ClimUp Privacy Policy

ClimUp is a climate journalism and storytelling learning platform operated by Climate Tracker Asia, Inc.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, protect, and share personal information when you use the ClimUp mobile application, website, courses, tools, programs, and related services.

By using ClimUp, you acknowledge the practices described in this Privacy Policy.

1. Information We Collect

The information we collect depends on how you use ClimUp.

Information you provide

When you create an account or participate in ClimUp, we may collect:

• Your name and email address
• Your password or authentication information
• Your country or region
• Your age or age range
• Your school, newsroom, organization, or professional affiliation
• Your role, career stage, interests, and learning goals
• Your profile photograph, if you choose to upload one
• Messages, feedback, survey responses, and support requests

Learning and activity information

We may collect information about your activity within ClimUp, including:

• Courses and lessons accessed
• Quiz answers and scores
• Learning progress, points, badges, and achievements
• Reflections and exercise responses
• Story ideas, pitches, drafts, and other content you choose to enter
• Resources viewed or downloaded
• Program, cohort, event, or fellowship participation

Technical information

When you use ClimUp, certain technical information may be collected automatically, including:

• Device type and operating system
• App version
• Internet Protocol address
• Login and activity records
• App performance, error, and crash information
• Notification tokens and preferences
• General usage information, such as features accessed and time spent in the app

ClimUp does not collect precise location information unless a specific feature requires it, you are informed about the purpose, and you grant permission.

2. How We Use Information

We use personal information to:

• Create, verify, and manage ClimUp accounts
• Provide courses, quizzes, resources, and learning tools
• Save and display learning progress
• Personalize learning content and recommendations
• Issue badges, certificates, or proof of completion
• Operate programs, fellowships, events, and institutional cohorts
• Send course reminders, notifications, security alerts, and service updates
• Respond to questions, feedback, and support requests
• Detect technical problems, fraud, misuse, and security threats
• Improve ClimUp’s content, design, accessibility, and performance
• Produce aggregated or anonymized reports about program participation and learning outcomes
• Comply with legal, regulatory, contractual, and accounting requirements

We process information only for legitimate and disclosed purposes and only to the extent reasonably necessary to provide and improve ClimUp.

3. Your Drafts and Learning Content

You retain ownership of original story ideas, pitches, drafts, reflections, photographs, and other material you create or submit through ClimUp.

Authorized ClimUp staff, trainers, editors, or mentors may access submitted material when necessary to provide feedback, administer a program, respond to a request, maintain the platform, or address a safety or security concern.

Please avoid entering confidential source identities, passwords, financial information, medical records, precise home addresses, or other highly sensitive information into ClimUp.

4. How We Share Information

ClimUp does not sell or rent personal information.

We may share limited information with:

Service providers

We use third-party providers to support functions such as hosting, databases, authentication, analytics, crash reporting, notifications, email delivery, and technical maintenance.

These providers may process information only as necessary to perform services for ClimUp and are expected to apply appropriate privacy and security safeguards.

ClimUp staff and contributors

Authorized staff, trainers, mentors, editors, developers, and contractors may access information when necessary to operate ClimUp or provide a requested service.

Partner organizations

A school, newsroom, nonprofit organization, funder, or program partner may sponsor or administer your participation.

Depending on the program, that organization may receive limited information such as enrollment, attendance, course completion, certificates, and aggregated cohort results.

We will not share private drafts, reflections, individual quiz responses, or mentor conversations with a sponsoring organization unless this is clearly explained as part of the program or you give permission.

Legal and safety purposes

We may disclose information when reasonably necessary to:

• Comply with applicable law or a valid legal request
• Investigate fraud, abuse, or security threats
• Enforce our Terms and Conditions
• Protect the safety, rights, and property of users, Climate Tracker Asia, or the public

5. Young Users

ClimUp may be used by student journalists and young learners.

Users must be at least 13 years old to create an individual account. Users below 18 should use ClimUp with the knowledge and permission of a parent, legal guardian, school, or authorized program organizer.

We do not knowingly collect personal information from children below 13 without appropriate parental, guardian, or institutional authorization.

