Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy applies to The Physics Tutor website, learning management system ("LMS"), authentication flows, account and profile features, educational content and services, and other services operated through thephysicstutor.org (collectively, the "Services").

The Services may be used directly by individuals or through a school, district, tutoring program, training organization, instructor, team, client, or other organization ("Organization"). When an Organization provides or manages access, that Organization may independently determine why certain educational information is collected and how its users are authorized to use the Services.

In those circumstances, The Physics Tutor may process information on behalf of the Organization as necessary to provide the Services, while the Organization remains responsible for its own legal obligations, notices, permissions, and decisions about information it directs users to provide.

Account and profile information

We may collect name, display name, email address, internal account identifiers, authentication-provider identifiers, profile picture, account status, role information, and information used to associate an account with an Organization, course, workspace, program, or purchased service.

Learning and educational information

Depending on how the Services are used, we may process course or program enrollment, assignments, quiz and test responses, submissions, grades, scores, teacher or instructor feedback, grading records, progress information, participation records, learning history, generated practice activity, and other educational records created through the platform.

Communications and user-created content

We may process messages, announcements, comments, discussion content, feedback, support requests, uploaded files, profile content, and other information users intentionally create, upload, transmit, or submit through the Services.

Organization and access information

We may process organization membership, roles, course or program access, invitations, join codes, service entitlements, workspace participation, and similar information needed to determine what features and records a user is authorized to access.

Technical, device, and security information

We may automatically receive or generate browser and device information, IP address, session information, authentication events, timestamps, request and error information, security and audit logs, and diagnostic or performance information needed to operate, troubleshoot, secure, and improve the Services.

Transaction and customer-service information

If a user or Organization purchases products or services, we may process order, quote, invoice, entitlement, customer-support, and transaction-related information. Payment-card information, when applicable, may be handled directly by a payment provider rather than stored by The Physics Tutor.

• Authenticate users and maintain secure accounts and sessions.
• Create, maintain, and display user profiles.
• Determine roles, permissions, memberships, and authorized access.
• Provide courses, programs, specialized services, assessments, grading, files, resources, and progress information.
• Process submissions, responses, feedback, grades, and learning history.
• Enable messages, announcements, support, and other authorized communication.
• Provision purchased or Organization-authorized services and entitlements.
• Maintain security, auditability, reliability, fraud prevention, and operational records.
• Investigate errors, abuse, account compromise, or violations of our terms.
• Improve accessibility, usability, performance, and service quality.
• Comply with legal obligations and enforce applicable agreements.

We do not sell personal information. Information may be disclosed only as reasonably necessary to provide, support, secure, or administer the Services or as otherwise described in this policy.

Authorized users and Organizations

Information may be visible to administrators, instructors, learners, graders, participants, or other authorized users when that visibility is necessary for their role, course, program, service, or communication context.

Service providers

Vendors that provide hosting, authentication, database, file storage, networking, email or communications, monitoring, security, deployment, analytics, or other infrastructure may process information on our behalf. We expect service providers to handle information only for legitimate service purposes and subject to their applicable contractual and legal obligations.

Legal, safety, and security reasons

We may preserve or disclose information when reasonably necessary to comply with law or legal process, protect the rights or safety of users or others, investigate suspected fraud or abuse, respond to an emergency, or protect the integrity and security of the Services.

Business transfers

If all or part of The Physics Tutor is reorganized, acquired, financed, merged, or transferred, information may be transferred as part of that transaction subject to applicable law and appropriate confidentiality and privacy protections.

The LMS is designed to process educational records and user-authored work. Access is intended to follow the user's role, Organization, course, program, workspace, and service authorization.

When an Organization provides access, it may be responsible for determining the educational purpose for collecting information and for obtaining any notices, permissions, parental consents, or other authorizations required for its users.

The Physics Tutor does not use student-authored submissions, grades, assessment responses, or educational records to create advertising profiles or to sell targeted advertising.

Teachers, instructors, administrators, and other authorized personnel may review educational information as permitted by their role. Platform functionality may also preserve submission, grading, moderation, and audit history so that original user-authored records and later administrative actions remain distinguishable.

The Services may use cookies, browser storage, or similar technologies that are necessary for authentication, session continuity, security, saved preferences, navigation state, and other platform functionality.

We may also use operational analytics, error monitoring, and performance information to understand whether the Services are functioning correctly and to improve reliability and usability. If we introduce optional analytics or other technologies that require additional notice or consent, we will provide that notice or choice as required.

We retain information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this policy, including providing the Services, maintaining academic and account records, preserving security and audit history, meeting contractual commitments, resolving disputes, enforcing agreements, and complying with law.

Retention periods vary depending on the type of information, the user's role, the applicable service or program, legitimate security needs, and instructions or requirements associated with an Organization-managed account.

When information is no longer reasonably needed, we may delete, de-identify, aggregate, or securely archive it as appropriate, subject to legal, contractual, backup, and technical constraints.

We use administrative, technical, and organizational safeguards intended to protect information from unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, misuse, or destruction. Depending on the context, safeguards may include authenticated access, role- and Organization-based authorization, database access controls, secure transport, protected file storage, logging, audit records, and separation of user and administrative actions.

No internet-connected system can guarantee absolute security. Users are responsible for protecting passwords and devices, signing out of shared devices, and notifying us promptly if they believe an account has been compromised.

Depending on the account and applicable law, users may be able to review or update profile information, replace or remove a profile picture, change available authentication methods, or request access to, correction of, or deletion of certain personal information.

To make a privacy request, email carl@thephysicstutor.org. We may need to verify the requester's identity before acting on a request.

For Organization-managed accounts, some educational records may be controlled by the Organization. We may direct the user to the appropriate Organization or coordinate with it where necessary. Certain information may also be retained when reasonably required for academic integrity, security, contractual obligations, dispute resolution, or law.

Google account connection

Users who signed in with Google may revoke the application's authorization through their Google Account. Revocation affects future Google authentication but does not, by itself, constitute a request to delete the platform account or its records.

The Services may be used in educational environments that include users under 18. Where required, accounts for younger users should be created, directed, or authorized by a parent, guardian, educational institution, instructor, or other party with lawful authority to do so.

The Physics Tutor does not knowingly invite a child to bypass a required parent, guardian, or Organization authorization. If you believe information from a child has been provided without appropriate authorization, contact us so we can review the circumstances and take appropriate action.

The Services rely on third-party infrastructure for functions such as authentication, database hosting, file storage, deployment, networking, security, communications, and performance monitoring. Those providers may process information in locations different from the user's location.

The Services may also link to independent websites, simulations, tools, or educational resources. Information a user provides directly to an independent third party is governed by that third party's privacy practices, not this policy.

We may update this Privacy Policy when the Services, legal requirements, third-party integrations, or our information practices change. The current version will be posted here with a revised effective or last-updated date.

When a change is material, we may provide additional notice through the website, LMS, email, or an Organization as appropriate. Our use of Google user data will remain limited to practices disclosed in the current published Privacy Policy and applicable Google requirements.