Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains how Physweb ("Physweb," "we," "us," or "our") collects, uses, shares, and protects information when you use physweb.com and related services (the "Service"). This policy is written for users located in the United States. It should be read together with our Terms of Service and Cookie Policy.

1. Overview

We built Physweb to teach physics, not to profit from your personal data. We do not sell your personal information, and we collect only what we need to operate and improve the Service, process payments, and communicate with you.

2. Information We Collect

Information you provide to us:

• Account information: first and last name, email address, and password (stored in hashed form — we never store your password in plain text) when you register.
• Payment information: if you subscribe to Physweb Pro, our payment processor, Stripe, collects your billing details directly. We do not receive or store your full card number.
• Content you submit: feedback, errata comments, a display name for the Metaverse, and any other content you choose to submit.
• Communications: messages you send us, and your email address if you subscribe to our newsletter.

Information we collect automatically:

• Learning activity: which modules and exercises you view or complete, and your answers, so we can track and display your progress.
• Device and usage data: IP address, browser type, device type, pages visited, and general usage patterns, collected via Google Analytics.
• Cookies and local storage: see our Cookie Policy for full detail on what we and our service providers store in your browser.

3. How We Use Information

We use the information we collect to:

• provide, operate, and maintain the Service, including saving and displaying your learning progress;
• process subscription payments and manage billing through Stripe;
• respond to your feedback, support requests, and other communications;
• send you service-related emails (such as account or billing notices) and, if you opt in, our newsletter;
• understand how the Service is used so we can improve it, using aggregated analytics;
• detect, investigate, and prevent fraud, abuse, and security incidents; and
• comply with legal obligations.

4. How We Share Information

We do not sell your personal information. We share information only:

• With service providers who help us operate the Service, such as Stripe (payments), our cloud hosting provider, and Google Analytics (usage analytics) — each bound by their own privacy and security obligations;
• With other users, limited to what you choose to make visible — for example, your display name and errata comments, or your presence and voice in the Metaverse (see Section 5);
• For legal reasons, if required to comply with a law, regulation, legal process, or governmental request, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of Physweb, our users, or the public; or
• In a business transfer, such as a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, in which case we will notify you before your information is transferred and becomes subject to a different privacy policy.

5. Metaverse and Real-Time Data

When you join the Metaverse, your chosen display name and your character's position are broadcast in real time to other users who are online at the same time, so that you can see and interact with each other. This position data is held only in server memory for the duration of your session and is not written to a database or retained after you disconnect. If you unmute your microphone, your voice audio is transmitted directly peer-to-peer between your device and the device(s) of the user(s) you are speaking with, using WebRTC; our servers relay only the connection setup information needed to establish that direct link, and we do not record, intercept, or store the audio itself.

6. Data Retention

We retain your account information and learning progress for as long as your account is active, so that your progress is there when you come back. If you delete your account, we will delete or anonymize your personal information within a reasonable period, except where we are required to retain it to comply with legal, tax, or accounting obligations, or to resolve disputes.

7. Your Rights and Choices

• Access and correction: you can review and update your account information at any time, or contact us for assistance.
• Deletion: you can request deletion of your account and associated personal information by emailing info@physweb.com.
• Newsletter opt-out: every newsletter email includes an unsubscribe link; you can also ask us to opt you out directly.
• Cookies and local storage: you can control these through your browser settings — see our Cookie Policy.

8. Notice for California Residents

If you are a California resident, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), as amended, gives you the right to know what personal information we have collected about you, to request deletion of that information, to correct inaccurate information, and to not be discriminated against for exercising these rights. We do not sell or "share" (as that term is defined under the CCPA) your personal information, and have not done so in the past 12 months. You can exercise these rights by contacting us at info@physweb.com. We will verify your request using the information associated with your account before responding.

9. Children's Privacy

The Service is not directed at children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 without verifiable parental consent. If you believe a child under 13 has provided us with personal information, please contact us at info@physweb.com and we will delete it.

10. Data Security

We use reasonable technical and organizational safeguards to protect your information, including encrypting data in transit (HTTPS/TLS) and storing passwords only in hashed form. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

11. International Visitors

The Service is operated in the United States and this policy is written for users located in the United States. If you access the Service from outside the United States, your information will be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States, where privacy laws may differ from those in your jurisdiction. By using the Service, you consent to this transfer.

12. Third-Party Links

The Service may link to third-party websites, such as national laboratories' research pages, their public data APIs, or Stripe's hosted checkout pages. This Privacy Policy does not apply to those third-party sites, and we encourage you to review their privacy practices before providing them with information.

13. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. If we make material changes, we will update the "Last updated" date above and, where appropriate, notify you. Your continued use of the Service after a change takes effect constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.

14. Contact Us

Questions about this Privacy Policy or your personal information? Contact us at info@physweb.com.