Privacy policy
Last updated 20 July 2026
This policy explains what personal data Mainframe101 collects, why we collect it, how long we keep it, and the rights you have over it.
Who we are
Mainframe101 ("we", "us", "our") provides a browser-based platform for learning mainframe skills. Mainframe101 is operated by Kyle Pressley, who is the data controller for the personal data described in this policy. If you have any questions about this policy or your data, email legal@mainframe101.org.
What we collect
| Category | What it includes |
|---|---|
| Waitlist | Your name, email address, and the type of user you select. |
| Account | Your email address and authentication details, so we can give you access during the beta. |
| Learning activity | Your progress through lessons, exercises you complete, and any credentials or badges you earn. |
| Enquiries and support | Anything you choose to send us — for example, a support email, or an organisation or education enquiry (which may include your organisation's name and team size). |
| Usage | Basic, privacy-friendly analytics and technical logs about how the site and product are used. |
| Security | Your IP address and similar technical details, used to keep the Service secure and prevent abuse — for example, to rate-limit sign-ups and enquiries. |
Please do not enter confidential or real personal data about yourself or others into lessons, exercises, or AI-assisted prompts. The environments are for learning and are not intended to hold sensitive information.
How we use your data
- to give you access to the Service and run your account;
- to save your learning progress and issue credentials you earn;
- to respond to your enquiries and provide support;
- to send you product and early-access updates, where you have asked to hear from us;
- to keep the Service secure and to prevent misuse;
- to understand and improve how the product works.
We do not sell your personal data, and we do not use it for third-party advertising.
When you join the waitlist, we add your email address to our mailing list so we can send you early-access and product updates. If you send us an organisation or education enquiry, we add your email address to our organisations mailing list so we can follow up and keep you posted. Every message includes an unsubscribe link, and you can opt out at any time — either from a message or by emailing us.
Legal bases
Under UK and EU data protection law, we rely on the following legal bases:
- Contract — to provide the Service and manage your account;
- Consent — for marketing and early-access updates, which you can withdraw at any time;
- Legitimate interests — to keep the Service secure, prevent misuse, and improve the product, in a way that is balanced against your rights;
- Legal obligation — where we need to process data to comply with the law.
Who processes your data for us
We use a small number of trusted providers who process personal data on our behalf as sub-processors. The current list, with each provider's role, is on our sub-processors page.
How long we keep it
- Waitlist data until you are onboarded or ask us to remove you, or until we close the waitlist;
- Account and learning data for as long as your account is active, and for a short period afterwards, unless you ask us to delete it sooner;
- Enquiries and support messages for as long as needed to deal with them and keep a reasonable record;
- Usage and log data for a limited period for security and analytics.
We will delete or anonymise personal data when we no longer need it.
International transfers
Some of our providers may process data outside the UK and EEA. Where they do, we rely on appropriate safeguards — such as UK and EU approved standard contractual clauses, or a provider being covered by an adequacy decision — so that your data stays protected.
Your rights
Depending on where you live, you have rights over your personal data. You can ask us to give you access to it, correct it, delete it, restrict or object to how we use it, or provide it in a portable format. You can also withdraw consent and unsubscribe from updates at any time. To exercise any of these, email us and we will action your request. If you are in the UK or EU and are unhappy with how we handle your data, you can also complain to your data protection regulator — in the UK, the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).
Automated decisions
We do not make decisions about you based solely on automated processing, and we do not build advertising or marketing profiles about you.
Keeping your data secure
We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your data, including limiting who can access it. No service can be completely secure, but if a personal data breach affects you and is likely to result in a risk to your rights, we will act promptly and, where the law requires, notify you and the ICO.
Cookies
We keep our use of cookies to a minimum. See our cookie policy for details of what we use and why.
Children
Mainframe101 is not directed at children under 16, and we do not knowingly collect their personal data. If you believe a child has given us their data, contact us and we will remove it.
Changes to this policy
If we change this policy we will update the date above and, where appropriate, let you know.
Contact
Email legal@mainframe101.org about anything in this policy, or to exercise your rights.