Privacy policy

Who this policy covers

Ardvarq LLC, based in Colorado, United States, operates The Flunk and is responsible for the information practices described here. Contact privacy@ardvarq.com about privacy, or legal@ardvarq.com if you need another way to reach us. Postal contact details are available on request by email, except where the law requires a published address.

This policy covers this site. University sites, your email service and other external services have their own policies. It describes current practices; optional future features below require updated notices before their information practices begin.

Information handled by the current site

• Academic records: course and instructor names, professional affiliations, catalog details, aggregate grade distributions, evaluation summaries and available course documents, obtained from institutional publications, public-record releases and other identified sources. Source coverage and accuracy vary. We do not intend to publish identifiable individual student grade records.
• Search and navigation: searches and requested page addresses reach our server to return results. Search terms can be present in request URLs, browser history and infrastructure logs. Do not put private student information into search.
• Connection information: the server and infrastructure delivering a request receive information such as IP address, browser information, requested URL and time. This is distinct from the aggregate action counter below.
• Messages you send: emailing us provides your address, the message and any attachments. We use them to respond, investigate a correction or complaint, handle privacy requests and maintain related correspondence. Email links prepare a message in your email app; the site does not send it for you.
• Local choices and aggregate activity: described below. Account creation, student review submissions, checkout and advertising are not active in this version.

Browser storage and usage counts

Saved courses and professors, comparison selections, recent schools and related preferences are stored in local storage in your browser. They do not automatically sync to another device. Opening your shortlist sends its saved record identifiers to our server to load current titles and grade summaries. Opening a comparison sends the selected record identifiers in its URL. Those requests can appear in infrastructure logs. Remove choices using the site’s controls or clear this site’s data in your browser. These choices may remain on a shared device until removed.

The application can record daily totals for saving a record, adding or opening a comparison, sharing a link and using school search. The counter stores only the action name, day and count; it does not retain IP addresses, user identifiers, search text, page URLs or cookies with those totals. It keeps the 180 most recent recorded days. Older days are removed when another event is recorded; this is not a promise to erase all server records after 180 calendar days.

The browser suppresses these action events when Do Not Track or Global Privacy Control is enabled. This does not stop the requests needed to load a page, search or saved records. The current application does not set advertising cookies or use an advertising network. This counter’s behavior does not describe every log maintained by hosting, network or email providers.

Optional Google Analytics

Where optional analytics is offered, choosing “Allow analytics” enables Google Analytics 4 to measure page views, visits, referral sites, approved campaign labels, approximate location, browser/device information and actions such as opening a record, comparing, saving, sharing and viewing a syllabus. Google receives these events and connection information and uses first-party analytics cookies to distinguish browsers and visits. Counts are estimates, not a record of every person.

The Google tag stays off until you agree. Choose “No thanks” to keep it off, or use Analytics choices in the footer to change your choice. We remember the choice for up to 180 days. Global Privacy Control and Do Not Track keep optional analytics off. Withdrawing consent stops further collection and removes accessible Google Analytics cookies in this browser; it does not automatically erase events already sent.

We remove search text, URL query strings, fragments and form contents from the events we send. We send only approved campaign labels, and only a referring site’s origin for external referrals. We do not enable Google Signals, advertising personalization, user-provided data collection or cross-device User-ID tracking. Google Analytics may process data outside your country. See Google’s privacy policy and how Google uses information from sites that use its services.

Analytics cookies are configured to expire after 180 days without extending their expiry on each visit. When enabled, analytics uses the property’s two-month retention setting for user-level and event-level exploration data; aggregate reports follow Google’s separate retention practices. Browser restrictions can shorten cookie lifetimes. Contact privacy@ardvarq.com about data requests. The separate identifier-free daily counter described above remains distinct from optional Google Analytics.

