Your privacy matters to us. STEP-UP Maritime Academy collects only what is necessary to deliver our training services. We do not sell your personal data. This policy explains what we collect, why, and how it is protected.
1. Who We Are
STEP-UP Maritime Academy is an online maritime training platform operated by Captain Paul A. Malinao under Tradewind Philippines, based in Leyte, Philippines. For privacy-related inquiries, contact us at plmalinao@gmail.com.
2. Information We Collect
Information You Provide Directly
- Account information: Full name, email address, and password when you register.
- Payment information: Handled entirely by Lemon Squeezy — we do not store credit card or payment data.
- Profile information: Optional details such as your seafarer rank, vessel type, or country.
- Communications: Messages or inquiries you send to us via email or support channels.
Information Collected Automatically
- Usage data: Pages visited, lessons completed, simulator scores, and time spent on the platform.
- Device information: Browser type, operating system, IP address, and screen resolution.
- Cookies and local storage: Used for session management and platform functionality.
Information from Third Parties
- Firebase (Google): Authentication and database services. Subject to Google's Privacy Policy.
- Lemon Squeezy: Payment processor. Provides purchase confirmation data to us.
3. How We Use Your Information
| Purpose | Data Used |
|---|
| Deliver course and simulator access | Account data, purchase records |
| Process payments and subscriptions | Email, purchase details (via Lemon Squeezy) |
| Track training progress and scores | Usage data, simulator results |
| Send transactional emails (receipts, access links) | Email address |
| Send course updates and training tips (opt-in) | Email address, name |
| Improve platform features and content | Anonymized usage analytics |
| Prevent fraud and abuse | IP address, account activity |
| Comply with legal obligations | As required by Philippine law |
4. Legal Basis for Processing
We process your personal data on the following legal grounds:
- Contract performance: To fulfill your course purchase or subscription.
- Legitimate interests: To improve our platform and prevent fraud.
- Consent: For marketing emails (you may unsubscribe at any time).
- Legal compliance: Where required by Philippine or applicable international law.
5. Data Sharing and Third Parties
We do not sell your personal data. We share data only with trusted service providers necessary to operate our platform:
- Google Firebase — Authentication, database, and hosting infrastructure.
- Lemon Squeezy — Payment processing. They have their own Privacy Policy.
- Brevo (Sendinblue) — Email delivery for transactional and marketing messages.
- Bunny.net — Video content delivery.
- Meta (Facebook) — Advertising and analytics via Facebook Pixel (with your consent).
We may disclose your information if required by law, court order, or to protect the rights and safety of our users or the public.
6. Cookies and Tracking
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
- Session cookies: Keep you logged in during your visit.
- Functional cookies: Remember your preferences (e.g., language, last lesson viewed).
- Analytics cookies: Understand how users interact with the platform (anonymized).
- Marketing pixels: Facebook Pixel for advertising optimization (opt-in via cookie consent).
You may disable cookies through your browser settings. Note that disabling cookies may affect platform functionality, particularly login and session management.
7. Data Retention
We retain your personal data for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide services. Specifically:
- Active accounts: data retained for the lifetime of the account.
- Cancelled subscriptions: account data retained for 2 years for record-keeping.
- Payment records: retained for 7 years for accounting and legal compliance.
- Marketing data: deleted upon unsubscribe request.
You may request deletion of your account and data at any time (see Your Rights below).
8. Your Rights
Depending on your location, you may have the following rights regarding your personal data:
- Access: Request a copy of the data we hold about you.
- Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data.
- Deletion: Request deletion of your account and associated data.
- Portability: Request your data in a machine-readable format.
- Objection: Object to processing of your data for marketing purposes.
- Withdraw consent: Unsubscribe from marketing emails at any time.
To exercise any of these rights, email us at plmalinao@gmail.com. We will respond within 30 days.
9. Data Security
We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your personal data, including:
- HTTPS encryption on all web pages and API calls.
- Firebase Authentication with secure token handling.
- Access controls limiting staff access to user data.
- Regular security reviews of our platform architecture.
Despite these measures, no online system is 100% secure. In the event of a data breach that affects your rights, we will notify you within 72 hours.
10. International Users
STEP-UP Maritime Academy serves users globally including users from the European Union, United Kingdom, India, Indonesia, and other jurisdictions. We strive to comply with applicable data protection laws in your jurisdiction, including GDPR for EU/EEA users.
By using our Services from outside the Philippines, you consent to the transfer of your data to the Philippines and to the third-party services listed in this policy, which may be located in other countries.
11. Children's Privacy
Our Services are not directed to individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from minors. If we become aware that a minor has provided us with personal data, we will delete it promptly. If you believe a minor has used our Services, please contact us immediately.