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Privacy Policy - HMT Classes

Effective Date: December 18, 2025

Last Updated: December 18, 2025

1. Introduction

Welcome to HMT Classes. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our mobile application (the "App"). Please read this Privacy Policy carefully. By using the App, you consent to the data practices described in this policy.

2. About HMT Classes

The HMT Classes App provides educational resources through two distinct modes:

  • HMT Classes Helper: A public-facing mode offering free educational resources, articles, and printable worksheets without requiring registration or login.
  • HMT Classes Portal: A private portal for registered HMT Classes parents and students, requiring authentication (username and PIN) for access to personalized content, schedules, reports, and academic progress information.

This Privacy Policy applies to both modes of the App.

2. Identifying Purposes

We collect personal information for the following specific purposes:

For Parents:

  • Account Management: To create and manage your parent account
  • Authentication: To verify your identity when you log in to the app
  • Communication: To contact you regarding your account, schedules, and important updates

For Students (through parent accounts):

  • Service Delivery: To provide tutoring services and track your child's progress
  • Schedule Management: To manage and display your child's class schedules
  • Progress Tracking: To generate and share progress reports and assessments
  • Notifications: To send you reminders about classes, pickups, and important updates

Technical Purposes:

  • App Functionality: To enable core features of the application
  • Data Synchronization: To synchronize data across your devices using iCloud
  • Local Caching: To improve app performance and enable offline access (cached data expires after 24 hours)

3. Information We Collect

3.1 Information You Provide (HMT Classes Portal Users Only)

When you register for or use the HMT Classes Portal, you provide:

  • Authentication Credentials: Your username and PIN, which are used solely for authentication and secure access to the Portal.
  • Account Information: Your parent name, parent email address, and username, which are stored in Apple CloudKit and retrieved when you log into the Portal.
  • Family and Student Identifiers: Data linked to your family and student accounts, such as Family IDs and Student IDs, which are used to retrieve personalized schedules and reports from our CloudKit backend.

3.2 Information Collected Automatically

When you use the App, we automatically collect certain technical and usage information:

3.2.1 Device Information

  • Device model, manufacturer, and operating system version
  • Unique device identifiers (for analytics and crash reporting)
  • App version and installation information

3.2.2 App Usage Data

  • Features you access (e.g., viewing articles, downloading PDFs, switching between Helper and Portal modes)
  • Content you interact with (e.g., article titles viewed, PDF document names accessed)
  • Download events (when you download a PDF attachment, we record that a download occurred)
  • Navigation patterns and screen views within the App

3.2.3 Performance and Diagnostics Data

  • Crash logs and error reports
  • Performance metrics (app stability, load times)
  • Diagnostic information to identify and fix bugs

3.2.4 Local Storage Preferences

The App stores the following information locally on your device using Android SharedPreferences:

  • Your selected experience preference (Helper or Portal mode)
  • Onboarding completion status
  • Other app settings and preferences

Note: This locally stored preference data is not transmitted off your device.

3.3 Content You Access

  • Articles and PDFs: When you view articles or download PDFs, we record that you accessed this content to track download counts and understand content popularity. We do not collect the actual content of these files, nor do we track your interactions with downloaded files once they are saved to your device.
  • PDF Download Tracking: We increment download counters in Firebase Firestore when you download a PDF attachment. This helps us understand which resources are most popular.

4. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

4.1 To Provide and Maintain the App

  • Deliver content and features of the App (articles, PDFs, schedules, reports)
  • Enable PDF downloads
  • Provide access to the HMT Classes Portal with personalized content
  • Authenticate Portal users and manage access control

4.2 To Improve the App

  • Understand how users interact with our App
  • Identify popular content and features
  • Troubleshoot issues and improve user experience
  • Enhance content recommendations

4.3 To Monitor Performance

  • Monitor app stability and performance
  • Address crashes and bugs
  • Optimize app functionality

4.4 To Track Content Engagement

  • Track download counts for PDFs to understand resource usage
  • Analyze content popularity to improve our educational offerings

4.5 To Comply with Legal Obligations

  • Meet applicable legal or regulatory requirements
  • Respond to legal processes or government requests

5. How We Share Your Information

We do not sell your personal information to third parties. We may share information in the following limited circumstances:

