Privacy Policy

Effective Date: July 18, 2025

WiseOwl Innovations, Inc (“WiseOwl,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect through our collaboration platform for schools and parents, how we use and safeguard that information, and your rights and choices.  This Policy applies to users in the United States using WiseOwl’s services and is incorporated into and subject to our Terms of Service. For schools or districts, we may enter into a Data Processing Agreement (DPA), where applicable, which governs our processing of student data on behalf of the school and is incorporated herein by reference where executed. We comply with applicable U.S. federal and state privacy laws, including but not limited to the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), the California Consumer Privacy Act as amended by the California Privacy Rights Act (CCPA/CPRA), the Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act (VCDPA), the Colorado Privacy Act (CPA), the Connecticut Data Privacy Act (CTDPA), the Utah Consumer Privacy Act (UCPA), the Florida Digital Bill of Rights (FDPA), the Texas Data Privacy and Security Act (TDPSA), the Oregon Consumer Privacy Act (OCPA), the Montana Consumer Data Privacy Act (MCDPA), the Delaware Personal Data Privacy Act (DPDPA), the Iowa Consumer Data Protection Act (ICDPA), the New Jersey Data Privacy Act (NJDPA), the Tennessee Information Protection Act (TIPA), and other effective state privacy laws as of the Effective Date (collectively, "U.S. Privacy Laws"). Additionally, we adhere to student-specific privacy laws such as California's Student Online Personal Information Protection Act (SOPIPA) and similar protections in other states.

1. Information We Collect

We limit the personal data we collect to what is necessary to provide our services, in accordance with data minimization principles under U.S. Privacy Laws. The types of information we may collect include:

• Parent/Guardian Information: Your name and contact details (such as email address). We collect this when you or your child’s school provide it to invite you to use WiseOwl.
• Student Information: Your child’s name and student identification number (Student ID) and potentially grade or class information. This is provided to us by the school to set up your account and link you with your child’s library records.
• Reading Activity and Preferences: Information related to your child’s library usage and reading preferences, such as books checked out, reading history, categories you opt into or out of, and any reading lists or recommendations shared via the platform.
• Account Credentials: Information you use to register or access your account, such as your login email and password (which is stored in encrypted form).
• Usage Data: When you use our website or platform, we automatically collect certain technical data, such as your IP address, browser type, pages or features you access, and the dates/times of access. We may also use cookies or similar technologies (see Cookies below) to gather usage information and enhance your experience.

We do not collect “sensitive personal information” as defined under CPRA §1798.140(ae), TDPSA §541.001(33), or equivalent laws in other states, and we request that users do not provide such information. For California residents and others under similar laws, in the past 12 months, we have collected the categories of personal information listed above from sources such as you, your child's school, or automatically through your use of the Service. We do not collect personal information from children under 13 without verifiable parental consent as required by COPPA. We also do not collect or infer protected class status, physical characteristics, union membership, genetic data, or online behavior outside the WiseOwl platform.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the collected information for the following purposes:

• Provide and Operate the Service: We use your and your child’s information to create and manage your account, to link you with your child’s library records, and to enable the core functionality of WiseOwl (such as showing what books your child has checked out and applying your reading preferences).
• Communicate and Collaborate: We use your email (with your consent) to send you service-related communications. This includes notifications when your child checks out or returns a library book, reminders or updates about new features, and messages facilitating collaboration between you and your child’s educators.
• Consent-Based Email Notifications: We only send email notifications or newsletters to you if you have agreed to use WiseOwl (opted in via the school’s invitation or during account setup). All such emails will include an unsubscribe link or instructions to opt out, so you can stop receiving non-essential emails at any time. We comply with applicable email communication laws and Amazon Web Services Simple Email Service (AWS SES) policies by ensuring that users can opt out easily and that no emails are sent without proper consent.
• Improve and Personalize the Service: We analyze usage data and feedback (in aggregated or de-identified form) to understand how our platform is used. This helps us troubleshoot issues, develop new features, and improve the user experience for parents, students, and educators. For example, we might use this data to highlight popular books or to refine our notification timing. Any analysis of usage or reading behavior is conducted in aggregated or de-identified form where feasible. We use industry-standard techniques to ensure that such data cannot reasonably be re-identified.
• Facilitate Parent-Educator Collaboration: Information you input (such as your child’s reading preferences or questions for educators) may be used to facilitate communication with your child’s teacher or school. For instance, the platform may share your indicated preferences with the school’s library system so that educators can provide suitable recommendations or be aware of any restrictions you have set.
• Legal and Security Purposes: We may use your information to enforce our Terms of Service, to prevent misuse of the platform (such as fraudulent activity or unauthorized access), and to comply with applicable laws and regulations. This includes using data to detect or investigate violations or security issues and protecting the rights and safety of WiseOwl, our users, and others. This includes logging access attempts, monitoring anomalies, and maintaining audit trails to detect unauthorized access.

