Child Safety Policy

1. Our Commitment to Child Safety

Harpenin ("we," "us," "our," or "Company") is deeply committed to protecting the safety, privacy, and well-being of children who use our application ("App"). We comply with applicable laws and regulations regarding child protection, including the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), the UK Online Safety Bill, Apple App Store Guidelines, and Google Play Store Policies.

This Child Safety Policy outlines our practices and safeguards designed to create a secure environment for younger users while respecting family privacy.

2. Age Requirements and Eligibility

2.1 Minimum Age Requirement

The Harpenin App is designed for users aged 13 and above. Users under 13 years old are not permitted to use the App, and we actively prevent their participation.

2.2 Age Verification

We implement age verification mechanisms including:

• Age verification during account registration
• Parental consent verification for users under 18 (where legally required)
• Device-based age estimations using platform APIs
• Regular compliance monitoring and user audits

2.3 Parental Involvement for Minors (Under 18)

For users aged 13-17, parents or guardians should:

• Review this policy and our Terms & Conditions
• Provide informed consent for their child's participation
• Monitor their child's App usage and activities
• Discuss online safety with their child
• Contact us with any concerns or questions

3. Data Collection from Children

3.1 Limited Data Collection

We limit the collection of personal information from children to only what is necessary to provide the App services:

Permitted Data Collection:

• Username (non-identifying)
• Email address (for account verification and parental contact)
• Age/Date of birth (for age verification only)
• Profile information (optional bio, interests)
• Device information necessary for service delivery
• Anonymized usage analytics (no personal identifiers)
• Location data (only with explicit parental consent)

Prohibited Data Collection:

• Biometric data without parental consent
• Phone number collection (except for critical account recovery)
• Real-time precise location tracking
• Payment information directly from children
• Detailed browsing history or search queries

3.2 Parental Access to Data

Parents and guardians can:

• Request access to their child's account data
• Modify their child's profile information
• Delete their child's account and associated data
• Opt-out of specific data collection practices

Contact privacy@harpenin.com to exercise these rights.

4. Parental Consent and Verification

4.1 Verifiable Parental Consent

For users under 18, we obtain verifiable parental consent through:

• Email verification from a parent/guardian email address
• Explicit opt-in during account setup
• Periodic consent refreshes (at least annually)
• Clear disclosure of our data practices

4.2 Consent Withdrawal

Parents or guardians can withdraw consent at any time, which will result in:

• Immediate cessation of further data collection from the child
• Option to delete the child's account
• Secure deletion of collected personal information

4.3 Consent for Specific Features

Separate parental consent is required for:

• Location-based services
• Push notifications
• In-app messaging with other users
• Event attendance visibility

5. Content Safety and Moderation

5.1 Content Restrictions for Children

The following content is strictly prohibited and will be removed:

• Adult content, nudity, or sexual material
• Violence, gore, or graphic content
• Hate speech, discrimination, or bullying
• Content promoting illegal activities
• Self-harm or suicide-related content
• Drug use or substance abuse promotion
• Exploitation or abuse content

5.2 Age-Appropriate Filtering

We implement content filtering that:

• Restricts visibility of potentially inappropriate content
• Filters search results for child users
• Uses automated systems combined with human review
• Adapts based on child safety best practices

5.3 Community Moderation

Our moderation team:

• Reviews reported content within 24-48 hours
• Takes swift action on violations
• Escalates severe issues to law enforcement when appropriate
• Maintains child safety as the highest priority

6. Contact and Communication Safety

6.1 Peer Interaction Safeguards

To protect children from contact with predators or inappropriate users:

• Direct messaging is restricted based on age and friendship status
• Users cannot message strangers without mutual connection
• All messages are monitored using safety technologies
• Reporting features are prominently available
• Inappropriate contact is escalated immediately

6.2 Blocking and Reporting

Children and parents can:

• Block other users with one click
• Report suspicious or inappropriate behavior
• Receive support from our safety team
• Request permanent removal of contacts

6.3 Adult-Child Interaction Prevention

We employ systems to prevent inappropriate contact between adults and children, including:

• Age-based interaction restrictions
• Detection of grooming and predatory behavior
• Automated pattern recognition and alerts
• Escalation to NCMEC and law enforcement when appropriate

7. Data Security and Retention

7.1 Security Measures for Child Data

We implement enhanced security measures specifically for children's data:

• Encryption of all personal data in transit and at rest (AES-256)
• TLS 1.3 for all network communications
• Limited access to child data (staff with training only)
• Regular security audits and penetration testing
• Secure data deletion protocols

7.2 Data Retention Policies for Children

We retain children's personal data only as long as necessary:

• Account Active: Data retained while account is in use
• Account Deletion: Data deleted within 30 days of account closure
• Parental Request: Data deleted immediately upon written request
• Inactivity: Accounts inactive for 12+ months reviewed for deletion

7.3 No Third-Party Sharing for Marketing

We do not:

• Share children's personal data with third parties for marketing
• Sell children's data
• Use behavioral profiling for targeted advertising
• Disclose data to data brokers

8. Parental Controls and Monitoring

8.1 Available Parental Controls

Parents can access the following controls:

• Activity Monitoring: View child's recent activities and connections
• Contact Restrictions: Limit who can message or connect with their child
• Time Limits: Set daily usage limits (where applicable)
• Content Filtering: Enable restricted mode
• Location Sharing: Toggle location data sharing
• Notification Control: Manage push notifications sent to children

8.2 Accessing Parental Controls

Parental controls are accessed via:

• Parent account dashboard (if available)
• Device settings integration with platform parental controls
• Requesting assistance from our support team
• Contacting privacy@harpenin.com

9. Reporting and Support

9.1 Reporting Safety Concerns

We encourage immediate reporting of any safety concerns:

In-App Reporting:

• Tap the "Report" button on any user or content
• Describe the issue and provide context
• Our team responds within 24 hours

Direct Contact:

• Email: safety@harpenin.com
• Include details and any evidence (screenshots)
• Response within 24-48 hours guaranteed

9.2 Emergency Reporting

For immediate danger or criminal activity:

• Contact local law enforcement immediately
• Report to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC)
• CyberTipline: www.cybertipline.org
• Contact us for law enforcement coordination

9.3 Law Enforcement Cooperation

We maintain procedures to:

• Respond to legal requests for user data
• Cooperate with investigations involving child safety
• Preserve evidence appropriately
• Report child exploitation to NCMEC as required by law

10. Contact Information

10.1 Child Safety Inquiries

For questions about child safety or to report concerns:

10.2 Parental Rights

Parents and guardians can exercise rights by:

1. Emailing safety@harpenin.com with verification documents
2. Providing proof of parental/guardianship relationship
3. Specifying the action requested (access, correction, deletion)
4. Receiving a response within 30 days

10.3 Regulatory Compliance

This policy complies with:

• COPPA (US): Children's Online Privacy Protection Act
• UK Online Safety Bill: Duty of care provisions
• GDPR (EU/UK): Enhanced protections for children under 16
• App Store Guidelines: Apple and Google child safety requirements