Privacy Policy

Last updated: October 2026

At GradeDescent, we care deeply about the privacy and security of everyone who uses our platform.
This policy describes how we handle information when you use GradeDescent’s services, including our web applications, APIs, and model-based grading tools.

Information We Collect

We collect information necessary to operate and improve our services.
Depending on how you use GradeDescent, this may include:

1. Account and Identity Data

• Name and email address (for instructors, students, and administrators)
• Institutional affiliation (e.g., university or school)
• Role (instructor, student, or admin)

2. Uploaded Content

• Assignment PDFs, solutions, and grading rubrics
• Feedback or annotations created during grading
• Text extracted from scanned or handwritten submissions (processed by AI models)

3. Usage Data

• Log data such as browser type, device, and timestamps
• System events (e.g., job queue entries, API requests, errors)
• Aggregated analytics about performance and model accuracy
• Website usage statistics from Google Analytics, which uses cookies to count visits and see which pages are used (page addresses with sign-in links and course codes removed, browser and device type, approximate location). Google's advertising features are turned off.

4. Payment and Billing Data

• For course owners and institutions purchasing credits or subscriptions,
  limited billing information is collected and processed securely via third-party payment providers.

How We Use Information

We use collected data to:

• Deliver and improve the GradeDescent platform
• Generate feedback and grades through LLM-based evaluation
• Enhance model accuracy and reliability (using anonymized data where possible)
• Respond to support requests and maintain platform security

Data Retention and Ownership

• Course owners retain ownership of uploaded content and student submissions.
• Data associated with a course may be deleted upon request by the course owner.
• Backups and logs are maintained for limited periods to ensure operational integrity.
• We do not sell user data or use it for advertising purposes.

Data Security

We take industry-standard measures to protect user data:

• Encryption in transit (HTTPS/TLS).
• Role-based access control for instructors and admins.
• Regular security reviews and dependency updates.

If you discover a security issue, please refer to our Security Policy for reporting instructions.

Third-Party Services

We may rely on trusted third-party services for:

• Cloud storage and hosting
• Payment processing
• AI model providers (for OCR, text extraction, or grading models)
• Website analytics (Google Analytics)

These providers are selected for their compliance with data-protection standards and are bound by appropriate confidentiality agreements.

Students and Educational Data

GradeDescent is designed for use by instructors and educational institutions. We process student submissions only under the direction of the course owner or institution.

Contact

For privacy inquiries, data-access requests, or deletion requests, please contact:
📧 privacy@gradedescent.com

We aim to respond within 10 business days.

Thank you for trusting GradeDescent to handle your educational data responsibly.