Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

StudyBuddy ("we," "our," or "us") is a mobile and web application developed by VaultIQ Inc. that provides students with an enhanced interface for viewing their Schoology grades and academic information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our Service.

Important: StudyBuddy is an independent tool and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Schoology or PowerSchool. The Service is intended for use by schools and students in the United States.

By using StudyBuddy, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy. If you do not agree with our policies and practices, do not use our Service.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information From Schoology

When you authenticate with Schoology, your academic data is retrieved through our servers and delivered to your device for display. This data passes through our infrastructure in transit but is never stored or retained — it exists only long enough to render your grades and assignments. The data retrieved includes:

• Your name and email address
• Your enrolled courses and sections
• Your grades, assignments, and grading categories
• Assignment names, due dates, and last updated timestamps
• Course titles, section information, and course codes

2.2 Technical Information

We automatically collect certain technical information:

• Device type and operating system
• IP address (for security and debugging purposes)
• Session tokens (stored temporarily in memory)
• Error logs (which may include minimal request details but are configured to avoid storing full grade data)

2.3 What We Do NOT Collect

We explicitly do NOT collect, access, or store:

• Your Schoology username or password
• Payment or financial information
• Social Security numbers or government IDs
• Messages, communications, or forum posts
• Personal information beyond what's necessary for grade display
• Information about other users or students

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect solely for the following purposes:

• Service Delivery: To display your grades, courses, and assignments in our interface
• Grade Calculations: To perform "What-If" grade scenarios based on hypothetical assignments
• Calendar Features: To show assignment due dates in our calendar view
• Session Management: To maintain your authenticated session during use
• Technical Support: To diagnose and fix technical issues

4. Data Storage and Security

4.1 Temporary Storage

We do not store your grade data in any database.Your Schoology data is fetched on demand, passed through our servers to your device, and is not retained. Your information is handled as follows:

• Session Tokens: Stored in Redis with a 14-day expiration, reset on each use. Deleted immediately when you log out.
• Grade Data: Never stored — fetched from Schoology and delivered directly to your device
• Device Storage: Your authentication state is stored locally on your device and can be cleared at any time by logging out
• What-If Calculations: Stored only on your device; never sent to our servers

Technical Logs: Our hosting infrastructure may retain technical logs (IP addresses, request URLs, error messages) for up to 30 days for debugging and security purposes. These logs are configured to avoid storing full grade data whenever possible.

4.2 Security Measures

We implement industry-standard security measures:

• OAuth 1.0a Authentication: We never see or store your Schoology password
• HTTPS Encryption: All data transmission is encrypted via SSL/TLS
• Session Storage: Session tokens are stored in Redis with automatic expiration and are never written to permanent databases
• No Long-Term Databases: We do not maintain databases of student grade information
• Secure Hosting: Our backend runs on Microsoft Azure and our web interface is hosted on Vercel's secure infrastructure

While we implement reasonable security measures, no method of transmission over the Internet is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security but are committed to protecting your information.

5. Information Sharing and Disclosure

We do NOT sell, trade, rent, or share your personal information with third parties for marketing purposes.

We may share information only in the following limited circumstances:

• With Schoology: Authentication and data retrieval via their official API
• Service Providers: We use Vercel to host the Service. They process data only as needed to run and secure the application and do not use your academic data for their own purposes.
• Legal Requirements: If required by law, court order, or government regulation
• Safety and Security: To protect the rights, property, or safety of StudyBuddy, our users, or others

6. Your Privacy Rights

6.1 California Residents (CCPA/CPRA)

If you are a California resident, you have the following rights:

• Right to Know: Request disclosure of personal information we collect
• Right to Delete: Request deletion of your personal information
• Right to Opt-Out: We do not sell personal information, so no opt-out is necessary
• Right to Non-Discrimination: We will not discriminate against you for exercising your rights

6.2 All Users

All users have the right to:

• Access Your Data: All your data is visible within the application
• Delete Your Data: Log out to immediately end your session and clear temporary data
• Revoke Access: Disconnect StudyBuddy from your Schoology account through Schoology's settings

To exercise these rights, contact us at our contact page.

7. Children's Privacy (COPPA Compliance)

StudyBuddy is designed for use by students with existing Schoology accounts, which are managed by educational institutions. We rely on schools to obtain appropriate parental consent as required by COPPA (Children's Online Privacy Protection Act) and FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act).

We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 without proper school authorization and parental consent. If you believe we have collected information from a child without proper authorization, please contact us immediately.

8. Third-Party Services

Our Service integrates with:

• Schoology: For authentication and grade data retrieval. Schoology's privacy policy governs their data practices.
• Vercel: Our hosting provider for the web portions of the Service. Vercel may process limited technical request data, such as IP address, request metadata, and performance information, as needed to host, secure, and monitor the Service.
• Sentry: We use Sentry to collect crash reports, error logs, and limited technical diagnostic information to monitor app stability and fix bugs. Sentry does not receive your grades or assignment data except where incidental technical metadata may appear in error reports.

We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third-party services. We recommend reviewing their privacy policies.

9. Data Retention

We retain your information only as long as necessary:

• Session Data: Stored in Redis for up to 14 days since last use, or deleted immediately when you log out
• Grade Data: Never stored — no retention period applies
• Technical Logs: Retained for up to 30 days for debugging and security purposes

10. 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
• Material changes will be prominently announced on our Service
• Your continued use of the Service after changes constitutes acceptance

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically.

11. Contact Us

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

We will respond to your inquiries within 30 days.