Pre-launch draft — not yet legally reviewed. This policy reflects our current intentions and design. It will be reviewed by a privacy attorney and finalized before Starboard launches.
Privacy Policy
Last updated: April 2026
Starboard is a product of Hollow Oak Studio, LLC. Starboard is built for families — which means some of your family members are children. We take that seriously. This policy explains exactly what data we collect, why we collect it, and how we protect it. We have tried to write it in plain language rather than legal boilerplate, because we think you deserve to actually understand it.
Who this policy covers
Starboard is used by two types of people: parents and guardians (adults who create and manage accounts) and children(who use the app under a parent or guardian's account to complete chores and earn stars).
If you are a parent or guardian setting up Starboard for your family, this policy explains your rights and responsibilities. If you are a parent reading this on behalf of your child — that is exactly the relationship this app is designed for.
Children's privacy (COPPA)
Starboard is designed with children's privacy as a first principle, not an afterthought. We comply with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and have designed our data model specifically to minimize what we collect about children.
Parental consent
Only adults may create a Starboard account. When a parent adds a child to their account, they are presented with clear terms explaining that they are creating an account for a child to use, and must explicitly agree before the child account is created. This is the parental consent mechanism required by COPPA.
What we collect about children
We collect as little as possible. A child's account contains:
- A first name (used to identify them within your family)
- A star balance (a running total of earned stars — a number)
- A login credential (username and password set by the parent)
That is it. We do not collect a child's last name, date of birth, email address, phone number, or any other personal information.
What we do NOT log about children
We do not maintain a login history for child accounts. When a child logs in, a temporary session is created for that session only. We do not store timestamps of when a child logged in, how often they use the app, or behavioral analytics tied to a child's identity.
How chore activity is stored
Chore items are created and owned by parents. When a child marks a chore complete, that action updates the parent's chore record. The record notes which child completed it (by their account ID) so the parent knows who did the work. The data lives on the parent's record — the child's account holds only their name and star balance.
Photo proof
Starboard offers an optional photo proof feature, where a child can submit a photo when completing a chore for a parent to review. We have designed this feature with particular care.
Photos never touch our servers
When a child submits a photo, the image is uploaded directly from their device to secure cloud storage via a time-limited, one-use upload link. The photo is not routed through Starboard's servers. The only thing we store is a reference link to the photo on the parent's chore record.
EXIF metadata is stripped on device
Photos taken on a phone often contain hidden metadata (called EXIF data) including GPS coordinates, device information, and timestamps. Before a photo is uploaded, Starboard strips all EXIF metadata directly on the child's device. Location data and device information never leave the phone.
Photos are deleted after 15 days
Photos are automatically and permanently deleted 15 days after they are uploaded. A countdown is shown alongside each photo so parents know how long they have. If a parent wants to keep a photo beyond that window, they can save it to their own device before it is deleted.
We chose 15 days because it is long enough for a parent to review and approve a chore, but short enough to limit how long images of children are retained on any server.
Parent deletion rights for photos
Any parent connected to a child's account can request that a photo be deleted before the 15-day window expires. When one parent requests deletion, all other connected parents are notified and given 24 hours to save the photo to their own device if they wish. After 24 hours, the photo is permanently deleted regardless. Any connected parent can also agree to immediate deletion to skip the wait.
All connected parents are treated as peers in this process. Starboard does not moderate or adjudicate between parents — we provide the tool and the timeline.
Multi-household families
Starboard is designed for families of every structure — one household, two, or more. A child may be connected to parent accounts across multiple households. Each adult connected to a child's account can see that child's chores and star balance. Adults only see the children they are connected to — not children belonging to other families or unrelated accounts.
Star balances are shared across all connected households. Stars earned at one home count everywhere. This is a deliberate design choice, not a side effect.
Data we collect about parents
Parent accounts contain the information needed to operate the service:
- Name and email address
- Login credentials
- Chore records you create
- Reward definitions you set
- Connections to your children's accounts and other parent accounts you have linked
We do not sell this data. We do not use it for advertising. We use it to operate Starboard and to communicate with you about your account.
Deleting your data
You can request deletion of your account and all associated data at any time. When you delete a child's account, we delete their record, their star balance, and all references to their account ID across the system. Photos associated with that child are deleted immediately, regardless of where they are in the 15-day window.
If a child is connected to multiple parent accounts, any parent can initiate deletion of the child's account. Other connected parents will be notified.
To request deletion of your account or your child's data, contact us at privacy@starboard.family.
Data retention
We retain your account data for as long as your account is active. Completed chore history is retained for a rolling 90-day window by default — older records are deleted automatically. Photos are deleted after 15 days as described above.
We do not maintain long-term behavioral histories of children. The app is a tool for your family today, not an archive of your child's past.
Changes to this policy
If we make material changes to how we handle children's data, we will notify parents directly by email before those changes take effect, and will require re-acknowledgment where required by law.
Contact
Questions about this policy or your data? Reach us at privacy@starboard.family.