3. We do not use personal information for automated decision-making or profiling that produces legal or similarly significant effects, nor for targeted advertising or cross-context behavioral advertising as defined under laws like the CCPA/CPRA, VCDPA, or CPA. We will not use your personal information for purposes beyond those described above or incompatible with the disclosed purposes without notifying you and obtaining your consent when required by U.S. Privacy Laws.

Cookies and Tracking Technologies

WiseOwl uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your experience and gather usage data:

• Essential Cookies: We use cookies that are necessary for our website and platform to function properly – for example, to keep you logged in as you navigate through secure areas of the site.
• Analytics: We may use cookies or third-party analytics tools to understand how users interact with our platform (such as which pages are visited most often, or how users navigate the interface). This information helps us improve functionality and design.
• Preference Cookies: Some cookies may remember your preferences (like your chosen settings) to provide a more personalized experience on return visits.

You have control over cookies. Most web browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can usually modify your browser settings to decline or delete cookies if you prefer. However, please note that if you disable cookies, some features of WiseOwl may not function correctly (for example, you might be logged out or unable to use certain collaboration tools). Our cookies do not collect personal details and are mainly used to ensure the platform works smoothly and securely.

We do not use cookies or tracking technologies for cross-site tracking, selling personal information, or sharing for targeted advertising purposes. Under U.S. Privacy Laws (e.g., CCPA/CPRA, CPA), you have the right to opt out of the use of cookies for certain purposes, though as noted, disabling them may affect functionality. We honor Global Privacy Control (GPC) signals in accordance with California Civil Code § 1798.185(a)(19) and similar laws in Colorado and Connecticut. If a GPC signal is detected, we will treat it as a valid opt-out of sharing or selling (though we do not share or sell data).

4. How We Share Your Information

WiseOwl does not sell or rent your personal information to third parties for their marketing or any other purposes. We only share your information in the following circumstances, and always with appropriate protections in place:

• With Your Child’s School and Educators: Because WiseOwl is a platform intended to facilitate communication between home and school, information will be shared back and forth with authorized school personnel. For example, the school provides us with student data (name, ID, and checkout records), and we may provide the school or teacher with information you input (such as your reading category preferences or any feedback you provide through the platform). This sharing is only done to fulfill the educational and collaboration purposes of WiseOwl. The school and its educators are required to handle any personal information consistent with their own privacy obligations.
• Service Providers (Processors): We employ trusted third-party companies to perform certain services on our behalf, such as website hosting, data storage, email delivery, and customer support tools. In particular, we use Amazon Web Services (AWS) infrastructure – including AWS Simple Email Service (SES) – to host our platform and send emails. These service providers only receive the personal information necessary for them to perform their functions, and they are contractually obligated to protect it and use it solely for our specified purposes. For example, AWS may process your email address and the content of notification emails strictly for the purpose of sending you emails on our behalf. All service providers are contractually bound under written agreements to (a) act only as data processors, (b) implement security safeguards, and (c) return or delete data upon termination of services. These agreements meet the requirements of CPRA §1798.140(ag), VCDPA §59.1-577, and equivalent frameworks in other states.
• Legal Compliance and Protection: We may disclose personal information if required to do so by law or legal process, for example in response to a court order, subpoena, or other government demand. We may also disclose information if we believe in good faith that it is necessary to investigate or protect against harmful activities to WiseOwl users, to enforce our Terms of Service, or to protect the rights, property, and safety of our company, our users, or others. We will not disclose your or your child’s data in response to law enforcement requests unless legally required and after notifying the school (unless prohibited by law).
• Business Transfers: If WiseOwl Innovations is involved in a merger, acquisition, bankruptcy, or sale of all or a portion of our assets, your personal information may be transferred to the successor or purchaser as part of that transaction. If such a transfer occurs, we will ensure that your information remains protected and subject to privacy commitments consistent with those in this Policy. You will be notified via a prominent notice on our website or by email of any change of ownership or uses of your personal data as a result of the business transfer, as well as any choices you may have regarding your personal information.

