Privacy Policy for Kids of the USA
Effective Date: 2025-25-03
Introduction
Welcome to Kids of the USA! This privacy policy explains how we collect, use, and protect the personal information of our users, including children under the age of 13 and adults who may interact with our website. We are committed to safeguarding your privacy and complying with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and other applicable laws in the United States.
Operator Information
- Email: info@kidsoftheusa.com
Information We Collect
We collect different types of information depending on whether the user is a child under 13 or an adult:
- From Children Under 13:
With verifiable parental consent, we may collect:- A username (not the child’s real name).
- Content submitted by the child, such as drawings or stories, which must not include personal information.
We do not collect personal information such as a child’s full name, home address, email address, telephone number, or any other identifier that would allow someone to contact the child physically or online without verifiable parental consent. We do not require children to disclose more personal information than is reasonably necessary to participate in an activity, and our website does not enable children to make their personal information publicly available.
- From Adults:
We may collect:- Names, email addresses, and other contact information when you sign up for newsletters, create an account, or contact us.
What is Personal Information?
Under COPPA, "personal information" includes a child’s full name, home address, email address, telephone number, Social Security number, or other identifiers that allow someone to contact the child physically or online. It also includes persistent identifiers, like cookies, that can recognize a user over time and across websites.
How We Collect Information
- Directly Provided Information:
We collect information when users provide it to us, such as during account creation or when submitting content. - Automatically Collected Information:
We use cookies and similar technologies to collect information automatically. For children under 13, we only use persistent identifiers, such as cookies, to support the internal operations of our website (e.g., maintaining login sessions or remembering preferences). We do not use these identifiers to track children’s activities across different websites or for behavioral advertising. Adults can manage cookies through their browser settings, though disabling them may affect website functionality.
How We Use Your Information
- Children’s Information:
We use information collected from children to:- Provide and improve our website’s functionality, such as enabling participation in activities like games or content submission.
- Display their non-personal content, such as drawings or stories, without revealing any personal information.
We do not use children’s information for marketing purposes.
- Adults’ Information:
We use adults’ information to:- Send newsletters or updates (if you’ve subscribed).
- Respond to inquiries or provide customer support.
- Emails from Children:
If a child under 13 sends us an email, we will use the information only to respond once, then delete it. We will not use it for other purposes or share it with third parties.
Sharing Your Information
- We do not sell or rent personal information to anyone.
- We may share information with third-party service providers (e.g., website hosting or analytics providers) who help us operate the website, but only if they agree to protect the information in accordance with this policy and COPPA.
- We do not share children’s personal information with third parties for their marketing purposes.
- We may disclose information if required by law or to protect the safety, rights, or property of our users or the public.
Third-Party Advertising
- We do not allow third-party advertising on our website, and we do not use children’s personal information for targeted advertising purposes.
Parental Rights
Parents have the following rights regarding their child’s personal information:
- Review: You can request to see the personal information we’ve collected from your child.
- Delete: You can ask us to delete your child’s personal information.
- Refuse Further Use: You can stop us from collecting or using your child’s information moving forward.
- Revoke Consent: You can revoke your consent at any time by contacting us at info@kidsoftheusa.com. Upon revocation, we will stop collecting, using, or disclosing your child’s personal information and will delete it from our records, except as required by law.
To exercise these rights, contact us at:
- Email: info@kidsoftheusa.com
Obtaining Parental Consent
Before collecting personal information from children under 13, we obtain verifiable parental consent using the "email plus" method:
- We send an email to the parent with instructions to confirm consent.
- We follow up with a confirmation email to verify the parent’s approval.
During this process, parents can choose to:
- Allow the collection and use of their child’s information for website activities, without consenting to its disclosure to third parties (except as necessary to provide the service).
Even after consent is given, parents can still revoke it or exercise their rights at any time.
Data Retention
We keep personal information, including children’s information, only as long as necessary to:
- Provide our services (e.g., maintain an account or display submitted content).
- Comply with legal obligations.
Once we no longer need the information, we securely delete it.
Security
We take reasonable steps to protect personal information, including:
- Encryption of data in transit and at rest.
- Access controls to limit who can view the information.
- Regular security reviews.
However, no online system is 100% secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security.
Links to Third-Party Sites
Our website may include links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for their privacy practices or content. We encourage parents to review the privacy policies of any linked sites before allowing their children to visit them.
International Users
Our website is intended for users in the United States. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children outside the U.S. If you are accessing our website from outside the U.S., please be aware that your information may be transferred to and processed in the U.S.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this privacy policy from time to time. If we make material changes to how we collect, use, or share children’s personal information, we will:
- Notify parents directly via email.
- Obtain new parental consent as required by COPPA.
We will also post the updated policy on our website with the new effective date.
Contact Us
If you have questions, concerns, or need to exercise your rights under this policy, please reach out to us:
- Email: info@kidsoftheusa.com