1. Introduction
The Tech World Labs ("we", "us", "our", or "Company") operates thetechworldlabs.com website (the "Service").
This page informs you of our policies regarding the collection, use, and disclosure of personal data when you use our Service and the choices you have associated with that data.
We use your data to provide and improve the Service. Section 7 sets out the control you have over the
cookies and tracking used here, and section 10 sets out your rights over any data we hold about you.
2. Definitions
- Personal Data: Any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person.
- Service: The thetechworldlabs.com website and all content, features, and functionality.
- User: Any individual accessing or using the Service.
- Cookies and Local Storage: Small pieces of data saved on your device by a website, either as
cookie files or in the browser's local storage.
3. Information Collection
We collect information in the following ways:
- Analytics: Google Analytics records your visit (IP address, browser, device, pages viewed and
time spent) in Google's systems. We only see Google's summary reports.
- Accounts: Some practice features need an account. We store your name, email address and a
password (only as a one-way bcrypt hash, never as typed) or the Google or Facebook account you chose, which sends
us your name, email, profile photo address and an account number. We also keep whether your email is verified,
when the account was created and last used, that you accepted the Terms of Service, and your IP address and
browser type, which we use only to protect accounts.
- Cookies: Our own cookies only keep your account session open and protect it. They hold no
personal information and are not used for advertising or tracking. Your session stops working after 60 minutes
without activity, and the cookies expire after 30 days at most. Google Analytics and AdSense set their own cookies (sections 5 and 6).
- Local storage: Your browser keeps your theme, sidebar setting, SQL lesson progress, a site
update marker and practice timers. This stays on your device and is never sent to us.
- Practice submissions: For practice exercises that need an account, we store what you submit,
its score and the hints you use, so your progress is kept.
- Feedback: If you use the feedback form, we store your name, email, phone number, category,
rating and message so we can reply. It is also emailed to our support address, and you get a confirmation email.
If you email us directly, we keep your email and message.
4. Use of Data
The Tech World Labs uses the collected data for various purposes:
- To provide, maintain, and improve the Service
- To allow you to participate in interactive features of our Service
- To provide customer support and respond to your inquiries
- To monitor the usage of the Service and analyze trends
- To comply with legal obligations
- To display advertisements through Google AdSense
5. Google Analytics
We use Google Analytics to understand how users interact with our Service. Google Analytics collects information such as your IP address, browser type, pages visited, and the time and date of your visit. This data helps us improve our Service and user experience.
Google Analytics stores this information on Google's servers and uses it in accordance with Google's privacy policy. You can opt-out of Google Analytics tracking by visiting: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout
6. Google AdSense
The Tech World Labs uses Google AdSense to display advertisements on the Service. Google AdSense may use cookies and other technologies to serve ads based on your prior visits to our website and other websites.
You can opt-out of personalized advertising by visiting Google's Ads Settings: https://adssettings.google.com
For more information about Google's advertising practices, visit: https://policies.google.com/technologies/ads
7. Consent and Cookie Choices
You control the cookies and tracking used on this site through the following options.
- Browser settings: Every major browser lets you block or delete cookies, including the
advertising and analytics cookies described above. Blocking them does not stop you reading the site. Our own
account cookies are needed to use an account, so if you block them you cannot use your account or the practice
features that need one.
- Personalised advertising: You can turn off personalised ads from Google at
adssettings.google.com.
You will still see ads, but they will not be based on your browsing history.
- Analytics: You can opt out of Google Analytics entirely using Google's browser add-on at
tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout.
Visitors in the European Economic Area, the UK and Switzerland may see a consent message from Google, where
you can accept or refuse advertising cookies.
If you are in the European Economic Area, the UK, or Switzerland and want your data removed, contact us at
support@thetechworldlabs.com and we will action the request.
8. Third Parties We Use
We do not sell or trade your personal data. The only outside services that handle it are:
- Google Analytics and Google AdSense, described in sections 5 and 6.
- Google and Facebook, only if you choose "Continue with Google" or "Continue with Facebook"
for your account. That service confirms who you are and sends us your name, email address, profile photo address and an
account number.
- Have I Been Pwned, used to check that a new password has not appeared in a known data breach.
Your password is never sent: we send only the first 5 characters of a scrambled form (a SHA-1 hash) of it, which
matches hundreds of different passwords.
- Our email provider, which delivers the emails we send you (account verification, password
reset and password-changed messages, and the confirmation of your feedback) and the copy of your feedback we send
to our support address.
- Our web host, which runs the server and the database where the site, your account and your
feedback are stored. Like every web server, it keeps standard access logs (IP address, page requested and
browser) for every visit, used for security and fixing problems.
These services may process your data in countries other than your own, including the United States.
9. Data Retention
We retain personal data for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, or as
required by law.
Analytics data is held by Google, not by us, and is deleted automatically at the end of the retention period
set on our Google Analytics property. Google describes how this works in its own documentation at
support.google.com/analytics/answer/7667196.
Feedback submissions, including the name, email address and phone number attached to them, are kept until you
ask us to delete them, or until we delete them once your issue is resolved. To ask, email
support@thetechworldlabs.com.
Practice exercise submissions and hints are kept until you reset that exercise, which deletes them straight
away, or until your account is deleted, which deletes them with it.
Your account and the records we keep about it are kept until you ask us to delete your account by emailing
support@thetechworldlabs.com. Deleting an account also deletes its
access records, sessions and practice progress. The email address, IP address and browser type recorded
each time someone tries to open an account, including failed attempts, are kept for 90 days; those recorded when
the account was created are kept with the account. An account session ends when you close it, after 60 minutes without activity, or after 30 days.
Email verification and password reset links stop working after 10 minutes.
10. Your Rights
Depending on your location, you may have the following rights:
- Right of Access: You have the right to access your personal data.
- Right to Rectification: You have the right to correct inaccurate data.
- Right to Erasure: You have the right to request deletion of your data (subject to legal obligations).
- Right to Restrict Processing: You have the right to restrict how your data is processed.
- Right to Data Portability: You have the right to receive your data in a structured format.
- Right to Object: You have the right to object to processing of your data.
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at: support@thetechworldlabs.com
11. Security of Data
The security of your data is important to us. However, remember that no method of transmission over the Internet or method of electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your data, we cannot guarantee absolute security.
12. Children's Privacy
Our Service is not intended for children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 13. If we become aware that a child under 13 has provided us with personal data, we will immediately take steps to delete such information.
13. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update our Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the "Last updated" date at the top of this Privacy Policy.
You are advised to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes. Changes to this Privacy Policy are effective when they are posted on this page.
14. Contact Us
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us at: