Privacy Policy

Last Updated: January 30, 2026

The Simple Version (For Kids!)

✅ Your worries are private unless YOU choose to share them
✅ We NEVER sell your information to anyone
✅ We don't collect your real name, address, or photos
✅ We use safety filters to help keep the space kind
✅ Parents can help if you forget your password
✅ We take keeping you safe very seriously

1. Who We Are

WorryZap is a safe, supervised platform designed specifically for children ages 8-13 to express feelings and support friends. We are committed to complying with:

COPPA (Children's Online Privacy Protection Act) - US law protecting kids under 13
GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) - EU privacy law
UK GDPR - UK privacy law for children

This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and how we protect it.

2. Important: This is NOT Therapy

⚠️ WorryZap is a peer support platform for everyday worries and feelings. We are NOT:

Mental health professionals or therapists
A crisis intervention service
A substitute for talking to trusted adults
Medical or psychological care providers

If you're having serious problems, thoughts of hurting yourself or others, or experiencing abuse, please talk to a trusted adult immediately or contact a crisis helpline.

3. Age Requirements

WorryZap is designed for children ages 8-13 years old. By using this service:

You confirm you are at least 8 years old
You confirm a parent or guardian knows you are using this service
A parent or guardian email must be provided

4. Information We Collect

Account Information (Required)

Username ("Code Name") - chosen by you, not your real name
Password - encrypted, we cannot see it
Security question and answer - to help you recover your account
Parent/Guardian email address - for account recovery and communication

Content You Create

Worry posts - text you write (up to 500 characters each)
Reactions - emoji reactions you give to others' worries
Supportive messages - pre-written kind messages you select
Avatar design - your cartoon character customization choices

Technical Information (Automatic)

Session data - keeps you logged in
Usage data - which pages you visit, features you use
Timestamps - when you post or react
Device information - browser type, screen size (for making the site work properly)

5. What We DON'T Collect

✅ We do NOT collect or ask for:

Your real/full name
Your home address or school address
Your phone number
Your exact location or geolocation data
Photos, videos, or voice recordings of you
Your age or date of birth
Social security numbers or government IDs
Credit card or payment information
Information from other websites you visit

6. How We Use Your Information

We use your information ONLY to:

Provide the service: Let you create, save, and share worries; react to others; build your avatar
Keep you safe: Use automatic word-filtering tools to reduce bullying, offensive language, and inappropriate content
Protect your account: Verify your identity when you log in, help you recover passwords
Communicate with parents: Send password recovery links, safety alerts, or important updates
Improve the platform: Understand what features are used to make WorryZap better
Comply with laws: Keep records as required by law, respond to legal requests

We do NOT use your information for advertising, marketing, or selling to third parties.

7. Content Safety & Moderation

To help keep WorryZap safe and friendly, we use simple automatic word-filtering tools to check public posts before they appear on the Worry Wall.

These filters compare posts against a list of blocked or inappropriate words and phrases.

Swearing or offensive language
Bullying, mean, or hurtful words
Adult language
Spam or repeated messages

What happens:Public posts are checked automatically before being shared. If blocked words are found, the post will not be published and the user may be asked to edit it.

Important: Our filtering tools are basic and may not catch all harmful or upsetting content. WorryZap is not an emergency service and does not replace talking to a trusted adult.

If a user feels unsafe or in danger, they should talk to a parent, guardian, teacher, or trusted adult. In the United Kingdom, emergency help is available by calling 999. Children can also contact Childline on 0800 1111.

8. Public vs. Private Content

Private (Your Vault)

Worries you "ZAP" are stored privately. Only YOU can see them.

These are kept on secure servers and protected so other users cannot access them.

Public (Worry Wall)

Worries you "Share with Friends" can be seen by all WorryZap users.

You can choose to post with your username or as "Anonymous User." Even if anonymous, we still know it's from your account (for safety).

9. Information Sharing & Disclosure

We do NOT sell, rent, or trade your personal information. Period.

We may share information ONLY in these specific situations:

With parents/guardians: We will share account information with verified parents/guardians upon proper request (see Parental Rights section)
Service providers: We use Supabase (database), and Vercel (hosting). These services process data on our behalf and are required to keep it confidential
Legal obligations: If required by law, court order, or government request
Safety emergencies: If we have a good faith belief that disclosure is necessary to protect someone's safety (e.g., evidence of abuse, immediate danger)
Business transfers: If WorryZap is acquired or merged, user data may transfer to the new owner (who must continue to protect it under this policy)

10. Data Security

We take protecting your information seriously and use industry-standard security measures:

Encryption: Passwords are encrypted using bcrypt (one-way hash - we can't see them)
Secure servers: Data stored on Supabase's secure cloud infrastructure
HTTPS/SSL: All data transmitted between your device and our servers is encrypted
Row-level security: Database rules ensure you can only access your own private data
Access controls: Only authorized personnel can access systems
Regular updates: Security patches and updates applied regularly

Note: While we use strong security measures, no system is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security but we work hard to protect your information.

11. Parental Rights (COPPA Compliance)

Parents and legal guardians have the right to:

Review: Request to see what personal information we have collected from your child
Delete: Request deletion of your child's account and all associated data
Refuse consent: Refuse to allow further collection or use of your child's information
Correct: Request correction of inaccurate information
Export: Request a copy of your child's data in a portable format
Password reset: Reset your child's password via the parent email

To exercise these rights, contact us at:

Email: worryzapp@gmail.com

Subject: Parental Rights Request

We may ask you to email us from the parent email on file.

12. Data Retention

We keep your information for different periods depending on its type:

Account information: Kept as long as the account is active
Content (worries, reactions): Kept until you delete them or delete your account
After account deletion: Personal data is deleted within 30 days. We may keep anonymized usage statistics and may retain data if required by law
Safety logs: Records related to safety incidents may be retained longer for legal and safety purposes

13. Cookies & Tracking

What we use:

Essential cookies: Keep you logged in and make the site function
Session cookies: Temporary, deleted when you close your browser

What we DON'T use:

Advertising cookies or pixels
Cross-site tracking
Third-party analytics (like Google Analytics)
Social media trackers

14. Third-Party Services

WorryZap uses these third-party services to function:

Supabase (Database & Authentication)

Stores user data securely and supports GDPR compliance.

Vercel (Web Hosting)

Hosts the website and serves pages to you.

These services have their own privacy policies. We require them to protect your data, but we cannot control their practices beyond our service agreements.

15. International Users

WorryZap may process and store information in countries where our service providers operate. If you use WorryZap from outside your country, your information may be transferred and stored internationally. We protect your information regardless of where it is processed.

16. Your Rights (GDPR & Privacy Laws)

Depending on where you live, you may have additional rights:

Right to access: Get a copy of your data
Right to rectification: Correct inaccurate data
Right to erasure: Delete your data ("right to be forgotten")
Right to restrict processing: Limit how we use your data
Right to data portability: Receive your data in a portable format
Right to object: Object to certain uses of your data
Right to withdraw consent: Withdraw consent at any time

To exercise these rights, parents should contact worryzapp@gmail.com

17. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make changes:

We will update the "Last Updated" date at the top
For significant changes, we will notify users via email to the parent address
We will post a notice on the platform
We may require renewed consent for major changes

We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

18. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests about this Privacy Policy or your data:

worryzapp@gmail.com

We aim to respond to all inquiries within 48 hours.

We are committed to protecting children's privacy and maintaining a safe, supportive environment. 💜

This policy complies with COPPA, GDPR, and UK GDPR requirements for children's online services.