Privacy Policy

Effective Date: October 2, 2025 

Last Updated: October 2, 2025 

TeKanAid (“we,” “us,” “our,” or “Company”) is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our websites at http://legacy.tekanaid.com (the “Marketing Site”) and https://academy.tekanaid.com (the “Academy”), as well as our related services, including consulting services, blog content, and educational programs (collectively, the “Services”).

1. Scope of This Policy

This Privacy Policy applies to:

  • Marketing Site (tekanaid.com): Public website, blog posts, service descriptions, contact forms, and newsletter subscriptions
  • Academy (academy.tekanaid.com): Cloud-based learning platform with interactive labs, courses, bootcamps, and community features
  • Consulting Services: Information collected during consulting engagements and customer communications
  • All Services: Email communications, support requests, and feedback submissions

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide Directly

For the Marketing Site:

  • Contact Forms: Name, email address, company name, phone number, and message content
  • Newsletter Subscriptions: Email address and name
  • Consulting Inquiries: Business information, project requirements, and communication preferences
  • Blog Comments: Name, email, and comment content (if applicable)

For the Academy:

  • Account Information: Email address, display name, profile photo, and authentication provider (GitHub, email/password)
  • Payment Information: Stripe customer ID and subscription details (card information is processed and stored by Stripe, not by us)
  • Profile Information: Learning goals, mentor status, community preferences, and gamification settings
  • Communications: Support messages, community posts, feedback submissions, and course reviews

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

For Both Sites:

  • Technical Data: IP address, browser type, device information, operating system, and access times
  • Usage Data: Pages visited, links clicked, time spent on pages, and navigation patterns
  • Performance Data: API response times, error logs, and system performance metrics

For the Academy Only:

  • Learning Activity: Lab session history, course progress, lesson completions, quiz attempts, task completions, learning streaks, and time spent on activities
  • Community Activity: Posts, votes, comments, study group memberships, badges earned, points accumulated, and leaderboard rankings
  • Lab Infrastructure Data: Virtual machine usage, AWS account activities, cloud resource provisioning, SSH connections, file operations, and terminal commands (collected for lab functionality only)

2.3 Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use minimal tracking technologies:

  • Essential Cookies: Authentication tokens and session management (required for Academy functionality)
  • Local Storage: Save learning progress locally in your browser (Academy only)
  • Analytics: We may use basic analytics to understand site usage and improve our Services

You can control cookies through your browser settings, but disabling essential cookies may impact Academy functionality.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your information to:

3.1 Provide and Improve Services

Marketing Site:

  • Respond to inquiries and contact form submissions
  • Send newsletters and updates (if you subscribe)
  • Provide consulting services and project communications
  • Improve website content and user experience
  • Publish and manage blog content

Academy:

  • Authenticate your account and maintain your session
  • Deliver interactive labs, courses, and educational content
  • Provision cloud resources (virtual machines, AWS accounts) for hands-on labs
  • Track your learning progress and provide personalized recommendations
  • Process payments and manage subscriptions through Stripe
  • Award points, badges, and update leaderboards for gamification
  • Facilitate community interactions and study groups

3.2 Communication

  • Send transactional emails (account verification, password resets, subscription confirmations)
  • Notify you of course updates, new content, and platform improvements
  • Respond to your support requests and feedback
  • Send marketing emails about services (with your consent, and you can unsubscribe)
  • Send community notifications (if enabled) for posts, votes, and study group activities

3.3 Analytics and Security

  • Monitor platform performance and identify technical issues
  • Analyze usage patterns to improve educational content and services
  • Detect and prevent fraud, abuse, and security threats
  • Enforce our Terms of Use and maintain platform integrity
  • Comply with applicable Canadian laws and regulations
  • Respond to legal requests and prevent illegal activities
  • Protect our rights, property, and safety, and that of our users

4. Data Storage and Security

4.1 Storage Infrastructure

Your data is stored using:

For the Academy:

  • Firebase/Firestore: User accounts, course progress, quiz attempts, community data, and gamification records
  • Cloud Storage: Lab session history, bootcamp progress, and user-generated content
  • Stripe: Payment information and subscription management (governed by Stripe’s privacy policy)

For Both Sites:

  • Email Services: Newsletter subscriptions and marketing communications
  • Cloud Infrastructure: Hosted on secure cloud platforms with data centers in North America

4.2 Security Measures

We implement industry-standard security measures:

