Privacy Policy
Introduction
Welcome to iCohort ("App," "we," "us," or "our"). This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our iOS mobile application. iCohort is a student-mentor connection platform designed specifically for iOS development programs in educational institutions.
By downloading, accessing, or using iCohort, you agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with the terms of this Privacy Policy, please do not access or use the App.
Information We Collect
We collect information that you provide directly to us and information generated through your use of the App.
Personal Information
When you register for an account, we collect:
- Full Name – To identify you within the App
- Email Address – For account authentication and communication
- College ID / Roll Number – To verify your enrollment status
- Password – Stored securely using encryption for account access
- User Role – Student, Mentor, or Admin designation
User-Generated Content
Information you create or submit through the App, including:
- Task Submissions – Text content and file uploads submitted for assignments
- Team Information – Team names, membership, and related data
- In-App Communications – Messages, updates, and announcements posted within the App
- Event Information – Details of events and announcements created by Mentors or Admins
Automatically Collected Information
We may automatically collect certain information when you use the App:
- Device Information – Device type, operating system version, and unique device identifiers
- Usage Data – App interaction data, feature usage, and diagnostic information
- Log Data – Access times, pages viewed, and app crashes or errors
Account Registration and Approval
iCohort implements a controlled registration process to maintain a secure educational environment:
- Registration Request – When Students or Mentors sign up, their registration requests are submitted to the Administrator for review.
- Pending Status – Your data is securely stored during the pending approval phase.
- Admin Approval – Only after Administrator approval can users access the App's features.
- Account Activation – Upon approval, you will be notified and granted access to the App.
This process ensures that only authorized members of the educational institution can access iCohort.
How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect for the following purposes:
Account Management
- Create, authenticate, and manage your user account
- Verify your identity and role within the institution
- Process account approval requests
Core App Functionality
- Enable Students to create and join teams
- Facilitate Mentor assignments to teams by Admins
- Allow Mentors to assign tasks to teams and individual students
- Process and store task submissions from Students
- Enable posting of updates, announcements, and event information
Communication
- Send notifications about task assignments and deadlines
- Deliver updates and announcements from Mentors and Admins
- Communicate important information about your account or the App
App Improvement
- Analyze usage patterns to improve App functionality
- Diagnose technical issues and fix bugs
- Develop new features based on user needs
Disclosure of Your Information
We respect your privacy and limit the sharing of your information. Your data may be disclosed in the following circumstances:
Within the iCohort Ecosystem
- Students: Your name, submissions, and team information are visible to your assigned Mentors and Admins.
- Mentors: Your name and contact information are visible to your assigned teams and Admins.
- Admins: Have access to all user information for administrative purposes.
Legal Requirements
We may disclose your information if required to do so by law or in response to:
- Valid legal processes (subpoenas, court orders)
- Requests from law enforcement authorities
- Protection of our legal rights or defense against legal claims
We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for marketing purposes.
Data Storage and Security
Data Storage
Your information is stored on secure servers. We retain your data for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide you services, comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements.
Security Measures
We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information, including:
- Encryption – Passwords and sensitive data are encrypted
- Secure Transmission – Data transmitted via HTTPS/TLS protocols
- Access Controls – Role-based access limiting data visibility
- Regular Security Reviews – Periodic assessment of security practices
While we strive to protect your personal information, no method of electronic transmission or storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security of your data.
Your Rights and Choices
Depending on your jurisdiction and applicable laws, you may have the following rights:
- Access – You have the right to request access to the personal information we hold about you.
- Correction – You have the right to request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal information.
- Deletion – You have the right to request deletion of your personal information, subject to certain exceptions.
- Data Portability – You may request a copy of your personal data in a structured, commonly used format.
- Withdrawal of Consent – Where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw your consent at any time.
How to Exercise Your Rights
To exercise any of these rights:
- Use the account settings within the App
- Contact the Administrator through the App
- Email us at icohort6@gmail.com
Data Retention
We retain your personal information for as long as:
- Your account remains active
- Necessary to provide services to you
- Required by applicable laws or regulations
- Needed for legitimate educational or administrative purposes
Upon account deletion or program completion, we may retain certain information as required by law or for legitimate business purposes (e.g., academic records retention requirements).
Children's Privacy
iCohort is intended for use by college students, mentors, and administrators who are typically 18 years of age or older. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 years of age. If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a child under 13, we will take steps to delete such information promptly.
Third-Party Services
The App 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 the privacy policies of any third-party services you access through the App.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by:
- Posting the new Privacy Policy within the App
- Updating the "Last Updated" date at the top of this policy
- Sending a notification through the App (for significant changes)
Your continued use of the App after any changes indicates your acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.
Apple App Store Compliance
This App complies with Apple's App Store Review Guidelines, including:
- App Tracking Transparency: We do not track users across apps or websites owned by other companies.
- Privacy Nutrition Labels: Our App Store listing accurately reflects our data collection practices.
- Data Minimization: We only collect data necessary for the App's functionality.
Terms and Conditions
Agreement to Terms
By downloading, installing, or using the iCohort mobile application ("App," "we," "us," or "our"), you agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions ("Terms"). If you do not agree to these Terms, do not use the App.
These Terms constitute a legally binding agreement between you and iCohort, developed for use within the iOS development program at SRM Institute of Science and Technology (SRMIST).
Description of Service
iCohort is a student-mentor connection platform designed specifically for iOS development programs in educational institutions. The App provides:
- For Students: Account registration, team creation and joining, task submission, and access to updates and announcements.
- For Mentors: Team management, task assignment to teams and individuals, posting updates and event announcements.
- For Admins: User account approval, mentor-team assignments, and overall platform administration.
Eligibility
To use iCohort, you must:
- Be a currently enrolled student, faculty member, or authorized administrator at SRM Institute of Science and Technology (SRMIST) or an affiliated institution.
