the following purposes:
- To Provide and Maintain the Service: To create and manage your account, connect you with other learners for practice sessions, and enable features like video/audio calls and chat.
- To Process Transactions: To manage your subscriptions and process payments through our secure third-party payment gateway (bKash).
- For Safety and Security: To investigate and act on user reports, prevent fraudulent activity, and enforce our terms of service.
- To Communicate With You: To send you service-related notifications, such as email verification messages and updates about your account.
- To Improve Our App: To analyze usage trends and feedback to enhance the user experience and develop new features.
How We Share Your Information
We do not sell your personal data. We may share your information only in the following circumstances:
- With Other Users: During a call, we only share your name with your conversation partner. Your email and other personal details are kept private.
- With Service Providers: We use third-party companies to perform services on our behalf, such as cloud hosting (Vercel), database management (Neon DB), caching (Upstash Redis), payment processing (bKash), and email delivery (Resend). These providers only have access to the information necessary to perform their functions.
- For Legal Reasons: We may disclose your information if required by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities.
Data Security
We implement a variety of security measures to maintain the safety of your personal information. Data is transmitted over encrypted (HTTPS) connections. We rely on trusted third-party services for data storage and payment processing, which maintain industry-standard security protocols.
Data Retention
We retain your personal data only for as long as is necessary to provide you with our Service and for legitimate and essential business purposes, such as maintaining the performance of the app, making data-driven business decisions, and complying with our legal obligations. Your account information is kept as long as your account is active.
Your Rights and Choices
You have the right to access, update, or request deletion of your personal information. You can manage your account information from within the app or by contacting us.
Account Deletion: You can request complete deletion of your account and all associated data by visiting our Account Deletion Page. This process is irreversible and will permanently remove all your personal information within 30 days.
Children's Privacy
Our Service is not intended for use by children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personally identifiable information from children under 13. If we become aware that we have collected such information, we will take steps to delete it.
Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update our Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the "Effective Date" at the top. You are advised to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes.