What is COPPA, and why does it matter here?
COPPA (the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act) is a U.S. federal law that protects kids under 13. It requires that any online service collecting personal information from children — things like usernames, gameplay data, cookies, or even persistent device identifiers — must get verifiable parental consent before that data is collected.
On Dojo Tutor, many of your learners are under 13, so COPPA is directly relevant to every tool and resource you use in sessions.
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I use Blooket / Wordwall / [tool] in my regular classroom all the time. Why can't I use it here?
This is one of the most common questions we get, and it's a really fair one. The short answer: the legal framework that makes those tools okay in a school doesn't apply on a marketplace.
Here's the longer version:
In a public or private school, COPPA compliance for ed-tech tools is typically handled through something called the "school official" exception. Under this exception, a school district can act on behalf of parents and consent to a tool's data collection. Most districts do this by signing data privacy agreements with tool providers like Blooket or Wordwall before teachers ever use them in class. The school district is, in effect, standing between the tool and the child's family, taking legal responsibility for that consent.
On Dojo Tutor, that layer doesn't exist. You're an independent tutor on a marketplace, not a school official, and Dojo Tutor isn't a school district. There is no entity authorized to consent on behalf of parents for third-party tools. So when a learner under 13 interacts with a tool that collects their data, and there's no COPPA-compliant consent mechanism in place outside the school context, that's a legal problem, regardless of how great the tool is for learning.
Many popular classroom tools are COPPA-compliant only within the school context because they rely on that district-level consent. Outside of it, they may not have an independent way to obtain parental permission.
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But I'm just sharing a game code, not a link. Doesn't that make a difference?
No, and this is a really important misconception to clear up. COPPA doesn't care how a child reaches a service. Whether a learner clicks a link you paste in chat, types a join code into a browser, scans a QR code, or navigates there on their own after you tell them where to go, the legal question is the same: does that service collect personal information from the child?
If the answer is yes, and for most interactive tools it is, even if it's just cookies, a screen name the child creates, or gameplay data tied to a session, then COPPA applies regardless of the entry method. A join code doesn't create a legal shield.
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What counts as "collecting personal information" under COPPA?
It's broader than most people realize. COPPA covers:
- First and last names
- Screen names or usernames (even ones the child makes up)
- Photos, videos, or audio recordings
- Geolocation data
- Persistent identifiers like cookies or device IDs that can track a child across sessions
- Any information that could be used to contact or identify a specific child
So even a tool that says "no account required" might still be collecting data through cookies or analytics. If learners are clicking, typing, or creating content on a third-party platform, it's worth assuming COPPA is in play.
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How do I know if a tool is okay to use?
Here are some practical steps:
1. Check the tool's privacy policy. Look for specific language about COPPA compliance. If their compliance relies on "school consent" or "district agreements," that's a sign it may not be appropriate for marketplace use.
2. Look for how they handle under-13 users outside of schools. Some tools have separate flows for non-school settings that include direct parental consent. If a tool has that, it may be usable.
3. Ask yourself: does the learner interact with it directly? If learners just watch you share your screen while you use a tool, that's generally different from having learners go to a website and click, type, or play on their own.
4. When in doubt, check this list of common tools that are COPPA-compliant. If you're not sure whether a specific tool is compliant for use on Dojo Tutor, contact our support team. We'd rather help you figure it out in advance than have to flag it after the fact.
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Can I screen-share a tool instead of having kids go to it directly?
In many cases, yes, this is a solid workaround. If you are using the tool on your screen, and learners are watching and participating verbally rather than navigating to the tool themselves, the tool is generally not collecting data from the children. The key question is always whether the child's device is interacting with the third-party service.
That said, make sure the content displayed on your screen is still age-appropriate and free of ads or user-generated content that might not be suitable for your learners.
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Why does Dojo Tutor have all these guidelines? Isn't it my business how I run my sessions?
You're absolutely right that as independent tutors, you bring your own expertise, teaching style, and methods to every session, and that's exactly what makes Dojo Tutor work. These guidelines aren't about how you teach. They're about the legal and safety requirements that apply to the platform itself.
Dojo Tutor, as a marketplace that connects children with learning experiences, has legal obligations to the families who use it. COPPA compliance, data privacy protections, and child safety standards are requirements that the law places on the platform and on anyone operating within it. Think of it like a farmers' market: vendors choose what they grow and how they sell it, but the market has health and safety standards everyone follows because the market itself is responsible for maintaining a safe environment for its customers.
These policies exist to protect learners, to protect you, and to keep the marketplace trustworthy for families. They set a floor for safety, not a ceiling for your teaching.
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What happens if I use a non-compliant tool?
Our trust and safety team reviews sessions to ensure learner safety and legal compliance. If a tool is flagged as non-compliant, we'll reach out to let you know and work with you to find alternatives if needed. As explained in your Dojo Tutor agreement, repeated use of non-compliant tools after being notified may affect your standing on the platform, because the platform has a legal obligation it can't waive. As an independent contractor, you may also bear personal legal responsibility for actions taken in your sessions.
This isn't about penalizing you for an honest mistake, it's about making sure the marketplace stays compliant so it can continue operating for everyone.
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What are some alternatives I can use?
While we can't maintain an exhaustive list of approved tools (because tool policies change and new options emerge regularly), here are some approaches that tend to work well:
- Screen-share interactive tools so the data collection happens on your device, not the learner's.
- Use the tools built into Lessonspace, which is the platform's integrated classroom environment and is designed with child safety in mind.
- Use static resources like images, worksheets, or PDFs that don't require learners to visit an external site.
- Look for tools that offer COPPA-compliant modes outside of school settings; some providers do offer direct parental consent workflows that could work in a marketplace context.
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I still have questions. Where can I go?
We want to make this as clear and easy as possible. If you have further questions about this FAQ, reach out to Dojo Tutor’s support team. We're here to help you find solutions, not just point out problems.
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These guidelines reflect Dojo Tutor's understanding of applicable U.S. law, including COPPA, as of April 2026. They are not legal advice. Because you are operating as an independent contractor rather than as an employee of Dojo Tutor, your individual legal obligations may differ. If you have questions about your own legal obligations, we encourage you to consult with an attorney.