Apart from the cases listed above, WiseOwl will not share your personal data with any third party unless you have given explicit consent for us to do so. We also do not use or share personal information for advertising purposes.

5. Data Security

We take the security of your and your child’s personal information very seriously. WiseOwl implements reasonable and industry-standard security measures to protect your data from unauthorized access, disclosure, or alteration. These measures include, but are not limited to:

• Encryption in Transit and at Rest: All data exchanged between your browser, and our platform is encrypted using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL)/Transport Layer Security (TLS) protocols. Additionally, personal data (including names, IDs, and any other sensitive records) is stored in encrypted form in our databases or cloud storage. This means that even if data were to be intercepted or accessed improperly, it would remain unreadable without the proper decryption keys.
• Access Controls: We restrict access to personal information to authorized personnel who need it to operate or support our service. WiseOwl staff and contractors who handle personal data are trained on privacy and security best practices and are bound by confidentiality obligations.
• Security Monitoring: Our systems are hosted on AWS, which provides robust physical and network security. We utilize firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and other security monitoring services to guard against external threats. We also regularly update our software and apply security patches to address potential vulnerabilities. WiseOwl has implemented role-based access controls and enforces multi-factor authentication (MFA) for administrator access.

While we strive to protect your information, it’s important to understand that no method of transmission over the Internet, and no method of electronic storage, is 100% secure. Therefore, we cannot guarantee absolute security of your data. In the unlikely event of a data breach or security incident affecting your personal information, we will notify you and the appropriate regulators as required by applicable laws (e.g., state data breach notification laws)and will take immediate steps to remediate the situation. Our security measures are designed to meet or exceed requirements under U.S. Privacy Laws, including those for protecting student data under FERPA and state equivalents.

6. Your Rights and Choices

You have certain rights and choices regarding your and your child’s personal information and how it is used under applicable U.S. Privacy Laws. We are committed to facilitating your control over your data without discrimination for exercising these rights, as required under these laws. These rights include:

• · Right to Know/Access: You have the right to access the personal information we hold about you or your child and to request details about the categories of personal information we collect, the purposes for collection, and whether it is shared with third parties. If you have an account, much of your basic information can be viewed and edited by logging into your WiseOwl account (for instance, your contact information or preferences).
• Right to Correct: You can request correction of inaccurate personal information. If you find that any personal data is inaccurate or incomplete, you may request that we correct or update it.
• Right to Delete: You may request that we delete personal information we have collected from you. For example, if you decide to stop using WiseOwl and would like your account and data removed, you can contact us to request deletion. We will honor deletion requests for personal information to the extent possible – note that in some cases we may need to retain certain information for legal reasons or at the direction of your school (for instance, to comply with educational record-keeping requirements or to complete transactions you have requested). If your child’s school discontinues using WiseOwl, we will collaborate with the school to delete or return student personal data as appropriate.
• Right to Opt-Out of Sale/Sharing: WiseOwl does not sell personal information. By default, your data is not shared for purposes that would constitute a “sale” under applicable laws (such as the California Consumer Privacy Act). Therefore, there is no need for you to opt out of the sale of data – we have already opted you out by our policies.
• Right to Limit Use of Sensitive Personal Information: We do not collect sensitive personal information (e.g., social security numbers, biometric data) as defined by applicable U.S. Privacy Laws such as the CCPA/CPRA.
• Right to Non-Discrimination: We will not discriminate against you for exercising your privacy rights (e.g., by denying services or charging different prices).Opt-Out of Email Communications: You have the right to opt out of non-essential communications at any time. If you no longer wish to receive our notification emails or newsletters, you can click the “unsubscribe” link provided in any email we send, or adjust your account settings if that functionality is available. You may also contact us directly to be removed from our mailing list. Please note that even if you opt out of optional emails, we may still send you important administrative or account-related messages (such as password reset emails or changes to terms/policies), as these may be necessary for the operation of the service.
• Opt-Out of Platform Participation: Participation in WiseOwl is entirely voluntary for parents. If you do not wish to use the WiseOwl platform or provide any personal data, you can choose not to accept the invitation from your school. If you have already joined and wish to withdraw, you can request account deletion as noted above. We will not collect or retain personal information about you or your student beyond what the school initially provided if you decide not to participate.
• Agent Requests: You may use an authorized agent to submit privacy requests on your behalf, provided we can verify the agent’s authority.
• Right to Appeal: If we decline to act on your request, you have the right to appeal our decision by submitting an appeal to privacy@wiseowlinnovations.com. If you are unsatisfied with our response to your appeal, you may contact your state Attorney General or equivalent regulator.

