Privacy Policy

Last updated: May 2025 · Effective immediately

Plain English summary: We collect only what we need to run the service. We never sell your data or student work. We never use uploaded content to train AI models. You own everything you upload.

1. Who we are

Markulate ("we," "us," or "our") is an AI-assisted marking and grading tool built for teachers and university instructors. Our website is markulate.com. You can contact us at hello@markulate.com with any questions about this policy.

2. What information we collect

We collect the following information when you use Markulate:

Account information: Your name and email address when you sign up or join our waitlist.
Uploaded content: Rubrics, marking criteria, and student scripts you upload to the platform for processing.
Usage data: Basic information about how you use the service, such as pages visited and features used, to help us improve the product.
Communications: Any emails or messages you send us.

3. How we use your information

We use the information we collect to:

Provide, operate, and improve the Markulate service
Process uploaded rubrics and scripts to generate marking suggestions
Send you product updates and early access notifications (you can unsubscribe at any time)
Respond to your questions and support requests
Comply with legal obligations

4. Student data — our commitments

We take the handling of student work seriously. Our commitments are:

We do not sell student data. Ever, under any circumstances.
We do not use student work to train AI models. Uploaded scripts are processed to generate marking suggestions and then handled in accordance with our retention policy. They are never fed into model training pipelines.
You own what you upload. All rubrics, scripts, and grading data you upload remain your property and the property of your institution.
No unauthorised sharing. We do not share uploaded student work with any third party except as strictly necessary to operate the service (for example, the AI processing API), and only under data processing agreements that bind those parties to equivalent protections.

5. Data retention

We retain your account information for as long as your account is active. Uploaded scripts and rubrics are retained for 90 days after processing to allow you to retrieve your results, after which they are deleted from our systems. You can request earlier deletion at any time by emailing hello@markulate.com.

6. Data security

We use industry-standard security measures to protect your data, including encrypted data transmission (HTTPS) and secure cloud storage. While no system is completely secure, we take reasonable and appropriate steps to protect the information we hold.

7. Third-party services

Markulate uses a small number of third-party services to operate, including AI processing APIs and cloud infrastructure. These providers are bound by data processing agreements and are not permitted to use your data for their own purposes. We do not use advertising networks or sell data to data brokers.

8. Your rights

Depending on where you are located, you may have rights regarding your personal data, including the right to access, correct, delete, or export it. To exercise any of these rights, email us at hello@markulate.com and we will respond within 30 days.

9. FERPA notice (US users)

If you are a US-based educator, please be aware that student education records are protected under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Markulate operates as a "school official" under FERPA when processing student work on behalf of an educator or institution, and handles that data accordingly. We recommend checking your institution's policy on the use of third-party AI tools with student data before uploading identifiable student work.

10. GDPR notice (UK and EU users)

If you are located in the UK or European Union, you have additional rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) or UK GDPR. Our lawful basis for processing your data is legitimate interests and, where applicable, your consent. You have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority. For a full Data Processing Agreement, please contact us at hello@markulate.com.

11. Children's privacy

Markulate is designed for use by teachers and instructors, not directly by students. We do not knowingly collect personal information directly from students under the age of 13. Student work uploaded by teachers is handled under the teacher's account and institution's responsibility.

12. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy as the product develops. We will notify registered users of any material changes by email. Continued use of Markulate after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

13. Contact us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your data, please contact us at hello@markulate.com. We will respond within 5 business days.