Privacy & Safety Policy

Little Lantern is designed to help families read together in a calm, parent-controlled way. We try to collect as little information as practical while keeping storytime working for families.

What we collect

• Adult Account details: when an adult signs in, Little Lantern stores the account email address and a persistent account user ID for authentication and account management. Google sign-in is limited to basic identity information needed to sign in, such as email and profile information; Little Lantern does not request access to Gmail, Drive, Calendar, or other Google content.
• Adult access check: when a person enters a date of birth before using adult-only features, the check is performed on the device. The exact date of birth is not sent to Little Lantern or saved to the account profile. Only a coarse adult/minor result is kept for the current browser or app session.
• Adult verification for private Storytime: when verification is required before Storytime authorization, Kids Web Services (KWS) Parent Verification receives the signed-in adult's email address, a country or region code and language for the verification flow, and an opaque request identifier. Little Lantern stores verification status, request and provider transaction identifiers, and verification timestamps. In Little Lantern's own records, the verification is associated with the Adult Account user ID; that account ID is not sent to KWS. Little Lantern does not send a child's name, date of birth, email address, or other child account identifier to KWS. This process confirms adult status; it does not verify parenthood or legal guardianship.
• Optional email updates: if an adult opts in to Little Lantern updates, we store their email, account user ID, consent choice, and details such as when and how consent was given.
• Beta signups: if you submit the beta signup form, we collect your email address and family role.
• Storytime connection details: information such as a private invite code, selected story, connection status, session state, the participating Adult Account IDs, and the Trusted Adult relationship used to authorize a private Storytime. Some session information is processed on our servers.
• Camera and microphone permission status: whether your browser or device allows storytime audio and video.
• On-device preferences and history: favorites, recent Storytime history, parent-controlled family planning preferences and shortcuts, and general app settings may be saved on this device. Temporary child profile and story-preference choices, along with bedtime-routine personalization, are kept only for the current visit and are not stored as a persistent child account profile.
• Diagnostics: basic technical information such as app version, browser or device type, and error information to help keep Little Lantern working.
• Feedback and support messages: your email address and anything you choose to send when you contact support or submit feedback.

Why we use it

We use information to provide and maintain Storytime and Adult Accounts, perform the verification and authorization required for private Storytime, respond to support and beta signup requests, improve reliability, and understand how core features are used. If an adult opts in, we also use their email to send Little Lantern updates and beta news.

Camera and microphone use

Little Lantern asks for camera and microphone access only when you start or join storytime so families can see and hear each other while reading together. During a live Storytime, camera and microphone media is transmitted through our real-time video service to the other participant.

Private Storytime is configured to require end-to-end encryption for live audio and video media between participants. LiveKit carries encrypted media and processes connection and session metadata needed to establish and operate the call; this does not mean that all service metadata is end-to-end encrypted.

Little Lantern does not record or transcribe Storytime video or audio calls, and the app does not save the call as a recording after Storytime ends.

Invite links

A private Storytime can be prepared only from a signed-in Adult Account whose hosting adult has completed the required adult verification, has affirmed that they are the child's parent or legal guardian, and has an active Trusted Adult connection. The selected Trusted Adult must use the matching Adult Account, and the private Storytime link is an additional session credential. Do not forward Storytime links to anyone else.

Feedback and support messages

Feedback and support messages, including any email or details you choose to provide, are sent for Little Lantern to handle your request. Please avoid including a child's full name or other sensitive personal information in those messages.

App usage signals

Outside child-facing Storytime routes, Little Lantern may collect basic app usage signals, such as which stories are opened or favorited and which parent-facing features are used. Child-facing Storytime routes do not send product analytics. Operational requests and technical diagnostics needed to authenticate, connect, secure, and troubleshoot a Storytime may still be processed. Firebase Analytics may process selected non-Storytime signals when enabled in production. We use this information to improve Little Lantern and fix problems. We do not use it for advertising, and we do not sell personal information.

Service providers

We use service providers to operate Little Lantern, including Supabase for Adult Accounts and Storytime data, Google when you choose Google sign-in, Kids Web Services (KWS) Parent Verification to confirm that the hosting adult is an adult, LiveKit for encrypted live video connections, and Resend for feedback and support email delivery and transactional Trusted Adult invitation email delivery. Firebase Analytics may be used when enabled in production. Cloudflare provides hosting and request-processing infrastructure. Other diagnostics providers may also process technical information needed to operate and maintain the app.

If you choose an external calendar option, such as Google Calendar or Outlook Calendar, the Storytime event details shown in the planner are included in the calendar link opened with that provider. Little Lantern does not request access to your calendar account through this feature.

Data retention

We keep support and feedback messages only as long as reasonably needed to respond, improve Little Lantern, and maintain records for safety or legal purposes. Adult Account and adult-verification records are kept while needed for account access, Storytime authorization, safety, and support. Storytime session records are short-lived and are scheduled for automated cleanup after expiration. When an account deletion request is completed, we delete the account and associated data, except limited information that must be retained for the reasons explained on our account deletion page.

Children's privacy

Little Lantern is designed for a child to use together with a parent, grandparent, or caregiver. Adults are responsible for choosing stories, starting storytime, and sharing invite links with trusted family.

Children do not create Little Lantern accounts for Storytime, and Storytime does not require a child's name, email address, date of birth, or persistent child profile. Temporary child profile and story-preference choices, along with bedtime-routine personalization, last only for the current visit. Parent-controlled family planning preferences may be saved on the device.

Your choices and deletion

Little Lantern supports Google sign-in, secure email-link authentication, and password sign-in for existing Adult Accounts that already have a password. The service may store an email address and persistent user ID for authentication and account management.

Users may request deletion of their Little Lantern account and associated data by following the instructions on the account deletion page.

Device preferences and history can be removed from the existing Clear local data control on the account deletion page or by clearing the app or browser's stored site data on the device you used.

If you have contacted us for support or feedback and want that information deleted, you can request deletion by emailing support@littlelantern.app.

Important safety notes

• We do not show third-party advertising to you or your child.
• We do not use an endless scrolling feed.
• Parents and caregivers choose when to start, continue, or end storytime.
• Camera and microphone are used only during storytime.
• Private Storytime live media is configured for end-to-end encryption between participants.
• Little Lantern does not record or transcribe Storytime video or audio calls.
• Favorites, recent Storytime history, parent-controlled family planning preferences and shortcuts, and general settings may remain on this device. Temporary child profile, story-preference, and bedtime-routine personalization is limited to the current visit.

Contact

Questions about privacy or safety? Write to support@littlelantern.app.