5.1 Service Providers

We use third-party service providers who process data on our behalf:

5.1.1 Google Firebase

We use Google Firebase services to host our backend infrastructure:

  • Firebase Firestore: Stores content metadata (articles, PDF posts, download counts) and Portal user identifiers. All data is encrypted in transit and at rest.
  • Firebase Storage: Stores article images and PDF files. All files are encrypted in transit and at rest.
  • Firebase Analytics (if implemented): Collects aggregated, anonymized usage data (e.g., screens visited, button taps, PDF downloads) to help us understand app usage patterns.
  • Firebase Crashlytics (if implemented): Collects crash reports and diagnostic information to help us improve app stability.

Firebase acts as our data processor and is obligated to protect your information in accordance with Google's privacy policies.

5.1.2 Apple CloudKit

For HMT Classes Portal users, we use Apple CloudKit to store and retrieve:

  • Family account information (parent name, email, username)
  • Student schedules and academic reports
  • Other Portal-specific data

Data stored in CloudKit is encrypted in transit and at rest, and is subject to Apple's privacy policies.

5.2 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required to do so by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities (e.g., a court or government agency).

5.3 With Your Consent

We may share your information with your explicit consent or at your direction.

5.4 Data Not Shared

  • We do not directly share your data with other third-party apps on your device
  • We do not transfer data through WebViews unless you explicitly navigate to an open web page through an in-app browser
  • We do not share data with advertisers or marketing partners

6. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your information:

  • All data transmitted between the App and our servers is encrypted using HTTPS/TLS
  • Firebase Firestore and Storage use encryption at rest
  • Apple CloudKit data is encrypted in transit and at rest
  • Authentication credentials (username and PIN) are handled securely
  • Local preferences are stored securely on your device using Android's SharedPreferences

However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

7. Data Retention

We retain collected information for as long as necessary to provide our services and fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, or as required by law:

  • Account information for Portal users: Retained as long as your HMT Classes account is active or as required by your learning centre's policies
  • Usage and technical data: Retained for a period necessary for analytics and performance monitoring (typically up to 2 years)
  • Download counts and engagement metrics: Retained indefinitely for content analysis purposes
  • Crash logs and diagnostics: Retained for up to 90 days to address technical issues

8. Your Choices and Rights

8.1 Experience Mode Selection

You can switch between HMT Classes Helper and HMT Classes Portal modes in the App's settings at any time. Helper mode requires no login and collects minimal data.

8.2 Access and Deletion Rights (Portal Users)

If you are a Portal user, please contact your HMT Classes learning centre directly to:

  • Access your personal information
  • Correct inaccurate information
  • Request deletion of your account and personal information

Your account is managed by your learning centre, and they can assist with data-related requests.

8.3 Device Permissions

You can manage permissions for the App (e.g., storage access for PDF downloads) through your device's settings.

8.4 Uninstall

You can uninstall the App at any time through your device settings. Uninstalling the App will remove locally stored preference data, but data stored on our servers (Firebase/CloudKit) will be retained according to our data retention policy.

9. Children's Privacy

The HMT Classes App is intended for students and their parents:

  • Helper Mode: Accessible to all ages and does not require personal information or registration
  • Portal Mode: Requires adult (parental) registration and authentication. We do not knowingly collect personal information directly from children under 13 without verifiable parental consent

If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a child under 13 without parental consent, we will take steps to delete that information. Parents who believe their child has provided personal information should contact their HMT Classes learning centre.

10. International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and maintained on servers located outside of your country of residence, including:

  • Google Firebase servers (may be located in various regions)
  • Apple CloudKit servers (may be located in various regions)

By using the App, you consent to the transfer of your information to these servers and processing in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

11. Third-Party Links and Services

The App may contain links to external websites or services. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these external sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update our Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any material changes by:

  • Posting the new Privacy Policy in the App
  • Updating the "Effective Date" at the top of this policy

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes. Changes are effective when they are posted.

13. Contact Us

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

For Portal Users:

Please contact your HMT Classes learning centre directly, as they manage your account and can assist with data-related inquiries.

For General Inquiries:

[Insert Contact Email/Details Here, e.g., privacy@hmtclasses.com or support@hmtclasses.com]

Last Updated: December 18, 2025