Privacy Policy

Effective October 13, 2026

This policy explains what the Chess Coach Andre online classroom (classroom.chesscoachandre.com, "the classroom") collects, why, who can see it, and the choices you have. The classroom is run by Andre Gorostiaga, doing business as Chess Coach Andre, on Maui, Hawaii ("we", "us"). Questions: andre@chesscoachandre.com.

In short: we collect only what's needed to teach you chess online. We don't show ads, use tracking or analytics, or sell or share your information for advertising. Your camera and voice are only recorded if you (or your parent) agree.

What we collect

• Account details: the student's first name, an email address, and a password. Passwords are stored only in a scrambled (hashed) form that we can't read. For a child under 13, the account is created by a parent or guardian, and we also keep the parent's name. The email is the parent's.
• Lesson activity: the moves, positions, notes and chapters used in lessons, homework your coach gives you, positions you save, and when lessons were recorded.
• Lesson recordings: when your coach records a lesson, we keep the board, the coach's camera and voice, and only if you agree (or for a child, the parent agrees) the student's camera and voice. We also keep a note of each recording agreement: who agreed, and when.
• Video calls: calls go directly between your browser and your coach's whenever possible. Calls aren't stored unless the lesson is recorded as described above.
• Chat: chat messages exist only while people are in the classroom. They're deleted when everyone leaves and are never put in recordings.
• Technical information: your internet (IP) address is used briefly to connect calls and to limit repeated sign-in attempts. We don't keep a history of it.

How we use it

To run your lessons, keep your homework, saved positions and recordings in your library, let you sign in, keep accounts secure, and contact you about your lessons. We don't use your information for advertising or sell it to anyone.

Who can see it

• Your coach can see your account details, lesson activity and recordings.
• You (or, for a child, the parent who manages the account) can see your homework, saved positions and the recordings of your lessons in your library.
• People your coach sends a recording link to. Your coach may send a private link to a recording, for example to you or your parent. Anyone with that link can watch that recording.
• Service providers that help the classroom run, only as needed to provide it:
  • The company that hosts the classroom's servers and backup storage, which stores the information above for us.
  • Google's call-connection (STUN) service, which sees your IP address when a call starts.
  • A call relay service, if one is used, which carries call data (but doesn't store it) when a direct connection isn't possible.
  • Google Fonts, which provides the lettering on the pages and receives your IP address when a page loads.
• When the law requires it, or to protect someone's safety.

Lessons are booked and paid for on chesscoachandre.com, which has its own privacy policy. The classroom itself doesn't take payments.

Cookies and storage on your device

We use one cookie, only to keep you signed in. It's strictly necessary for the site to work, so there's nothing to opt out of. We don't use advertising or tracking cookies. Your browser also remembers a few settings on your own device, such as the board colours, pieces, sound volume and the name you typed. These are never sent to us.

Children under 13

We teach children, and we follow the U.S. Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).

• Children under 13 can only have an account created by a parent or guardian. The parent gives consent when creating it.
• We collect only the child's first name and their lesson activity. A child's camera and voice are recorded only if the parent separately agrees. That can be changed at any time in the library.
• A child joining a lesson without an account is asked before any recording includes them, and told to ask a parent first if they're under 13. Their first name is used only during that lesson.
• Parents can review their child's information, download it, have it deleted, or stop any further collection at any time: in the library ("Account and privacy"), or by emailing andre@chesscoachandre.com.

Your choices and rights

• Recording: choose in your library whether lessons may record your camera and voice. In a lesson, you can also change your answer with "Change" next to the recording notice.
• See and download your data: "Download my data" in your library.
• Remove yourself from a recording: "Remove me" in your library deletes your camera and voice from it.
• Delete your account: "Delete my account" in your library deletes your account, saved positions, and your camera and voice in every recording.
• Correct something: email us.

Depending on where you live (for example California), you may have further rights to know, correct or delete your information. You can use all of them through your library or by emailing us, and we won't treat you differently for doing so. We don't sell or share personal information as those laws define it.

How long we keep it

Account information and saved positions are kept until you delete your account. Recordings are kept until you remove yourself, you delete your account, or your coach deletes them. Copies in backups are cleared as those backups are replaced.

Keeping it safe

The classroom uses encrypted (HTTPS) connections, scrambled passwords, limits on repeated sign-in attempts, and private links that can't be guessed. Only your coach can manage it. No system is perfectly secure, but if something ever went wrong that affected you, we'd tell you.

Changes

If this policy changes, we'll update the date at the top. If the change is important, we'll ask you to review and agree again the next time you sign in.

Contact

Andre Gorostiaga, Chess Coach Andre, Maui, Hawaii · andre@chesscoachandre.com