BookCertification.com ("we", "our", "us") operates the BookCertification application ("Service"). This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your personal information when you use our Service. By using BookCertification, you consent to the practices described herein.

1. Information We Collect

We collect information you provide directly when creating an account and using the Service:

• Account information: email address, password (stored as a secure hash), and display name
• Profile information: first name, last name, occupation, nationality, year of birth, and gender (provided during onboarding; optional fields may be left blank)
• Assessment data: quiz responses, scores, completion timestamps, and certificate records
• Payment information: transaction records processed through our payment provider (Stripe). We do not store your credit card details directly
• Usage data: app interactions, search queries, and feature usage for analytics purposes

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Provide, maintain, and improve the Service
• Create and manage your user account
• Generate personalized certification exams using AI
• Issue and verify digital certificates bearing your name and profile details
• Process payments for certificate credits
• Analyze usage patterns to improve the quality of our assessments and user experience
• Communicate with you regarding your account and Service updates

3. Data Storage and Security

Your data is stored on secure servers using PostgreSQL databases with encrypted connections. Passwords are hashed using industry-standard algorithms and are never stored in plain text. We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal data against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction.

4. Third-Party Services

We use the following third-party services that may process your data:

• OpenAI: for generating assessment questions. Book titles and subjects are sent to OpenAI's API; no personal data is included in these requests
• Stripe: for processing payments. Stripe's own privacy policy governs the handling of payment data
• Open Library and Google Books: for book metadata and cover images. No personal data is shared with these services

5. Certificates and Public Information

When you earn a certificate, the following information may appear on the certificate: your first name, last name, occupation, nationality, and the date of certification. Certificates may be shared by you at your discretion. Certificate verification links allow third parties to confirm the authenticity of a certificate, displaying only the certificate holder's name, the book title, the score achieved, and the date of certification.

6. Data Retention

We retain your personal data for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide you with the Service. Assessment records and certificates are retained indefinitely to ensure ongoing verifiability. If you delete your account, your personal profile data will be removed, but anonymized assessment analytics may be retained.

7. Your Rights (GDPR)

Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), you have the right to:

• Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
• Rectification: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data
• Erasure: Request deletion of your personal data, subject to legal retention requirements
• Restriction: Request that we limit the processing of your data
• Portability: Request your data in a structured, machine-readable format
• Objection: Object to the processing of your data for certain purposes

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at the address below.

8. Children's Privacy

The Service is not intended for children under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 16. If you believe we have collected such data, please contact us and we will take steps to delete it.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes will be reflected within the application with an updated "Last updated" date. Continued use of the Service after changes constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.

10. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your data rights, please contact us at: privacy@bookcertification.com