Terms of Service - DataFlow Academy Japan

Introduction and Scope

These Terms of Service govern your access to and use of DataFlow Academy's educational services, website, mobile applications, and related digital properties. By accessing our services, you agree to be bound by these terms and our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy.

Our platform utilizes advertising technologies and data collection methods to support our educational mission and provide personalized experiences. These terms include specific provisions regarding advertising platform compliance, including Google Ads, Facebook Marketing, and Microsoft Advertising policies.

If you do not agree to these terms, you should not use our services. We reserve the right to modify these terms at any time, with notice provided through our website and email communications to registered users.

Advertising and Marketing Terms

Data Collection for Advertising

Consent Requirements: We obtain explicit consent for advertising cookies and tracking technologies as required by GDPR, CCPA, and other applicable privacy laws. You may withdraw consent at any time through our cookie management tools.
Types of Data Collected: We collect behavioral data, device information, location data (IP-based), interaction patterns, and conversion events to optimize our marketing campaigns and improve service delivery.
Third-Party Networks: We work with advertising networks including Google Ads, Facebook Marketing, Microsoft Advertising, and other programmatic platforms to reach potential students and measure campaign effectiveness.
Cross-Device Tracking: When you're logged into advertising platform accounts (Google, Facebook, Microsoft), we may track your interactions across different devices for consistent advertising experiences.
Data Retention: Advertising data is retained according to platform-specific policies, typically ranging from 180 days to 26 months, with user controls available for opt-out and deletion.

Advertising Targeting Practices

Interest-Based Advertising: We create advertising campaigns based on your demonstrated interests in data engineering, technology education, and professional development topics, using behavioral signals and content engagement data.
Remarketing Activities: Website visitors may see our advertisements on Google, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and other platforms as part of our remarketing campaigns designed to reconnect with interested prospective students.
Lookalike Audiences: We create lookalike audience segments based on our successful student profiles to reach similar individuals who may benefit from our educational programs.
Geographic Targeting: Our advertising campaigns primarily target users in Japan and other regions where we offer educational services, with language and cultural localization considerations.
Frequency Management: We implement frequency capping to ensure our advertisements don't become intrusive, typically limiting exposure to 3-5 ad impressions per user per day across all platforms.

Marketing Communications

Email Marketing: When you provide your email address, you consent to receive educational content, course updates, program announcements, and promotional materials. You may unsubscribe at any time using the links provided in our emails.
Content Personalization: We personalize email content, website experiences, and advertising messages based on your interests, browsing behavior, and engagement patterns with our educational content.
Social Media Advertising: Our advertisements may appear on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and other social platforms based on your profile information, interests, and connections.
Push Notifications: If you enable browser or mobile push notifications, we may send course reminders, important updates, and promotional messages. You can disable these in your browser or device settings.
Affiliate Marketing: We may work with affiliate partners and influencers to promote our courses. All affiliate relationships are disclosed in accordance with advertising standards and FTC guidelines.

User Obligations and Prohibited Uses

General User Obligations

Accurate Information

Provide truthful and accurate information when registering for courses, creating accounts, or submitting applications. False information may result in account suspension or program dismissal.

Age Requirements

You must be at least 16 years old to provide consent for advertising tracking. Users under 18 require parental consent for certain data processing activities and program enrollment.

Account Security

Maintain the security of your account credentials, notify us immediately of any unauthorized access, and take responsibility for all activities conducted under your account.

Legal Compliance

Comply with all applicable laws, regulations, and platform policies when using our services, including export control laws, privacy regulations, and intellectual property rights.

Prohibited Activities

Advertising Fraud

Engaging in click fraud, impression fraud, or other activities designed to artificially inflate advertising metrics or manipulate our marketing campaigns.

Automated Interactions

Using bots, scrapers, crawlers, or other automated tools to interact with our website, advertising systems, or educational content without explicit permission.

System Interference

Circumventing or interfering with our security measures, tracking mechanisms, advertising technologies, or any other technical infrastructure.

Data Harvesting

Scraping, harvesting, or collecting personal data of other users, students, or instructors for any purpose without explicit consent and legal authorization.

Content Violations

Posting, sharing, or distributing illegal, harmful, threatening, abusive, harassing, defamatory, or otherwise inappropriate content through our platforms.

Content Restrictions

Users are prohibited from posting or sharing content that:

• Violates intellectual property rights or contains unauthorized copyrighted material
• Contains malware, viruses, or other malicious code that could harm our systems or other users
• Promotes illegal activities, violence, discrimination, or hatred against individuals or groups
• Includes misleading, deceptive, or fraudulent information that could harm other users
• Violates advertising platform policies or community standards of Google, Facebook, or Microsoft
• Constitutes spam, unsolicited communications, or excessive self-promotion

Platform-Specific Compliance

Google Ads Policies Compliance

Prohibited Content: Our advertising and website content comply with Google's policies prohibiting counterfeit goods, dangerous products, inappropriate content, and misleading claims about educational outcomes.

Educational Standards: We maintain clear, relevant, and professional content that accurately represents our educational programs, instructor qualifications, and learning outcomes without exaggerated promises.

