Data Retention Policy

Last Updated: April 15, 2025

This Data Retention Policy explains how Helmari ("we," "us," or "our") retains, stores, and deletes personal data and other information collected through our services. This policy applies to all users of our platform and services.

Overview

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements. This policy outlines our retention practices and the criteria we use to determine retention periods.

Data Categories and Retention Periods

Account Information

We retain account information, including name, email address, and profile details, for the duration of your active account plus an additional period following account closure or inactivity.

Data Type	Retention Period	Reason
Active account data	Duration of account activity	Service provision
Closed account data	90 days after closure	Account recovery, dispute resolution
Authentication logs	12 months	Security and fraud prevention

Course and Learning Data

Information related to course enrollment, progress, assessments, and completion is retained to maintain educational records and provide ongoing access to purchased content.

Data Type	Retention Period	Reason
Course enrollment records	7 years after completion	Educational records, certificate verification
Progress and completion data	7 years after completion	Learning history, certificate issuance
Assignments and submissions	3 years after course completion	Academic integrity, dispute resolution
Quiz and assessment results	7 years after completion	Educational records, performance tracking

Payment and Transaction Data

Financial information and transaction records are retained in accordance with accounting and tax requirements.

Data Type	Retention Period	Reason
Payment transaction records	7 years from transaction date	Accounting, tax compliance, refunds
Invoice and receipt data	7 years from issuance	Financial records, tax requirements
Refund requests and records	7 years from resolution	Financial reconciliation, disputes
Payment method details	Until removed by user or account closure	Recurring payments, user convenience

Communication Records

We retain records of communications between users and our platform, including support requests and notifications.

Data Type	Retention Period	Reason
Customer support tickets	3 years after resolution	Quality assurance, dispute resolution
Email communications	2 years from last message	Service delivery, communication history
System notifications	90 days from delivery	Delivery confirmation, troubleshooting
Marketing communications	Until unsubscribe or 3 years of inactivity	Marketing preferences, compliance

Technical and Usage Data

Technical data, including logs, analytics, and usage patterns, is retained for platform improvement and security purposes.

Data Type	Retention Period	Reason
Server and access logs	12 months	Security, troubleshooting, performance
Analytics and usage data	24 months	Service improvement, trend analysis
Device and browser information	Duration of active session plus 90 days	Security, fraud prevention
Cookie data	As specified in cookie settings	Functionality, preferences, analytics

User-Generated Content

Content created by users, including forum posts, reviews, and comments, follows specific retention practices.

Data Type	Retention Period	Reason
Forum posts and comments	Duration of account plus 1 year	Community continuity, moderation
Course reviews and ratings	Indefinitely unless removed	Transparency, quality feedback
Uploaded files and documents	Duration of course enrollment plus 1 year	Course completion, reference materials
Profile information and bio	Duration of active account	User identity, networking

Retention Criteria

We determine retention periods based on the following criteria:

Legal and Regulatory Requirements

We retain data to comply with applicable laws, regulations, and legal obligations, including accounting standards, tax requirements, and record-keeping mandates.

Business and Operational Needs

Data is retained to support ongoing business operations, service delivery, customer support, and platform functionality.

Contractual Obligations

We maintain data necessary to fulfill contractual commitments, enforce terms of service, and provide purchased services.

Security and Fraud Prevention

Certain data is retained to protect against fraud, investigate security incidents, and maintain platform integrity.

User Rights and Preferences

We consider user expectations for data availability, including access to course materials, learning history, and certificates.

Data Deletion Practices

Automatic Deletion

When retention periods expire, data is automatically scheduled for deletion through our secure deletion processes. Automated systems regularly review and remove expired data according to this policy.

Secure Deletion Methods

We employ secure deletion methods to ensure data is permanently and irretrievably removed from our systems, including:

Overwriting data multiple times to prevent recovery

Removing data from all backup systems and archives

Destroying physical media when hardware is decommissioned

Documenting deletion activities for compliance verification

Anonymization

In some cases, rather than deletion, we may anonymize data by removing all personally identifiable information. Anonymized data may be retained indefinitely for analytics, research, and service improvement purposes.

Backup Systems

Data in backup systems is retained according to our backup retention schedules, typically 90 days for recent backups and up to 1 year for archival backups. Once backup retention periods expire, backups containing deleted data are permanently removed.

Extended Retention Circumstances

We may retain data beyond standard retention periods in the following circumstances:

Legal Holds and Investigations

When data is subject to legal holds, litigation, investigations, or regulatory inquiries, we preserve relevant information until the matter is resolved and legal counsel confirms retention is no longer required.

Dispute Resolution

Data related to disputes, complaints, or unresolved claims is retained until the matter is fully resolved and any applicable appeal or review periods have expired.

Fraud and Security Incidents

Information related to suspected or confirmed fraud, security breaches, or policy violations may be retained for extended periods to support ongoing investigations and prevent future incidents.

User Requests

If users specifically request extended retention of certain data, we may accommodate such requests where technically feasible and legally permissible.

Inactive Account Management

Inactivity Definition

An account is considered inactive when there has been no login activity or service usage for a continuous period of 24 months.

Inactivity Notifications

Before taking action on inactive accounts, we make reasonable efforts to notify users through email at the address associated with the account. Notifications are sent at 20 months and 23 months of inactivity.

Inactive Account Data Handling

After 24 months of continuous inactivity and notification attempts, we may:

Archive account data with reduced access

Delete non-essential data while retaining core educational records

Close the account and begin the standard account closure retention period

Reactivation

Users may reactivate inactive accounts by logging in before the account closure process is completed. Once data is deleted following the full retention period, reactivation and data recovery are not possible.

Data Portability and Export

Before data is deleted, users have the right to request and receive a copy of their personal data in a structured, commonly used format. To facilitate this:

Users may request data export at any time through account settings or by contacting us

We provide data in standard formats such as CSV, JSON, or PDF

Export requests are fulfilled within 30 days of verification

Users are notified before scheduled account closures to allow time for data export

Third-Party Service Providers

When we share data with third-party service providers, we require them to maintain data retention practices consistent with this policy. Service provider agreements include:

Specified retention periods aligned with our policies

Obligations to securely delete data when no longer needed

Restrictions on data use beyond the specified service purpose

Regular audits to verify compliance with retention requirements

Record Keeping and Compliance

Retention Documentation

We maintain internal records documenting our data retention practices, including retention schedules, deletion logs, and policy compliance reviews.

Regular Reviews

This Data Retention Policy is reviewed annually and updated as necessary to reflect changes in legal requirements, business practices, or service offerings.

Compliance Monitoring

We implement technical and organizational measures to monitor compliance with this policy, including automated systems for tracking retention periods and scheduled deletion activities.

User Rights and Requests

Users have the following rights regarding data retention:

Right to Deletion

Users may request early deletion of their personal data, subject to legal and contractual retention requirements. Requests are evaluated individually.

Right to Information

Users may inquire about the retention status of their specific data and receive information about applicable retention periods.

Right to Object

Users may object to certain data processing and retention practices. We will evaluate such objections and respond within 30 days.

How to Exercise Rights

To exercise these rights or submit retention-related inquiries, contact us at:

Email: [email protected]

Phone: +27218722604

Address: 170 Corobay Ave, Garsfontein, Pretoria, 0081, South Africa

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Data Retention Policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or service offerings. When we make material changes:

We will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this policy

We will notify active users through email or prominent platform notices

Continued use of our services after changes become effective constitutes acceptance of the updated policy

Previous versions of this policy are available upon request

Contact Information

For questions, concerns, or requests related to this Data Retention Policy, please contact us: