Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Welcome to RateMySupervisor ("we," "our," or "us"). We are committed to protecting your privacy and handling personal information in a transparent and responsible manner. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect information when you access or use our website (https://www.ratemysupervisor.net) and services.

By using RateMySupervisor, you consent to the practices described in this Privacy Policy.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Personal Information

When you create an account, we may collect the following information:

• Email address: Used solely for authentication, account recovery, and critical system notifications.
• Password: Stored in a securely encrypted format via Supabase.
• Display name: Automatically generated to protect your identity.

We do not require or request your real name for using the service.

2.2 User-Generated Content

We collect content you voluntarily submit, including reviews of academic supervisors, interview experiences, replies, and discussion comments.

Important Note on Anonymity: While your profile is anonymous, please be mindful of the content you write. We strongly advise against including specific details in your reviews that could unintentionally identify you (e.g., exact graduation dates, unique project titles). We are not responsible for personally identifiable information you choose to include in the text of your reviews.

2.3 Automatically Collected Information

When you access our website, we may automatically collect certain technical information, such as:

• IP address
• Browser type and version
• Device and operating system information
• Pages visited and referring URLs

This information is used for security (DDoS protection), analytics, and service improvement.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use collected information to:

• Provide, operate, and maintain our services.
• Authenticate users and prevent fraud.
• Display user-submitted reviews and replies.
• Improve website functionality and user experience.
• Comply with legal obligations.
• Display advertisements through third-party partners like Google AdSense.

4. Display Names and Anonymity

To protect user privacy within the academic community, reviews and replies are displayed using automatically generated display names (e.g., "Anonymous Researcher") rather than real names. We do not publicly link your email address to your reviews.

5. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies to maintain login sessions, remember preferences, and analyze traffic. You can control cookies through your browser settings, though disabling them may affect your ability to log in.

6. Third-Party Services

6.1 Google AdSense & Advertising

We use Google AdSense to display advertisements. Google, as a third-party vendor, uses cookies to serve ads on our site.

• Advertising Cookies: Google uses cookies to serve ads based on your prior visits to our website or other websites.
• Opt-Out: You may opt out of personalized advertising by visiting Google Ads Settings. Alternatively, you can opt out of a third-party vendor's use of cookies for personalized advertising by visiting www.aboutads.info.

6.2 Supabase

We use Supabase for secure authentication and database services. Supabase processes data on our behalf in compliance with industry standards and applicable data protection laws.

6.3 Analytics

We use analytics tools (such as Google Analytics or Vercel Analytics) to understand user behavior. These tools collect data in an anonymized or aggregated form to help us improve site performance.

7. Data Sharing and Disclosure

We do not sell your personal information.

We may share information only in the following limited circumstances:

• Service Providers: With trusted vendors (hosting, database, analytics) strictly for operational purposes.
• Legal Requirements: If required by law, subpoena, or valid legal process.
• Safety: To investigate potential violations of our Terms of Service or to protect the rights, property, or safety of RateMySupervisor, our users, or the public.

8. Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures, including HTTPS encryption and secure password hashing. However, no method of transmission over the Internet is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

9. Your Privacy Rights (GDPR & CCPA)

Depending on your jurisdiction, you have the right to:

• Access the personal data we hold about you.
• Request correction of inaccurate data.
• Request deletion of your account and associated personal data.
• California Residents: You have the right to opt-out of the sale of personal information (though we do not sell data).

To exercise these rights, please contact us at the email below.

10. Data Retention

We retain personal account information only as long as your account is active. If you request account deletion, your login credentials will be removed. However, strictly non-identifiable user-generated content (reviews) may be retained to preserve the integrity of the platform's information, unless removal is legally required.

11. Children's Privacy

RateMySupervisor is intended for graduate students and researchers. We do not knowingly collect information from children under 13.

12. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us at:
📧 [email protected]