Privacy Policy

Our Privacy Commitment

At Kids Writing ("we," "us," or "our"), protecting student data and upholding the highest standards of data privacy is a core part of our mission. We follow strict guidelines when handling personally identifiable information (PII) to ensure that data is only used in ways that support learning and educational goals.

By using our service, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy. Do not access or use the service unless you agree to these terms.

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Account Information

When you create an account, we collect personal information necessary for providing the service, such as your name and email address.

1.2 Student Data

When a student account is created, we collect only the personal information required to deliver our services — such as name, email address, and grade level. All student data is handled with care and in compliance with applicable privacy laws.

1.3 Educational Content

To use the service, users provide educational materials which may include writing prompts, essays, and student-submitted work ("Educational Content"). We treat this content as part of the student's educational record and handle it accordingly.

1.4 Usage and Technical Information

We automatically collect certain non-personal information when you interact with the service, such as your IP address, browser type, device information, and usage patterns. This data is used for system security, analytics, and to improve the user experience.

2. How We Use Collected Information

2.1 Providing and Improving the Service

We use personal information and educational content to deliver, support, and improve the functionality of the service — for example, to evaluate and provide feedback on essays. We may use aggregated, de-identified data to enhance the performance and features of our service.

2.2 AI Processing

Essays submitted for marking are processed by third-party AI services (OpenAI) to generate feedback, scores, and improvement suggestions. We send only the essay content and grade level — no personal identifying information is included in AI requests.

We do not use your data to train AI models. Your essays and personal information are never used to train our own or third-party artificial intelligence models.

2.3 Communications

We may use your email address to send important service-related notifications and support information. We will not use this information for unrelated marketing purposes without your explicit consent.

2.4 Legal Compliance

We may disclose information if required to do so by law, in response to legal process, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of our company, our users, or the public.

3. Data Security and Retention

3.1 Data Security

We implement security measures designed to protect your information from unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include encryption, secure storage, and strict access controls.

3.2 Data Retention

We retain personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes outlined in this policy. We delete or anonymise data in accordance with our legal obligations and applicable retention requirements.

4. Sharing and Disclosure of Information

We do not sell your personal information. We only share data in the following limited circumstances:

4.1 Third-Party Service Providers

We engage trusted third-party companies to perform services on our behalf, such as cloud hosting, email delivery, and payment processing (Stripe). These providers are given access only to the information necessary to perform their functions and are contractually obligated to maintain its confidentiality.

4.2 AI Processing

To provide our marking functionality, we send educational content (prompts and essays) to OpenAI for processing. This data is not linked to individual student identities in the AI request.

4.3 Analytics

We use Google Analytics to collect aggregated, anonymised usage data to understand how the service is used and to improve the user experience. This data cannot be used to identify any individual.

4.4 Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred to the successor entity, which will be bound by the commitments in this Privacy Policy.

5. Your Rights and Choices

5.1 Account Management

Users can access and update their personal account information by logging into the service.

5.2 Opt-Out

Users may opt-out of receiving non-essential communications by following the unsubscribe instructions in those emails.

5.3 Deletion

You may request the deletion of your account and associated data by contacting us. Please note that we may be required by law to retain certain information.

6. Children's Privacy (COPPA Compliance)

Kids Writing is an educational service designed for students of all ages, including children under 13. We take the privacy of children very seriously and comply with the U.S. Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and the amended COPPA Rule effective April 2026.

6.1 Parental Consent

We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 without verifiable parental consent. Account creation for children under 13 must be performed by a parent, guardian, or authorised school representative. By creating an account for a child, the parent or guardian consents to the collection and use of the child's information as described in this policy.

6.2 Information We Collect from Children

We limit the information collected from children to only what is reasonably necessary to provide the educational service:

• •Name (first name or nickname is sufficient)
• •Email address (parent's email recommended for children under 13)
• •Grade level (for adjusting feedback difficulty)
• •Essay content submitted for marking

We do not collect biometric data, geolocation, photos, videos, audio recordings, or government-issued identifiers from any user, including children.

6.3 How We Use Children's Data

Children's personal information is used solely for providing the educational service — marking essays, generating feedback, and delivering lessons. We do not:

• •Use children's data for advertising or marketing
• •Use children's data to train AI models
• •Sell or share children's data with third parties for commercial purposes
• •Create public-facing profiles for children
• •Enable children to make personal information publicly available

6.4 Parental Rights

Parents and guardians have the right to:

• •Review the personal information we have collected from their child
• •Request deletion of their child's personal information and account
• •Refuse further collection or use of their child's information
• •Request that we stop sending communications to their child

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us through our Contact Us page. We will respond within 30 days.

6.5 Data Retention for Children

We retain children's personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary to provide the service. When a child's account is deleted, we permanently remove all associated personal information and educational content within 30 days.

7. Australian Privacy Compliance

Kids Writing complies with the Australian Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs). As an education-focused service operating in Australia, we adhere to the following:

7.1 Collection and Use

In accordance with APP 3 and APP 6, we only collect personal information that is reasonably necessary for our educational functions, and we only use it for the purpose for which it was collected (or a directly related purpose that would be reasonably expected).

7.2 Notification

In accordance with APP 5, we notify users at or before the time of collection about what information we collect, why we collect it, and who we may disclose it to — as outlined in this Privacy Policy.

7.3 Cross-Border Disclosure

In accordance with APP 8, we disclose that essay content is processed by OpenAI (United States) for marking purposes. No personally identifiable information is included in these requests. Our hosting infrastructure is located in Germany (Hetzner). We take reasonable steps to ensure overseas recipients handle personal information in accordance with the APPs.

7.4 Access and Correction

In accordance with APP 12 and APP 13, you may request access to or correction of your personal information at any time through our Contact Us page. We will respond within 30 days.

7.5 Complaints

If you believe we have breached the Australian Privacy Principles, you may lodge a complaint through our Contact Us page. We will investigate and respond within 30 days. If you are not satisfied with our response, you may lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC).

8. Cookies and Tracking

We use a cookie consent banner to give you control over analytics tracking. Our use of cookies:

• •Essential cookies — Session authentication cookies required for the service to function. These do not require consent.
• •Analytics cookies — Google Analytics cookies are only loaded after you explicitly accept via our cookie banner. You may decline and the service will function normally without them.

We do not use advertising cookies, tracking pixels, or retargeting technologies. Analytics data collected via Google Analytics is aggregated and anonymised.

9. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may revise this Privacy Policy periodically. If we make significant changes, we will notify you by updating the policy on our website or displaying a notice within the service. We encourage parents and guardians to review this policy regularly.

10. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please reach out through our Contact Us page.