Student data privacy
Privacy and security, in plain words.
Stardo is used by children, so privacy is part of how it's built, not a setting. Here's exactly what we do.
What we do
Eight things, all true today.
Nothing here is a plan or a promise. Where something is still being set up, it isn't on this page.
Accounts and sign-in
- Passwords are stored only as salted hashes. Five wrong tries lock an account for 15 minutes, and sign-in is rate-limited.
- Sessions refresh every hour. A stolen refresh token that's used twice ends every session of that person.
- Schools can require Google or Microsoft sign-in for their email domains; then Stardo passwords don't work there at all.
Children
- Children under 13 don't sign up themselves: a parent makes the account, with a username and no email.
- Nova's homework help and public share links stay off for them until a parent turns them on.
- Students who sign up themselves confirm they're 13 or older.
Who sees what
- Students' Nova chats, notes and files are theirs. Parents see only what the student shares; teachers see the class work they post and the marks they release.
- A school sees its people, its rules and use in totals, never a student's own work, chats or grades.
- Share links can be turned off at any time.
Stardo's own team
- Our admin site has its own sign-in with an authenticator app every time.
- Opening someone's record needs a written reason; reading a chat or opening a file needs a fresh code.
- All of it goes into an append-only audit log.
Files and secrets
- Files sit in private storage and are only reached through Stardo after a permission check.
- Uploaded web pages and SVG pictures are never shown inline, so they can't run code.
- Keys and passwords for the services Stardo uses are encrypted in the database.
Nova and AI
- Nova sends the AI only what a request needs: the question and the relevant school work.
- Stardo's usage log keeps counts and times, not the text of what was asked.
- Nova can run on Azure OpenAI in a Canadian region: a setting on our side, not a rebuild.
How it's built
- Every part of the API states who may call it, and an automated test fails if a new part forgets.
- Over 200 automated tests run on every change.
- The website runs with a strict content security policy and no third-party trackers.
Your data, your call
- Anyone can download all their data from their account page.
- Closing an account deletes it for good after 30 days.
- Card numbers never reach Stardo: payments go through Stripe and the app stores.
Questions
Questions about privacy
Does Stardo sell student data or show ads?
No. Stardo has no ads and never sells students' data. It's paid for by its plans and by schools.
Can teachers or schools read a student's Nova chats?
No. Chats, notes and files belong to the student. Teachers see the class work they post and the marks they release; a school sees its people, its rules and use in totals.
Where is the data stored?
Our security overview, data map and subprocessor list say where each kind of data is stored and processed. Schools can ask for them on the schools page. Nova can run on Azure OpenAI in a Canadian region.
How do I download or delete my data?
On your account page you can download everything Stardo keeps about you, and close your account. A closed account is deleted for good after 30 days.