Privacy Policy

HelloClass provides real-time transcription and translation of classroom instruction, enabling students to follow lessons in their preferred language. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, share, and protect your information when you use our service.

1. Information We Collect

Information You Provide

• Account Information (Teachers): When teachers create an account or log in, we collect authentication credentials (username and password, or email address if using third-party authentication).
• Display Names: Both teachers and students choose display names to identify themselves in classroom sessions. We recommend using first names or aliases rather than full legal names.
• Language Preferences: Students select their preferred language for receiving translations.
• Classroom Content: When teachers speak or type messages during a session, that content is processed through our service for translation purposes.

Information Collected Automatically

• Technical Information: We collect IP addresses, browser types, device information, and timestamps to operate the service and diagnose technical issues.
• Usage Data: We log session information including room IDs, connection times, participant counts, and basic activity metrics.
• Cookies: We use session cookies for teacher authentication and optional "remember me" cookies to keep teachers logged in. We do not use tracking or advertising cookies.

Audio and Speech Recognition

Teachers may choose to use speech-to-text functionality. When enabled:

• Audio is accessed through your web browser with your permission.
• Your browser may send audio to its speech recognition service (e.g., Google Chrome's Web Speech API), which is governed by your browser provider's privacy policy, not ours.
• We do not store or record audio on our servers. Only the recognized text is transmitted to our service.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Provide Core Services: Process and translate classroom content in real-time, connect teachers and students in virtual rooms, and deliver translations to participants.
• Maintain and Improve: Monitor service performance, diagnose and fix technical issues, analyze usage patterns to improve functionality, and develop new features.
• Ensure Security: Authenticate users, prevent unauthorized access, detect and prevent abuse or fraudulent activity.
• Communication: Send service-related notifications and respond to support requests.

3. How We Share Your Information

Within Classroom Sessions

During active sessions, information is shared as follows:

• All participants in a room can see the teacher's original text and translations.
• Teachers can see the names and language preferences of connected students.
• Anyone with a room code can join that session while it's active.

Third-Party Service Providers

• Translation Services: Recognized text is sent to third-party translation providers (Google Translate, Microsoft Azure Translator) to generate translations. These providers process content according to their own privacy policies.
• Hosting Services: We use cloud hosting providers (such as Render) to operate our servers. These providers may have access to server logs and technical data.
• Authentication Services (Optional): If you use third-party login options, authentication is processed through those services (e.g., Supabase).

We Do Not Sell Your Data

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for marketing purposes. We do not share your data with advertising networks or data brokers.

Legal Requirements

We may disclose information if required by law, legal process, court order, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of HelloClass, our users, or others.

4. Data Storage and Retention

Ephemeral Session Data

HelloClass is designed for privacy-first, ephemeral classroom sessions:

• No Transcript Storage: We do not persistently store classroom messages, translations, or transcripts. Session content exists only in server memory during active sessions.
• Automatic Deletion: When a room closes or becomes inactive (typically 10 minutes), all messages and participant lists are immediately cleared from memory.
• No Conversation History: Students joining a session see only recent messages, not full conversation history.

Operational Logs

• Server logs containing technical information (IP addresses, timestamps, error messages) may be retained for up to 30 days for debugging and security purposes.
• Logs may include brief snippets of content for diagnostic purposes but are not used to reconstruct full transcripts.
• Hosting provider access logs may be retained according to their data retention policies.

Account Data

Teacher account credentials and preferences are retained until the teacher deletes their account or we close inactive accounts.

5. Data Security

We implement security measures to protect your information:

• Encryption: All data is transmitted over encrypted connections (HTTPS for web pages, WSS for WebSocket communications).
• Access Controls: Room access requires valid room codes. Teacher accounts are password-protected.
• No Audio Storage: We never store audio recordings on our servers. Audio processing happens in your browser.
• Limited Data Retention: By design, we minimize data storage to reduce exposure risk.

However, no internet service can guarantee complete security. Teachers and students should avoid sharing highly sensitive or personal information during sessions.

6. Your Rights and Choices

Access and Control

• Students: Students can choose display names, language preferences, and leave sessions at any time. No account or registration is required.
• Teachers: Teachers can manage account settings, create and close rooms, and log out to end sessions.
• Session Privacy: Teachers should share room codes only with intended participants. Anyone with a room code can join while the session is active.

Account Deletion

Teachers may request account deletion by contacting us. Upon deletion, account credentials and preferences are permanently removed. Note that operational logs may be retained for our standard retention period.

Cookie Management

You can manage cookies through your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect teacher login functionality but does not impact student participation.

Regional Rights

Depending on your location, you may have additional rights under privacy laws such as GDPR (Europe), CCPA (California), or other regulations. Contact us to exercise these rights.

7. Children's Privacy

HelloClass is designed for educational use and may be used by students of all ages. We take children's privacy seriously:

• Students do not create accounts or provide email addresses.
• Students choose only a display name and language preference to participate.
• We do not knowingly collect personal information from children beyond what is necessary to provide the service.
• We recommend students use first names or aliases rather than full names.

8. International Data Transfers

HelloClass operates on servers that may be located in different countries. By using our service, you understand that your information may be transferred to and processed in countries outside your own, which may have different data protection laws. We take steps to ensure appropriate safeguards are in place.

9. Third-Party Links and Services

Our service may contain links to third-party websites or integrate with third-party services (such as authentication providers or translation APIs). We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third parties. We encourage you to review their privacy policies.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this policy. Continued use of HelloClass after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

11. Recommendations for Teachers and Students

To protect privacy during HelloClass sessions:

• Use First Names: Use first names or aliases rather than full legal names.
• Avoid Sensitive Information: Do not share sensitive personal information such as addresses, phone numbers, social security numbers, or health information during sessions.
• Protect Room Codes: Teachers should share room codes only with intended participants through secure channels.
• Close Sessions: Teachers should explicitly close rooms when finished to clear all session data.
• Review Consent: Schools and teachers should ensure appropriate consent is obtained for student participation in accordance with institutional policies and applicable laws.

12. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us at:

Email: privacy@helloclass.app