Privacy Policy
Last Updated: June 20, 2026
At the **Macro Patterns Consortium (MPC)**, accessible from `macropatternsconsortium.com`, one of our main priorities is the privacy of our visitors. This Privacy Policy document outlines the types of information we collect, how we use it, and your choices regarding data tracking.
1. Information We Collect
We collect information to provide a better learning experience, verify sandbox projects, and issue credentials. The data collected includes:
- Account Information: When you sign up for an account, we collect your name, email address, and authentication credentials (via safe next-auth adapters).
- Progress Tracking Data: We record which curriculum modules you have completed, your saved Mermaid.js diagram configurations, and your Software Design Specification (SDS) drafts.
- Mentoring History: Anonymous logs of prompt submissions to the AI Mentor to check and enforce usage limits (3 free hints per day).
- Third-Party API Keys: If you use the Bring-Your-Own-Key (BYOK) option, your Google AI Studio API key is stored exclusively in your browser’s `localStorage` and is never sent to our servers.
2. How We Use Your Information
We use the collected information for the following purposes:
- To operate, maintain, and personalize the workspace dashboard.
- To evaluate diagram syntax and issue digitally signed certificates.
- To monitor and prevent abuse of the free grading and tutoring APIs.
- To communicate important updates regarding your account or certifications.
3. Google AdSense & Cookie Disclosures
Important Information regarding AdSense and Third-Party Advertising:
- Google, as a third-party vendor, uses cookies to serve ads on our site.
- Google’s use of advertising cookies enables it and its partners to serve ads to our users based on their visit to MPC and/or other sites on the Internet.
- Users may opt out of personalized advertising by visiting Google’s Ad Settings page (e.g., adssettings.google.com) or by visiting www.aboutads.info.
- We utilize **AdSense Auto-Ads** to dynamically place advertisements in optimal, non-intrusive locations. These ads help cover server hosting and AI evaluation costs.
4. Data Sharing & Hosting Infrastructure
Your data is stored securely using PostgreSQL database engines hosted on **Neon DB** with object-relational mapping handled via **Prisma**. We do not sell or distribute user details to third-party list brokers. We disclose account authentication details only to Next-Auth adapters (e.g., credentials verification) and share anonymized workspace details with Google Gemini models for grading.
5. Consent & Policy Updates
By using our website, you hereby consent to our Privacy Policy and agree to its terms. We reserve the right to modify this policy at any time. Changes will be posted directly on this page with an updated timestamp.
If you have questions or require more information about our Privacy Policy, please contact us at:legal@macropatternsconsortium.com