Privacy Policy

Effective Date: October 12, 2026

1. Introduction and Scope

This Privacy Policy ("Policy") governs the manner in which Kikuyu Kids ("Company," "we," "our," or "us") collects, uses, maintains, and discloses information collected from users ("User," "you," or "your") of the Kikuyu Kids mobile application (the "App") and the affiliated website (the "Platform"). This Policy applies to the App, the Platform, and all products and services offered by Kikuyu Kids. By accessing or using our services, you explicitly consent to the collection and use of your information as outlined herein.

2. Strict Adherence to Children's Privacy Laws (COPPA & GDPR-K)

As an educational technology platform catering to children and families, the protection of children's privacy is our utmost priority. We strictly comply with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) of the United States, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) regarding minors, and applicable local legislation (such as the Kenya Data Protection Act, 2019).

  • No Unverified Collection: We do not knowingly collect, use, or distribute personally identifiable information (PII) from children under the age of thirteen (13) without prior verifiable parental consent. Kids can access all educational learning modules without creating an account or logging in.
  • Parental Rights: Parents and legal guardians possess the absolute right to review, request deletion of, and refuse further collection of their child's data. Such requests can be initiated by contacting our team via the contact channels provided below.
  • No Public Chat or Direct Messaging: Kikuyu Kids contains no public chat rooms, direct messaging between minors, or unmonitored social communication features. The application is strictly a structured language learning environment.

3. Device Permissions & Microphone Usage

To deliver interactive pronunciation lessons, the App may request access to your device's microphone:

  • Ephemeral On-Device Audio: Audio captured through the microphone is processed transiently on the device solely for real-time speech recognition and pronunciation assessment exercises.
  • No Audio Storage or Transmission: We do NOT record, retain, transmit to external servers, or share your child's voice recordings with third parties. Once the pronunciation check is complete, the audio buffer is immediately discarded.

4. Data Collection and Usage

We collect and process only the minimal data necessary for the educational services:

  • Student & Parent Data: Account registration information (email address, parental consent verifications, encrypted passwords), learning progression metrics, and diagnostic analytics to improve educational outcomes.
  • Teacher Portal: Teacher and administrative accounts are restricted to verified educators for curriculum management and classroom roster monitoring.
  • Financial Data: We utilize trusted, PCI-DSS compliant payment gateways (Google Play Billing, Paystack). Kikuyu Kids does not directly capture, process, or store credit card numbers or Mobile Money (M-Pesa) PINs on our servers.
  • Automated Telemetry: Device identifiers, operating system specifications, and crash logs are collected in an anonymized format to ensure app stability and performance.

5. Data Sharing and Disclosure

We categorically refuse to sell, trade, or rent Users' personal identification information to third parties. Information may only be disclosed under the following legally mandated or necessary operational circumstances:

  • Service Providers: To affiliated sub-processors (e.g., cloud hosting providers, payment processors) strictly for the purpose of executing the agreed-upon services, bound by strict confidentiality and Data Processing Agreements (DPAs).
  • Legal Obligation: To law enforcement agencies, regulators, or courts of competent jurisdiction when legally compelled by subpoena, court order, or when necessary to protect the vital interests, safety, and rights of our users—particularly minors.

6. Data Retention and Erasure (Account Deletion)

Data is retained only for as long as necessary to fulfill the educational and operational purposes outlined in this Policy. Users and parents have the absolute right to request full erasure of their account and all associated data ("Right to be Forgotten") at any time.

To request data or account deletion, please visit our Account & Data Deletion Request Page or contact us directly at support@ukwelicode.com. Requests are processed within 48 hours.

7. Security Infrastructure

We deploy robust, industry-standard cybersecurity measures, including AES-256 encryption at rest, TLS 1.3 encryption in transit, strict Role-Based Access Control (RBAC), and automated threat detection, to protect against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction of your personal information.

8. Revisions and Amendments

Kikuyu Kids retains the right to update or modify this Privacy Policy. When modifications occur, the "Effective Date" at the top of this page will be revised. Continued use of the platform following any modifications constitutes acceptance of the revised Policy.

9. Contact Us

For any inquiries, data subject access requests (DSAR), or concerns regarding this Privacy Policy, please reach us via the Contact Us page or email support@ukwelicode.com.