Privacy Policy

Last Updated: January 2, 2026

Little Authors Club ("we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting the privacy of children and families who use our app. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect information when you use Little Authors Club.

Our Commitment to Children's Privacy

Little Authors Club is designed for families with children of all ages. We comply with:

  • COPPA (Children's Online Privacy Protection Act) in the United States
  • GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) in the European Union
  • Age Appropriate Design Code in the United Kingdom
  • Applicable children's privacy laws in other jurisdictions

We do not collect personal information directly from children. All accounts are created and managed by parents or guardians.

Verifiable Parental Consent (COPPA)

We verify that account holders are adults (18+) through:

  • Date of birth verification during account creation
  • Server-side age validation that rejects users under 18
  • No child accounts - only parent/guardian accounts are permitted

Parents must confirm they are the child's legal guardian before creating child profiles. If we discover an account was created by a minor, we will delete it immediately.

Information We Collect

Account Information (Parents Only)

When a parent creates an account, we collect:

  • Email address
  • Password (encrypted)
  • Authentication provider (Apple ID or Google, if used)

Child Profile Information

Parents create profiles for their children. This includes:

  • Child's first name or nickname
  • Age range (not exact birthdate)
  • Reading preferences and interests

Important: We recommend using nicknames rather than full names for child profiles.

Content Created in the App

  • Stories generated for your child
  • Custom characters created
  • Reading progress and favorites

Device and Usage Information

  • Device type and operating system
  • App version
  • Crash reports and performance data
  • Feature usage analytics (anonymized)

How We Use Your Information

  • Generate stories: Create personalized content for your child
  • Improve the app: Analyze usage patterns to enhance features
  • Customer support: Respond to your inquiries
  • Security: Detect and prevent fraud or abuse
  • Legal compliance: Meet regulatory requirements

Data Sharing

We never sell your personal information. We only share data with:

  • AI Service Providers: Google Vertex AI for story and illustration generation, and Google Cloud Text-to-Speech for audio narration. Data shared with Google Vertex AI includes child's age range, reading level, creative preferences (themes, genres, characters), character descriptions (name, type, traits, description), and custom story instructions. Story text content is shared with Google Cloud Text-to-Speech for audio narration. No names or personal identifiers are sent to any AI service. Users must explicitly consent before any data is shared. Additionally, comment text is screened by Google Vertex AI for child safety as a platform safety measure (no personal identifiers sent).
  • Payment Processors: Apple for in-app purchases (we don't see payment details)
  • Analytics: Firebase Analytics for app improvement (anonymized)
  • Legal Requirements: When required by law or to protect safety

Your Rights

You have the right to:

  • Access: Request a copy of your data
  • Delete: Request deletion of your account and data
  • Export: Download your data in a portable format
  • Correct: Update inaccurate information
  • Object: Opt out of certain data processing

To exercise these rights, use the in-app settings or email us at [email protected].

Data Retention

We retain your data as long as your account is active. When you delete your account:

  • Account data is deleted within 30 days
  • Backup data is removed within 90 days
  • Anonymized analytics data is retained for up to 26 months and then automatically deleted

Security

We protect your data with:

  • Encryption in transit (TLS) and at rest
  • Secure authentication (JWT tokens)
  • Regular security audits
  • Access controls and monitoring

Contact Us

For privacy questions or concerns:

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically. We'll notify you of significant changes through the app or email. Continued use of the app after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.