Terms of Service — Plio Academy

Effective Date: May 1, 2026

These Terms of Service constitute a legally binding agreement between you and Plio Academy. By accessing or using plio.academy or learn.plio.academy, you agree to these Terms.

1. Introduction and Acceptance of Terms

If you do not agree to these Terms in their entirety, you must not access or use the Platform. Your continued use following any changes constitutes your acceptance.

2. Age Eligibility and COPPA Compliance

Children under 13 may not create accounts directly.All accounts for children under 13 must be created and managed by a parent, guardian, or legally authorized school administrator. Plio Academy complies fully with COPPA (Children's Online Privacy Protection Act).

The confirmation email click constitutes verifiable parental consent under COPPA 16 CFR § 312.5(b)(1). By clicking confirm, you attest you are at least 18 years old and the parent or legal guardian of the child.

3. Account Registration and Guardian Responsibility

When you create an account, you are responsible for providing accurate information, maintaining confidentiality, and monitoring your child's use. Plio Academy reserves the right to suspend or terminate accounts that violate these Terms or remain inactive for 24 months.

At account creation, we present a direct COPPA notice summarizing what data we collect from children under 13, how it is used, and your parental rights. You must confirm receipt before your child's profile is activated.

4. FERPA — School Use

If you use Plio Academy under a school or district agreement, Plio Academy acts as a "school official" with a "legitimate educational interest" as defined under FERPA (20 U.S.C. § 1232g). In this capacity, Plio Academy:

• (a) uses student education records only to provide the contracted educational services;
• (b) does not re-disclose records to third parties without school authorization;
• (c) maintains direct control of student data consistent with FERPA requirements.

A Data Processing Addendum (DPA) is available for school districts upon request at hello@plio.academy.

5. Creator and Instructor Terms

This section applies to any user who applies for and is granted a creator or instructor role on the Platform.

5.1 Eligibility

Creators must be at least 18 years old and must complete Plio Academy's vetting process, including identity verification and a competency assessment. No formal teaching credentials are required, but creators must demonstrate relevant subject-matter knowledge and experience. Creators who wish to conduct live sessions with students must additionally pass a background check before any live interaction.

5.2 COPPA Agency

Creators operate as agents of Plio Academy for the limited purpose of providing educational services under this Platform. In this capacity, creators are bound by the same COPPA (16 CFR Part 312) obligations as Plio Academy with respect to student data. Creators may not collect, store, or use any personal information from students outside of the Plio platform.

5.3 Child Safety Obligations

Creators agree never to contact students outside of the Plio platform. Creators may not record, screenshot, or share any session content involving students without explicit written permission from Plio Academy. Creators who become aware of suspected child abuse or neglect must report immediately to applicable law enforcement or child protective services as required by law (see Nevada NRS 432B and applicable federal law), and notify Plio Academy at hello@plio.academy. If a child is in immediate danger, call 911 first. Nevada Child Protective Services operates a 24/7 hotline at 1-800-992-5757. Reporting to the authorities is never contingent on notifying us first, and nothing here should delay it.

5.4 Content and Conduct Standards

All creator-submitted content must be age-appropriate, educationally sound, accurate, and free from political advocacy, commercial promotion, or content inappropriate for learners ages 5–17. Plio Academy reserves the right to review, modify, or remove any content at any time without prior notice.

5.5 Content License

By submitting content to the Platform, creators grant Plio Academy a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to use, display, reproduce, and distribute the content for educational and nonprofit purposes. Creators retain ownership of original works.

5.6 Termination of Creator Access

Plio Academy may suspend or permanently revoke creator access at any time for violations of this agreement, platform policies, or applicable law — immediately and without prior notice where student safety is at risk. Creators may voluntarily end their participation by emailing hello@plio.academy.

6. Acceptable Use and Conduct

You may use the Platform only for lawful, noncommercial educational purposes. Prohibited conduct includes:

• Harmful or illegal activity
• Harassment, bullying, or hate speech
• Attempting unauthorized access
• Introducing malware or disruptive code
• Commercial exploitation of the Platform
• Impersonation or fraud

7. Intellectual Property Rights

All curriculum content, lessons, games, and materials on the Platform are owned by or licensed to Plio Academy and protected by copyright and trademark law. You may access content for personal educational use only.

8. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, Plio Academy is not liable for indirect, incidental, special, or consequential damages, including lost profits or lost data. Any direct damages are limited to fees paid in the preceding 12 months (or $100, whichever is greater).

9. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold Plio Academy harmless from claims, damages, and expenses arising from your use of the Platform, your breach of these Terms, or your infringement of third-party rights.

10. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution

These Terms are governed by Nevada law. Disputes shall be resolved through binding arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association, except for intellectual property claims, which may be brought in court.

11. Termination and Data Retention

You may terminate your account by emailing hello@plio.academy. Plio Academy may terminate your account if you violate these Terms or for other legitimate reasons.

Deletion timeline:most personal data deleted within 45 days of account deletion request (30 days for children's data under 13). Encrypted backup copies may persist for up to 30 additional days before full purge. Donation records retained 7 years per nonprofit financial requirements.

12. Changes to These Terms

Plio Academy may modify these Terms by posting an updated version with a new Effective Date. Material changes will be communicated to guardians by email at least 14 days before taking effect.

13. Contact Us

For questions about these Terms or to request account deletion:

Plio Academy Legal & Support
Email: hello@plio.academy

We aim to respond within 5 business days.

This is a summary. For the full, detailed Terms of Service effective May 1, 2026, please refer to the official document at docs/legal/tos-2026-05.md.