What we collect, what we don’t, and how to remove your data.

1. What we collect

When you scan the WhatsApp QR on /contact/ and message the mentor, we receive:

• A
  Your WhatsApp number — visible only to the mentor account, used solely for routing your messages to the appropriate cohort.
• B
  The content of your messages — school year, prior experience, questions about IOL, problem-walkthrough requests. We never proactively ask for more than this.
• C
  Cohort participation metadata — which weekly walkthroughs you attend, anonymised aggregate statistics about cohort size and progression.

We do not collect: email addresses, phone numbers, school identifiers, parent contact information, payment information (we have no payment system), or browser tracking data beyond standard server logs.

2. How we use it

Your WhatsApp number and messages are used solely to provide the mentor service: matching you to a starter problem, sending the weekly walkthrough schedule, answering questions about contest preparation, and routing you to alumni or national-olympiad resources when you ask.

Aggregate cohort statistics (size, retention, problem-category coverage) are reviewed quarterly by the editorial team to improve the walkthrough programme. No individual’s data is ever used for marketing, advertising, or shared with third parties.

3. Server logs and cookies

This website (en.iolc.org.cn) is hosted on WordPress with standard nginx server logs. Logs include IP addresses, request paths, and user-agent strings; they are retained for 30 days for security purposes and then deleted.

We use no analytics cookies, no advertising cookies, and no third-party trackers. The only cookies set are the WordPress session cookies (active only while you’re logged into the admin panel, which is restricted to editorial team members).

4. How to delete your data

For PIPL or GDPR-style formal data-subject-access requests (export of data, written confirmation of deletion, or transfer to another data controller), message the mentor with “data request” and a brief description. The editorial team responds within 30 days as required under both regulations.

5. Children’s data

Many of our cohort members are under 18 (grade 7-12). We treat all cohort members’ data with the same protections regardless of age. We do not collect data from anyone we know to be under 13, and we ask older students to confirm parental awareness when first joining the cohort.

Parents of minor club members may request the same deletion or access rights described above on their child’s behalf by messaging the mentor.

6. Hosting and jurisdiction

The site is hosted in mainland China on infrastructure subject to China’s PIPL (Personal Information Protection Law). The mentor channel runs on WhatsApp, also subject to PIPL. For users in the EU, we follow GDPR equivalents where they differ from PIPL.

Cross-border data transfer: in the ordinary course of running the mentor channel, your messages may be processed by WhatsApp servers in mainland China. By initiating contact you consent to this processing; you can revoke consent at any time via the deletion process above.

7. Updates to this policy

If we change this policy, the new version is published at this URL with an updated date at the top. Material changes are also announced in the weekly cohort bulletin so existing members are aware. The previous version is preserved in our repository for audit purposes.

8. Contact for privacy questions

For any privacy concern not addressed above, scan the WhatsApp QR on /contact/ and message the mentor with “privacy question”. We treat these messages with priority and respond within 7 days. For formal regulatory complaints under PIPL, the relevant authority is the Cyberspace Administration of China; under GDPR, your member-state data protection authority.