1. Introduction
Rise SMS ("we", "our", "us") operates the Rise SMS mobile application and web platform (collectively, the "Service"). This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our Service.
Rise SMS is a school management platform used by schools, teachers, parents, students, and administrative staff. By using the Service, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy.
2. Information We Collect
2.1 Personal Information
We collect personal information that schools and authorized administrators provide when enrolling users:
| Category | Data Collected | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | Name, date of birth, gender, CNIC/ID number, profile photo | User identification and academic records |
| Contact | Email address, phone number, residential address | Communication and notifications |
| Academic | Class, section, roll number, admission number, exam marks, attendance records | Academic management and reporting |
| Family | Father/mother/guardian name, phone, CNIC, occupation | Parent-school communication |
| Financial | Fee payments, payment method, transaction IDs, discount information | Fee management and receipts |
| Employment | Teacher/employee designation, hire date, salary information | Staff management (school admin only) |
2.2 Biometric Information
With your explicit consent, we may collect:
- Face recognition data — Used for biometric login. Face descriptors are processed on your device and stored securely.
- Fingerprint / Face ID — Used for device-level authentication via your device's secure enclave (iOS Keychain / Android Keystore). We never access raw biometric data.
2.3 Location Information
When you use the QR-based attendance feature, we collect your device's GPS coordinates to verify you are at the school premises. Location is collected only at the moment of scanning and is not tracked continuously.
2.4 Device Information
We collect device-related information for push notifications and app functionality:
- Device type (iOS/Android) and device name
- Push notification token (Firebase Cloud Messaging)
- Network status (online/offline)
2.5 Camera
Camera access is used solely for:
- Scanning QR codes for attendance marking
- Capturing profile photos during enrollment
- Biometric face recognition setup (with consent)
3. How We Use Your Information
We use the collected information to:
- Manage student enrollment, attendance, exam results, and fee records
- Enable communication between schools, teachers, parents, and students
- Send push notifications for attendance, fee reminders, exam results, and announcements
- Generate academic reports, marksheets, and fee receipts
- Authenticate users via password or biometric login
- Verify attendance location to prevent proxy attendance
- Provide offline access to essential school data
- Maintain audit logs for administrative accountability
4. Data Storage and Security
- All data is transmitted over HTTPS (TLS encryption in transit).
- Passwords are stored using bcrypt hashing and are never stored in plain text.
- Biometric credentials (fingerprint/Face ID) are stored in your device's secure enclave (iOS Keychain / Android Keystore) and never transmitted to our servers.
- Push notification tokens are stored on our servers and deleted when you log out or unregister your device.
- Offline data is stored in an encrypted local SQLite database on your device.
5. Data Sharing and Third Parties
We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information. We share data only with:
| Third Party | Purpose | Data Shared |
|---|---|---|
| Google Firebase (FCM) | Push notification delivery | Device tokens, notification content |
| Hosting Provider | Server infrastructure | All data (stored on servers) |
We do not use any advertising SDKs, analytics tracking, or cross-app tracking technologies.
6. Data Retention
- Active accounts: Data is retained for as long as the user or school account is active.
- Inactive students: Student records are retained for up to 5 years after the student leaves the school, as required for academic record-keeping.
- Device tokens: Deleted upon logout or device unregistration.
- Attendance location data: Retained for the current academic year.
- Account deletion: Upon request, user data is permanently deleted within 30 days, except where retention is required by law or for academic record-keeping.
7. Your Rights
You have the right to:
- Access — Request a copy of your personal data held by us.
- Correction — Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data.
- Deletion — Request deletion of your personal data (subject to legal retention requirements).
- Data Portability — Request your data in a machine-readable format.
- Withdraw Consent — Withdraw consent for biometric data collection or push notifications at any time through app settings.
- Restrict Processing — Request that we limit how we use your data.
To exercise any of these rights, contact your school administrator or email us at the address below.
8. Children's Privacy
Rise SMS is designed for use by schools, teachers, parents, and administrative staff. Student accounts are created and managed by school administrators, not by children directly. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children without the involvement of their school and parents/guardians.
Parents and guardians can review, modify, or request deletion of their child's information by contacting the school administrator.
9. Permissions Used
| Permission | Platform | Why We Need It |
|---|---|---|
| Camera | iOS & Android | QR code scanning for attendance, profile photos, face recognition |
| Location | iOS & Android | Verify physical presence at school during attendance |
| Push Notifications | iOS & Android | Attendance alerts, fee reminders, exam results, announcements |
| Biometric (Face ID / Fingerprint) | iOS & Android | Secure, password-free login |
| Internet | Android | Communicate with school servers |
10. Offline Data
Our app stores essential school data locally on your device for offline access (timetables, attendance records, student information). This data is stored in a local SQLite database and is only accessible within the app. Clearing app data or uninstalling the app removes all locally stored data.
11. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any significant changes by posting the new policy on this page and updating the "Last updated" date. Continued use of the Service after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
12. Contact Us
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your data rights, please contact us:
- Organization: Research Institute for Society and Education (RISE)
- Email: info@rise.com.pk
- Website: https://sms.rise.com.pk