Privacy Policy

Introduction

Welcome to Research Mentor, operated by Authentic Research Partners ("we," "us," or "our"). We are committed to protecting the privacy of our users, especially students and teenagers. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our AI-powered research guidance platform.

Countries and Regions We Serve

Research Mentor is available to students and researchers in the following countries and regions:

• North America: United States (all 50 states), Canada, Mexico
• Europe: United Kingdom, Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland
• Asia-Pacific: Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong

We have carefully selected these countries because they all set the age of digital consent at 13 years or have similar privacy frameworks that allow users aged 13 and older to consent to online services. We comply with all applicable laws and regulations in each jurisdiction.

Information We Collect

Information You Provide

Student Accounts:

• Name and email address
• Grade level and school information
• Research project details and submissions
• Communication with our AI mentor system
• Feedback and assessment responses

School Administrator Accounts:

• Contact information (name, email, phone)
• School affiliation and role
• Billing information (processed securely through third-party payment processors)

Parent/Guardian Information:

• Contact information for users ages 13-15 in California (for notification and consent for certain features)
• Contact information provided by parents who wish to oversee their teen's account
• Consent records where required by law

Automatically Collected Information

• Usage data (features accessed, time spent, interaction patterns)
• Device information (browser type, operating system, IP address)
• Log files and analytics data
• Cookies and similar tracking technologies

How We Use Your Information

We use collected information to:

• Provide personalized research guidance and mentoring
• Track research progress and provide assessments
• Generate feedback on student work
• Enable teachers and administrators to monitor student progress
• Improve our AI algorithms and platform features
• Ensure compliance with science fair requirements
• Communicate important updates about your account
• Provide customer support
• Maintain platform security and prevent misuse
• Comply with legal obligations

Data Sharing and Disclosure

We do NOT sell student data to third parties.

We may share information with:

• School administrators and teachers (for school-wide licenses, to monitor research progress)
• Parents/guardians (upon request or as required for minors)
• Service providers (cloud hosting, analytics, payment processing - all under strict confidentiality agreements)
• Legal authorities (when required by law or to protect safety)

We will NOT share with:

• Advertisers or marketing companies
• Data brokers
• Any party for commercial purposes unrelated to educational services

Student Data Protection

Age Requirements and Parental Involvement

Minimum Age: Users must be at least 13 years old to use Research Mentor. We do not knowingly collect information from children under 13.

Parental Rights for Users Ages 13-17:

• California users ages 13-15: We notify parents or guardians and obtain consent for certain features (public profiles, named publications)
• European users ages 13+: All European countries we serve have set the age of digital consent at 13 under GDPR Article 8. Parental consent is not legally required, but we encourage parental involvement
• Other countries: While not legally required, parents and guardians may request access to their teen's information and have the right to request deletion

FERPA Compliance (School Use)

For school-wide licenses, we act as a "school official" under FERPA and:

• Use student data only for legitimate educational purposes
• Maintain appropriate security safeguards
• Do not re-disclose personally identifiable information
• Comply with school data retention and deletion policies

Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures including:

• Encryption of data in transit and at rest
• Regular security audits and assessments
• Access controls and authentication requirements
• Secure data centers with physical security
• Employee training on data protection

However, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security.

Data Retention

• Student research data: Retained for the duration of active use plus 3 years, or as specified by school policy
• Account information: Retained until account deletion is requested
• Usage analytics: Aggregated and anonymized data may be retained indefinitely
• Legal compliance data: Retained as required by law

Your Rights and Choices

You have the right to:

• Access your personal information
• Correct inaccurate information
• Delete your account and associated data
• Export your research projects and data
• Opt-out of certain data collection (may limit platform functionality)
• Withdraw consent (where consent was required and provided)

For users under 18: Parents and guardians may request access to, correction of, or deletion of their teen's information by contacting us at privacy@arpconnect.com

To exercise these rights, contact us at privacy@arpconnect.com

Cookies and Tracking

We use cookies and similar technologies for:

• Essential platform functionality
• Analytics and performance monitoring
• Remembering your preferences

You can control cookies through your browser settings, though some platform features may not function properly if cookies are disabled.

Third-Party Services

Our platform may integrate with:

• Cloud storage providers (for secure data hosting)
• Analytics services (to improve user experience)
• Payment processors (for subscription management)

These third parties are bound by their own privacy policies and our contractual requirements for data protection.

AI and Machine Learning

Our AI-powered mentoring system:

• Processes your research questions and submissions to provide guidance
• Uses interaction data to improve response quality
• Does NOT train on your individual data without explicit consent
• Maintains privacy through secure processing protocols

International Data Transfers

If you access our service from outside the United States, your information may be transferred to and processed in the United States. We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place for such transfers.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically. We will notify you of material changes via:

• Email notification
• Prominent notice on our platform
• Updated "Last Updated" date

Continued use after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

Children's Privacy

Research Mentor is not intended for children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we learn we have collected information from a child under 13, we will delete that information promptly and terminate the account.

If you believe a child under 13 has created an account, please contact us immediately at privacy@arpconnect.com

Privacy Rights for Teenage Users (Ages 13-19)

If you are between 13 and 19 years old, this section is for you. We recognize that teenage users deserve special privacy protections and transparency about how your data is used. We've written this section in clear language so you can understand exactly what happens with your information when you use Research Mentor.

Your Rights as a Teenage User

As a teenage user of Research Mentor, you have specific rights that protect your privacy. These rights vary depending on where you live and how old you are:

• Ages 13-15: In the countries we serve, you can create an account without parental consent (except California ages 13-15 for certain features). However, we encourage parental involvement, and parents have the right to access your information and request deletion.
• Ages 16-17: You can create an account independently. Your parents still have the right to access your information and request changes or deletion if they wish to be involved.
• Ages 18-19: You are legally an adult in most countries and have full control over your account, though some regional laws still provide enhanced protections for users under 21.

How We Collect and Use Your Data

What we collect from teenage users:

• Basic account information: Your name, email address, grade level, and school (if using a school account)
• Research project data: Your research topic, questions, hypotheses, experimental details, and any documents you upload
• AI chat conversations: Every message you send to and receive from our AI research mentor, including your questions, the AI's responses, and feedback you provide
• Progress tracking: Which milestones you've completed, when you completed them, and your assessment scores
• Usage data: When you log in, how long you use the platform, which features you access, and technical information like your device type and browser

What we do NOT collect from teenage users:

• Social security numbers or government ID numbers
• Financial information (except from parents for payment)
• Precise geolocation data beyond your general region
• Biometric data (fingerprints, face scans, etc.)
• Social media activity outside our platform
• Information from your device's camera or microphone

Your AI Research Mentor: Privacy Details

Our AI research mentor is a key feature of Research Mentor. Here's exactly how it works with your data:

What happens to your AI conversations:

• Every message you send to the AI mentor is stored in our secure database so you can review your conversation history and track your research progress
• Your conversations are processed by third-party AI providers (such as OpenAI, Anthropic, or similar services) to generate personalized guidance for your research questions
• These AI providers process your messages to generate responses but are contractually prohibited from using your conversations to train their AI models without your explicit consent
• We retain your full conversation history for the duration of your research project plus 3 years, or until you request deletion
• Your teacher or school administrator (if using a school account) can view your AI conversations to monitor your research progress and provide support

AI learning and improvement:

• We analyze aggregated, de-identified conversation data (with names and identifying details removed) to improve the AI mentor's responses and add new features
• We do NOT use your individual conversations to train AI models or share your specific questions with other users
• If we want to use your conversations for any purpose beyond providing your research guidance, we will ask for your (and your parent's, if required) explicit consent first

Deleting your AI conversation history:

You have the right to delete your AI conversation history at any time. To do this:

• Log into your account, go to Settings, and select "Delete Conversation History"
• Or email us at privacy@arpconnect.com with your request
• Note: Deleting conversations will remove your personalized research guidance history, but your research project data (like your hypothesis and experimental design) will remain unless you also request full account deletion

School Accounts vs. Individual Accounts

How your data is handled depends on whether you're using Research Mentor through your school or as an individual:

School-Licensed Accounts (when your school provides access):

• Your school is considered the primary account holder, and we act as a "school official" under FERPA (the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act)
• Your teachers and school administrators can view your research projects, AI conversations, progress, and assessments to support your learning
• Your school's privacy policies apply in addition to ours, and your school may have additional rights to control your data
• Your parents can request access to your information through your school's procedures
• When you graduate or leave the school, your school determines how long your data is retained (typically following their student record retention policies)
• We will not share your school-based research data with other schools or organizations without your school's authorization

Individual Accounts (when you or your parent signs up directly):

• You (and your parent/guardian if required by age) control your account and data
• No school personnel have access to your research projects or AI conversations unless you explicitly share them
• You can delete your account and all associated data at any time by contacting privacy@arpconnect.com
• We retain your data according to the retention periods in this policy (generally 3 years after your last activity, unless you request earlier deletion)

Parental Rights and Notifications

Depending on your age and where you live, your parents or guardians may have specific rights regarding your data:

When we notify your parents:

• California users ages 13-15: We notify parents when you create an account and obtain consent for certain features (public profiles, named publications)
• European users ages 13+: All European countries we serve have set the age of digital consent at 13 under GDPR Article 8. We do not require parental notification or consent, but we encourage parental involvement and parents can request access to your information
• Other countries ages 13+: We do not automatically notify parents when you create an account, but we encourage parental involvement and parents can request access to your information
• Safety concerns: We may notify parents if we detect concerning content in your conversations (such as references to self-harm, dangerous experiments, or requests for help with harmful activities)

What your parents can do:

• Request to view all data we have collected about you
• Request corrections to inaccurate information
• Download a copy of your research projects and data
• Request deletion of your account and all associated data
• Withdraw consent for data collection (for users under the age requiring parental consent)
• Change your privacy settings or communication preferences

Parents can exercise these rights by emailing privacy@arpconnect.com with "Parental Data Request" in the subject line.

Your Rights by Country/Region

Your privacy rights vary based on where you live. Here are the specific protections for teenage users in different regions:

United States (All States):

• COPPA (ages 13+): While COPPA primarily protects children under 13, we extend many of its protections to teenage users, including limiting data collection and providing parental access rights
• FERPA (school accounts): Your educational records are protected, and we must have legitimate educational reasons to access or share them

California (all teenage users):

• Under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA), you have enhanced rights if you are under 18:
• We will not sell or share your personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising (targeted ads based on your activity across different websites)
• You have the right to know what personal information we collect and how we use it
• You can request deletion of your personal information
• You can request a copy of your data in a portable format
• You can opt-out of certain automated decision-making that produces legal or similarly significant effects
• We must provide this privacy notice in a format that is easy for teenagers to understand (which is why we created this special section)

Virginia, Colorado, Connecticut, and Other U.S. States with Privacy Laws:

• Similar to California, you have rights to access, correct, delete, and obtain copies of your data
• We will not process your data for targeted advertising without consent
• You can opt-out of profiling (automated analysis of your behavior) that could affect your opportunities or treatment

European Union and European Economic Area (all teenage users):

• Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), all European countries we serve have set the age of digital consent at 13 years under Article 8. Users aged 13 and older can consent to our services without parental consent.
• Right to access: You can request a copy of all personal data we hold about you
• Right to rectification: You can correct inaccurate information
• Right to erasure ("right to be forgotten"): You can request deletion of your data in most circumstances
• Right to data portability: You can receive your data in a common format (like JSON or CSV) and transfer it to another service
• Right to restrict processing: You can limit how we use your data
• Right to object: You can object to certain uses of your data, including automated decision-making
• We process your data only with a valid legal basis (usually your consent, contract performance, or legitimate educational interests)
• You have the right to lodge a complaint with your country's data protection authority if you believe we have mishandled your data

United Kingdom (all teenage users):

• The UK follows GDPR protections (listed above) plus the Age Appropriate Design Code, which requires us to:
• Turn off profiling and targeted advertising by default for users under 18
• Provide high privacy settings by default
• Give you clear, age-appropriate information about privacy (like this section)
• Minimize data collection to only what is necessary
• Consider the best interests of child users when designing features and making data decisions
• Provide prominent and accessible privacy controls
• Not use "nudge techniques" to encourage you to share more data or weaken privacy protections

Canada (all teenage users):

• Under PIPEDA (Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act):
• We must obtain meaningful consent appropriate to your age and understanding
• You (or your parent/guardian) can access your personal information and request corrections
• We must clearly explain how we use your information in language you can understand
• You can withdraw consent at any time

Australia (all teenage users):

• Under the Australian Privacy Act:
• We must take reasonable steps to ensure you understand how we will use your information
• You have rights to access and correct your personal information
• We must take reasonable steps to protect your information from misuse and unauthorized access

Japan (all teenage users):

• Under the APPI (Act on the Protection of Personal Information):
• We must handle your personal information appropriately and securely
• You can request disclosure, correction, or suspension of use of your data

Other Countries:

• For teenage users in Mexico, New Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong, Switzerland, Norway, and Iceland, we apply the highest standard of privacy protections from the regions listed above
• You have at minimum the rights to access, correct, and delete your personal information

Data Minimization: Using Research Mentor with Minimal Data

We believe in collecting only the data we truly need. Here's what's required vs. optional:

Required information (you must provide this to use Research Mentor):

• Email address (for account login and important notifications)
• First name (so the AI mentor can address you personally - you can use a nickname if you prefer)
• Age or grade level (to ensure age-appropriate guidance and privacy protections)
• Research project topic and basic details (this is the core purpose of the platform)

Optional information (you can choose to skip these):

• Last name (not required for individual accounts)
• School name (only required for school-licensed accounts)
• Phone number (we never require this for teenage users)
• Profile picture or avatar
• Detailed demographic information
• Feedback surveys and research participation (you can always decline without affecting your service)

How to minimize data collection:

• Skip optional fields during account setup
• Use privacy settings to limit data collection where available
• Decline optional features like beta testing or feature surveys
• Request deletion of old conversation history you no longer need

Safety, Content Moderation, and Well-being

Your safety is our top priority. Here's how we protect teenage users:

Content moderation:

• Our AI mentor is programmed to refuse assistance with dangerous, illegal, or harmful research topics
• We use automated systems to flag concerning content, such as requests for help with dangerous experiments, weapons, illegal substances, or self-harm
• Human reviewers may examine flagged conversations to assess safety risks (we only review conversations when there is a specific safety concern)

When we detect concerning content:

• If our AI detects signs of distress, self-harm references, or dangerous plans, we may:
• Provide resources for mental health support (such as Crisis Text Line: text HOME to 741741, or National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988)
• Notify your parent/guardian and/or school administrator if the content suggests immediate safety concerns
• Contact local authorities in extreme situations where we believe there is imminent danger to you or others

Reporting mechanisms:

• If you experience harassment, inappropriate content, or any safety concerns, you can report it by:
• Clicking the "Report" button in any conversation (if you're reporting another user or AI behavior)
• Emailing safety@arpconnect.com with details of your concern
• Contacting your teacher or school administrator if you're using a school account

Mental health and well-being resources:

• If you're struggling, please reach out for help:
• Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741 (24/7 support)
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: Call or text 988 (24/7)
• International Association for Suicide Prevention: https://www.iasp.info/resources/Crisis_Centres/ (find resources in your country)
• Talk to a trusted adult, school counselor, or parent/guardian

How to Exercise Your Privacy Rights

You have control over your data. Here's how to use your privacy rights:

To access your data:

• Log into your account and go to Settings > Privacy > Download My Data
• Or email privacy@arpconnect.com with "Data Access Request" in the subject line
• We will provide a downloadable file with all your personal information, research projects, and conversation history within 30 days

To correct inaccurate information:

• Log into your account and edit your profile information directly in Settings
• For data you cannot edit yourself, email privacy@arpconnect.com with the specific corrections needed

To delete your data:

• Delete conversation history only: Settings > Privacy > Delete Conversation History
• Delete entire account: Email privacy@arpconnect.com with "Account Deletion Request" in the subject line
• We will delete your account and personal information within 30 days, except for data we must retain for legal compliance (like transaction records for tax purposes)
• Note: If you use a school account, your school's retention policies may require us to keep certain educational records for a longer period

To export your data to another service:

• Email privacy@arpconnect.com with "Data Portability Request" in the subject line
• We will provide your data in a common, machine-readable format (JSON or CSV) that you can import into other research platforms

To change your privacy settings:

• Log into your account and go to Settings > Privacy
• You can control:
• Who can see your research projects (for school accounts)
• Email notification preferences
• Data collection for platform improvements (analytics)
• Whether your de-identified data can be used for research studies

Response times:

• We aim to respond to all privacy requests within 30 days, or sooner if required by law
• Complex requests (like full data exports) may take up to 45 days, and we will notify you if we need extra time
• Urgent safety-related requests are prioritized and addressed within 24-48 hours

Changes to Teen Privacy Practices

If we make changes to how we handle teenage users' data, we will:

• Update this section with clear explanations of what changed
• Email you (and your parent/guardian if required) at least 30 days before changes take effect
• For material changes that expand data collection or sharing, we will request new consent from you and your parent/guardian (if required)
• Give you the option to delete your account if you disagree with the changes

Questions or Concerns?

If you have questions about this privacy policy or how we handle your data, we want to hear from you:

• Email us: privacy@arpconnect.com (put "Teen Privacy Question" in the subject line)
• For safety concerns: safety@arpconnect.com
• For school account issues: schools@arpconnect.com
• Mail us: Authentic Research Partners, Privacy Department, 475 Wall Street, Princeton, NJ 08540

We typically respond within:

• 24-48 hours for safety concerns
• 3-5 business days for general privacy questions
• 30 days for formal data rights requests

If you're not satisfied with our response:

• U.S. users: Contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at ftc.gov/complaint or your state's Attorney General
• EU/UK users: Lodge a complaint with your country's data protection authority (find yours at edpb.europa.eu/about-edpb/about-edpb/members_en)
• Canadian users: Contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada at priv.gc.ca
• Other countries: Contact your national privacy or data protection authority

Remember: Your privacy matters to us. If something doesn't feel right about how your data is being used, or if you have any questions, please reach out. We're here to help and to make sure you feel safe using Research Mentor.

Contact Us

For questions, concerns, or to exercise your privacy rights:

Dispute Resolution

For privacy-related complaints, we encourage you to contact us first. You may also contact relevant regulatory authorities such as the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) or your state's Attorney General.