- Be at least 18 years of age, or have parental/guardian consent if under 18.
- Have a valid college ID/roll number for verification purposes.
- Agree to these Terms and our Privacy Policy.
Account Registration and Approval
Registration Process
- You must provide accurate and complete information during registration.
- Registration requires your name, email address, college ID/roll number, and password.
- All Student and Mentor registrations are subject to Administrator approval.
Account Approval
- Your account will remain in a pending state until approved by an Administrator.
- The Administrator reserves the right to approve or reject any registration request.
- You will be notified upon approval or rejection of your account.
Account Security
- You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your login credentials.
- You must immediately notify us of any unauthorized use of your account.
- You are responsible for all activities that occur under your account.
User Roles and Responsibilities
Students
- Create and join teams as permitted within the program.
- Submit tasks and assignments on time through the App.
- Communicate respectfully with Mentors and fellow students.
- Comply with all academic integrity policies.
Mentors
- Assign tasks and provide feedback to assigned teams and students.
- Post relevant updates and announcements.
- Monitor student progress and submissions.
- Maintain professional conduct with students.
Administrators
- Approve or reject user registration requests.
- Assign Mentors to teams.
- Manage overall platform operations.
- Enforce these Terms and institutional policies.
Acceptable Use Policy
When using iCohort, you agree NOT to:
Prohibited Content
- Upload, post, or transmit any content that is illegal, harmful, threatening, abusive, harassing, defamatory, vulgar, obscene, or otherwise objectionable.
- Share content that infringes on intellectual property rights of others.
- Post false, misleading, or fraudulent information.
- Share confidential or proprietary information without authorization.
Prohibited Activities
- Attempt to gain unauthorized access to other user accounts or App systems.
- Use the App for any commercial purpose not authorized by SRMIST.
- Interfere with or disrupt the App's functionality or servers.
- Reverse engineer, decompile, or disassemble any part of the App.
- Use automated systems (bots, scrapers) to access the App.
- Impersonate another person or entity.
- Share your account credentials with others.
Academic Integrity
- Submit only your own original work unless collaboration is explicitly permitted.
- Do not plagiarize or copy others' work without proper attribution.
- Follow all academic honesty policies of SRMIST.
Intellectual Property Rights
App Ownership
The App, including its design, features, code, graphics, and content, is owned by the iCohort development team and is protected by intellectual property laws.
User Content
- You retain ownership of content you create and submit through the App.
- By submitting content, you grant iCohort a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use, display, and store your content for the purpose of operating the App.
- You represent that you have the right to submit any content you provide.
Institutional Content
Content created by SRMIST, Mentors, or Administrators (course materials, assignments, announcements) remains the property of the respective creators or the institution.
Task Submissions
Submission Guidelines
- Submit tasks in the format specified by your Mentor.
- Ensure all submissions are complete before the deadline.
- Do not submit malicious files or code.
Submission Storage
- Task submissions are stored securely on our servers.
- Mentors and Admins have access to review submissions.
- Submissions may be retained for academic record purposes.
Late Submissions
- Late submission policies are determined by individual Mentors and SRMIST guidelines.
- The App timestamps all submissions for accuracy.
Privacy
Your use of the App is also governed by our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated into these Terms by reference. Please review our Privacy Policy to understand how we collect, use, and protect your information.
Disclaimers
THE APP IS PROVIDED ON AN "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" BASIS WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED.
No Guarantee
We do not guarantee that:
- The App will be uninterrupted, secure, or error-free.
- Results obtained from the App will be accurate or reliable.
- Any errors in the App will be corrected.
Technical Issues
We are not responsible for any technical malfunctions, data loss, or service interruptions that may affect your use of the App.
Limitation of Liability
TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW:
- iCohort, its developers, SRMIST, and their affiliates shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages.
- Our total liability for any claims arising from your use of the App shall not exceed the amount you paid to use the App (if any).
- We are not liable for any loss of data, academic standing, or opportunities resulting from App use or inability to use the App.
Indemnification
You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless iCohort, its developers, SRMIST, and their officers, directors, employees, and agents from any claims, damages, losses, liabilities, costs, or expenses (including legal fees) arising from:
- Your use of the App.
- Your violation of these Terms.
- Your violation of any rights of another party.
- Your submitted content.
Account Termination
Termination by User
You may request account deletion by contacting the Administrator or using the account settings within the App.
Termination by Administrator
We reserve the right to suspend or terminate your account at any time for:
- Violation of these Terms.
- Violation of SRMIST policies.
- Completion of the academic program.
- Inactivity for an extended period.
- Any other reason deemed appropriate by the Administrator.
Effect of Termination
Upon termination:
- Your access to the App will be revoked.
- Your submitted content may be retained for academic records.
- Provisions that by their nature should survive termination will remain in effect.
Modifications to Terms
We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time. Changes will be effective upon:
- Posting the updated Terms within the App.
- Updating the "Last Updated" date at the top of this document.
- Notification through the App (for significant changes).
Your continued use of the App after any modifications indicates your acceptance of the updated Terms.
Governing Law
Applicable Law
These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of India, without regard to its conflict of law provisions.
Jurisdiction
Any disputes arising from these Terms or your use of the App shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts located in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
Dispute Resolution
Before initiating legal proceedings, you agree to attempt to resolve any disputes informally by contacting us at icohort6@gmail.com.
General Provisions
Severability
If any provision of these Terms is found to be unenforceable or invalid, that provision shall be limited or eliminated to the minimum extent necessary, and the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect.
Entire Agreement
These Terms, together with the Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and iCohort regarding your use of the App.
Waiver
The failure of iCohort to enforce any right or provision of these Terms shall not constitute a waiver of such right or provision.