Privacy Policy

Last Updated: October 14, 2025

1. Introduction

Illuminate ("we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your personal information when you use our educational guidance services ("Service"). This Privacy Policy complies with the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and other applicable privacy laws.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Personal Information You Provide

We collect information that you voluntarily provide to us, including:

  • Contact Information: Name, email address, phone number
  • Account Information: Username, password (encrypted)
  • Student Information: Student name, age, grade level, academic history
  • Assessment Data: Test responses, survey answers, interests, aptitudes, personality characteristics
  • Payment Information: Billing information processed through Stripe (we do not store credit card numbers)
  • Documents: Uploaded academic records, transcripts, or other educational materials
  • Communication Data: Messages, consultation notes, feedback

2.2 Automatically Collected Information

When you access our Service, we may automatically collect:

  • Device Information: IP address, browser type, operating system
  • Usage Data: Pages visited, time spent, features used
  • Cookies and Tracking: Session cookies for authentication (see Cookie Policy below)

2.3 AI-Generated Data

Our AI systems process your provided information to generate insights, recommendations, and analysis. These AI-generated outputs are stored and associated with your account.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the collected information only for purposes that are reasonably necessary and proportionate to provide our Service:

3.1 Service Delivery

  • Process and analyze assessment data using our AI models
  • Generate personalized career and major recommendations
  • Provide consultation sessions and expert guidance
  • Create and deliver reports and educational materials
  • Manage document storage and portal access

3.2 Administrative Purposes

  • Process payments and maintain billing records
  • Communicate about your account and services
  • Respond to inquiries and provide customer support
  • Send service-related notifications

3.3 Service Improvement

  • Improve and optimize our AI models and assessments
  • Analyze usage patterns to enhance user experience
  • Develop new features and services

3.4 Legal Compliance

  • Comply with legal obligations and regulations
  • Protect our rights and prevent fraud or abuse
  • Enforce our Terms of Service

4. AI Processing and Data Security

4.1 How AI Processes Your Data

Our AI systems analyze assessment responses, academic data, and profile information to identify patterns and generate recommendations. This processing occurs on secure servers, and AI-generated insights are reviewed by human consultants before being shared with you.

4.2 Data Security Measures

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your data:

  • Encryption of data in transit (SSL/TLS) and at rest
  • Secure authentication and access controls
  • Regular security audits and monitoring
  • Limited employee access on a need-to-know basis
  • Secure cloud infrastructure (AWS S3 with encryption)

4.3 Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide services. Assessment data and reports are retained for the duration of your student's educational journey (typically until college graduation) unless you request earlier deletion.

5. Information Sharing and Disclosure

5.1 We Do NOT Sell Your Information

Illuminate does not sell, rent, or trade personal information to third parties for their marketing purposes.

5.2 Service Providers

We may share information with trusted service providers who assist us in operating our Service:

  • Payment Processing: Stripe (for secure payment processing)
  • Cloud Hosting: AWS (for secure data storage and infrastructure)
  • Authentication: Clerk (for user authentication and account management)
  • Communication: Google Calendar API (for scheduling consultations)

These providers are contractually obligated to use your information only for providing services to us and must maintain appropriate security measures.

5.3 Legal Requirements

We may disclose information if required by law, court order, or governmental regulation, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of Illuminate, our users, or others.

5.4 Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred to the acquiring entity, subject to the same privacy protections outlined in this Policy.

6. Your California Privacy Rights (CCPA)

If you are a California resident, you have the following rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA):

6.1 Right to Know

You have the right to request disclosure of the categories and specific pieces of personal information we have collected about you, the categories of sources, the business purposes for collection, and the categories of third parties with whom we share information.

6.2 Right to Delete

You have the right to request deletion of your personal information, subject to certain exceptions (e.g., to complete a transaction, comply with legal obligations, or exercise free speech rights).

6.3 Right to Opt-Out of Sale

While we do not sell personal information, you have the right to opt-out of any such sale. We will not discriminate against you for exercising this right.

6.4 Right to Non-Discrimination

We will not discriminate against you for exercising any of your CCPA rights, including denying services, charging different prices, or providing a different level of service.

6.5 Right to Correct

You have the right to request correction of inaccurate personal information we maintain about you.

6.6 Exercising Your Rights

To exercise these rights, contact us at privacy@illuminate.io or use the contact information below. We will verify your identity before processing your request and respond within 45 days.

7. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to maintain user sessions and improve the Service:

  • Essential Cookies: Required for authentication and service functionality
  • Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how users interact with our Service
  • Preference Cookies: Remember your settings and preferences

You can control cookies through your browser settings, but disabling certain cookies may limit Service functionality.

8. Children's Privacy

Our Service is designed for students preparing for college, including minors. We collect personal information from minors only with verifiable parental or guardian consent. Parents and guardians have the right to review, request deletion of, and refuse further collection of their child's information by contacting us at privacy@illuminate.io.

9. Third-Party Links

Our Service may contain links to third-party websites or services. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third parties. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing any personal information.

10. International Users

Our Service is operated in the United States. If you are accessing the Service from outside the U.S., please be aware that your information will be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States, where privacy laws may differ from those in your jurisdiction.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of material changes by posting the updated Policy on our website and updating the "Last Updated" date. Your continued use of the Service after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated Policy.

12. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your privacy rights, please contact us:

Email: privacy@illuminate.io

Support: support@illuminatenow.io

Mailing Address: Illuminate Privacy Team

Summary

We collect personal information to provide educational guidance services using AI analysis and expert consultation. We do not sell your information. California residents have specific rights under the CCPA. We use industry-standard security measures to protect your data. Contact us at privacy@illuminate.io with any questions or to exercise your rights.