Privacy Policy

1. Information We Collect

We collect information you provide directly when you create an account, enroll in a course, or contact us:

• Account Information — Name, email address, and password when you register on the Education Portal
• Profile Data — Avatar, bio, and learning preferences you add to your profile
• Usage Data — Course enrollments, lesson progress, quiz scores, and badge achievements
• Event Registrations — Name, email, and phone number when you register for outreach programmes or workshops
• Communications — Messages you send via our contact form or email
• Technical Data — IP address, browser type, device information, and cookies (see Section 3)

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Create and manage your Education Portal account
• Track your learning progress, quiz scores, XP points, and badges
• Send account verification and password reset emails
• Process event and workshop registrations
• Respond to your enquiries and support requests
• Send newsletters and updates — only if you have opted in
• Improve our website and educational content through analytics
• Comply with legal obligations

We do not use your data for automated decision-making or profiling that produces legal effects.

3. Cookies

We use cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience on our website. These include:

• Essential Cookies — Required for the Education Portal login session to function
• Analytics Cookies — Google Analytics (GA4) to understand how visitors use our site. This data is aggregated and anonymous
• Advertising Cookies — Google AdSense, used to display relevant ads. These are managed by Google

You can disable cookies in your browser settings at any time. Note that disabling essential cookies will affect your ability to stay logged in to the Education Portal.

4. Data Sharing

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal data to third parties. We only share data with:

• Hosting Provider — Hostinger, who stores our website data under their own privacy policy
• Analytics — Google Analytics for anonymised website usage data
• Email Services — Used to send transactional emails (verification, password reset)
• Legal Compliance — If required by law or legal process

5. Data Storage & Security

Your data is stored on secure servers hosted in India via Hostinger. We implement the following measures to protect your data:

• Passwords are hashed using bcrypt — we never store plain-text passwords
• All data transmission is encrypted via HTTPS/SSL
• Access to the database is restricted to authorised personnel only
• Login sessions are protected with HTTP-only, secure cookies

We retain your account data for as long as your account remains active. You may request deletion at any time.

6. Your Rights

You have the right to:

• Access the personal data we hold about you
• Request correction of inaccurate data
• Request deletion of your account and associated data
• Withdraw consent for marketing communications at any time
• Lodge a complaint with a data protection authority

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at connect@astrophiles.in.

7. Children's Privacy

Our Education Portal is open to learners of all ages. However, users under the age of 13 should have parental consent before creating an account. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 13 without parental consent. If you believe we have collected such data, please contact us immediately.

8. Contact Us

For any questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your data, please contact:

• Email: connect@astrophiles.in
• WhatsApp: +91 99679 92307
• Location: India

We aim to respond to all privacy-related queries within 5 business days.