Legal

Privacy Policy

PRIVACY POLICY

Last Updated: April 6, 2025

Introduction

American GED Online Center ("Company," "we," "us," "our") operates an online educational platform designed to help students prepare for the General Educational Development (GED) examination. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and protect your personal information when you access our website, create a student account, purchase our GED preparation services, and interact with our platforms and services (collectively, the "Service").

Please read this Privacy Policy carefully. By accessing or using our Service, 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, do not use our Service.

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Information You Provide Directly

Account Registration
When you create a student account, we collect:

  • Full name
  • Email address
  • Password (encrypted)
  • Phone number (optional)
  • Date of birth
  • State of residence
  • Educational background / prior exam attempts (optional)

Payment Information
When you purchase our $380 GED preparation service, we collect:

  • Billing name and address
  • Credit card number, expiration date, and CVV (processed securely through our third-party payment processor; we do not store full card details)
  • Transaction history and receipt information

Student Profile & Progress Data
To deliver personalized educational services, we collect:

  • Practice test scores and performance analytics
  • Module completion status and time spent per lesson
  • Question responses and answer explanations viewed
  • Diagnostic assessment results
  • Learning preferences and study pace selections
  • Notes, bookmarks, and saved resources within the platform

Communications
If you contact us via email, phone, chat, or contact form, we collect:

  • Your message content
  • Inquiry category (billing, technical support, curriculum, etc.)
  • Date and time of communication

1.2 Information Collected Automatically

Cookies and Tracking Technologies
When you use our Service, our servers and third-party analytics providers automatically collect:

  • Cookie IDs (persistent and session-based)
  • IP address and geolocation (city/state level)
  • Browser type and version
  • Operating system
  • Pages visited and time spent on each page
  • Links clicked
  • Referring website
  • Search terms used within our platform
  • Device identifier (if accessing via mobile app)

We use cookies to remember your login session, store your learning preferences, analyze usage patterns, and improve our Service. You may disable cookies via your browser settings, though this may limit Service functionality.

Log Files
Our servers automatically log:

  • Access timestamps
  • Pages or features accessed
  • Download history
  • Service errors or technical issues encountered

1.3 Information from Third Parties

  • Paddle.com Market Ltd ("Paddle"), our Merchant of Record and payment processor, may provide transaction confirmation, billing country, and dispute information
  • Email service providers may provide delivery and engagement metrics
  • Analytics platforms (e.g., Google Analytics) provide aggregated usage data

1.4 Legal Basis for Processing

Where data protection law requires a legal basis, we rely on:

  • Performance of a contract — creating and managing your account, delivering the course, processing your order, and providing support.
  • Legal obligation — tax, accounting, and record-keeping duties, and responding to lawful requests.
  • Legitimate interests — securing the Service, preventing fraud and abuse, and improving our curriculum and features, balanced against your rights.
  • Consent — optional marketing emails, non-essential cookies, and any other processing where we ask for your permission. You may withdraw consent at any time.

2. How We Use Your Information

2.1 Service Delivery

  • Creating and managing your student account
  • Processing your $380 payment and issuing receipts
  • Delivering GED preparation content, practice tests, and lessons
  • Tracking your progress and generating personalized study recommendations
  • Providing technical support and troubleshooting
  • Sending transactional emails (payment confirmations, password resets, account notifications)

2.2 Educational Analytics & Improvement

  • Analyzing learning patterns to identify knowledge gaps
  • Generating performance reports visible to you on your dashboard
  • Identifying which lessons are most challenging for your cohort (anonymized)
  • Improving curriculum design and lesson clarity
  • A/B testing new features and content delivery methods

2.3 Communications

  • Sending educational reminders (upcoming deadlines, new course modules)
  • Responding to your customer support inquiries
  • Sending promotional offers for supplemental materials or exam-registration guidance (opt-in)
  • Notifying you of service updates or policy changes

2.4 Legal & Safety

  • Complying with legal obligations (subpoenas, court orders, regulatory requests)
  • Enforcing our Terms of Service and other agreements
  • Detecting and preventing fraud, unauthorized access, and other illegal activity
  • Protecting the rights, property, and safety of our Company, users, and the public

3. Data Sharing & Disclosure

3.1 We Do Not Sell Your Personal Information

We do not sell, rent, trade, or license your personal information to third parties for marketing purposes.

3.2 We May Share Information In These Circumstances

Service Providers
We share information with trusted vendors who assist us under confidentiality agreements:

  • Paddle — Merchant of Record: Paddle.com resells our course and is the Merchant of Record for all orders. We share your name, email address, and order details with Paddle so it can process your payment, manage subscriptions, calculate and remit taxes, issue invoices, handle refunds and chargebacks, and provide order-related customer service. Paddle processes this data as an independent controller under its own privacy notice.
  • Email service providers (to send transactional and promotional emails)
  • Analytics providers (Google Analytics)
  • Cloud hosting providers (to store your account and progress data securely)
  • Customer support platforms
  • Educational testing consultants (to improve curriculum)
  • Professional advisers (legal, accounting, and audit)

Legal Compliance
We may disclose your information when required by law, or in response to:

  • Subpoenas or court orders
  • Regulatory investigations (state education boards, Federal Trade Commission)
  • Government requests (law enforcement, national security)
  • To protect our legal interests or enforce our agreements

Business Transfer
If our Company is acquired, merged, or sold, your information may be transferred as an asset of that transaction. You will be notified of such change and any choices you may have regarding your information.

