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Convoco

Privacy Policy

Last Updated: March 15, 2025

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1. Introduction

At Convoco ("we," "our," or "us"), we respect your privacy and are committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our debate platform.

Please read this Privacy Policy carefully. By accessing or using Convoco, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by all the terms of this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with our policies and practices, please do not use our platform.

This Privacy Policy may change 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. You are advised to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide to Us

We collect several types of information from and about users of our platform, including:

  • Personal Information: When you register for an account, we collect your email address, username, and password. Optionally, you may provide additional information such as your profile picture, location, gender, biography, and debate interests.
  • Debate Content: We collect the content you create, upload, or generate while using our platform, including debate arguments, comments, and feedback.
  • Communications: If you contact us directly, we may receive additional information about you, such as your name, email address, phone number, the contents of your message, and any attachments you may send.

2.2 Information We Collect Automatically

When you visit, use, or navigate our platform, we may collect information automatically, including:

  • Usage Information: We collect information about your interactions with our platform, including the debates you participate in, the content you view, and the features you use.
  • Device Information: We collect information about the device you use to access our platform, including the hardware model, operating system and version, unique device identifiers, and mobile network information.
  • Location Information: We may collect your approximate location derived from your IP address.
  • Log Information: We automatically collect log information when you use our platform, including your IP address, browser type, access times, pages viewed, and the page you visited before navigating to our platform.
  • Cookies and Similar Technologies: We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to track activity on our platform and to maintain certain information. Cookies are files with a small amount of data that may include an anonymous unique identifier.

2.3 Information from Third Parties

We may receive information about you from third parties, including:

  • Authentication Providers: If you choose to register or log in to our platform using a third-party service (such as Google), we may receive information about you from that service, in accordance with the authorization procedures determined by that service.
  • Analytics Partners: We may receive information from analytics providers who help us understand how users interact with our platform.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for various purposes, including to:

  • Provide, maintain, and improve our platform and services
  • Create and manage your account, including to authenticate your identity
  • Process and fulfill your participation in debates, including to match you with appropriate opponents
  • Provide AI-powered analysis, feedback, fact-checking, and debate outcome determination
  • Communicate with you about your account, our services, updates, and other matters
  • Personalize your experience and deliver content relevant to your interests
  • Monitor and analyze usage patterns, trends, and activities related to our platform
  • Detect, prevent, and address technical issues, security breaches, and fraudulent activities
  • Comply with legal obligations and enforce our terms and policies
  • Improve our AI systems through analysis of debate content and user interactions

4. Data Sharing and Disclosure

We may share your information in the following situations:

4.1 With Your Consent

We may share your information with third parties when you have given us your consent to do so.

4.2 Service Providers

We may share your information with third-party vendors, service providers, contractors, or agents who perform services for us or on our behalf and require access to such information to do that work. These may include payment processing, data analysis, email delivery, hosting services, customer service, and marketing efforts.

4.3 Platform Features

Certain aspects of your information may be visible to other users of the platform. For example, your username, profile information, and debate arguments are visible to users participating in the same debate as you. Public debates may be visible to all users of the platform.

4.4 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information where required to do so by law or subpoena or if we reasonably believe that such action is necessary to (a) comply with the law and the reasonable requests of law enforcement; (b) protect the security or integrity of our platform; and/or (c) exercise or protect the rights, property, or personal safety of Convoco, our users, or others.

4.5 Business Transfers

If we are involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of all or a portion of our assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you via email and/or a prominent notice on our platform of any change in ownership or uses of your personal information.

5. AI Processing and Data Usage

Convoco uses artificial intelligence systems to analyze debate content, provide feedback, conduct fact-checking, and determine debate outcomes. By using our platform, you acknowledge and consent to:

  • The automated processing of your debate arguments and other content by our AI systems
  • The use of your debate content to train, improve, and refine our AI models and algorithms
  • The storage and analysis of debate content for analytical purposes

We take measures to ensure that AI processing is fair, transparent, and aligned with our platform's educational mission. While we strive for accuracy in our AI systems, we cannot guarantee that AI-generated feedback, fact-checking, and outcome determinations will be entirely free from errors or biases.

6. Data Retention

We will retain your personal information only for as long as is necessary for the purposes set out in this Privacy Policy. We will retain and use your information to the extent necessary to comply with our legal obligations, resolve disputes, enforce our policies, and protect our legal interests.

When you delete your account, we will remove your personal profile information. However, debate content may be retained in an anonymized form for analytical, educational, and AI training purposes. If you wish to have specific debate content removed, please contact us at quoc@uoguelph.ca.

7. Your Rights

Depending on your location, you may have certain rights regarding your personal information, including:

  • Access: You can request copies of your personal information that we hold.
  • Correction: You can ask us to correct any information you believe is inaccurate or incomplete.
  • Deletion: You can ask us to erase your personal information in certain circumstances.
  • Restriction: You can ask us to restrict the processing of your information in certain circumstances.
  • Data Portability: You may request that we transfer your information to another organization or directly to you.
  • Objection: You can object to our processing of your information in certain circumstances.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at quoc@uoguelph.ca. We may ask you to verify your identity before responding to such requests.

8. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to track activity on our platform and hold certain information. Cookies are files with a small amount of data that may include an anonymous unique identifier.

Types of cookies we use:

  • Essential Cookies: Necessary for the operation of our platform, enabling you to navigate and use features.
  • Analytical/Performance Cookies: Allow us to recognize and count the number of visitors and see how visitors move around our platform.
  • Functionality Cookies: Used to recognize you when you return to our platform, enabling us to personalize content and remember your preferences.
  • Targeting Cookies: Record your visit to our platform, the pages you have visited, and the links you have followed.

You can instruct your browser to refuse all cookies or to indicate when a cookie is being sent. However, if you do not accept cookies, you may not be able to use some portions of our platform. Most web browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can usually modify your browser settings to decline cookies if you prefer.

9. Data Security

The security of your data is important to us. We use commercially reasonable measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include encryption, secure socket layer technology, firewalls, and regular security assessments.

However, 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 personal information, we cannot guarantee its absolute security.

If you have reason to believe that your interaction with us is no longer secure, please immediately notify us by contacting us at quoc@uoguelph.ca.

10. Children's Privacy

Our platform is not intended for use by children under the age of 13 (or 16 in the European Union). We do not knowingly collect personally identifiable information from children under 13. If you are a parent or guardian and you are aware that your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us at quoc@uoguelph.ca. If we become aware that we have collected personal information from children without verification of parental consent, we will take steps to remove that information from our servers.

11. International Data Transfers

Our platform is operated in the United States. If you are located outside of the United States, please be aware that information we collect will be transferred to and processed in the United States. By using the platform or providing us with any information, you consent to this transfer, processing, and storage of your information in the United States, where privacy laws may not be as comprehensive as those in your country of residence.

12. 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. 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. Your continued use of the platform after we post changes to this Privacy Policy means that you accept those changes.

13. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us at:

Email: quoc@uoguelph.ca