Effective Date: August 1, 2025
Company: Backpine LLC ("Backpine," "we," "us," or "our")
Platform: Online Course Platform operated by Backpine LLC

At Backpine LLC, we are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring the security of your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our online course platform and services. Please read this policy carefully to understand our practices regarding your personal data.

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Personal Information

We may collect the following categories of personal information:

• Contact information (name, email address, phone number)
• Account credentials (username, password)
• Billing and payment information (credit card details, billing address)
• Professional information (job title, company name, professional experience)
• Educational background information
• Profile information (biography, profile picture)
• Communication preferences

1.2 Usage Data

We automatically collect certain information when you access or use our platform:

• Device information (IP address, browser type, operating system)
• Usage details (pages visited, time spent on pages, navigation paths)
• Course progress and completion data
• Quiz and assessment results
• Interaction with course materials (videos watched, documents downloaded)
• Forum and discussion participation
• Time and date of platform access

1.3 Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies, web beacons, pixels, and similar tracking technologies to collect information about your browsing activities. These technologies help us analyze platform usage, improve user experience, and deliver targeted content. You can manage your cookie preferences through your browser settings, but disabling certain cookies may affect platform functionality.

2. How We Collect Information

We collect information through various methods:

• Direct collection: Information you provide when creating an account, purchasing courses, completing profile details, or communicating with us
• Automated collection: Information collected through cookies, server logs, and other tracking technologies
• Third-party sources: Information from integration partners, payment processors, social media platforms (if you use social login), and other service providers

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your personal information for the following purposes:

• Providing and managing our educational services and platform
• Processing transactions and managing your account
• Personalizing your learning experience
• Communicating with you about courses, updates, and platform changes
• Sending promotional materials and marketing communications (with consent where required)
• Analyzing platform usage and improving our services
• Responding to your inquiries and providing customer support
• Enforcing our terms and conditions and protecting our legal rights
• Detecting and preventing fraudulent activities
• Complying with legal obligations

4. Legal Basis for Processing (for EEA/UK Users)

For users in the European Economic Area (EEA) and United Kingdom, we process your personal data based on the following legal grounds:

• Contract performance: Processing necessary to fulfill our contractual obligations to you
• Legitimate interests: Processing that serves our legitimate business interests, such as improving our services and marketing our products
• Consent: Processing based on your specific consent, such as for marketing communications
• Legal obligation: Processing required to comply with applicable laws

5. Information Sharing and Disclosure

We may share your information with the following categories of recipients:

• Service providers: Third-party vendors who help us operate our platform (hosting providers, payment processors, customer support services)
• Business partners: Instructors, content creators, and other educational partners who provide content on our platform
• Analytics providers: Companies that help us analyze platform usage and improve our services
• Marketing partners: Third parties who assist with our marketing and advertising efforts
• Legal and regulatory authorities: When required by law, court order, or other legal process
• Corporate transactions: In connection with a merger, acquisition, reorganization, or sale of assets

We do not sell your personal information to third parties for their marketing purposes.

6. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law. The criteria used to determine our retention periods include:

• The length of time we have an ongoing relationship with you
• Our legal obligations under applicable laws
• Statute of limitations for potential legal claims
• Operational necessity and business requirements

You may request deletion of your personal information as described in the "Your Rights and Choices" section below.

7. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. Our security measures include:

• Encryption of sensitive data in transit and at rest
• Access controls and authentication procedures
• Regular security assessments and vulnerability testing
• Employee training on data protection practices
• Incident response procedures

While we strive to protect your personal information, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security of your data.

8. International Data Transfers

We may transfer your personal information to countries other than your country of residence, including to the United States where our primary servers are located. These countries may have different data protection laws than your country.

For transfers from the EEA, UK, or Switzerland to countries not deemed to provide an adequate level of data protection, we implement appropriate safeguards such as Standard Contractual Clauses approved by the European Commission or other valid transfer mechanisms.

9. Your Rights and Choices

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

• Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
• Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
• Deletion: Request deletion of your personal information in certain circumstances
• Restriction: Request restriction of processing in certain circumstances
• Portability: Request transfer of your information to another service provider
• Objection: Object to processing based on legitimate interests
• Withdraw consent: Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent

To exercise these rights, please contact us using the information provided in the "Contact Us" section. We will respond to your request within the timeframe required by applicable law.

10. Marketing Communications

You can opt out of receiving marketing communications from us by:

• Following the unsubscribe instructions in our emails
• Updating your communication preferences in your account settings
• Contacting us directly using the information in the "Contact Us" section

Even if you opt out of marketing communications, we may still send you non-promotional messages related to your account and courses.

11. Children's Privacy

Our platform is not directed to children under 16 years of age, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 16. If we learn that we have collected personal information from a child under 16, we will promptly delete that information. If you believe we may have collected information from a child under 16, please contact us.

12. Third-Party Links and Services

Our platform may contain links to third-party websites, applications, or services that are not operated by us. This Privacy Policy does not apply to those third-party services. We recommend reviewing the privacy policies of any third-party services you access through our platform.

13. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for other operational, legal, or regulatory reasons. The updated policy will be posted on our platform with the "Effective Date" at the top. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically. Your continued use of our platform after the posting of changes constitutes your acceptance of such changes.

14. California Privacy Rights

California residents may have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and other state laws, including:

• The right to know what personal information we collect, use, disclose, and sell
• The right to request deletion of personal information
• The right to opt-out of the sale of personal information
• The right to non-discrimination for exercising these rights

To exercise these rights, please contact us using the information in the "Contact Us" section.

15. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us at:

Backpine LLC
matt@backpine.com

We will respond to your inquiries as soon as possible and in accordance with applicable law.