1. Information We Collect

Information you provide

• Essays and writing topics: The text you submit for analysis
• Account information: If you sign in with Google, we receive your name, email address, and profile picture
• Uploaded images: If you use the handwriting scan feature, the images you upload. Our AI automatically filters out personally identifiable information (names, school headers, candidate numbers) during text extraction — only the essay content is retained
• Batch marking uploads: If you are a teacher using batch marking, the class PDFs you upload. Student names and candidate numbers may be extracted via OCR for labelling purposes only. See Section 5 for full details on how batch data is handled

Information collected automatically

• Usage data: Pages visited, features used, time spent
• Device information: Browser type, operating system, screen size
• IP address: Used for rate limiting and security

2. How We Use Your Information

• To provide AI-powered essay feedback
• To save your essay history (if you sign in)
• To create shareable report links (if you choose)
• To improve the service through analytics
• To prevent abuse and ensure security

3. AI Processing & Third-Party Services

We use the following third-party services to operate EssayHero:

4. Data Storage & Retention

• Anonymous users: Essays are processed in memory and not stored. Once you close the page, the data is gone.
• Signed-in users: Essays are saved to your dashboard and retained until you delete them.
• Shared reports: Auto-deleted after 30 days, or you can delete them earlier.
• Account deletion: When you delete your account, all associated data is permanently removed.

5. Batch Marking & Student Data

Batch marking allows teachers to upload a class PDF containing multiple student essays. This section explains how student data is handled during and after a batch marking session.

What data is collected

• OCR extraction: Student names and candidate numbers may be extracted from uploaded pages via OCR. This metadata is used solely for labelling individual essays within the batch — it is not used for any other purpose
• Essay content: The text of each student's essay is extracted for AI analysis against the selected marking criteria
• Scores and feedback: AI-generated scores, teacher overrides, and notes are stored as part of the batch session

Data retention

• Anonymous teachers: Batch session data is held in the browser's localStorage with a 24-hour expiry. Closing the browser or clearing storage removes it entirely
• Signed-in teachers: Batch sessions can be saved to the server and persist in the teacher's account. This data is stored in our PostgreSQL database and protected by the same security measures as all other user data
• Shared student reports: Individual student reports shared via link follow the same 30-day auto-deletion policy as all shared reports

No student accounts

Students whose work is uploaded via batch marking do not have accounts on EssayHero. Their data exists only within the teacher's session and, if saved, within the teacher's account. Students cannot access, modify, or delete this data directly — only the uploading teacher can manage it.

Teacher responsibility

Teachers are responsible for obtaining appropriate consent before uploading student work to EssayHero. This includes informing students (and, where applicable, their parents or guardians) that essays will be processed by an AI service. We recommend reviewing your school's data handling policies before using batch marking.

Account deletion

When a teacher deletes their account, all associated batch sessions, custom rubrics, score overrides, notes, and comment templates are permanently deleted. Shared student report links created from batch sessions also expire and become inaccessible.

6. Your Rights

You have the right to:

• Access your data: View your saved essays in your dashboard
• Delete your data: Delete individual essays or your entire account
• Export your data: Contact us to request a copy of your data
• Opt out of analytics: Use browser privacy settings or extensions to block analytics

7. Children's Privacy

EssayHero is designed for secondary school students preparing for HKDSE and IELTS examinations. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you are under 13, please use EssayHero with parental supervision and without creating an account.

For students aged 13-18, we recommend not including personal information in essays and using the service without signing in if you have privacy concerns.

8. International Data Transfers

Your data may be transferred to and processed in countries outside Hong Kong, including the USA (Vercel, Google, Microsoft), and Singapore (Neon database). We use services that maintain appropriate security measures.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of significant changes by posting a notice on the website. Your continued use of EssayHero after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

10. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or want to exercise your data rights:

11. Legal Basis (PDPO & GDPR)

We process your personal data based on:

• Contractual necessity: To provide the essay feedback service you request
• Legitimate interests: To improve our service and ensure security
• Consent: For optional features like analytics (you can opt out via browser settings)

This policy is designed to comply with Hong Kong's Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance (PDPO) and the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) where applicable.