Privacy Policy

1) Who we are

“Dakota” (“we”, “us”) is an early‑childhood development project operated from Canada. We are currently an unincorporated project. You can contact us at support@dakota.school.

2) Scope

This Policy covers personal information processed through dakota.school and related apps/services (the “Service”). It does not cover third‑party websites or services we do not control.

3) The information we collect

• Account & contact: name, email, password hashes, preferences, communications.
• Household & caregiver context (optional): caregiver role, materials inventory, environment notes.
• Child profile data: first name or nickname, age range, developmental observations, activity logs, session timing. We do not request government IDs or medical records.
• Usage & device: device/browser info, IP address, general location (derived from IP), app interactions, crash logs.
• Support: messages, attachments you send us.
• Cookies & similar tech: to keep you signed in, remember preferences, and—when enabled—measure usage.

4) How we use information

• Provide, secure, and improve the Service.
• Recommend activities/materials and record developmental progress you choose to log.
• Communicate about the Service, waitlist/beta, policy changes, and support.
• Analyze aggregated, de‑identified usage to plan improvements.
• Comply with law and enforce terms.

5) Legal foundations & consent (Canada‑first)

We follow Canada’s privacy principles (e.g., PIPEDA): appropriate purposes, knowledge and consent, limiting collection, safeguards, access/correction, and accountability. For children, we obtain verifiable parental consent (see Section 7). If you are subject to U.S. state privacy laws (e.g., California), see Section 11.

6) Sharing & disclosure

We do not sell personal information. We share information only with:

• Service providers (processors): hosting, databases, authentication, analytics, messaging/support, error logging, and backups—bound by confidentiality and data‑protection terms.
• Legal & safety: if required by law or to protect rights, safety, or integrity of the Service.
• Business changes: if we later incorporate or undergo a reorganization, we will honor this Policy and notify you of material changes.

Note: We may list specific providers (e.g., hosting, database, analytics) on request; these may be located in Canada or the United States.

7) Children’s information

• We serve families with young children. Child information is entered by an adult caregiver. We require parental/guardian consent for children under 13 (U.S. COPPA). In Québec, consent is generally required from a parent/guardian for children under 14.
• We use reasonable methods to obtain and record consent (e.g., verified account email and in‑app consent flow). We may update methods to meet regulatory guidance.
• Parents/guardians can review, export, or delete their child’s information by emailing support@dakota.school from the account email.
• We do not allow children to create independent accounts.
• We do not sell or share children’s personal information for targeted advertising.

8) International transfers

We operate from Canada and may store or process information in Canada and the United States. By using the Service, you understand your data may be transferred across borders. We apply administrative, technical, and physical safeguards appropriate to the sensitivity of the data.

9) Retention

We keep account data while your account is active. You can request deletion at any time. Unless we are required to keep data longer (e.g., legal obligations), typical retention targets are:

• Account & contact data: until account deletion.
• Developmental observations & activity logs: up to 24 months after last activity, or sooner on request.
• Support requests & error logs: up to 24 months.

10) Security

We use reasonable safeguards (encryption in transit, access controls, least‑privilege). No system is 100% secure. If we believe a breach risks harm, we will notify affected users and regulators as required by law.

11) Your privacy rights

Canada (PIPEDA)

• Access your personal information and how it’s used.
• Correct inaccurate information.
• Withdraw consent (we’ll explain impacts on your use of the Service).
• File a complaint with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada if unresolved with us first.

United States (state privacy laws)

Depending on your state (e.g., CA, CO, CT, VA, UT), you may have rights to access, delete, correct, receive a portable copy, and opt-out of “sale,” “sharing,” or targeted advertising. As of the Effective Date, we do not sell or share personal information or use it for cross‑context behavioral advertising.

To exercise rights, email support@dakota.school with your request and the account email. We may need to verify your identity.

12) Cookies & similar technologies

• Strictly necessary cookies (sign‑in, security, basic functionality).
• Preferences (optional): remember settings.
• Analytics (optional): measure and improve the Service.

You can control cookies via browser settings. If we add an in‑app cookie control, we’ll link it here.

13) Changes to this Policy

If we make material changes, we’ll notify you (e.g., in‑app or email). Continued use after the effective date means you accept the updated Policy.

14) Contact

Questions or requests: support@dakota.school