Privacy Policy

Academy Gaming LLC operates Academy Gaming, a structured gaming community focused on community-building, gaming content, events, leadership development, and technical infrastructure. For privacy questions, requests, or complaints relating to this policy, you may contact us at the address at the bottom of this page.

This Privacy Policy applies to information collected through our website and related online services. It applies to visitors, applicants, community members, and others who interact with the site. It does not apply to information collected offline or to third-party platforms, websites, or services that we do not control, even if they are linked from or referenced on our website.

Depending on how you use the site, we may collect the following categories of information:

• Information you provide directly: your name, email address, Discord username, community or organization name, and any message, files, or other details you choose to provide through forms, applications, or direct contact.
• Form submission data: when you submit a contact form, partnership form, application, or other inquiry, the submission may be transmitted to and stored in our email environment for communication, review, and recordkeeping.
• Technical and device data: IP address, browser type, operating system, device type, language settings, referring pages, viewed pages, access times, and general interaction data.
• Analytics data: where you have consented, analytics tools help us understand traffic, engagement, and site performance, including pages viewed, actions taken, approximate location derived from IP, device and browser details, and referral sources.
• Cookies and similar technologies: cookies, pixels, local storage, tags, and similar tools used to remember preferences, measure traffic, improve functionality, and support performance and security.
• Embedded and third-party content data: if a page contains third-party content, widgets, videos, fonts, maps, social embeds, analytics scripts, or similar services, those providers may receive technical information from your browser as part of delivering that content.

We use information we collect to:

• operate, maintain, secure, and improve the website and related services;
• respond to messages, requests, applications, and inquiries;
• review partnership opportunities, contact submissions, and community-related requests;
• send communications you request or that are reasonably necessary to respond to you;
• understand site usage, performance, reach, and engagement through analytics, where you have consented;
• diagnose technical issues and protect against spam, fraud, abuse, and security incidents;
• enforce our rules, policies, and terms, and comply with applicable legal obligations.

If the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) or the UK GDPR applies to our processing of your personal data, we rely on one or more lawful bases depending on the context:

• Consent: where you voluntarily submit information, accept optional cookies, or otherwise agree to specific processing. You may withdraw consent at any time.
• Legitimate interests: to operate, secure, and improve our website, communicate with users, and protect our services, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms.
• Legal obligations: where we must process information to comply with applicable law or lawful requests.
• Steps at your request before entering a relationship: for example, when you contact us about partnerships, applications, or similar opportunities and ask us to review your submission.

We use cookies and similar technologies on this website. Non-essential cookies — including analytics, preference, and marketing cookies — are switched off by default and are only set after you opt in through our cookie banner. Full detail on each category, and how to change or withdraw your choice at any time, is set out in our Cookie Policy.

Where you consent to analytics cookies, we use analytics tools to better understand how visitors use our site, what content performs well, and how the site can be improved. Analytics may collect data such as page visits, session duration, approximate geography, browser and device data, referring pages, and interaction patterns. We use this information in aggregated or pseudonymized form where practical. If you do not consent, no analytics identifiers are set and no analytics data is collected about your visit.

If you submit a form on the website, the information you provide may be delivered to and stored in our business email environment so our team can review and respond. We use submitted information to handle your request, maintain business records, and follow up where appropriate. Please do not send sensitive information that is not necessary for your request.

Our community website does not process payments directly. Where we link to third-party payment processors, storefronts, hosting providers, sponsorship platforms, or other external services, those transactions are governed by the privacy notices and terms of the relevant third party, not this website.

We do not sell personal information. We may disclose information in limited circumstances such as:

• to hosting, analytics, email, communications, infrastructure, security, or technical service providers that help us operate the website;
• to vendors acting on our instructions and subject to appropriate contractual or operational controls;
• to comply with law, legal process, or enforceable governmental requests;
• to protect our rights, users, property, systems, community safety, or website integrity;
• in connection with a merger, acquisition, restructuring, financing, sale of assets, or similar transaction, subject to applicable law.

We retain information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this policy, including responding to inquiries, maintaining records, improving the site, handling disputes, enforcing agreements, preserving security logs, and meeting legal, tax, accounting, or compliance obligations. Retention periods vary depending on the type of information and the reason it was collected.

We use reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational safeguards designed to protect information against unauthorized access, disclosure, misuse, loss, or alteration. No method of transmission over the internet or method of electronic storage is completely secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security. Please use caution when submitting information online.

We are based in the United States, and your information may be processed in the United States or other jurisdictions where our service providers operate. If you access the site from the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, or another region with data-transfer restrictions, your information may be transferred to countries that may not provide the same level of legal protection as your home jurisdiction. Where required, we rely on appropriate safeguards such as the European Commission's Standard Contractual Clauses, the UK International Data Transfer Addendum, or another lawful transfer mechanism.

Depending on your location and applicable law, you may have some or all of the following rights:

• the right to know whether we process your personal data;
• the right to request access to the personal data we hold about you;
• the right to request correction of inaccurate data;
• the right to request deletion of personal data, subject to lawful exceptions;
• the right to request restriction of processing in certain circumstances;
• the right to object to certain processing, including certain legitimate-interest processing and direct marketing;
• the right to data portability where required by law;
• the right to withdraw consent where processing is based on consent;
• the right not to be discriminated against for exercising applicable privacy rights.

To submit a privacy request, contact us using the details below. We may need to verify your identity before responding, and some rights may be limited or subject to legal exceptions. We aim to respond within one month, as required under GDPR, and will tell you if we need more time.

If California privacy law applies to us and to your request, California residents may have rights such as the right to know what categories of personal information we collect, use, disclose, or retain; the right to request deletion; the right to request correction; the right to opt out of certain sale or sharing practices if applicable; and the right to non-discrimination for exercising protected rights. We do not sell or share personal information as those terms are defined under California law.

If you are located in the European Economic Area, Switzerland, or the United Kingdom, you also have the right to lodge a complaint with your local supervisory authority if you believe our processing of your personal data violates applicable data protection law. We encourage you to contact us first so we can try to resolve your concern directly.

Our website is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 through the website. If you believe a child has provided personal information to us, contact us immediately and we will review and delete it where appropriate. Where higher minimum age protections apply under local law, including certain EEA member states, we will address them as required.

Our website may include links to third-party sites, Discord communities, social platforms, embeds, widgets, or external services such as our game hosting and merchandise stores. Those services have their own privacy practices, notices, and terms. We are not responsible for the content, privacy practices, or security of third parties we do not control.

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technologies, services, or legal obligations. When we do, we will update the effective date at the top of this page. Your continued use of the website after changes become effective constitutes acceptance of the updated policy to the extent allowed by law.