Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

vSkul ("we," "our," or "us"), operated by McAriel Consult, is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your personal information when you use our website (vskul.com), mobile applications, and services (collectively, the "Platform").

By using vSkul, you consent to the data practices described in this policy. If you do not agree with this Privacy Policy, please do not use our Platform.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide to Us

Account Registration Information

• Full name (first and last name)
• Email address
• Phone number
• Password (encrypted)
• Profile photo (optional)
• Date of birth (for age verification)

Instructor Information

If you register as an instructor, we collect additional information:

• Professional credentials and qualifications
• Teaching experience and expertise
• Bank account information (for payments)
• Tax identification number (TIN)
• Identity verification documents (National ID, Driver's License, etc.)
• LinkedIn profile or professional references
• Sample teaching videos

Payment Information

• Payment card details (processed securely by Paystack/Flutterwave)
• Billing address
• Transaction history
• Bank account details (for instructor payouts)

Course Content and User-Generated Content

• Course materials uploaded by instructors
• Course reviews and ratings
• Forum posts and comments
• Questions and answers
• Support tickets and communications
• Chat messages in live sessions

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

Usage Information

• Pages and courses viewed
• Time spent on the Platform
• Course progress and completion rates
• Quiz and exam results
• Search queries
• Video playback data (watch time, pause points)
• Downloads and resource access

Device and Technical Information

• IP address
• Browser type and version
• Operating system
• Device type (mobile, tablet, desktop)
• Screen resolution
• Referral URLs
• Internet Service Provider

Location Information

• Approximate location based on IP address
• Precise location (if you grant permission via mobile app)

2.3 Information from Third Parties

• Social media profile information (if you connect social accounts)
• Payment processing information from Paystack/Flutterwave
• Marketing and analytics data from partners
• Fraud detection information from security services

3. How We Use Your Information

3.1 To Provide and Improve Our Services

• Create and manage your account
• Process course enrollments and payments
• Deliver course content and educational materials
• Track course progress and issue certificates
• Facilitate live streaming sessions
• Enable communication between students and instructors
• Provide customer support
• Improve Platform functionality and user experience

3.2 To Personalize Your Experience

• Recommend courses based on your interests and browsing history
• Customize homepage and search results
• Send personalized learning reminders
• Suggest relevant instructors and content

3.3 For Communication

• Send transactional emails (enrollment confirmations, receipts)
• Provide course updates and announcements
• Send promotional emails about new courses and features (with opt-out option)
• Notify you about platform changes or policy updates
• Respond to inquiries and support requests

3.4 For Security and Fraud Prevention

• Verify instructor credentials and qualifications
• Detect and prevent fraudulent transactions
• Monitor for prohibited content and Terms violations
• Protect against unauthorized access
• Investigate security incidents

3.5 For Legal and Compliance Purposes

• Comply with Nigerian laws and regulations
• Process instructor payouts and tax reporting
• Respond to legal requests and court orders
• Enforce our Terms of Service
• Protect our legal rights and interests

3.6 For Analytics and Research

• Analyze Platform usage and trends
• Conduct market research
• Measure marketing campaign effectiveness
• Generate aggregated, anonymized statistics

4. How We Share Your Information

4.1 With Instructors

When you enroll in a course, instructors can see:

• Your name and profile photo
• Course progress and completion status
• Quiz and exam scores
• Questions and comments you post
• Basic enrollment information

Instructors do NOT see your payment information, email address (unless you message them), or personal contact details.

4.2 With Other Students

In public areas of the Platform (forums, reviews, comments):

• Your name and profile photo are visible
• Your posts, reviews, and ratings are public
• Other students can see your public profile information

4.3 With Service Providers

We share information with trusted third-party service providers who help us operate the Platform:

• Payment Processors: Paystack, Flutterwave (for payment processing)
• Cloud Hosting: Namecheap, WebHostingBuzz (for data storage)
• Video Delivery: Bunny.net, Gumlet (for video streaming and storage)
• Email Services: Brevo (for transactional and marketing emails)
• Analytics: Google Analytics (for usage analytics)
• Live Streaming: Ant Media Server (for live sessions)
• Content Delivery: Bunny.net CDN (for fast content delivery)

These providers are contractually obligated to protect your data and use it only for specified purposes.