State-Specific Privacy Rights: If you are a resident of a U.S. state with applicable privacy laws, you may have additional rights under your state’s laws. These may include the right to know the categories of personal information we have collected or disclosed about you in the past 12 months (where required, e.g., under CCPA/CPRA), the sources and purposes of that collection, the right to correct inaccurate personal information, the right to delete your personal information (subject to exceptions), the right to opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information (though WiseOwl does not sell or share for cross-context behavioral advertising), and the right to not be discriminated against for exercising your privacy rights. WiseOwl’s practices as described in this Policy apply equally to all users, regardless of state, but if you have a specific request related to your rights under your state’s privacy laws, please contact us using the information provided in the Contact Us section. We will honor applicable state privacy requests to the extent those laws require. To exercise any of your rights described above, or if you have questions about your rights and choices, you can contact us using the information provided in the Contact Us section of this Policy. We may need to verify your identity (and authority, if you are making a request on behalf of your child) before fulfilling certain requests, to ensure we protect your information from unauthorized access.

7. Data Retention

WiseOwl retains personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this Privacy Policy or as otherwise required by law. We apply different retention rules depending on the type of information and the user relationship:

• Parent and Guardian Information (such as account email, communication preferences, and login credentials) is retained for the duration of your active use of the Service. If your account is terminated, we will delete or de-identify your personal data unless retention is required for legal compliance (e.g., to respond to regulatory inquiries, prevent fraud, or enforce our Terms of Service).
• Student Data (such as name, ID number, and library activity records) is retained only as directed by the student’s school or district, in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and applicable state student privacy laws. If your child’s school discontinues its use of WiseOwl, we will collaborate with the school to either delete or securely return the relevant student data in accordance with our contractual obligations.
• Usage Logs and Technical Data (such as IP address, login timestamps, and activity metadata) may be retained temporarily to maintain platform integrity, investigate performance or security issues, and improve system operations. This data is typically retained in de-identified or aggregate form unless otherwise required for legal or operational reasons.
• User-Generated Content (such as reading preferences or communication with educators) may be retained for as long as necessary to support collaborative educational activity unless you request deletion and we have no overriding legal basis or contractual obligation to retain it.

We do not retain personal information beyond the timeframes necessary for the legitimate educational, operational, or legal purposes for which it was collected. Upon account termination or service discontinuation, we follow secure data deletion protocols and may irretrievably delete data unless retention is required under applicable laws (e.g., recordkeeping requirements, legal hold obligations, or educational audit procedures).

8. Children’s Privacy and Student Data

WiseOwl is designed to be used by schools, parents, and educators for the benefit of students, but we do not knowingly allow children under the age of 18 to create accounts or provide personal information directly through our website. Children (students) use WiseOwl only through their school’s and parents’ involvement; they do not have independent login accounts on our platform. We do not knowingly collect geolocation, voice recordings, camera data, or behavioral profiling of students.

All student personal information processed by WiseOwl (such as a student’s name, ID, and library checkout history) is provided by the school or by the student’s parent/guardian, not collected from the child directly. WiseOwl relies on the school to obtain any necessary parental consent for a student’s data to be used on our platform, in compliance with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and other applicable laws. Schools using WiseOwl act as agents for the parents to consent to the collection of student information for educational purposes.

We use student information solely to provide our educational service – for example, to inform parents about their child’s reading and to facilitate communication between parents and educators. We do not use student data for any commercial purpose unrelated to the authorized educational use. We also do not disclose student information to third parties except as described in this Policy (primarily to the school itself and our service providers operating under strict privacy safeguards).