Aggregated & De-Identified Data
We may share anonymized, aggregated data (e.g., "75% of users completed Module 3 within 2 weeks") with partners, researchers, and the public without restriction, as it cannot identify you.

3.3 International Transfers

Our servers are located in the United States. By using our Service, you consent to the transfer of your information to the U.S., where it will be subject to U.S. privacy laws. If you are a resident of the European Economic Area (EEA), United Kingdom, or other jurisdiction with strong data-protection laws, your data may receive less protection in the U.S.; however, we implement reasonable safeguards (encryption, access controls) to mitigate this risk.

3.4 Third-Party Links & Analytics

Our website may contain links to third-party websites (GED.com, state education boards, testing centers). We are not responsible for their privacy practices. We use Google Analytics to track aggregate usage patterns; Google may collect additional information under its own privacy policy. You can opt out of Google Analytics tracking via the Google Analytics opt-out browser extension.

4. Data Security

We implement industry-standard safeguards to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, disclosure, and alteration:

  • Encryption: All data in transit uses TLS/SSL encryption (HTTPS). Sensitive data at rest (passwords, payment info) is encrypted using AES-256 or equivalent.
  • Access Controls: Only authorized employees with a legitimate business need can access your information. All staff sign confidentiality agreements.
  • Secure Payment Processing: Payment information is processed by Paddle, our PCI-DSS-compliant Merchant of Record; we never receive or store full credit card numbers.
  • Regular Security Audits: We conduct periodic security assessments and penetration testing.
  • Incident Response: If a security breach occurs, we will notify affected users within 30 days (or as required by law).

However, no security system is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute protection against all cyber threats. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your password and account login credentials.

5. Your Privacy Rights & Choices

5.1 Access & Correction

You have the right to access your personal information and request correction of inaccurate data. To do so, log into your student account dashboard or contact us at Refunds@americangedonlinecenter.com.

5.2 Data Deletion

You may request deletion of your account and associated personal information by emailing Refunds@americangedonlinecenter.com. We will delete your data within 30 days, except where we are required by law to retain it (e.g., tax records for 7 years).

5.3 Marketing Communications

You may opt out of promotional emails by clicking the "Unsubscribe" link in any email or by updating your preferences in your account settings. Transactional emails (receipts, password resets) cannot be opted out of, as they are necessary for Service delivery.

5.4 Cookies & Tracking

You may disable cookies via your browser settings. Note that disabling cookies may impair your ability to log in or use certain features.

5.5 Do Not Track Signals

Some browsers include a "Do Not Track" feature. We honor such signals by not setting marketing-focused cookies for users who have enabled this feature, though we still use essential cookies for authentication and Service delivery.

5.6 California Privacy Rights (CCPA)

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

  • Right to Know: You may request what categories of personal information we collect and how we use it.
  • Right to Delete: You may request deletion of your personal information (subject to legal exceptions).
  • Right to Opt-Out: You may request we not "sell" your personal information (we do not sell it, but you can confirm this in writing).

To exercise these rights, email Refunds@americangedonlinecenter.com with the subject line "CCPA Rights Request." We will respond within 45 days.

6. Children's Privacy

Our Service is intended for individuals 18 years and older. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we become aware that we have collected information from a child under 13, we will delete it immediately. If you believe we have collected information from a child under 13, please contact us immediately at Refunds@americangedonlinecenter.com.

Note: Students ages 13–17 may use our Service with parental consent. Parents may review or request deletion of a minor's account by contacting Refunds@americangedonlinecenter.com.

7. Retention of Data

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to:

  • Deliver the GED preparation Service and fulfill your order
  • Comply with legal and tax obligations (typically 7 years for payment records)
  • Resolve disputes and enforce our agreements

Once these purposes are satisfied, we will delete or de-identify your information. If you request account deletion, we will remove your data within 30 days (except for records required by law).

8. Third-Party Links & Integrations

Our website may link to external resources (GED.com, state testing centers, ASVAB prep sites). We are not responsible for the privacy practices of third-party websites. Please review their privacy policies before providing personal information.

9. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in our practices, technology, or legal requirements. We will notify you of material changes by:

  • Posting the updated policy on our website with a new "Last Updated" date
  • Sending an email notification to your registered email address (for major changes)

Your continued use of our Service after updates constitutes your acceptance of the revised Privacy Policy.

10. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, wish to exercise your privacy rights, or report a security concern, contact us:

Email: Refunds@americangedonlinecenter.com
Mailing Address:
American GED Online Center
12 S Lake Avenue
Albany, NY 12203
Phone: +1 845 750 9056
Response Time: We aim to respond to all inquiries within 5 business days.