Privacy Policy

Your privacy is our top priority. Kivvie is built with privacy and child safety at its core. This policy explains how we collect, use, protect, and handle your information.

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Account Information

When you sign in with Google, we collect:

• Email address - To identify your account, send important service notifications, and newsletters (you can opt out)
• Name - To personalize your experience
• Profile picture - Optional, for account identification
• Birthdate - Used only for age verification during sign-up to comply with COPPA. We verify you are 18+ but do not store your birthdate after verification.

Important: We do not store your Google password or OAuth tokens. Authentication is handled securely through Google's OAuth 2.0 system. We only receive temporary access tokens that allow us to search YouTube channels on your behalf, and these tokens are never stored permanently or shared with third parties.

Age Verification (COPPA Compliance)

To ensure proper parental consent as required by COPPA, we verify that all users are 18 years or older during the sign-up process. We access your birthdate from your Google account for this one-time verification. Your birthdate is not stored after verification is complete. Users under 18 years of age cannot create accounts or use Kivvie.

1.2 Child Profile Information

For each child profile you create, we may store:

• Child's name or nickname - Only stored within your account, never shared externally
• Age or birthdate - Optional, used only to provide age-appropriate content recommendations
• Profile picture - Optional, for profile identification within the app
• Approved channels - List of approved YouTube channels for each child
• Content settings - Preferences for Shorts and comments visibility
• Viewing preferences - Optional settings to personalize the experience

Important: All child information is controlled entirely by parents and stored securely. We never share children's information with third parties.

1.3 Usage Information

We may collect:

• Device information (type, operating system)
• App usage statistics (features used, session duration)
• Error logs and crash reports (to improve service stability)

2. How We Use Your Information

We use collected information to:

• Provide the service - Authenticate your account, sync settings across devices, and deliver video content
• Maintain security - Protect your account from unauthorized access
• Improve functionality - Identify and fix bugs, optimize performance
• Communicate with you - Send essential service updates, newsletters, product announcements, and respond to support requests

Marketing Communications: We may send you newsletters and promotional emails. You can opt out of marketing communications at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in any email or updating your email preferences in your account settings. Service-related emails (e.g., security alerts, account notifications) cannot be opted out of.

We never sell your data to third parties or use it for third-party advertising.

3. YouTube API Services and Google Privacy Policy

Kivvie uses YouTube API Services to search for channels and display video content. By using Kivvie, you agree to be bound by the Google Privacy Policy.

Important YouTube API disclosures:

• We access YouTube data only to search for channels and retrieve video metadata
• We do not store YouTube video content on our servers
• Your YouTube viewing history through Kivvie is subject to Google's privacy practices
• You can revoke Kivvie's access to your Google account at any time through your Google Account settings

4. Data Storage and Security

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your information:

• Encryption - All data is encrypted in transit (HTTPS) and at rest
• Secure authentication - OAuth 2.0 flow through Google, we never see your password
• Access controls - Strict internal access policies and audit logging
• Regular security audits - Ongoing monitoring for vulnerabilities

Your data is stored securely using Supabase infrastructure with automatic backups and redundancy.

5. Data Sharing and Disclosure

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information.

We may share limited information only in these circumstances:

• With your consent - When you explicitly authorize data sharing
• Service providers - Trusted partners who help operate our service (e.g., hosting, authentication) under strict confidentiality agreements
• Legal requirements - When required by law or to protect rights and safety

6. Children's Privacy (COPPA & Australian Law Compliance)

Kivvie is designed for children but managed entirely by parents. We are committed to protecting children's privacy in compliance with COPPA (Children's Online Privacy Protection Act), Australian Privacy Act 1988, and Australia's upcoming Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024.

Our Approach to Children's Privacy:

• No direct child data collection - Children cannot create accounts or provide information directly. All accounts require parental authentication via Google
• 100% Parental control - All child profiles are created, managed, and controlled exclusively by verified parents or legal guardians
• Minimal child information - We only collect information provided by parents (name/nickname, optional age, content preferences)
• No behavioral tracking - We do not track individual children's viewing behavior, create behavioral profiles, or use children's data for algorithmic recommendations
• No advertising to children - Kivvie does not display any advertisements to children
• No third-party data sharing - Children's information is never sold or shared with third parties

Australian Social Media Age Restrictions:

Kivvie is not a social media platform as defined by Australian law. It is a parent-controlled content filtering service that:

• Does not allow children to create accounts independently
• Does not enable peer-to-peer interaction or social networking features
• Functions as a curated video viewing platform managed entirely by parents
• Complies with the Privacy Act 1988 and upcoming Children's Online Privacy Code (expected December 2026)

Parental Rights:

Parents have full control and can:

• Review all information collected about their children
• Request deletion of child profiles and all associated data at any time
• Refuse further collection or use of their child's information
• Control exactly what content their children can access

7. Your Rights and Choices

You have the right to:

• Access your data - Request a copy of all information we have about you
• Correct information - Update or correct any inaccurate data
• Delete your account - Permanently delete your account and all associated data
• Revoke permissions - Remove Kivvie's access to your Google account
• Export your data - Download your profile and settings information

8. Data Retention

We retain your information only as long as necessary to provide our service:

• Account data is retained while your account is active
• Upon account deletion, all personal data is permanently removed within 30 days
• Anonymized usage statistics may be retained for service improvement

9. International Data Transfers

Your data may be processed in countries where our service providers operate. We ensure all data transfers comply with applicable privacy laws and use appropriate safeguards.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. Significant changes will be communicated through:

• Email notification to your registered address
• In-app notification
• Updated "Last updated" date at the top of this page

Continued use of Kivvie after changes indicates acceptance of the updated policy.

11. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding your privacy or this policy, please contact us at admin@kivvie.app.