If you are under 18, please do not attempt to register on WiseOwl or send us any personal information. If we discover that we have inadvertently collected personal information from a child under 18 (for instance, if a student somehow signed up or provided data without the school’s authorization), we will delete that information.

Parents and guardians: If you believe that we might have any personal information from or about a child under 18 that was collected without proper consent, please contact us immediately. We will promptly investigate and remove any such information in accordance with applicable laws.

WiseOwl is also committed to student privacy protections under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and similar student data privacy laws. We handle student education records on behalf of schools as a “school official” with a legitimate educational interest. This means we: (a) use student records only for the purposes authorized by the school (to provide the WiseOwl service), (b) do not share student personally identifiable information except as directed by the school or as stated in this Policy, and (c) maintain controls to ensure the confidentiality and security of student data. We sign agreements with schools or districts as needed to affirm these responsibilities. In addition to COPPA and FERPA, we comply with state student privacy laws, such as SOPIPA in California, the Student Data Privacy Act in Colorado, and equivalents in other states, which prohibit using student data for non-educational purposes like advertising. We will execute Data Processing Agreements with any school or district that requests them and maintain a publicly available list of subprocessors upon request.

8. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update or modify this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technologies, legal requirements, or for other operational reasons. If we make changes, we will post the updated Policy on our website with a new effective date. We encourage you to review this Policy periodically for the latest information on our privacy practices.

If we make any material changes to this Privacy Policy (for example, if we expand how we use personal data beyond what is stated here), we will provide a prominent notice or alert – such as an email notification to registered users or a message within the WiseOwl platform – and, if required by law, obtain your consent. By continuing to use WiseOwl after a revised Privacy Policy has been posted, you acknowledge and agree to the updated terms.

9. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution

This Privacy Policy and any action arising out of or related to your use of the WiseOwl Service or the handling of your personal information will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Texas and the federal laws of the United States of America, without regard to its conflict of law principles. For users accessing WiseOwl on behalf of a school or district, the governing law may be specified in a separate Data Processing Agreement (DPA) or other contract, which will take precedence if applicable. In the absence of such an agreement, Texas law applies.

• Jurisdiction and Venue: You agree that any dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or relating to this Privacy Policy or the Service that is not resolved through informal negotiation will be brought exclusively in the state or federal courts located in Austin, Texas. You consent to the personal jurisdiction of these courts and waive any objection that such courts are an inconvenient forum. Notwithstanding this, if you are an individual using the Service for personal purposes, any mandatory consumer protection laws of your state of residence will apply for your benefit where required by applicable U.S. Privacy Laws.
• Dispute Resolution; We encourage you to contact us at support@wiseowlinnovations.com to resolve any concerns informally, as we aim to address most user issues quickly and amicably.
• No Class Actions: In the event of a legal dispute, you and WiseOwl each waive the right to a trial by jury and agree that any proceedings will be conducted only on an individual basis (and not in a class, consolidated, or representative action). You may bring claims only on your own behalf, meaning you cannot seek relief that would affect other WiseOwl users. This class action waiver applies to the extent permitted by law; in jurisdictions where such waivers are not allowed, this provision will be enforced to the maximum extent permissible.

10. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or how WiseOwl collects and uses your information, please contact us. We are here to help and will respond as promptly as possible. For privacy-specific inquiries, including rights requests under U.S. Privacy Laws, please include "Privacy Request" in your subject line. We respond to all inquiries within required legal timeframes.

You can reach us by emailing our support team at support@wiseowlinnovations.com or by using the contact form on our website (visit the Contact Us page on the WiseOwl site). If you need to mail us or contact us by other means, please see the contact details provided on our website.

By using WiseOwl, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy. Thank you for trusting WiseOwl with your child’s reading journey – we value your privacy and partnership in education.

11. Entire Agreement

This Privacy Policy, together with our Terms of Service and, where applicable, our Data Processing Agreement (DPA) for users engaging with schools or districts that have executed such an agreement, constitutes the entire agreement between you and WiseOwl regarding the collection, use, and protection of your personal information. In the event of any conflict between this Privacy Policy, the Terms of Service, or the Data Processing Agreement, this Privacy Policy will prevail with respect to privacy matters.