Landing Page Quality: Our website provides functional, relevant landing pages that match our advertising content and provide genuine value to visitors seeking data engineering education.

Data Use Compliance: We follow Google's data use policies for advertising, including proper implementation of consent management, restricted data usage, and compliance with regional privacy laws.

EU User Consent: For European users, we implement Google's EU User Consent Policy requirements, including TCF v2.0 compatibility and granular consent management for advertising purposes.

Facebook/Meta Advertising Policies

Community Standards: Our content and advertising comply with Facebook's Community Standards, promoting authentic identity, respect, safety, and dignity in all educational communications.

Educational Content: We avoid prohibited content categories and ensure our educational advertising meets Facebook's standards for adult education, professional development, and skills training.

Custom Audience Terms: We comply with Facebook's Custom Audience terms when creating remarketing lists, using hashed email addresses and implementing proper consent mechanisms.

Pixel Usage Guidelines: Our Facebook Pixel implementation follows platform guidelines for data collection, conversion tracking, and audience building while respecting user privacy choices.

Business Verification: We maintain verified business status and comply with additional requirements for educational advertising, including transparent business information and contact details.

Microsoft/Bing Ads Policies

Content Policies: Our advertising content complies with Microsoft Advertising policies regarding educational services, avoiding prohibited content and maintaining professional standards.

Editorial Guidelines: We adhere to Microsoft's editorial standards for grammar, spelling, punctuation, and professional presentation in all advertising materials.

Landing Page Standards: Our website meets Microsoft's requirements for relevant, functional, transparent landing pages that provide genuine educational value to visitors.

Data Collection Terms: We comply with Microsoft Advertising data usage terms, implementing proper consent mechanisms and following privacy requirements for UET tag implementation.

Geographic Compliance: We respect Microsoft's geographic restrictions and ensure our advertising campaigns comply with local laws and regulations in targeted regions.

Liability and Disclaimers

Advertising-Related Disclaimers

No Guarantee of Results

We do not guarantee specific advertising results, lead generation outcomes, conversion rates, or return on investment from our marketing activities. Advertising performance varies based on numerous external factors.

Third-Party Platform Availability

Our advertising and tracking capabilities depend on third-party platforms (Google, Facebook, Microsoft) that may change policies, experience outages, or modify functionality without notice.

Campaign Performance Variations

Advertising campaign performance may vary due to market conditions, competition, seasonal factors, platform algorithm changes, and other variables beyond our control.

Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, DataFlow Academy shall not be liable for:

• Indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising from your use of our services
• Loss of profits, revenue, data, or business opportunities related to advertising or educational services
• Third-party advertising platform failures, data breaches, or policy violations
• Interruptions in service availability, advertising delivery, or educational content access
• Damages exceeding the amount paid by you for our services in the twelve months preceding the claim

Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless DataFlow Academy from claims arising from:

• Your violation of these terms or applicable laws
• Your misuse of advertising systems or engagement in fraudulent activities
• Content you post or share that violates third-party rights
• Your breach of intellectual property or privacy rights
• Any false or misleading information you provide

Legal Information and Dispute Resolution

Governing Law and Jurisdiction

Applicable Law: These terms are governed by the laws of Japan, without regard to conflict of law principles. For international users, local consumer protection laws may also apply.

Jurisdiction: Any legal proceedings must be brought in the courts of Tokyo, Japan, unless prohibited by mandatory local law or consumer protection regulations.

Language: The Japanese version of these terms shall prevail in case of any discrepancy with translated versions, except where local law requires otherwise.

Venue: You consent to the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of courts in Tokyo, Japan for resolving disputes related to these terms or our services.

Dispute Resolution Process

1. Informal Resolution

Before initiating formal proceedings, parties must attempt to resolve disputes through good faith negotiations for at least 30 days via our customer support channels.

2. Mediation

If informal resolution fails, disputes may be submitted to mediation through a mutually agreed mediator or mediation service in Tokyo, Japan.

3. Arbitration (If Applicable)

Certain disputes may be subject to binding arbitration under the rules of the Japan Commercial Arbitration Association, subject to applicable consumer protection laws.

4. Class Action Waiver

To the extent permitted by law, you waive any right to participate in class action lawsuits or class-wide arbitration against DataFlow Academy.

Legal Notices and Contact

Legal Notices: Formal legal notices must be sent through our website contact form with "Legal Notice" in the subject line, including detailed information about the matter.

DMCA Takedowns: Copyright infringement claims should be submitted through our designated DMCA process with proper documentation and contact information.

Law Enforcement: We cooperate with law enforcement agencies and may disclose user information when required by law or court order.

Regulatory Inquiries: Regulatory authorities may contact us through official channels for information related to our educational services and advertising practices.

Terms Updates and Service Changes

We may modify these terms at any time with notice:

• Material changes will be announced with 30 days notice via email and website posting
• Continued use of our services after changes constitutes acceptance of new terms
• You may terminate your account if you disagree with material changes
• Version history and effective dates are maintained for transparency