Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Welcome to Cogniax AI, a school virtual learning platform designed to connect students, teachers, parents, and administrators in a secure and collaborative digital environment. At Cogniax AI, we are deeply committed to protecting the privacy and safety of every individual who uses our platform — especially minors.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and safeguard your personal information when you access or use our platform. By using Cogniax AI, you agree to the practices described in this policy.

2. Who We Are

Cogniax AI operates as a school-focused virtual platform providing tools for online learning, classroom management, student progress tracking, parent communication, and administrative operations. We serve:

• Students (including minors under the age of 18)
• Teachers and educational staff
• School administrators
• Parents and legal guardians

As a platform that processes data relating to children, we comply with applicable child data protection laws including COPPA (Children's Online Privacy Protection Act), FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act), GDPR (where applicable), and relevant local education data protection laws.

3. Information We Collect

3.1 Information Provided Directly

When registering and using Cogniax AI, users or their schools/guardians may provide:

• Full name, age, grade level, and date of birth
• Email address and contact details
• School name, class, and academic information
• Username, password, and account credentials
• Profile photos (optional, subject to school policy)
• Messages, assignments, and submitted academic content
• Parent or guardian contact information

3.2 Information Collected Automatically

When you use our platform, we automatically collect:

• Device type, operating system, and browser information
• IP address and approximate location (country/region level only)
• Login times, session duration, and activity logs
• Pages visited, features used, and click interactions
• Crash reports and performance data

3.3 Information from Schools and Institutions

Schools that use Cogniax AI may provide us with educational records such as student enrollment data, class assignments, and grades, acting as data controllers in accordance with FERPA and similar regulations.

4. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

• Providing, maintaining, and improving the Cogniax AI platform
• Enabling virtual classroom interactions, assignments, and assessments
• Communicating with students, teachers, administrators, and parents
• Tracking student academic progress and generating reports
• Sending notifications related to academic activities and platform updates
• Ensuring the safety and security of users, particularly students
• Complying with legal obligations and responding to lawful requests
• Conducting internal research to improve educational outcomes (using anonymised data only)

We do NOT use student data for advertising purposes, and we do NOT sell any personal information to third parties.

5. Children's Privacy

Cogniax AI takes the protection of children's data extremely seriously. If a user is under the age of 13 (or applicable age of digital consent in their jurisdiction), their account must be created and consented to by a parent, legal guardian, or the school on their behalf.

Specifically, we:

• Do not knowingly collect personal information directly from children under 13 without verifiable parental or school consent
• Allow schools to manage student accounts under FERPA as the authorising institution
• Do not expose student profiles to other users outside their class or school
• Provide parents and guardians with the right to review, update, or delete their child's data upon request
• Do not enable direct messaging between students and unknown adults on our platform

If you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a child without proper consent, please contact us immediately at privacy@cogniax.ai.

6. Sharing of Information

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We may share data only in the following limited circumstances:

6.1 With Schools and Institutions

Schools that have enrolled in Cogniax AI receive access to student and teacher data relevant to their institution, in accordance with their data processing agreement with us.

6.2 With Service Providers

We engage trusted third-party vendors who assist us in operating the platform (e.g., cloud hosting, communication services). These vendors are contractually obligated to use data only for the services they provide to us.

6.3 Legal Compliance

We may disclose information if required to do so by law, court order, or governmental authority, or where we believe such disclosure is necessary to protect the safety of users or others.

6.4 Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, user data may be transferred as part of that transaction. Users will be notified in advance and given the opportunity to object.

7. Data Retention

We retain personal information for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes outlined in this policy, or as required by law. Specifically:

• Student academic records are retained for the duration of school enrolment plus a period as directed by the institution
• Account data is deleted upon request or within 90 days of account closure
• Activity logs are retained for up to 12 months for security and audit purposes
• Anonymised, aggregated data may be retained indefinitely for research and platform improvement

8. Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your personal information, including:

• End-to-end encryption for sensitive data in transit (TLS/SSL)
• Encryption of data at rest using AES-256
• Role-based access controls limiting data access to authorised personnel only
• Regular security audits, penetration testing, and vulnerability assessments
• Multi-factor authentication options for staff and administrators
• Secure data centres with physical and logical access restrictions

While we take extensive precautions, no method of data transmission or storage is 100% secure. We encourage users to use strong passwords and report any suspicious activity.

9. Your Rights and Choices

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights regarding your personal data:

• Right to Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
• Right to Rectification: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data
• Right to Erasure: Request deletion of your personal data ('right to be forgotten')
• Right to Restriction: Request that we limit how we use your data
• Right to Data Portability: Receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format
• Right to Object: Object to certain types of data processing
• Right to Withdraw Consent: Where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw it at any time

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at privacy@cogniax.ai. We will respond within 30 days of receiving your request. Schools and parents may exercise these rights on behalf of enrolled students.

10. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Cogniax AI uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your experience on our platform. These include:

• Essential cookies: Required for the platform to function (login sessions, security)
• Functional cookies: Remember your preferences and settings
• Analytics cookies: Help us understand how users navigate and use the platform (anonymised)

We do NOT use advertising cookies or third-party tracking pixels. You can manage cookie preferences via your browser settings, though disabling essential cookies may limit platform functionality.

11. Third-Party Links and Integrations

Our platform may include links to third-party educational tools, resources, or services. These third parties have their own privacy policies, and we are not responsible for their data practices. We recommend reviewing the privacy policies of any third-party tools used within or linked from Cogniax AI.

12. International Data Transfers

If your data is transferred across international borders, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, such as Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) or equivalent mechanisms as required by applicable law. We will always inform you if your data is processed outside your country of residence.

13. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or platform features. We will notify users of material changes by:

• Sending an email notification to registered users
• Displaying a prominent notice on the platform
• Updating the 'Effective Date' at the top of this document

Continued use of the platform after changes become effective constitutes your acceptance of the revised policy.

14. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact our Privacy Team: