COPPA Compliance Statement
Mathema Contest is committed to complying with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). This policy explains how we collect, use, and protect personal information from children under 13 years of age.
1. Information We Collect from Children
When a child under 13 registers for the Mathema Contest with parental consent, we may collect:
- Child's Full Name - For identification and certificate issuance
- Date of Birth - To verify age eligibility
- Grade Level - To assign appropriate competition category
- School Name - Optional, for statistical and recognition purposes
- Competition Results - To determine winners and provide feedback
- IP Address - For security and fraud prevention
We do NOT collect:
- Home addresses
- Photos or videos of children
- Any information not directly related to competition participation
2. Parental Consent
We require verifiable parental consent before collecting any personal information from children under 13. Our consent process includes:
- A detailed consent form explaining what information we collect and how it will be used
- Verification through email confirmation or digital signature
- Parent's right to review, correct, or delete their child's information
- Option to withdraw consent at any time
Parental Rights Under COPPA
As a parent or legal guardian, you have the right to:
- Review - Request to see all personal information we have collected about your child
- Delete - Request deletion of your child's personal information
- Stop Collection - Refuse further collection or use of your child's information
- Update - Request corrections to any inaccurate information
To exercise these rights, contact us at privacy@mathemacontest.com or call +27 81 515 2254.
3. How We Use Children's Information
Information collected from children is used solely for:
- Administering competition rounds and scoring
- Determining winners and distributing prizes
- Sending competition updates and results
- Issuing certificates of participation
- Improving the quality of future competitions
We do NOT:
- Share children's personal information with third parties for marketing
- Use children's information for targeted advertising
- Sell or rent children's data under any circumstances
4. Information Sharing
We may share children's information only in limited circumstances:
- With Parental Consent: When explicitly authorized by a parent or guardian
- Service Providers: With trusted vendors who assist in operating the competition (e.g., email providers) under strict confidentiality agreements
- Legal Requirements: When required by law or to protect the safety of our participants
5. Data Security and Retention
We implement robust security measures to protect children's information:
- All data is encrypted in transit (SSL/TLS) and at rest
- Access to children's data is restricted to authorized personnel only
- Regular security audits and vulnerability testing
- Data is retained only as long as necessary for competition purposes
Children's information is retained for the duration of the competition and up to 12 months afterward for record-keeping purposes. Upon request, we will delete data sooner.
6. Withdrawing Consent
Parents may withdraw consent at any time by:
- Emailing privacy@mathemacontest.com
- Calling +27 81 515 2254
- Logging into the parent portal (available after consent verification)
Upon withdrawal, we will stop collecting new information and delete existing data within 10 business days, unless retention is required for legal reasons or to complete a competition in progress.
7. Contact Information
If you have questions about this Children's Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your parental rights, please contact our Privacy Officer:
- Email: privacy@mathemacontest.com
- Phone: +27 81 515 2254
- Address: Cape Town, South Africa
Last updated: March 28, 2026