Privacy Policy

1. Introduction and Overview

TrueGuide Technologies ("TrueGuide," "we," "our," or "us") takes your privacy seriously and is committed to protecting the personal information we collect from and about you. This Privacy Policy describes our practices regarding the collection, use, storage, processing, and disclosure of personal information through our website at trueguide.ca, our AI chatbot service, and any related services (collectively, the "Services").

This Privacy Policy applies to all interactions with TrueGuide Technologies, including website visits, AI chatbot conversations, account creation, and any other ways you may interact with us. By using our Services, you agree to the practices described in this Privacy Policy.

We comply with applicable privacy regulations, including:

• Canada's Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and applicable provincial legislation

If you do not agree with this Privacy Policy, please do not access or use our Services.

2. Information Collection

2.1 Personal Information

Identity Information

We collect information that can be used to identify you, including your name, email address, phone number (when provided), account credentials (username and password), country of residence, preferred language, and time zone.

Immigration-Related Information

When you use our AI chatbot or Services, we may collect your current immigration status, immigration history, intended immigration programs or pathways, timeline and planning information, professional qualifications and experience, family information relevant to immigration, education history, and language proficiency information.

Chat Interaction Data

We collect and store information about your interactions with our AI chatbot, including questions and queries submitted, conversation history and context, response preferences, feedback provided, usage patterns and frequency, session duration and timing, and feature utilization data.

2.2 Technical Information

We automatically collect certain technical information when you use our Services, including:

Device information: Device type and model, operating system and version, mobile device identifiers (when applicable), screen resolution and browser type, and hardware capabilities.

Network and Usage Data: IP address, access times and dates, geographic location (based on IP address), browser type and version, language preferences, pages viewed and features used, time spent on pages, navigation paths, referral sources, and system logs.

Performance and Error Data: Service performance metrics, error logs and crash reports, debug information, connection speed and stability metrics, and API response times.

2.3 Cookies and Similar Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your experience and collect usage data. Our cookies serve essential purposes (user authentication, security measures, load balancing), analytics purposes (understanding user behavior, improving service performance), and functional purposes (remembering language preferences, customizing user experience).

We use industry-standard analytics tools, including Google Analytics, Azure Application Insights, and other specialized AI and chatbot analytics tools. You can control cookie preferences through your browser settings. However, disabling certain cookies may limit functionality or prevent access to some features of our Services.

2.4 Information We Do Not Collect

We don't knowingly collect payment card numbers (these are processed by third-party payment providers), government-issued identification numbers, biometric data, health information, information about children under 18, or other sensitive personal information not required for our Services.

3. Use of Information

3.1 Primary Purposes

We use your personal information for service delivery (providing AI chatbot responses, maintaining and operating our Services, creating and managing your account), service improvement (enhancing chatbot response accuracy, developing new features, fixing bugs), and communication (sending essential service notifications, providing updates about your queries or account).

3.2 Secondary Purposes

We may also use your information for service optimization (personalizing user experience, improving navigation), analytics and research (generating aggregated usage statistics, analyzing user behavior patterns), and marketing and communication.

3.3 Third-Party AI Services and APIs

We utilize various third-party AI services and APIs to provide our Services, including but not limited to OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, and Perplexity. When using these services, your queries and relevant context may be transmitted to these providers following security best practices.

3.4 Additional Services

As part of our Services, we may send you newsletters and marketing communications, develop personalized immigration plans, provide guidance and recommendations, share educational content and resources, and track progress and planning milestones. By using our Services, you agree to receive these communications and features. You can manage your communication preferences through your account settings or by contacting us.

4. Data Sharing and Disclosure

4.1 Third-Party Service Providers

We share information with trusted service providers who help us operate our Services, including cloud hosting providers, AI and machine learning services, analytics services, customer support platforms, and security services. All service providers must maintain strict data security standards and process data only as instructed by us.

4.2 Legal Requirements

We may disclose information when legally required in response to valid court orders, to comply with legal obligations, to protect our rights and property, to prevent fraud or abuse, to ensure platform security, or to respond to emergency situations.

