KidSpark Academy — Privacy Policy

1. Who We Are

KidSpark Academy ("we," "our," or "us") is an iOS application designed to teach coding fundamentals to children (ages 6–10) and teens (ages 11–16). We are independent app developers committed to building safe, educational software for young learners.

Contact: For any privacy-related questions, email us at kidspark.academy.learning@gmail.com.

App Store listing: KidSpark Academy is published on Apple's App Store and is classified in the Kids category, which subjects it to Apple's strictest content and privacy standards.

2. Scope of This Policy

This Privacy Policy applies to the KidSpark Academy iOS application and any related support pages (including this page). It does not apply to any third-party websites, services, or content you may link to from within the app.

This policy is written in plain language so that parents, guardians, and older children can understand exactly how the app handles data.

3. Information We Collect (and Don't Collect)

What we store — on your device only

What we do NOT collect

• Full name, email address, phone number, or any contact information
• Date of birth or age (we do not verify age)
• Location or GPS data
• Device identifiers (IDFA, IDFV, or similar)
• Photos, camera, or microphone access
• Contacts or address book
• Usage analytics or crash reports sent off-device
• Advertising identifiers

4. Children's Privacy (COPPA)

Because the app is directed at children under 13, we have designed it to collect no personal information whatsoever. Specifically:

• We do not collect names, email addresses, or any contact details from children.
• We do not allow children to share information publicly within the app.
• We do not enable direct messaging or chat features.
• We do not serve behavioral or targeted advertisements.
• We do not embed third-party analytics SDKs, social media SDKs, or advertising SDKs.
• All data is stored locally on the device and is never transmitted to external servers.

Parental controls

The app includes a Parent Dashboard protected by a 4-digit PIN that only a parent or guardian sets. Through this dashboard, parents can:

• View all learning progress, XP, streaks, and badges
• Review weekly activity and estimated time spent

Parents can delete all data stored by the app at any time using Profile → Reset Progress, or by deleting the app from the device. Deleting the app removes all SwiftData and UserDefaults entries permanently.

Parental consent

Because KidSpark Academy does not collect any personal information from children, verifiable parental consent under COPPA is not required. However, we encourage parents and guardians to review this policy and to set up the Parent Dashboard PIN before a child uses the app.

Parental review and deletion (COPPA §312.6)

Because KidSpark Academy stores no personal data about children, there is nothing to review, export, or delete under COPPA §312.6 beyond uninstalling the app or using Profile → Reset Progress — either action clears all local progress, badges, and the Parent PIN. Parents who have any question about this can email kidspark.academy.learning@gmail.com.

5. How We Use Information

The data stored locally on your device is used solely to operate the app's features:

• Lesson progress — to show which lessons are complete, in-progress, or locked
• XP & streak — to calculate level, display the XP bar, and motivate continued learning
• Badges & milestones — to award and display earned achievements
• Weekly challenge completion — to prevent double-counting the same week's reward
• Nickname — to personalise the greeting on the home screen
• Parent PIN — to gate access to the Parent Dashboard

We do not use any of this data for advertising, profiling, or any purpose beyond delivering the in-app experience described above.

6. In-App Purchases & Subscriptions

KidSpark Academy offers an optional Pro subscription (monthly and annual) that unlocks Intermediate and Advanced lesson tiers. All purchases are processed exclusively through Apple's App Store / StoreKit.

• We never receive, store, or process your payment card or billing details.
• Apple manages all subscription billing, renewals, and refunds.
• The app only receives a cryptographically verified receipt confirming whether a valid subscription exists — nothing more.
• To manage or cancel your subscription, go to Settings → [Your Name] → Subscriptions on your iPhone or iPad.

Apple's own privacy policy governs payment and purchase data: apple.com/legal/privacy .

7. Local Notifications

KidSpark Academy can send local push notifications to remind learners to maintain their streak or alert them to a new weekly challenge. These notifications are:

• Scheduled entirely on your device using Apple's UNUserNotificationCenter framework
• Never sent from an external server — there is no push notification server
• Never used to deliver advertising or sponsored content

You can enable or disable notifications at any time in KidSpark Academy → Profile → Notifications, or via iPhone Settings → Notifications → KidSpark Academy.

