Privacy Policy

Last updated: 1/6/2026

Overview

BrightSpark ("we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting the privacy of children and all users of our platform. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect information when you use our learning games platform.

Children's Privacy (COPPA Compliance)

BrightSpark is designed for use in educational settings and may be used by children under 13 years of age. We comply with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and take the following measures:

  • No Personal Information from Children: We do not collect email addresses, real names, or other personal information directly from students. Students join classrooms using only a class code and a chosen nickname.
  • Teacher-Managed Access: Classroom access is managed by teachers, who are adults and provide verifiable parental consent through the educational institution.
  • Minimal Data Collection: We collect only what is necessary to provide the service (nickname, classroom membership, submitted ideas, and votes).
  • No Third-Party Tracking: We do not use advertising trackers or sell student data to third parties.

FERPA Compliance

For schools using BrightSpark, we are aware of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) requirements:

  • We do not store grades, assessment scores, or other educational records tied to real student identities.
  • Analytics provided to teachers are aggregate (classroom-level), not individual student data.
  • Schools retain control over student access through classroom management features.

Information We Collect

For Students:

  • Nickname (chosen by student)
  • Classroom membership
  • Submitted game ideas (text only)
  • Votes on ideas
  • Anonymous gameplay statistics (no personal identifiers)

For Teachers:

  • Email address (for account creation)
  • Display name
  • School name (optional)
  • Classroom configurations

How We Use Information

We use collected information to:

  • Provide and operate the BrightSpark platform
  • Allow students to submit ideas and vote
  • Enable teachers to manage classrooms and moderate content
  • Generate learning games from approved ideas
  • Provide aggregate analytics to teachers
  • Improve our services

AI and Data Processing

When student ideas are processed by our AI to generate games:

  • Personal information is stripped from all content before AI processing
  • Only the idea text, subject, and grade level are shared
  • No student identifiers are sent to AI services
  • AI providers do not retain or train on student-submitted content

Data Retention and Deletion

  • Student accounts can be deleted at any time by teachers or upon request
  • When a student account is deleted, all associated data (ideas, votes) is permanently removed
  • Classroom data is retained while the classroom is active and can be deleted by the teacher
  • Published games remain available but are not linked to individual student identities

Data Security

We protect user data through:

  • Encryption in transit (HTTPS) and at rest
  • Firebase Security Rules limiting data access
  • Role-based access controls
  • Regular security reviews

Third-Party Services

BrightSpark uses the following third-party services:

  • Google Firebase: For authentication, database, and hosting
  • Google Gemini AI: For game content generation (no personal data shared)

Parental Rights

Parents and guardians have the right to:

  • Review their child's information through the teacher
  • Request deletion of their child's account and data
  • Refuse further collection of their child's information

To exercise these rights, please contact your child's teacher or reach out to us directly.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify teachers of significant changes and update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page.

Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us at:

Email: privacy@brightspark.example.com
Subject: Privacy Inquiry