A lot of "free" platforms are free because you're not the customer — you're the product. Your activity gets tracked, packaged, and sold to advertisers, and the whole business only works if that keeps happening. Designed doesn't work that way, and it never has.
We have never, and will never, sell your data to anyone, for any reason. We have never shared it with advertisers or data brokers either. This isn't a policy that could quietly change if a business need showed up later — it can't, because Designed is a nonprofit. We're funded by donors and volunteers, not by an ad business built on your data, so there's no version of "the numbers didn't work out" that ends with your information for sale.
What we actually use your data for
We do collect some information — an account has to store something. All of it goes toward running the product itself:
- Matching you with [mentors](/our-mentors) in a workable timezone, language, or area of focus.
- Tracking your progress through [Learning Paths](/learning-paths) so you can pick up where you left off.
- Showing your name, photo, and bio on your [profile](/help/account-settings/updating-your-profile) the way you've set it up.
- Emailing you about your own account — things like verification, password resets, and updates on submissions or mentoring requests.
What we don't do
- We don't sell your data.
- We don't share it with advertisers or data brokers.
- We don't build a profile on you to sell targeted ads.
Note: This is the short version — the Privacy Policy is the full, legal one. It says the same thing: "we believe our users deserve their privacy and will not treat you like a product."