Privacy Policy for Teachild

1. Introduction and Our Role

Welcome to "Teachild" ("we," "our," or "us"). We provide a communication platform that allows educational institutions, schools, and organizations ("Institutions") to communicate with students, parents, and staff via the WhatsApp Business API.

In the context of data privacy laws, the Institution is the Data Controller (the entity that decides why and how data is processed), and "Teachild" is the Data Processor (the entity that processes data strictly on behalf of the Institution). We do not own the communication data, and we do not use it for our own marketing or advertising purposes.

2. Information We Collect

Because our service integrates with WhatsApp to facilitate school communications, we process information provided by the Institution and information generated through WhatsApp interactions.

A. Data provided by the Institution:

• Contact Information: Phone numbers and names of parents, guardians, students, or staff authorized by the school to receive messages.
• Educational Data: Depending on how the Institution configures our tool, this may include attendance alerts, exam schedules, fee reminders, or performance reports routed through our system to be sent via WhatsApp.

B. Data collected via WhatsApp Interactions:

• Message Content: Chat history, text, and media (images/documents) exchanged between the Institution and the user via our platform.
• Usage Metadata: Delivery statuses, read receipts, message timestamps, and WhatsApp user IDs.

3. How We Use the Information

We process the data exclusively to provide our services to the Institution. We use the information to:

• Route and deliver automated or manual WhatsApp messages (e.g., event reminders, attendance updates) on behalf of the Institution.
• Provide customer support and troubleshoot technical issues with the platform.
• Maintain the security, reliability, and performance of our infrastructure.

Strict Prohibition: We will never sell, rent, or trade student, parent, or staff data to third parties. We do not use message content to train our own artificial intelligence models or for targeted advertising.

4. Third-Party Integration: Meta and WhatsApp Business API

Our platform utilizes the WhatsApp Business API, hosted by Meta. By interacting with an Institution through our tool on WhatsApp, users should understand that:

• Messages are encrypted in transit between the user's device, Meta's servers, and our platform.
• Because we use the WhatsApp Business API, Meta processes the routing of these messages. Meta’s handling of this infrastructure is governed by the WhatsApp Business Terms of Service and Meta's privacy policies.
• We do not control Meta’s data practices, but we ensure our integration complies with WhatsApp’s strict Business Messaging Policy regarding data minimization and security.

5. Children's Privacy and Parental Consent

Protecting the privacy of minors is our highest priority. Because our tool is used by schools, we comply with applicable educational and child privacy laws (such as COPPA, FERPA, GDPR-K, or the DPDPA).

• Consent: It is the strict responsibility of the Institution to obtain legally valid, verifiable consent from parents or guardians before adding any minor’s phone number to our platform or sending them messages via WhatsApp.
• If we discover that we have inadvertently collected data from a minor without the Institution verifying parental consent, we will immediately delete that information from our servers.

6. Data Retention

We retain data only for as long as necessary to fulfill our service agreement with the Institution.

• Chat Histories: Retained based on the specific configuration chosen by the Institution (e.g., 30, 60, or 90 days), after which it is automatically permanently deleted from our active servers.
• Account Termination: If an Institution terminates its contract with us, all associated contact lists, communication logs, and educational data are securely destroyed within 30 days, subject to legal requirements.

7. Data Security

We implement strict organizational and technical measures to protect the data routed through our platform, including:

• Encryption: Data is encrypted in transit using TLS/SSL and at rest using AES-256 encryption.
• Access Control: Strict role-based access controls ensure that only authorized personnel can access the infrastructure, and solely for maintenance or support.
• Vulnerability Testing: Regular security audits and monitoring to prevent unauthorized access.

8. User Rights and Requests

Because the Institution is the Data Controller, any requests regarding data access, correction, deletion, or opting out must be directed to the Institution (the school).

• If a parent or student wishes to stop receiving WhatsApp messages, they can use the "Block" feature on WhatsApp, or request the school to remove their number from the broadcast list.
• If a user submits a data deletion or access request directly to us, we will forward the request to the relevant Institution and assist them in fulfilling it within the legally required timeframe.

9. Changes to this Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our technology or legal requirements. We will notify our client Institutions of any material changes so they can inform their communities if necessary.

10. Contact Us

If you have questions about this privacy policy or our data security practices, please contact us at:

• Email: mtlabs.ai@gmail.com
• Address: ff2 east tambaram, chennai, tamil nadu, india 600059