This Privacy Policy explains how SerpentQuest (“SerpentQuest,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) collects, uses, and protects information when you use serpentquest.com, the SerpentQuest learning app, and related services (the “Service”). SerpentQuest is designed for learners of all ages, including children, and we take children’s privacy seriously. This policy is written to meet the requirements of the U.S. Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). Please also read our Terms of Service.
Key points
- We collect only what we need to run SerpentQuest: an account, your learning progress, and the things you create.
- We do not sell or rent personal information, and we do not show advertising.
- Children under 13 need verified parent or guardian permission, and have extra protections.
- Parents can review, change, or delete their child’s information at any time.
- You can delete your account whenever you like.
- Information we collect
- How we use information
- What other users can see
- Children under 13
- How we share information
- Signing in with Google
- Keeping and deleting information
- Security
- Your choices and rights
- Changes to this policy
- Contact us
1. Information we collect
Information you give us
- Account information: a username you choose, an email address (for children under 13, a parent’s email address), your age range (under 13, or 13 and older), and your password, which is stored in encrypted form and cannot be read by anyone, including us.
- Things you create: code and documents you save, comments, friend connections, sharing settings, and your profile picture: a cartoon avatar (members can choose animated ones), or a photo or short animated clip (made from a video or GIF you choose, kept for a few seconds without sound) if you are 13 or older.
- Messages to us: if you email us, we keep the message so we can help you.
Information created as you use SerpentQuest
- Learning progress: lessons and challenges completed, quiz results, XP, badges, streaks, the course you are taking, and app settings.
- Safety information: reports submitted by or about an account, and moderation actions.
- Technical information: basic information our web host and security tools need to protect the site, such as IP address, browser type, and log-in times.
- Cookies: small files that keep you signed in and remember your settings. We do not use advertising or cross-site tracking cookies.
Payments
If a parent or adult buys a membership, payment is handled by our payment providers (such as Stripe or PayPal). We never see or store full card numbers. We keep the order record (name, email, amount, and date) needed for receipts and accounting.
2. How we use information
- To create and run your account and save your progress across devices.
- To provide lessons, challenges, quizzes, Documents, and sharing with friends.
- To send account emails: password links, parent approval requests, membership receipts, and optional streak reminders (which you can turn off with one click).
- To keep the community safe: automatic bad-word filters, reviewing reports, and enforcing our Terms of Service.
- To maintain, secure, and improve the Service.
We do not use personal information for advertising, and we do not build marketing profiles.
3. What other users can see
- Public: your username, avatar, the banner you choose to show next to your name, the badges and banners you have earned, the month you joined, and any documents, comments, or emoji reactions you choose to post publicly.
- Friends: friends can see documents you choose to share with them, with the access level you choose.
- Never shown to other users: your email address, password, age, payment information, or detailed learning progress (such as which lessons you finished, your quiz answers, or how much code you typed).
4. Children under 13
We do not knowingly collect personal information from a child under 13 without verifiable consent from a parent or guardian.
- When a child under 13 signs up, we collect only a username, password, age range, and the parent’s email address, and we email the parent a request to approve or decline the account. The account cannot be used until the parent approves. If the parent declines or does not respond within 14 days, the account and its information are deleted.
- Children under 13 can only use cartoon avatars (no photos), cannot post publicly or comment, and cannot use friends features. They may share private documents by link.
- We collect only the information reasonably needed for the child to use the Service.
- Parents’ rights: a parent or guardian may at any time review the information we have about their child, ask us to change or delete it, or withdraw consent and have the account deleted. Contact us at admin@serpentquest.com from the parent email on the account.
5. How we share information
We do not sell, rent, or trade personal information. We share information only:
- With service providers that help us run SerpentQuest (our web host, email delivery, security, and payment providers), and only as much as they need to do their job.
- When required by law, or to protect the safety of our users or others.
- With your choice, such as when you make a document public or share it with friends.
- If SerpentQuest is transferred to a new owner, in which case this policy will continue to protect your information.
6. Signing in with Google
If you choose “Sign in with Google,” Google shares your email address with us so we can connect it to your account. We do not use your Google name or photo, and you choose a separate SerpentQuest username.
7. Keeping and deleting information
- We keep your information while your account is active.
- You can delete your account at any time from My Account → Delete my account. This permanently deletes your username, avatar, progress, documents, comments, and friend connections.
- Membership order records are kept as long as required for tax and accounting purposes.
- Deleted information may remain in secure backups for a short time before being overwritten.
8. Security
We protect information with encrypted connections (HTTPS), encrypted passwords, a web application firewall, and limited staff access. No system is perfectly secure, but we work hard to protect your information and will notify affected users if a breach occurs, as required by law.
9. Your choices and rights
- View and update your username, avatar, email, and password at any time.
- Turn off streak reminder emails using the link in any reminder email.
- Ask us for a copy of your information, or to correct or delete it, by contacting us.
- Depending on where you live, you may have additional rights under local law. We will honor them.
10. Changes to this policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. If we make important changes, we will post the updated policy here with a new effective date and, where required (for example, changes affecting children’s information), notify parents or users and ask for consent again.
11. Contact us
If you have questions about this policy or your information, or if you are a parent who wants to review or delete your child’s information, email us at admin@serpentquest.com.