Why information is used

We handle information to deliver search and record pages, support saved choices, understand aggregate feature use, respond to messages, investigate errors or abuse, protect the service, and meet legal obligations. We do not use aggregate grades to make official admission, employment, credit or other eligibility decisions about individuals.

Published instructor and course information is visible to visitors and can be indexed or copied by others. If a record identifies the wrong person or exposes private information, use Content concerns or email privacy@ardvarq.com.

Recipients and disclosures

Hosting, network, storage and email providers handle information needed to deliver their services. Authorized people assisting Ardvarq may access information needed to respond to your request or operate the site. A content complaint may require sharing its substance with the person who supplied the material; avoid unnecessary sensitive details.

Information may also be disclosed when reasonably necessary to comply with valid legal process, protect rights or safety, investigate misuse, or complete a business transaction involving Ardvarq, subject to applicable law and this policy. We do not promise absolute anonymity or that a valid legal demand can never require disclosure.

The current site does not use personal information for cross-context targeted advertising or operate a personal-information sales program. If future advertising arrangements constitute a sale or sharing under applicable law, we must disclose them and implement required choices before they begin.

Retention and security

Local choices remain until you or your browser remove them. The aggregate counter’s limit is described above; infrastructure request logs are separate. Public academic records may be retained while relevant to historical coverage, with corrections or restrictions when appropriate.

Messages, complaint records and infrastructure logs may remain in the systems used to handle them. Their retention depends on the purpose of the record, provider settings, outstanding requests, disputes and applicable obligations. We do not promise an unverified fixed deletion period for those systems. Ask us about a particular record or request deletion where applicable.

No website, transmission or storage system is completely secure. Please do not send passwords, government IDs, transcripts, private student grades, financial account numbers or sensitive health information through search, reviews or routine support email. Report suspected exposure privately to legal@ardvarq.com.

Your choices and privacy requests

Depending on your location, the applicable law and its scope, you may have rights to access or obtain a copy of personal information, correct it, delete it, withdraw consent, or opt out of specified processing. Some laws also provide a right to appeal a denied request or use an authorized agent. Exceptions can apply, including for certain public information and legal obligations.

Email privacy@ardvarq.com with the request and enough information to locate the relevant record. We may ask for proportionate verification or evidence of an agent’s authority. Do not send identity documents unless we explain why they are needed. We will address applicable requests within the time required by law and explain a denial where required. To appeal, reply with “Privacy appeal” in the subject or contact legal@ardvarq.com. You may also contact the Colorado Attorney General or your relevant privacy regulator. We do not retaliate for exercising privacy rights.

Clearing local storage removes local saved items, not public academic records or emails you previously sent. Browser privacy controls and Do Not Track can affect local storage or the usage counter. Before any covered sale or targeted-advertising processing begins, the site must support applicable opt-out requests and legally recognized universal opt-out signals, including Global Privacy Control where required.

Children and teenagers

The Flunk is intended for higher-education research and is not directed to children under 13. Children under 13 should not submit personal information. If you believe we have received a child’s information, contact privacy@ardvarq.com so we can investigate and take appropriate action, including deletion where required.

Teenagers may use higher-education resources. We do not treat a college audience as proof that every visitor is an adult. Additional notices, permissions and safeguards must be implemented before introducing features that process minors’ information in ways subject to special protections. The current site has no targeted-advertising network.

If we add accounts, reviews, payments or ads

Before these features launch, we will update this policy to explain the information collected, the providers receiving it, what becomes public and the retention and deletion choices. Account and verification information, public review text, payment records and advertising identifiers require different treatment.

New notices and any required consent or opt-out controls must be in place before the new processing begins. This policy is not advance consent to future tracking, recurring charges or materially different uses of your information. Additional requirements may apply to minors and to people in other jurisdictions.

Policy changes

The date above identifies this version. We will give appropriate notice of material changes and obtain consent when required. A policy update does not retroactively permit a materially different use of previously collected information. Questions: privacy@ardvarq.com.