Privacy policy

HKSchoolPal is a free-to-start service that helps families in Hong Kong find and compare schools. We may introduce paid features or advertising in future.

We are based in Hong Kong and handle personal data in line with the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance, Cap. 486. This policy explains what we collect and what we do with it. It applies to our website and app.

Questions about this policy? Write to [email protected].

You can browse without an account and without giving us anything.

When you fill in a form — such as joining the beta user list — we collect what you enter: your email address and name, and optionally your role, the school stage you are interested in, your district, and any message you add.

When you register or sign in we collect your account details. Signing in with Google gives us your name and email address, never your password.

When you post a review we collect the review, the school it concerns, and the account it came from.

Automatically, we and our providers collect technical information: IP address, device and browser type, approximate location, and which pages you visit and when.

When you save a school — if you are signed out, your shortlist is stored by your browser on your own device and is not sent to us. If you are signed in, it is also saved to your account so it follows you between devices.

On the contributor board we show your pseudonym, how many reviews you have had published, and how many schools you have saved. We never show which schools you saved, and nobody but you can read that list. Other settings are stored by your browser and are not sent to us.

To provide and operate the service, and to respond when you contact us.

To send you emails you have asked for, such as invitations and updates. Every email has an unsubscribe link.

To understand how the service is used so we can improve it.

To keep the service secure, prevent abuse, and comply with the law.

Yes. We use cookies and similar technologies, including your browser's storage. Some are necessary for the service to function. Others help us measure usage through analytics providers such as Google Analytics, and support advertising through providers such as Google Ads, which may show you our ads on other sites.

You can control cookies in your browser settings, and turn off personalised Google advertising at adssettings.google.com. Blocking some cookies may affect how the service works.

We do not sell or trade your personal data.

We share it with the providers who operate the service for us — hosting, database, email, analytics and advertising — only so far as they need it to do that work. Some are located outside Hong Kong, so your data may be transferred and stored abroad.

We may also disclose information where the law requires it, or to protect our rights and the safety of others.

The service links to school websites and other sites we do not control, and loads maps and school photographs from third parties. Those sites have their own privacy policies and we are not responsible for them. Visiting them lets them see your IP address, as any site you visit can.

The service is intended for adults. We do not knowingly collect personal data from anyone under 18. If you believe a child has provided us with personal data, contact us and we will delete it.

We keep personal data only as long as we need it for the purposes above, or as long as the law requires, and then delete it.

Under the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance you may ask whether we hold personal data about you, request a copy, and ask us to correct it. You may also ask us to delete it or to stop sending you email.

Contact [email protected]. We respond within 40 days, as the Ordinance requires, at no charge.

We may update this policy. The date at the top shows when it last changed, and continuing to use the service means you accept the current version. If a change materially affects how we use your personal data, we will notify you.