8. Data Sharing & Third Parties

We share no data with third parties. The app does not integrate:

• Analytics platforms (Google Analytics, Firebase, Amplitude, Mixpanel, etc.)
• Advertising networks (Google AdMob, Meta Audience Network, etc.)
• Social login providers (Facebook, Google, etc.)
• Crash reporting services (Crashlytics, Sentry, etc.)
• Cloud storage or syncing services

The only third-party framework used is Apple's own StoreKit for subscription management. All other app functionality is self-contained.

9. Data Security

Because all data lives only on your device, its security depends on your device's built-in protections:

• SwiftData stores are protected by iOS data protection (AES-256 encryption when the device is locked)
• UserDefaults (used for the parent PIN) is protected by iOS app sandboxing
• No data is transmitted over a network, so there is no risk of network interception

We recommend keeping your iPhone or iPad up to date with the latest iOS version to benefit from Apple's ongoing security improvements.

10. Data Retention & Deletion

All data is stored on your device and is retained until you delete it:

• Reset progress only: Go to Profile → Reset Progress (requires confirmation). This clears XP, streak, lesson history, badges, and challenge completions. Your Pro subscription is unaffected.
• Delete the app: Uninstalling KidSpark Academy from your device permanently deletes all SwiftData and UserDefaults entries, including the parent PIN. This action cannot be undone.

Because we hold no data on our servers, there is nothing for us to delete on our end — all control rests with you.

11. Your Rights Under GDPR (European Users)

If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA), United Kingdom, or Switzerland, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) grants you the following rights. Because KidSpark Academy does not process personal data on external servers, most of these rights are exercised directly on your device:

• Right of access — all data is visible inside the app (Progress tab, Parent Dashboard)
• Right to rectification — you can update your nickname in Profile
• Right to erasure — use Reset Progress or delete the app
• Right to data portability — not applicable (no external processing)
• Right to object — not applicable (no profiling or direct marketing)

The legal basis for processing under GDPR is legitimate interests (operating the app's core features as described in Section 5). No consent is required because no personal data is collected or transmitted.

12. California Privacy Rights (CCPA/CPRA)

California residents have rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA). KidSpark Academy does not sell or share personal information with third parties. Because all data stays on your device, the categories of personal information collected, sold, or disclosed for a business purpose are: none.

California residents may submit privacy requests to kidspark.academy.learning@gmail.com.

12a. Other US State Privacy Rights

Residents of other U.S. states with comprehensive privacy laws — including Virginia (VCDPA), Colorado (CPA), Connecticut (CTDPA), Utah (UCPA), and other states that have adopted similar frameworks — are entitled to rights such as access, correction, deletion, and opt-out of sale, sharing, or targeted advertising.

Because KidSpark Academy does not collect, sell, share, or process any personal data — and stores everything locally on the device — the practical effect of these rights is that there is nothing for us to access, correct, delete, or opt out of. You can exercise the equivalent of a deletion request at any time by tapping Profile → Reset Progress or by uninstalling the app.

If you live in one of these states and have a question or want to make a formal request anyway, email kidspark.academy.learning@gmail.com and we will respond within the statutory timeframe.

13. Apple App Store Compliance

KidSpark Academy is published in the Kids category of the Apple App Store and complies with all applicable App Store Review Guidelines, including:

• Guideline 1.3 (Kids Category): The app does not include behaviorally targeted advertising. No advertising of any kind is shown.
• Guideline 5.1.4 (Kids): The app does not collect personal information from children without parental consent; no personal information is collected.
• Guideline 5.1.1 (Data Collection and Storage): The app's privacy nutrition label accurately reflects that no data is linked to a user's identity or shared with third parties.

Apple's own App Store privacy details for this app are available on the App Store listing page under "App Privacy."

14. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will:

• Update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page
• Post the new version at this URL
• If changes are material, update the App Store "What's New" notes

Continued use of KidSpark Academy after a policy update constitutes acceptance of the revised policy. We encourage parents and guardians to review this page periodically.

15. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or the privacy practices of KidSpark Academy, please contact us:

• Email: kidspark.academy.learning@gmail.com
• Support: kidspark.academy.learning@gmail.com

We aim to respond to all privacy inquiries within 30 days.