4.3 Business Transfers

In the event of a business transaction involving TrueGuide Technologies (sale of business assets, merger or acquisition, corporate reorganization), we will notify users of any ownership change and ensure continued protection of personal information.

4.4 Prohibited Data Sharing

We do not sell personal information to third parties, share data for marketing without consent, disclose information to unauthorized parties, transfer data without appropriate safeguards, or use personal information for unrelated purposes.

4.5 International Data Transfers

When we transfer data across borders, we ensure appropriate legal frameworks are in place, adequate data protection measures exist, and compliance with international privacy laws is maintained.

5. Data Security

5.1 Security Measures

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your personal information and maintain data security. We employ a variety of technical security measures to maintain the safety of your personal information, including encryption for data in transit and at rest, secure access controls and authentication systems, and regular security assessments.

5.2 Operational Security

Our commitment to security extends to our operational practices. We conduct regular system updates and maintenance to ensure our security measures remain effective. Our employees undergo security training and must follow strict data handling protocols.

5.3 Third-Party Security

When we engage third-party service providers, they must meet our security standards. Our agreements with service providers include requirements for data protection, security incident reporting, and regular verification of security controls.

5.4 Security Limitations

While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee its absolute security. No method of transmission over the internet or method of electronic storage is 100% secure.

5.5 User Responsibilities

The security of your account also depends on you. We strongly recommend using strong passwords, keeping your account credentials confidential, and signing out after using our Services.

6. Data Retention

6.1 Retention Periods

We retain 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.

6.2 Account Data

For active accounts, we maintain account information, service usage history, and communication records necessary to provide our Services.

6.3 Inactive Accounts

For inactive accounts, we may retain certain information for up to 24 months after the last activity. After this period, we may archive or anonymize the data.

6.4 Data Deletion

When you request data deletion or close your account, please note that certain information may persist in our backup systems for a period of time. Additionally, we may retain anonymized data for analytical purposes.

6.5 Business Records

We maintain certain business records as required by law and for legitimate business purposes. This includes records necessary for legal compliance, financial reporting, audit requirements, and security purposes.

7. International Data Transfers

We store and process your information in Canada and the United States. However, given the global nature of our Services and service providers, your information may be transferred to, stored in, or accessed from multiple countries. When we engage in such transfers, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your information and comply with applicable data protection laws.

8. User Rights and Choices

You have various rights regarding your personal information, including the right to access, correct, delete, or restrict processing of your data. You can exercise these rights by contacting us using the information provided in the Contact section.

9. Special Categories

9.1 Children's Privacy

Our Services are not intended for use by individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18 years of age.

9.2 Sensitive Information

While providing our immigration information services, we may receive sensitive information about your national origin, citizenship status, or other personal details relevant to immigration matters. We handle such sensitive information with extra care and in accordance with applicable laws.

10. Third-Party Links and Services

10.1 External Links

Our Services may contain links to third-party websites, applications, or services that are not owned or controlled by TrueGuide Technologies. We have no control over, and assume no responsibility for, the content, privacy policies, or practices of any third-party websites or services.

10.2 Third-Party Services

Our Services integrate with various third-party services, including AI service providers, analytics providers, communication services, and cloud storage providers. When you interact with these integrated services, their own privacy policies may apply in addition to ours.

11. Changes to Privacy Policy

We reserve the right to update this Privacy Policy at any time. If we make material changes to how we treat your personal information, we will notify you through a notice on our website prior to the change becoming effective.

12. Contact Information

12.1 General Inquiries

For questions about this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us at:

Email: privacy@trueguide.ca
Address: [Company Address]
Phone: [Phone Number]

13. Regulatory Information

13.1 Privacy Compliance

We operate under and comply with Canadian privacy laws, including PIPEDA and applicable provincial privacy legislation.

13.2 Legal Basis for Processing

We process personal information as necessary to provide our Services, comply with legal obligations, conduct legitimate business operations, and fulfill the purposes described in this Privacy Policy.

13.3 Governing Law

This Privacy Policy is governed by the laws of Ontario, Canada, without regard to its conflict of law principles. Any dispute arising from this Privacy Policy shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Ontario, Canada, except where prohibited by applicable law.