Privacy notice

ExamExplained is a free study library. This page explains, in plain English, what data we capture and when. Most of the site is read-only and needs no account; a few optional features (the forum, the contact form, and signing in to sync your study data) do involve personal data, and those are spelled out below. If anything is unclear, email privacy@examexplained.com.au.

Just reading the site

If you only read content (notes, guides, quizzes), you do not need an account and we do not set a profile or tracking cookie that identifies you. Your study state - subjects, planner, bookmarks, quiz attempts, flashcard progress - and your theme preference (light / dark) are stored in your browser's localStorage on your device. That data stays on your device unless you choose to sign in and sync it (see “Signing in” below). Clearing your browser data clears the local copy.

Analytics and error monitoring

We use privacy-respecting measurement to understand which topics need work and to fix bugs. Depending on how a given deployment is configured, some or all of the following may run:

• Cookieless page analytics via Plausible (where configured) and Vercel Analytics. These count page views and referrers in aggregate and do not set cookies that identify you.
• Product analytics via PostHog (where configured) to see page views and which features are used. It is configured with memory-only persistence (nothing is written to your browser's cookies or localStorage by PostHog), text masking, and it honours your browser's “Do Not Track” setting.
• Error monitoring via Sentry (where configured), which sends us an error report when something on the site crashes so we can fix it. Any crash replay is configured to mask all text and block media, and we sample only error sessions.

We do not run third-party advertising trackers, Google Analytics, or a Facebook Pixel.

The contact form

When you choose to write to us from /get-help, /pilot-feedback, or a correction form, we receive the message you send. That can include your name and email (when you supply them), the subject and curriculum you select, the page you came from, and a timestamp. We store this in a private database table (not publicly readable) and send an email notification to our team so a person can reply. If you provide an email, we may also email you a copy or a reply. Email delivery uses Resend. Supplying your name and email is optional - you can leave them blank and we simply won't be able to reply directly.

The community forum (optional)

ExamExplained may include an optional discussion forum at /community. Using it involves more than reading:

• Sign-in by email. You sign in with a one-time magic link sent to your email address (we do not store a password). After we verify the link, we set a secure, httpOnly session cookie (ee_community_session) so you stay signed in. That cookie carries only a signed user identifier and an expiry - it does not contain your email or other personal details, and your browser's scripts cannot read it. It lasts up to 30 days and is cleared when you sign out.
• What you post is visible. Your chosen handle, display name, and the posts and replies you write are stored and shown to other forum users. Do not post anything you would not want others to see.
• Marketing email is opt-in. We only send you non-essential email if you tick the box to opt in; you can opt out at any time.

Signing in to sync your study data (optional)

If you sign in, you can choose to sync your on-device study data (such as bookmarks, planner, quiz progress, study streak, and flashcard progress) to our database so it follows you across devices. This uses the same session described above. If you do not sign in, none of that study data leaves your device. You can clear synced data by asking us, or by clearing the relevant items and signing out.

Children and younger users

ExamExplained is intended for senior secondary students, who are typically 15 to 18 years old. Reading the site needs no account and collects no information that identifies you. The optional features that do collect personal data - the contact form, signing in, and the forum - are intended for users aged 16 or over. If you are younger than that, please do not sign in or post, and ask a parent or guardian before sending us your details. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children below that age; if you believe we have, email privacy@examexplained.com.au and we will delete it.

Your rights and how long we keep data

Where you have given us personal data - a contact-form message, a forum account, or synced study data - you can ask for a copy or for it to be deleted. Email privacy@examexplained.com.au and we will respond within a reasonable time. We retain personal data only as long as it is needed for the purpose it was collected and delete it on request. You also have the rights available to you under UK data-protection law (UK GDPR, regulated by the ICO); contact us at the address above to exercise them, and you may complain to your local data-protection regulator. If you have only read the site and never signed in or written to us, we hold no personal data about you to access or delete.

This notice is written in plain English and is not a substitute for legal advice. It should be reviewed by counsel before any non-Australian launch to confirm it meets local requirements.

Changes to this notice

If we change this notice, we'll update the date below. Material changes will be posted as a banner on the home page for 30 days.

Last updated: 13 June 2026.