Privacy Policy

Information we collect

Accounts in the Portal are created by Connect Me administrators, not through public signup. Depending on your role, we collect:

• Account and profile details: name, email address, phone number, role (student, tutor, or admin), time zone, languages spoken, subjects of interest, and availability.
• Student details: age or date of birth, grade, gender, and student number.
• Parent or guardian contact details: name, email address, and phone number, entered for each student.
• Tutoring records: pairings between students and tutors, scheduled and completed sessions, session summaries and feedback forms, hours logged, and reschedule or cancellation requests.
• Messages and files: in-app chat messages and attachments between users.
• Session attendance: when participants join and leave our Zoom sessions, including the name and email shown in Zoom.
• Usage and device information: pages visited, features used, errors, browser and device type, and IP address, collected through cookies and analytics tools.

We only collect information you or your parent or guardian provide to us, that is generated by using the Portal, or that is collected automatically as described above. If you choose not to provide required information, we may be unable to create or keep your account.

Why we collect information

• To create and manage accounts and to match students with tutors.
• To schedule, run, and keep records of tutoring sessions.
• To send reminders, check-ins, and notices about sessions, pairings, and your account, including to parents and guardians.
• To let students, tutors, and administrators communicate through the Portal.
• To keep students safe, support our volunteers, and respond to concerns or reports.
• To understand how the Portal is used, fix problems, and improve our services.
• To report on our programs, for example hours of tutoring delivered, in aggregate.

How we share information

Connect Me does not sell, rent, or lease personal information to anyone. Within the Portal, information is visible only to people who need it: a student’s paired tutor can see the details needed to run their sessions, and Connect Me administrators can see records needed to operate the program.

We use service providers who process information on our behalf, only to run the Portal:

• Supabase (database, sign-in, and file storage)
• Vercel (hosting)
• PostHog (product analytics and error logging)
• Zoom (video sessions and attendance events)
• Resend (email delivery)
• Google Gemini (an AI lesson-planning assistant available to tutors only; students do not use it)

We may also disclose information:

• as required by law, or in response to a subpoena or search warrant;
• to outside auditors who have agreed to keep it confidential;
• as necessary to enforce our terms or to protect the rights, safety, and property of Connect Me, our users, or others;
• in the aggregate with other information so that no individual can reasonably be identified; and
• in other ways described in this Policy or to which you have consented.

If we ever use personal information in a way that is materially different from what we told you when we collected it, we will notify you by email first and give you the choice whether to allow it.

Children under 13

Some Connect Me students are under 13. We do not create an account for, or collect personal information from, a child under 13 without verifiable permission from their parent or guardian, following the standards of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).

How this works:

• When a Connect Me administrator signs up a student under 13, we email the parent or guardian a link to review what we collect and to approve or decline.
• No account is created for the child until the parent or guardian approves. If they decline, or do not respond within 7 days, no account is created and the information entered about the child is deleted.
• We record when permission was given and which version of this Policy was shown.

We use a child’s information only to provide tutoring and run the program, as described in this Policy. We do not require a child to provide more information than is reasonably necessary to take part, and we do not use a child’s information for advertising.

Parents and guardians can at any time ask to review the personal information we hold about their child, ask us to correct or delete it, and refuse further collection or use of it. To do so, contact us using the details below. If information about a child under 13 was collected without parental permission, we will delete it promptly.

How long we keep information

We keep account and tutoring records while you take part in Connect Me, and afterward only as long as needed for program records (for example, verifying volunteer hours) and to meet legal obligations. You can ask us to delete your or your child’s information at any time; some records may be kept where the law requires or where needed to resolve a dispute or protect safety.

Your choices

• Ask to see, correct, or delete your information (parents and guardians can do this for their child).
• Opt out of non-essential email by writing to us. We will still send messages about sessions, security, and your account.
• Control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling them may stop parts of the Portal from working.

Non-marketing messages

We may contact you for non-marketing purposes such as session reminders, check-ins, bug or security alerts, account issues, and changes to the Portal or this Policy.

Cookies and analytics

The Portal uses cookies and similar technologies. Session cookies keep you signed in. Analytics tools (PostHog) record pages viewed, features used, and errors so we can understand how the Portal is used and fix problems. Analytics are not linked to your name, but error reports may include your account email so we can investigate. We do not use analytics for advertising. You can remove or block cookies in your browser settings.

Security

We take reasonable precautions to protect information: data is transmitted over HTTPS, stored with access controls so users can see only the records they are permitted to, and available to Connect Me administrators and volunteers only as needed for their role. No system is perfectly secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security. If you believe your account has been compromised, contact us immediately.

Users outside the United States

Connect Me operates primarily in the United States. If you use the Portal from outside the United States, your information will be transferred to and stored in the United States. By providing information, you consent to this transfer.

Links to other websites

The Portal may link to other websites, such as Zoom or external forms. We are not responsible for their privacy practices, so please read their policies.

Changes to this Policy

We may update this Policy. Material changes take effect when posted, and the “Last modified” date above will change. If a change affects how we handle children’s information, we will seek parental permission again where the law requires it. Your continued use of the Portal after a change means you accept it.

Contact us

Questions, or requests to review, correct, or delete information? Contact us:

• Email: info@connectmego.org
• Telephone: 1-248-916-4100
• Or use our contact page.