4.4 For Legal Reasons

We may disclose your information if required by law or if we believe it is necessary to:

• Comply with legal obligations or court orders
• Protect our rights, property, or safety
• Protect the rights and safety of our users
• Prevent fraud or security threats
• Investigate violations of our Terms of Service

4.5 Business Transfers

If vSkul is involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred to the acquiring entity. We will notify you before your information becomes subject to a different privacy policy.

4.6 With Your Consent

We may share your information with third parties when you explicitly consent or direct us to do so.

5. Data Storage and Security

5.1 Data Storage

• Your data is stored on secure servers in Nigeria and internationally
• Course videos and materials are stored on cloud platforms (Bunny.net, Gumlet)
• Database backups are performed regularly
• Sensitive data (passwords, payment info) is encrypted

5.2 Security Measures

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your information:

• SSL/TLS encryption for data transmission
• Encrypted password storage (bcrypt hashing)
• Secure payment processing (PCI DSS compliant processors)
• Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments
• Access controls and authentication requirements
• DRM protection for video content
• Firewall and intrusion detection systems

Important: While we take reasonable precautions, no system is 100% secure. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials.

6. Your Privacy Rights and Choices

6.1 Access and Update Your Information

You can access and update your personal information by:

• Logging into your account settings
• Editing your profile information
• Contacting our support team at privacy@vskul.com

6.2 Delete Your Account

You may request account deletion at any time. Upon deletion:

• Your personal information will be removed from active databases
• Course content you created may be retained (if purchased by students)
• Some information may be retained for legal or security purposes
• Anonymized data may be retained for analytics

To delete your account, email privacy@vskul.com or use the account deletion feature in settings.

6.3 Marketing Communications

You can opt out of marketing emails by:

• Clicking "Unsubscribe" in any marketing email
• Updating email preferences in account settings
• Contacting us at privacy@vskul.com

Note: You will still receive transactional emails (receipts, password resets, course updates) even if you opt out of marketing.

6.4 Cookie Preferences

You can manage cookie preferences through your browser settings or our cookie consent tool. See our Cookie Policy for details.

6.5 Data Portability

You may request a copy of your personal data in a machine-readable format. Contact privacy@vskul.com to request your data export.

6.6 Rights Under Nigerian Law

Under the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR), you have the right to:

• Access your personal data
• Correct inaccurate data
• Request deletion of your data
• Object to certain data processing
• Withdraw consent (where processing is based on consent)
• Lodge a complaint with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA)

7. Children's Privacy

vSkul is not intended for children under 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18. If you are under 18, you may only use vSkul under parental supervision.

If we discover that we have inadvertently collected information from a child under 18, we will delete it immediately. Parents who believe we may have collected information from their child should contact us at privacy@vskul.com.

8. International Data Transfers

vSkul is based in Nigeria, but we use international service providers (e.g., cloud hosting, CDN services). Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries outside Nigeria.

When we transfer data internationally, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place:

• Contracts with third parties requiring data protection
• Use of reputable, certified service providers
• Compliance with applicable data protection laws

9. Data Retention

We retain your information for as long as necessary to provide our Services and fulfill the purposes described in this Privacy Policy.

Retention Periods

• Account Information: Until account deletion + 90 days (for recovery)
• Course Content: As long as the course is active + 3 years (for purchased courses)
• Transaction Records: 7 years (for tax and accounting purposes)
• Support Communications: 3 years
• Analytics Data: 2 years (anonymized data may be kept longer)
• Legal/Security Logs: As required by law or for security purposes

10. Third-Party Links and Services

Our Platform may contain links to third-party websites, services, or social media platforms. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third parties.

We recommend reviewing the privacy policies of any third-party services you access through vSkul.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make changes, we will:

• Update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this policy
• Notify you via email for significant changes
• Display a notice on the Platform
• Request your consent if required by law

Your continued use of vSkul after changes become effective constitutes acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.

12. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

Data Protection Officer
McAriel Consult (vSkul)
Email: privacy@vskul.com
Support: support@vskul.com
Website: https://vskul.com

13. Regulatory Compliance

13.1 Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR)

vSkul complies with the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) 2019, issued by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).

13.2 Complaints

If you are not satisfied with our response to your privacy concerns, you may file a complaint with:

National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA)
Email: info@nitda.gov.ng
Website: https://nitda.gov.ng

By using vSkul, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy and consent to the collection, use, and disclosure of your information as described herein.