  • Firebase Authentication with JWT tokens for secure access (Academy)
  • Email verification required before accessing Academy content
  • HTTPS/TLS encryption for all data transmission
  • WebSocket security with token-based authentication (Academy)
  • Role-based access control for administrative functions
  • Regular security audits and monitoring
  • Automatic session cleanup and resource isolation (Academy labs)

4.3 Data Retention

  • Active Accounts: Data retained while your account is active
  • Inactive Accounts: We may delete accounts inactive for 24+ months after notice
  • Deleted Accounts: Upon account deletion, we remove personal data within 30 days, except where retention is required by law
  • Backup Data: Backup copies may persist for up to 90 days
  • Newsletter Subscriptions: Retained until you unsubscribe
  • Legal Requirements: Some data may be retained longer if required by law or for business purposes

5. Information Sharing and Disclosure

5.1 Third-Party Service Providers

We share data with trusted service providers who help us deliver our Services:

For the Academy:

  • Stripe: Payment processing and subscription management
  • Firebase/Google Cloud: Authentication, database, and hosting services
  • Cloud Providers: AWS and Hetzner Cloud for lab infrastructure provisioning
  • YouTube: Embedded video content in lessons (subject to YouTube’s privacy policy)

For Both Sites:

  • Email Service Providers: Newsletter delivery and transactional emails
  • Analytics Providers: Website analytics and performance monitoring (if applicable)
  • Hosting Providers: Website and application hosting services

These providers are contractually obligated to protect your information and use it only for the purposes we specify.

We may disclose information when required by law, court order, or to:

  • Protect our legal rights and property
  • Prevent fraud or security threats
  • Protect user safety and platform integrity
  • Comply with valid legal processes in Canada

5.3 Business Transfers

If we merge, are acquired, or sell assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you of any such change and any choices you may have.

5.4 Public Information (Academy Only)

Information you post in community forums, study groups, or public leaderboards is visible to other Academy users. Your display name, points, badges, and community contributions may be publicly visible within the Academy.

We may share information for other purposes with your explicit consent.

6. Your Rights and Choices

6.1 Access and Control

You have the right to:

  • Access: View your personal information in your account settings (Academy) or by contacting us
  • Update: Modify your profile, display name, and preferences
  • Delete: Request account deletion, which removes all associated personal data
  • Opt-Out: Unsubscribe from marketing emails via the unsubscribe link or by contacting us

6.2 Academy-Specific Controls

If you use the Academy, you can:

  • Delete your community posts and comments
  • Leave study groups
  • Adjust privacy settings for your profile
  • Disable email notifications in your preferences
  • Close your account and delete all associated data

6.3 Marketing Communications

You can opt-out of marketing communications by:

  • Clicking the “unsubscribe” link in any marketing email
  • Contacting us at [email protected]
  • Adjusting your email preferences in your account settings

You will continue to receive essential service-related emails (e.g., account verification, password resets, subscription confirmations).

7. International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in the United States and other countries where our service providers operate. By using our Services, you consent to such transfers. We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place for international data transfers.

8. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically. We will notify you of material changes by:

  • Posting the updated policy on this page
  • Updating the “Last Updated” date
  • Sending an email notification for significant changes (if you have an account)

Your continued use of our Services after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

9. Corporate Training and Email Permissions (Academy Only)

For enterprise customers with email-based access permissions:

  • Email Permissions: Companies may pre-authorize employee email addresses for Academy access
  • Corporate Metadata: We store company name, contract ID, access level, and validity period
  • Bulk Access: Corporate accounts may have special access levels (premium, free) based on training contracts
  • Employee Data: When employees create accounts using authorized emails, their accounts are linked to the corporate permission record
  • Corporate Control: Companies can manage access duration and permissions for their employees

10. Data Loss Disclaimer (Academy Labs)

WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR DATA LOSS IN LAB ENVIRONMENTS. Academy labs are temporary learning environments designed for educational purposes only. Do not store important or personal data in labs. Always save your work to your local machine. Lab sessions and all associated data are automatically cleaned up after completion.

11. Contact Us

For privacy-related questions, concerns, or requests:

Email: [email protected]

For data subject requests (access, deletion, portability), please email [email protected] with “Privacy Request” in the subject line. We will respond within 30 days.

Business Location: Oakville, Ontario, Canada

12. Governing Law

This Privacy Policy and any disputes arising from it are governed by the laws of the Province of Ontario and the federal laws of Canada applicable therein, without regard to conflict of law principles.

By using our Services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy and agree to its terms.

TeKanAid Solutions Inc. Empowering cloud professionals through hands-on learning and expert consulting.

This policy is effective as of the date listed above and applies to all users of TeKanAid’s websites and services.