For young users, we aim to:

• Collect only information necessary for participation
• Limit unnecessary public disclosure
• Require separate permission before publicly featuring photographs, testimonials, recordings, or personal stories
• Apply appropriate safeguards to interactions with mentors, trainers, and other adults
• Avoid targeted advertising based on a young user’s activity

A parent or legal guardian may contact us to ask about, correct, or request deletion of a young user’s information.

6. Notifications and Communications

ClimUp may send essential communications concerning:

• Account activity and security
• Course and program schedules
• Learning reminders
• Mentor or event bookings
• Changes to the platform or this Privacy Policy
• Support requests

You may manage push notifications through the app or your device settings.

Promotional newsletters and opportunity announcements may include an unsubscribe option. Disabling promotional messages will not stop essential account, program, or security communications.

7. Cookies and App Permissions

The ClimUp website may use cookies or similar technologies for authentication, security, preferences, analytics, and platform performance.

The app may request permission to access features such as notifications, photographs, files, camera, or microphone when needed for a feature you choose to use.

You may manage these permissions through your browser or device settings. Some features may not function properly when required permissions are disabled.

8. International Processing

Some technology and service providers may store or process information outside the Philippines.

When information is processed internationally, Climate Tracker Asia remains responsible for taking reasonable steps to ensure that it receives an appropriate level of protection consistent with this Privacy Policy and applicable law.

9. Data Retention

We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary to:

• Maintain your account
• Provide ClimUp services
• Administer a course, program, or fellowship
• Resolve complaints or security concerns
• Meet legal, accounting, reporting, or contractual requirements

Learning records and content generally remain associated with your account while it is active.

After a verified account deletion request, we aim to delete or anonymize the account and associated personal information from active systems within 30 days, except for information that we must retain for legitimate legal, security, fraud-prevention, or record-keeping purposes.

Information stored in system backups may remain until the backups are securely overwritten through the normal backup cycle.

Aggregated or anonymized information that can no longer reasonably identify you may be retained for research, evaluation, reporting, and platform improvement.

10. Account and Data Deletion

You may request deletion of your ClimUp account and associated information by:

• Using the account deletion option inside the ClimUp app
• Emailing climup@climatetracker.org with the subject line “ClimUp Account Deletion Request”

Please send the request using the email address connected to your ClimUp account. We may ask for additional information to verify your identity before completing the request.

Deleting your account may permanently remove your progress, scores, badges, submissions, and access to programs. Some records may be retained when required by law or necessary to resolve security concerns, disputes, or legal claims.

11. Security

We use reasonable administrative, organizational, and technical measures to protect personal information against unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, loss, misuse, and destruction.

These measures may include:

• Restricted access to personal information
• Authentication and access controls
• Secure cloud infrastructure
• Encryption where appropriate
• System monitoring and backups
• Staff and contractor confidentiality obligations
• Procedures for responding to security incidents

No application, website, database, or internet transmission can be guaranteed to be completely secure. You are responsible for keeping your password confidential and notifying us if you believe your account has been accessed without authorization.

12. Your Privacy Rights

Subject to applicable law, you may have the right to:

• Be informed about how your information is processed
• Access personal information we hold about you
• Correct inaccurate or incomplete information
• Object to or withdraw consent from certain processing
• Request deletion or blocking of information
• Obtain a copy of eligible information in a portable format
• Raise a concern or file a privacy complaint

To exercise these rights, email climup@climatetracker.org

We may need to verify your identity before processing a request. Some requests may be limited when retaining information is required by law or necessary for legitimate legal or security purposes.

You may also raise a complaint with the Philippine National Privacy Commission.

13. Third-Party Links and Services

ClimUp may contain links to external websites, publications, learning resources, video platforms, or other third-party services.

Their privacy practices are governed by their own policies. Climate Tracker Asia is not responsible for the content, security, or privacy practices of services that it does not control.

14. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy when ClimUp’s features, technology providers, programs, or legal obligations change.

The updated version will be posted on this page with a revised “Last updated” date. We will provide additional notice when changes materially affect how personal information is collected, used, or shared.

15. Contact Us

For questions, requests, or complaints concerning this Privacy Policy or ClimUp’s handling of personal information, contact: