Legal
Privacy Policy
Last updated: April 2026 · Effective: April 2026 · LinkTeen, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization
Plain English summary: LinkTeen is a non-profit platform for teens ages 13 and up in the United States. We collect only what we need to run the platform, we never sell your data, we never show you ads, and parents can view or delete their teen's data at any time.
1. Who we are
LinkTeen is a non-profit organization operating at www.linkteen.org. We are a professional networking platform built exclusively for teens ages 13 and older in the United States. We are not a commercial company — we do not run ads, and we do not generate revenue from user data.
References to "LinkTeen," "we," "us," or "our" in this policy refer to the LinkTeen non-profit organization. References to "you" refer to the teen user and/or their parent or legal guardian.
2. What data we collect
Information you provide directly
- Account information: First name, last name, email address, date of birth, password (stored encrypted), state of residence, and grade level
- Profile information: School name, graduation year, interests, and achievements you choose to share
- Parent/guardian information: Name, email address, and relationship to the teen — collected solely to obtain and record parental consent
- School verification documents: Student ID, class schedule, enrollment letter, or transcript uploaded for enrollment verification — deleted after verification is complete
Information collected automatically
- Usage data: Pages visited, features used, and time spent on the platform — used only to improve the service
- Device information: Browser type and device type — used only for technical compatibility
- IP address: Logged temporarily for security purposes and deleted within 30 days
Information we do NOT collect
- We do not collect Social Security numbers, government ID numbers, or financial information
- We do not collect precise geolocation data
- We do not use tracking pixels, third-party advertising cookies, or behavioral tracking
- We do not collect data from social media platforms
3. How we use your data
- To create and manage your account
- To verify your student enrollment and age eligibility
- To obtain and record verifiable parental consent
- To display your profile to other verified teen members (only information you choose to make public)
- To send platform notifications (new connections, messages, opportunities)
- To improve the platform based on how it is used
- To ensure the safety of all members through content moderation
- To comply with legal obligations
We will never use your data to serve advertising, to build marketing profiles, or to share with third-party commercial entities.
4. Parental consent and children's privacy (COPPA)
LinkTeen is designed for teens ages 13 and older. We comply with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and applicable state privacy laws.
Verifiable parental consent
- We send a consent email to the parent or legal guardian email address provided during registration
- The parent must click a secure, one-time consent link to approve their teen's account
- The account remains inactive until parental consent is received
- Consent links expire after 48 hours for security
Parent and guardian rights
- Review the personal information we have collected about their teen at any time
- Request deletion of their teen's account and all associated data
- Revoke consent at any time, which will immediately deactivate the teen's account
- Refuse further collection of their teen's information
To exercise any of these rights, contact us at privacy@linkteen.org. We will respond within 5 business days.
5. Data sharing
We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We share data only in the following limited circumstances:
- School verification partners: We may share limited enrollment verification data with SheerID or similar services solely for the purpose of confirming student status. These partners are contractually prohibited from using data for any other purpose.
- Legal requirements: We may disclose information if required by law or to protect the safety of our members
- Service providers: We use minimal third-party services (email delivery, hosting) under strict data processing agreements. These providers do not have rights to use your data for their own purposes.
We will never share your data with advertisers, data brokers, or any commercial third party.
6. Your rights
All users (and parents of minor users) have the right to:
- Access a copy of the personal data we hold about you
- Correct inaccurate information in your profile
- Delete your account and all associated data
- Opt out of non-essential communications
- Port your data in a machine-readable format upon request
California residents have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), including the right to know what categories of personal information are collected and the right to non-discrimination for exercising privacy rights.
7. Data security
We take reasonable and appropriate measures to protect your information, including:
- All data transmitted to and from LinkTeen is encrypted using SSL/TLS
- Passwords are stored using industry-standard cryptographic hashing (bcrypt)
- Access to user data is restricted to authorized personnel only
- School verification documents are deleted after verification is complete
- We conduct regular reviews of our data handling practices
No system is completely secure. If you believe your account has been compromised, contact us immediately at security@linkteen.org.
8. Data retention
We retain your account data for as long as your account is active. If you delete your account:
- Your profile and posts are removed immediately from public view
- Your personal data is deleted from our systems within 30 days
- Verification documents are deleted immediately upon account deletion
- We may retain anonymized, non-identifiable usage statistics
9. Changes to this policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page and notify active users by email at least 14 days before changes take effect. Continued use of the platform after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.